Excellent quality pots/pans set?

[mrudman]

My brothers and I are planning on going together to buy my mom a new set of cookware.

The set she uses has been (i believe) since their wedding 40 yrs ago.. it's still in great shape, but she has hinted to us on multiple occasions that she'd like new stuff.

So, I need to know what company out there really holds up well over time... I got a few pots/pans for my wedding 10 yrs ago that were calphalon, and they seemed to all lose their inner coating over time.

About 3 yrs ago, my parents got us a few new pans that are Analon and so far so good, the coating seems to be holding up pretty well.

Is there anything better than Analon? Just looking for something that's really going to hold up over time.. since I'd hate to get her a new set, have her replace everything and have it go to junk in a couple yrs time.

Thanks!

 

[CTdiznymom]

Since the handle just broke off my one and only large pot I'm subbing

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Well I dont know about other name brands and I am not completely suavy about pots and pans I do know that we were given KitchenAid pots and pans for our wedding (7 years ago) and I love them they look brand new still

 

[Worfiedoodles]

I'm looking for excellent pots and pans that will go in the dishwasher...

Maria

 

[maslex]

I am the fan of the Executive Pan Set from Pampered Chef. They are a bit pricey but if you have a party and sell a certain amount, you can get the 5pc and 7-pc set for 1/2 off. It comes to a total of $355 so that would be about $175 each for you and your brother. Not sure if that is in your budget or not, but they do have a lifetime guarantee.

 

[poohfriend]

I have had belgique pots and pans for 19 years. I love them. Honestly if i dried them by hand they would look brand new. But I don't wash and dry by hand, I throw them in the dishwasher! These pots have been through the mill and keep going strong.

After using my pots and pans, my mother bought a set for herself, as did my mother-in-law. My mother has even given small sets as gifts.

I can't say enough about how evenly they heat and how easily they clean. They are not fancy (although I do think they look attractive) and they do not have some brand name. But after 19 years, Macy's still sells them.

As a side note, when I bought my set, I worked as a sales rep in cookware. Caphlon and all the other big names sold well, but when I was chooing my wedding registry -- Belgique won. I'm so happy with my set. I would purchase again today! I have the stainless ones.

I think you can get an extensive set for $150-$200. They often have sales and bonuses this time of year.

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=452549&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

 

[4HppyCamprs]

Well I was looking for cookware at Macy's that someone else posted I saw that they have a cookware quiz You could try that

 

[vicki_c]

Make sure you don't get anything too heavy - you might want to go to the store and check them out before buying. We have wonderful All-Clad and Le Crueset pots and pans but some of the pieces are really heavy even when empty. If your mom is older / getting older, she probably wouldn't appreciate that - my mom always comments on that when she's visiting us - that they are too hard to lift.

 

[budbeerlady]

I like the Faberware 18/10 stainless pots I bought over the years, going 8 years with no issues. Had no problems in the dishwasher and they were nice and heavy duty.

I have become obsessed with Le Creuset. (I hit the outlet with coupons to afford it!) I picked up over the summer the 4 1/2 quart round dutch oven, the 7 quart Doufeu and the 2 1/2 and 3 1/2 buffet servers. They wash out so easily its insane, even the super sticky cantonese chicken recipe with its 1 lb of brown sugar was easy to clean! Totally in love with them!!!!!!!!!!!

I still use my faberware but not as often now. Its an odd thing, I am cooking these huge meals just to use my pans on the weekend for fun.

 

[vicki_c]

I have become obsessed with Le Creuset. (I hit the outlet with coupons to afford it!)

Hijack coming -- we just were at the outlet in SC on our way home from Disney - their big 35% sale started 10/29. We picked up a new skillet and a new teapot and saved about $80.

 

[janey99]

Believe it or not, have a look at Tramontina tri-ply cookware available on Walmart's website (and only on their website). You will find hundreds and hundreds of rave reviews by hardcore cooks who consider it comparable to some of the real pricey three ply stuff.

I first read about it on a high end kitchen renovation site I subscribe to.

I'm looking into getting a set for Christmas!

Jane

 

[budbeerlady]

Hijack coming -- we just were at the outlet in SC on our way home from Disney - their big 35% sale started 10/29. We picked up a new skillet and a new teapot and saved about $80.

Oh Yeah!!! That is why I drove the hour to Michigan City last week. For the extra 35% but then while telling the sales assistant how I loved my Doufeu that I had gotten in October she gave me a 40% card for my purchase. So I picked up the lime 2.5 buffet and some spatulas for under $100. They had the new lighter yellow on sale for 35% off with no other discounts so I went back later in the day and bought me the 3.5 buffet for $108. (Otherwise I would have used the 40% off if I could.) Love the lighter yellow, the mustard is too dark for me. Merry Christmas to me!!!!!!

Anyway OP, whatever you get buy quality. There are lots of choices out there but if you are spending the money make sure its safe to eat off from and that it will last. My mother in law is always complaining because she needs new pots and pans each year. If she would quit buying a crud set for $50 each year should could have a full set of Staub for what she has wasted! She is getting the Le Creuset bakeware 8*8 and bonus pan from us this year, it wont rust like her other pans.

 

[WLfamily]

I love Rachel Ray's cookware. She has a new line out and you can search it on QVC. It's the hard anodized with silacone (sp?) handles that stay cool. Cooks and washes like a dream.

 

[Disneysun]

The folks at Cooks Illustrated recently reviewed cookware and also recommended the brand walmart carries, tramontina as the "best value". All Clad was the overall winner, but for that price it is not budget friendly.

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equ...d=19463&frtk=SS3aM30hAqcl0h6FbBhiDG3iGUdGrc5u

Here is the link (that may or may not work) to their findings.

 

[wendypooh]

Hijack coming -- we just were at the outlet in SC on our way home from Disney - their big 35% sale started 10/29. We picked up a new skillet and a new teapot and saved about $80.

Hi, would you mind telling me where in SC the outlet store is? I'm going to visit my mom in Charleston and I'd LOVE to get some Le Creuset on sale!!! Thanks

 

[gawrsh2008]

I can't believe no one's mentioned Magnalite yet. I inherited my grandmother's full set and I swear by it. They say you shouldn't put them in the dishwasher, but I do.

 

[SandrA9810]

I have had belgique pots and pans for 19 years. I love them. Honestly if i dried them by hand they would look brand new. But I don't wash and dry by hand, I throw them in the dishwasher! These pots have been through the mill and keep going strong.

After using my pots and pans, my mother bought a set for herself, as did my mother-in-law. My mother has even given small sets as gifts.

I can't say enough about how evenly they heat and how easily they clean. They are not fancy (although I do think they look attractive) and they do not have some brand name. But after 19 years, Macy's still sells them.

As a side note, when I bought my set, I worked as a sales rep in cookware. Caphlon and all the other big names sold well, but when I was chooing my wedding registry -- Belgique won. I'm so happy with my set. I would purchase again today! I have the stainless ones.

I think you can get an extensive set for $150-$200. They often have sales and bonuses this time of year.

http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=452549&PseudoCat=se-xx-xx-xx.esn_results

Another vote for them. My aunt has the stainless set as well, and she's had them for over 20 years. I love my non stick set that I got 7 years ago, but it's so easy to knick and scratch them. Eventually the non stick is going to start peeling or rubbing off, and I'll have to get a new set.

Stainless is really great for even cooking, and with a few tricks cleaning is easy too. The best one my aunt taught me, was to take a pan, boil some water in it and then scrub it clean.

There's usually good coupons put out there and sales to get them at a discount. And the weight is not that heavy either.

 

[princessmom29]

Our calphalon held up well for 10 years before the coating started to come off. We got Som Emeril(nonstick) and some Paula Deen(stainless) last year for christmas nad have been pleased with both.

 

[Fyrefly]

Seems to me like stainless holds up the best, esp. with hand washing. I've never actually used non-stick except for a brief stint senior year where my apartment mate provided the pots and she got nonstick. Incidentally I hated them...

The best stuff would be about 35-40 year old Farberware stainless back when it was made in the States and higher quality than now. My mom's set is now mine because they are slightly deformed now and dance on her new glass-top stove like Mrs. Potts and friends! But they work fine on my coil stove.

She got a set of All-Clad and has been pleased with them, so seconding those opinions. For someone who is cooking all the time and really into it, you do get what you pay for IMHO. The other reason she went with All-Clad is because the lids were all metal. She can be a bit of a klutz and all the other stainless sets had glass lids which she was petrified of breaking.

Or you could just scrounge yard sales and find ancient Farberware...

 

[ILUVPOOH1]

Pampered Chef...have had mine for years and love them. I have both the Executive non-stick and the stainless. Are they expensive...YES! BUT...they have a lifetime guarantee, which means they are the LAST set of cookware you will ever buy.

PM or email me if you need a consultant, or have any questions