What cookware do I want?

[Innisfree]

Looking for brand recommendations. I’m interested in Tramontina, but open to other suggestions. 

Having finally gotten to the point where I felt like I could splurge on good pans, I bought a couple of pieces of All-Clad. Unfortunately my chief dishwasher and I are both getting older, with various joint issues and aches and pains. The All-Clad is just too heavy. From the start I had to wash the new pans, but now I’m sometimes having problems with them also. So…

What I want to find should have lids, be induction compatible, and be able to go into the oven at temperatures up to 500 degrees, not that I need them to do that frequently, I just don’t want to have to worry about them. They should not have any non-stick coating. I like the look of the Tramontina Tri-Ply Clad, but does anyone know if it’s as heavy as All-Clad? Or are there other brands I should look at? This is exactly the sort of pan I want now, but I’ll also need a big stock pot eventually.
https://www.tramontina.com/3-qt-tri-ply-clad-stainless-steel-covered-braiser_80116009/p

I’ll appreciate any suggestions.

[dirty ethel rackham]

I don't have any advice, but thank you for posting this.  When we redo our kitchen in the next year, I want to replace my 35 year-old RevereWare.  The handles have had too many scorchings over a too-high flame and are getting loose.  We use cast iron frying pans but want some good sauce pans, steamer insert, and stock pots. 

[Innisfree]

1 hour ago, dirty ethel rackham said:

I don't have any advice, but thank you for posting this.  When we redo our kitchen in the next year, I want to replace my 35 year-old RevereWare.  The handles have had too many scorchings over a too-high flame and are getting loose.  We use cast iron frying pans but want some good sauce pans, steamer insert, and stock pots. 

Maybe we can both get some ideas!

[Pawz4me]

I have this set of Tramontina tri-ply clad. I bought it last fall when we got our induction range. I don't have any real complaints. The 2 quart sauce pan came with a couple of very small pits in it, but that's the only thing I found wrong and it wasn't anywhere near worth exchanging the set. They're only oven safe up to 350, though. I have RA (affects multiple joints in fingers and wrists) and fairly severe OA in my right thumb joint. It is challenging sometimes to wash all but the small sauce pan and small saute pan. I don't know how they compare to All Clad. They're very sturdy pans but I would assume All Clad is significantly heavier. I didn't even consider it because I knew they'd be too heavy for me to handle, and I probably don't cook enough to justify the price. I debated between the Tramontina and Cuisinart and Calphalon sets and ultimately chose the Tramontina because the set had the closest sizes to what I use the most and not things I knew I wouldn't use. 

[Spy Car]

I'm sorry to read you are having such pain.

One suggestion I might make for a large stock pot is to get a very inexpensive lightweight stock pot (of the sort linked below).

These are no good for browning or cooking of that nature, but for boiling items in water, they work well. 

Since much of the weight of a full stockpot is in the water weight, I'd suggest using a small pitcher (or similar) to add water in batches to the pot once the pot is on the stove.

Also get a large ladle (there are Chinese style ones that are quite suitable to the task) and likewise remove water from the pot in manageable batches while it is still on the stove to avoid needing to lift the weight of a pot full of water.

This would, of course, also work with heavier pots as well.

Wish you the best,

Bill

 

https://www.boscovs.com/product/stainless-steel-stockpot-8qt/11658?utm_source=Google&utm_term=11658&utm_content=for+the+home+>+kitchen+and+dining+>+cookware&utm_campaign=CSE&cid=CSE:Google&scid=scplp9974107&sc_intid=9974107&adpos=&cid=CSE:Google&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=CSE&utm_campaign=SC Shopping - Smart Shopping - Tier 4&gclid=Cj0KCQjw0tKiBhC6ARIsAAOXutmYmHsvRvmsXxCRmqYofW2yPo66dvzM6Zobr_c5OpBmeSFAqKriUaYaArLgEALw_wcB#close

 

[gardenmom5]

tramontina's triply, as well as cuisinart's MCP and French Classic triplies, are the other brands lines that chef's magazine rated as being similar performance to all-clad's triply. (other triplies didn't perform as well.)  I would assume the weights are similar.

I would go to a quality cooking store and handle the pans to see what would work for you for weight.  I'd be concerned a lighter pan wouldn't perform very well when it came to actual cooking.

Dh bought himself an AC electric skillet (basically, the 6qt round saute pan made into an electric pan.  his old electric frying pan fit inside it.)

[Innisfree]

2 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

I have this set of Tramontina tri-ply clad.

These look very similar to the ones I have looked at online, and probably the temperature range would be fine for our purposes. I’m sorry they’re heavy enough to cause you discomfort in washing. That probably means I should handle the Tramontina ones I was considering before I order one. I appreciate hearing your experience.

57 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

Since much of the weight of a full stockpot is in the water weight, I'd suggest using a small pitcher (or similar) to add water in batches to the pot once the pot is on the stove.

This is what I do now: fill it about halfway at the sink, then put it on the burner and finish filling with a small pot. I empty it with a big ladle anyway, since I’m usually putting the broth through a strainer and into another pot or a storage container. I’m toying with the idea of getting a small sink in the same countertop as the stove, with a faucet that would pull out and fill pots on the stove. That’s not going to happen soon, but maybe someday.

51 minutes ago, gardenmom5 said:

I would go to a quality cooking store and handle the pans to see what would work for you for weight.

That’s probably what I should do. I don’t think we have a store in town that has more of an assortment than, say, Target, and most of what I’ve seen there is either nonstick or cast iron. I’ll have to do some research on stores with a better selection.

[Resilient]

You need a good heavy frying pan if you work at high temps. I dealt with the weight issue by getting one with a handle on both sides.  Otherwise I really would be struggling tith just the one long handle.  

[Spy Car]

28 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

This is what I do now: fill it about halfway at the sink, then put it on the burner and finish filling with a small pot. I empty it with a big ladle anyway, since I’m usually putting the broth through a strainer and into another pot or a storage container. I’m toying with the idea of getting a small sink in the same countertop as the stove, with a faucet that would pull out and fill pots on the stove. That’s not going to happen soon, but maybe someday.

There are also specialized spigots that have inline hot water heating built in that can be mounted above stovetops. Many of the fancier new kitchens here in LA incorporate these. I believe the water comes out very hot.

Excuse me for offering up suggestions for things you've already figured out yourself. Trying to be helpful and I know that suffering from arthritic pain is no fun.

Bill

[Resilient]

And one other thing:  don’t buy a Set.  Buy what you need according to its use.  Like Spy Car said upthread you don’t need a heavy stock pot.  You do need a heavy frying pan. Mine is 7 ply stainless.  But I have lighter weight saucepans because they generally act as mini stockpots most of the time.  Soup, etc.  handles on both sides —a real plus.  

[Spy Car]

@Innisfree 

If you want to have a frying pan for high-heat cooking, of the type at which cast-iron excels, but the weight is a factor, you may wish to consider a carbon steel pan. Carbon steel variations are sometimes sold as "mineral steel" or a black steel/black pans.

Carbon steel cooks very similarly to cast iron. They are not "light," but much lighter than cast-iron. And while I prefer heavier gauge carbon steel myself (as it tends to heat more evenly) carbon steel pans are available in lighter gauges. You'd just need to be a little more careful about pre-heating (and rotating the pans) to reduce the potential for hot/cold spots.

Like cast-iron, carbon steel pans require seasoning. But then they can handle anything. Much better than any stainless ply for high-heat searing IMO. There are even small ones that are typically sold as "crepe pans" that you might find useful. The crepe pans are reasonably light. Lighter gauge and lighter handles.

Bill

Edited May 5, 2023 by Spy Car

[prairiewindmomma]

For me, it’s not just the weight, it’s the handle. It has to fit right in the hand given how my joints are all messed up. Go put hands on actual pans. I agree—don’t buy sets. Buy what you need. 99% of the time, I operate off of a skillet, a stockpot, and a sauce pan. 
 

Depending on the degree of impairment you think your aches and pains will cause, I will also say I have had to gently retire some dishes and move to others. No one really plans on that happening, but my baking sheets and Instant Pot get a lot of action these days.

[Spy Car]

If you need a large fry pan the 12.5 inch De Buyer MINERAL B Carbon Steel Fry Pan has an extra handle to make lifting easier. Most of the smaller carbon steel pans don't include these.

I have moved over to seasoning my carbon steel/cast iron using grapeseed oil. It polymerizes very well and the seasoning is less brittle than flaxseed oil.

These turn black with seasoning and use.

Bill

 

 

Edited May 5, 2023 by Spy Car

[Pawz4me]

Handles on both sides aren't helpful to me for washing. I have no problem cooking--it's easy to add ingredients with the pot already on the burner, and ditto for removing leftovers. Those aren't issues. I don't know how other people wash pots and pans, but I have to use one hand to wash/scrub and one to hold and manipulate the pot. Two handles aren't helpful for that. And for me getting in/out of the cabinet is an issue. I guess if I could keep all of my pots and pans at the front of the cabinet two handles might be helpful for lifting, but alas I don't have that much cabinet space. Some of them have to go toward the back.

[Pawz4me]

1 hour ago, Resilient said:

And one other thing:  don’t buy a Set.  Buy what you need according to its use.

That was my initial thought when I started looking, but buying pieces would have been way more expensive than buying a set. So I chose to go with a small set, knowing I'd use everything in it, and knowing I could add on any other individual pots and pans. It was really much less expensive that way. I have no idea if that would be the way for anyone else to go, but I'd highly advise comparing.

[prairiewindmomma]

My skillet lives on my stovetop. Someone else cleans and oils it for me on bad days. If it is a good day and I can lift it, I rest it on the sink divider to scrub it. I will wait for it to cool because I often lift it on the back of one wrist since my MCP and DIP joints are going. So for me, I have a two handle small skillet for when I am just cooking for me and Youngest. She is just getting old enough to be able to deal with hot things and I have needed something for a couple of years.
 

If cooking is becoming interesting, cleaning likely is too. I have a modified scrubber where I can maintain a wide grip, or I use my thumb and side of my hand to push down and away to scrub. No one really talks about modifications, so I wanted to mention that in case that is something that sounds helpful. 
 

 

[Spy Car]

20 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

Handles on both sides aren't helpful to me for washing. I have no problem cooking--it's easy to add ingredients with the pot already on the burner, and ditto for removing leftovers. Those aren't issues. I don't know how other people wash pots and pans, but I have to use one hand to wash/scrub and one to hold and manipulate the pot. Two handles aren't helpful for that. And for me getting in/out of the cabinet is an issue. I guess if I could keep all of my pots and pans at the front of the cabinet two handles might be helpful for lifting, but alas I don't have that much cabinet space. Some of them have to go toward the back.

There are mats that can be placed in sinks to protect the sink's surface from damage, that also stabilize the pan and made it easy to grasp with one hand. A good brush makes it an easier/quicker job.

Bill

[Spy Car]

I'm in "the middle" on sets.

A basic set can give one a number of good pieces that one can then build upon for a lower price (typically) than going purely to individual pieces.

But rarely does a set not require supplementation, and when weight is a factor, it complicates things further.

Bill

[Pawz4me]

16 minutes ago, Spy Car said:

There are mats that can be placed in sinks to protect the sink's surface from damage, that also stabilize the pan and made it easy to grasp with one hand. A good brush makes it an easier/quicker job.

Bill

Doesn’t help with washing/scrubbing sides and bottoms. Plus my sink is divided and not all pots and pans will sit flat in one. Sadly, almost nothing is easy to grasp when you have multiple arthritic joints. 

[Spy Car]

8 minutes ago, Pawz4me said:

Doesn’t help with washing/scrubbing sides and bottoms. Plus my sink is divided and not all pots and pans will sit flat in one. Sadly, almost nothing is easy to grasp when you have multiple arthritic joints. 

I'm sorry. I know arthritic joints make life more difficult.

I got such a mat to make things easier for my wife, whose arthritis seems to run in "flares," and it helps her. I try to take on the task of washing pots as much as possible.

I got a small taste of what's it's like recently when I helped a neighbor move an impossibly heavy concrete table. Two guys took one side, I took the other. I did something to a bursa in my elbow. Suddenly pans that were no problem caused me pain.

Things can change that quickly. Fortunately I'm nearly recovered. And I know arthritis is often progressive. 

Bill

 

[gardenmom5]

2 hours ago, Resilient said:

You need a good heavy frying pan if you work at high temps. I dealt with the weight issue by getting one with a handle on both sides.  Otherwise I really would be struggling tith just the one long handle.  

helper handles are great.  Larger sauce pans and saute pans have the option.

[PeterPan]

12 hours ago, Innisfree said:

The All-Clad is just too heavy.

I don't think you're going to get the lighter weight you seem to be wanting going with anything clad. I have some all-clad and lots of Demeyer (love) and they're both heavy. The demeyer comes in various ply and both are heavy, the only question being heavy or astonishingly heavy.

Have you looked at any of Jacque Pepin's FB posts to see what he cooks with? He's still cooking, which is so adorable as it's for him and his wife. Because he's aging, he's cooking in smaller pans with smaller proportions, which is another way to get the weight down. You could also think about changing your cooking techniques to use lighter weights, doing things in the oven instead of the stovetop, using an instant pot which has a much lighter liner, etc. Are you cooking for 2 or many more?

I cook a lot for two, and I got some tiny glass baking dishes at Target that are just the bomb. They're half the size of what would go in my toaster oven, but they're perfect for doing small things. 

I also follow Wok with Tak on youtube who has videos about how his choice of wok has changed over the years to accommodate weight. They make a *very thin* cast iron wok that functions tolerably and even comes in a smaller two person size if you want. I don't think you can do cast iron on induction though, can you? You could do a stainless wok for that. Nevertheless, the thought process was interesting to me, seeing him change how he was doing things to fit his reality. He has a whole wall of woks in his kitchen. 🙂

If you just want the stock pot for pasta, you can get a tolerable pot like that at Walmart. Some walmarts even have tramontina in stock. I'm not saying woo woo that's what you want, but it will let you put hands on some different types of materials and feel them in person. I haven't been weighing them recently, but I think you might find a *disk bottom* pan would give you lighter weight than going clad. Although clad is great and I hear you on that, it's adding weight that you could work around.

Also there are some newer materials. I saw Jacques Pepin cooking with some kind of enamel mystery skillet and I've seen the Mediterranean Dish (also on FB) cooking with it. It's one of these newer, supposedly healthy coatings. You can usually find pans like that in TJMaxx/Homegoods if you want to feel them for weight. They are supposedly healthy. 

[Resilient]

Would something like silicone pan handle covers and pan grippers help with ability to grip?  I saw some on Amazon   

Adding this: my mom put dinner on the table for more than 50 years snd it was good (not French chef-ish, but GOOD) food and she had terrible cookware.  Really, like one HALF decent saucepan, an electric skillet which she used alll the time, which she washed in place so very little lifting.  
 

I enjoy having great cookware but I wouldn’t if it caused more pain than benefit. And having it has give me some ability to cook better but I’m never going to be French-chefing either. 
 

My son burned up one of my DeMeyre saucepans and thought he should replace it.  When I saw the price tag I told him no. What was I even DOING with a $250 saucepan????   Snob appeal, I admit to my shame.   BUT the fry pan—I use incredibly high heat snd detest dealing with cast iron seasoning and all.   So THST was a good purchase.  
 

My point is to do what you need to do—you can cook pretty dang decent meals with ordinary cookware.  

[Pawz4me]

6 hours ago, Resilient said:

My point is to do what you need to do—you can cook pretty dang decent meals with ordinary cookware.  

Absolutely true. I've never understood the obsession with spendy cookware or high end stoves or kitchen gadgets. I've always wondered if people thought they needed certain things to cover up lack of cooking ability? I truly don't mean that in a snide way, but I really have never understood it. It's kind of like thinking that to be a good driver you need a Bentley or Lamborghini, that you couldn't drive well in a less expensive vehicle. Sure one might be more fun or maybe even a little easier, but if you're good you can drive any of them with skill. And if you can truly cook you can do it well with any pan or any type of heat source, because you know how to adapt to those.

[Innisfree]

12 hours ago, PeterPan said:

don't think you're going to get the lighter weight you seem to be wanting going with anything clad…. Are you cooking for 2 or many more?

 

12 hours ago, PeterPan said:

If you just want the stock pot for pasta,

I’m not committed to anything clad. Cooking for 3-4, most of the time.

The stock pot is actually for stock, not pasta, but I’ve been thinking about it overnight, and I believe I’ll just keep the one I have, and use it on one of the disks that transfers heat from the induction burner to non-induction pans. My stock pot is an ancient, battered aluminum one which was originally from a deep well in an old stove of my MIL’s. It holds a lot, as in, I can make 22 cups of broth in it, without accounting for the space occupied by the turkey carcass or whatever. It’s not very wide, but quite deep, and I really love it, so I think I’ll just keep using it and accept whatever loss of efficiency comes with it. But in general, I do want to get things that are actually induction compatible. 

10 hours ago, Resilient said:

Would something like silicone pan handle covers and pan grippers help with ability to grip?  
 

I can’t seem to reply outside this box, but thanks for the idea! I’ll look into these.

10 hours ago, Resilient said:

you can cook pretty dang decent meals with ordinary cookware.  

I completely agree. I never had anything else until about two years ago, when I started to look for induction compatible pans. I’d heard so much praise for all-clad, and they had some seconds on sale at a steep discount, so I tried a small one and liked it. I got another at the next sale, but it was bigger, and we started to realize the problems with weight.

At the moment my pans are a motley mix of thrift shop finds and the all-clad, with the only common denominator being that they’ll work on the induction stovetop. I carry a magnet on my keychain to test pans in the thrift shops, lol. I’d like to find a range of pans that have the characteristics I really prefer, though, to gradually replace the ones that don’t: no plastic or anything that will melt in the oven, lids, and *not* non-stick.

4 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

I've never understood the obsession with spendy cookware or high end stoves or kitchen gadgets.

I was curious what all the fuss was about, and the all-clad did have the general characteristics I was looking for, which I was having trouble finding elsewhere. I do like the way they handle, but I don’t find them *that* much better than the ones I used for ages before. As for stoves… if I had unlimited money, I would get a gorgeous stove just because I would enjoy looking at it so much, lol. What can I say, I’m a visual person. I’d love an Aga, except they’re utterly unsuitable for our climate. I  would use and enjoy multiple ovens, and a warming/proofing oven. I wouldn’t get a fancy professional modern sort of stove, because it’s just not my style. But lacking unlimited money, I can survive, and cook, perfectly well with an ordinary stove.

[PeterPan]

49 minutes ago, Innisfree said:

I can make 22 cups of broth in it,

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays-20QT-Stainless-Steel-Stockpot/857842567?from=searchResults

$30 solution. Like you say, just take your magnet to test it.

You can also make stock in a crockpot btw. Now that's not necessarily lighter, but there you go. If you want lighter, at Thanksgiving they'll sell these massive Hamilton Beach Roaster/crockpot things that have an enamel steel liner. I've made turkey stock in that after roasting the turkey in it. The liner will be surprisingly light, not at all like a regular heavy ceramic crockpot liner.

You might also consider whether some PT would be warranted to work on upper body strength. The All Clad pans are not that heavy, not in the 3-5 ply range. Now 7 ply, yes. Carbon steel, oh yes. It's just a thought.

[ArteHaus]

5 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

Absolutely true. I've never understood the obsession with spendy cookware or high end stoves or kitchen gadgets. I've always wondered if people thought they needed certain things to cover up lack of cooking ability? I truly don't mean that in a snide way, but I really have never understood it. It's kind of like thinking that to be a good driver you need a Bentley or Lamborghini, that you couldn't drive well in a less expensive vehicle. Sure one might be more fun or maybe even a little easier, but if you're good you can drive any of them with skill. And if you can truly cook you can do it well with any pan or any type of heat source, because you know how to adapt to those.

There are multiple reasons why people invest in “spendy” cookware, and I don’t think that it has a bit to do with covering up a lack of cooking skill.

The main reason we went with All-Clad is due to the non-toxicity of stainless steel. While one could certainly go to WalMart or wherever to purchase pots and pans, I would conjecture that nearly all of those choices are toxic. Perhaps, they (or any other economical brand carrier) have better choices now, I doubt it. 

So, if I were the OP, I would take toxicity into high consideration. 

I also use Le Creuset for cast iron. I also have Lodge cast iron skillets as well. The Le Creuset is brilliant compared to the Lodge.  So, I think quality is very very important in cooking. On a side note, I would love to try Staub, but haven’t yet.

With all that said, I can’t contribute to any suggestions on a different set for the OP because I love All-Clad, but I would hope that the OP would consider buying something that is NON-toxic:))

 

[popmom]

Bumping to ask a possibly dumb question.

Edit: apparently there’s a lawsuit that the aluminum erodes causing sharp edges if All Clad is put in the dishwasher—it’s not a rust issue. But I could swear I have a couple of tiny rust spots in one of my sauce pans. 😕

Is it bad to put All Clad and the like in the dishwasher? I always thought stainless could go in the dw no problem, but I caught a blurb somewhere recently saying some All Clad is rusting. I also was using ancient Revereware until we moved in this house with a smooth top range. It always went in the dishwasher—copper bottom and all. It is still in good condition. When I decided my next range would be induction, I started buying pieces of All Clad. I’ve been putting them in the dishwasher. I encouraged dd to register for Tramontina which she has just started using, so I’d like to give her fair warning if she needs to be hand washing it. 

Edited May 8, 2023 by popmom

[ArteHaus]

9 hours ago, popmom said:

Bumping to ask a possibly dumb question.

Edit: apparently there’s a lawsuit that the aluminum erodes causing sharp edges if All Clad is put in the dishwasher—it’s not a rust issue. But I could swear I have a couple of tiny rust spots in one of my sauce pans. 😕

Is it bad to put All Clad and the like in the dishwasher? I always thought stainless could go in the dw no problem, but I caught a blurb somewhere recently saying some All Clad is rusting. I also was using ancient Revereware until we moved in this house with a smooth top range. It always went in the dishwasher—copper bottom and all. It is still in good condition. When I decided my next range would be induction, I started buying pieces of All Clad. I’ve been putting them in the dishwasher. I encouraged dd to register for Tramontina which she has just started using, so I’d like to give her fair warning if she needs to be hand washing it. 

I put mine in the dishwasher (for better or for worse). Sometimes I hand wash, but not consistently. They still look beautiful, and I haven’t noticed rust at all. Some of mine are not-so-pretty on the inside bottom because I accidentally left them on the stove while the water boiled out, but other than than they are still quite lovely. I do clean them with stainless steel cleaner (all-clad sells its own) every once in a while. 

However, I will say that, ironically, the other day, I was hand washing one of my pots and noticed them rim felt a little sharp. None of the other ones feel that way so that is interesting about the lawsuit. All-Clad says they are dishwasher safe, but I actually have noticed the sharpening on the rim-

[popmom]

2 hours ago, ArteHaus said:

I put mine in the dishwasher (for better or for worse). Sometimes I hand wash, but not consistently. They still look beautiful, and I haven’t noticed rust at all. Some of mine are not-so-pretty on the inside bottom because I accidentally left them on the stove while the water boiled out, but other than than they are still quite lovely. I do clean them with stainless steel cleaner (all-clad sells its own) every once in a while. 

However, I will say that, ironically, the other day, I was hand washing one of my pots and noticed them rim felt a little sharp. None of the other ones feel that way so that is interesting about the lawsuit. All-Clad says they are dishwasher safe, but I actually have noticed the sharpening on the rim-

All Clad has removed the “dishwasher safe” terminology from all of its products and requested that all retailers also remove the dishwasher safe labels. 😕 I think you can get replacements for your sharp pieces. 
 

 

Edited May 8, 2023 by popmom

[ArteHaus]

59 minutes ago, popmom said:

All Clad has removed the “dishwasher safe” terminology from all of its products and requested that all retailers also remove the dishwasher safe labels. 😕 I think you can get replacements for your sharp pieces. 
 

 

Oh wow, thank you. I had no idea 🫢. I will certainly check on a replacement piece! I guess now I will start hand washing them 😞

[popmom]

11 hours ago, ArteHaus said:

Oh wow, thank you. I had no idea 🫢. I will certainly check on a replacement piece! I guess now I will start hand washing them 😞

I checked my favorite pan today, and I can feel that edge. I compared it to a pot I don't use/wash often. That is so frustrating. I guess I'll be handwashing mine, too. 

I am going to look into whether Tramontina has sealed edges.