Excellent quality pots/pans set?

[burnurcomputer]

My Mom has had her revere coppor bottom piots ofr over 25 years and they look new!Ii have had the same for over 12 and they look new too.....or they would if my DH would handwash them instead of putting them in the dishwasher, lol! It just never gets them as clean as I do, but at l;east he is helping

 

[mom2threecuties]

I love my All Clad stainless. I have one non-stick that I use for things like eggs. Pretty much any non-stick pan, no matter how expensive, is going to lose its coating over time, especially if you use non-stick sprays, metal utensils, or harsh detergents.

 

[jsmith]

I adore my calphalon-i don't have non-stick on anything except the omelet pan-i actually ahbor the stuff-it comes off-flavors your food and is generally nasty-so i just have the cast alumininum pans-they are awesome and ive had them about 10 years and they arent showing any signs of wear yet. My mother has magnalite pans that she has had as long as i can remember ( im 49) that are still great and and i have a couple of pieces of Magnalite that i have had since i got married (28 years)

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

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.

Our All-Clad has lasted forever and I highly recommend it, but some of the pieces are heavy like Vicki C said. We have a 6 qt. saute pan that I need to use two hands to lift (it does have a small handle opposite the regular handle so you can use two hands). I only have one Le Creuset that I don't use very much - it is quite heavy but great quality.

 

[staceyhzoo]

I have Emeril's Cookware. It's made by All-Clad and is dishwasher/oven safe. I've had mine over 2 yrs and I love it and would buy it again. I will also say I am not a fan of non stick cookware.
HTHS!

 

[DVCLiz]

For NC shoppers Le Creuset has just opened a new outlet at the Tanger shops in Mebane. Their old outlet store at Alamance Crossing shopping center - about 15 miles down the highway - will become a seconds and clearance outlet for Le Creuset. If you don't mind a ding here and there you can get amazing bargains.

I shopped for DD22 who wants Le Creuset for Christas using that 35% off coupon and I got three large pieces (Dutch oven, stockpot (but it was steel and not cast iron) and another large covered baking piece, plus a teapot and a bunch of utensils for under $400.

 

[clutter]

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

I have the Belgique as well. The pots are fine, but the lids are kind of a pain to clean. (I'll have to do the dishwasher thing.) But the pans do NOT heat evenly. I'm on the fence about replacing my two covered pans because I use them frequently, and they only brown on the side closest to the handle. This is on three different stoves, so it's the pans.

I don't get the rave about All-Clad. Every time I pick one up, I almost drop it because I find the handles cut into my hand. Comfortable handles are pretty high on my priority list.

 

[poohfriend]

I have the Belgique as well. The pots are fine, but the lids are kind of a pain to clean. (I'll have to do the dishwasher thing.) But the pans do NOT heat evenly. I'm on the fence about replacing my two covered pans because I use them frequently, and they only brown on the side closest to the handle. This is on three different stoves, so it's the pans.

I don't get the rave about All-Clad. Every time I pick one up, I almost drop it because I find the handles cut into my hand. Comfortable handles are pretty high on my priority list.

My lids are stainless, so maybe you have the glass ones? I do see that as an issue with the more recent belgique. i like my set ALOT. I have never had the issues you've mentioned and have used so many stoves I cannot count anymore. Mine heat so evenly and clean up even when I burn stuff to the bottom.

My mother's set is more recent (maybe 8 years old) and it also has metal lids...but i still prefer my set because the lids stack more nicely upside down in the pot which allows me to stack pots and utilize cabinet space. I also noticed in the Macy's description that it says not recommended for the Dishwasher...I certainly have...every day for 20 years. MIL doesn't put hers in the dishwasher and they are still very shiny.

For a while they had a non-stick skillet that is very nice. I don't see it offered any more.

 

[beccab]

I too love my Belgique pots from Macys. I don't have any issues with uneven heating nor do I have any issues with the lids. I have one stainless lid and one glass lid. No problem with either material. The pots and pans clean very easily and no worrying about nicking a finish. They are on sale often and very reasonable for the quality.

The pp that commented on the weight of the pan made a good point. The Belgique pots are heavy and sometimes I find the large frying pan difficult to lift when filled.

 

[horseshowmom]

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

Complete agreement here. I actually bought my daughter a full set of Calphalon when she got married last year. Then I started looking for a set for myself.

I got an incredible deal by using a code and got free shipping. Mine go in the dishwasher, but I do need to Barkeep's Friend (something like that) from time to time to spruce them back up. If I had bought mine first, I would have bought the same for DD instead of the Calphalon. I think mine is every bit as good as hers.

 

[dyna]

I do not remember the brand of stainless steel that mom an I has but it is 4 ply and we love it. Moms set is almost 50 yrs old an still going strong an mine has been in full time use for almost 35 yrs....still shines like new.

Mom has never had a dishwasher an I do not put mine in dishwasher only because I don't like the dried water spots on them they tend to get in dishwasher.

Let me tell you a story about 1 of moms pans....Way back in the late 60's my brother had put the biggest pan on stove for spaghetti the burner was on HIGH when the power line out in front of the house broke due to ice built up on power line leaving us without power. NOBODY thought to turn off the burner. We all got up went to work an school next morning. Us kids came in 4 pm as always an there sat this big pan on stove glowing bright red at us......long boiled dry. We was able to tell by how far off the time was that the power had been fixed about 30 mines after we left for school. That burner had been on HIGH all day with the pan on burner......has the pan cooled it turned coal black....daddy took it to work did some scrubbing on the pan an mom still uses that pan to this day. Most of the cheap pans would have melted all over stove ruing pan an stove but not the stuff we have.

I brag on my pans all the time an NO they was not cheap ....when I bought I bought a NEW used set that someone had bought never used an decided they did not want an I got them at half price an they was still about 350.00.....not something you think of a 14 yr old girl spending her money on either but I knew I wanted good cookware like mommas and made sure that I got them. 1st time I ever barrowed money from my parents ..... I got paid well to live at home 50.00 a week in the mid 70's but I also worked me butt off an paid my own way including dr visits dentists etc clothing personal care products insurance when that came due. I gave my parents half my money ever week till I paid the loan.

 

[CTdiznymom]

dyna-enjoyed your story. Those are some kind of pans! Now go take a look and tell us what brand they are! You peaked our interest. lol

 

[dyna]

CT the pans are Flavorite which was a division of REGAL....NOT sold in stores like Pampered Chef about the only way to purchase is thru a dealer.

While the actual Flavorite name is no longer sold the Thermium Multi Plex Stainless Steel is.

 

[bicker]

One of the best resources I know of for great insights into cooking equipment (among other cooking topics) is America's Test Kitchen. Here's their recommendations on cookware:

http://www.americastestkitchen.com/...document_activeCategoryName_2_3_0_mv=Cookware

Their recommendations include All Clad (though expensive), Lodge (though heavy), and Wearever Premium Hard Anodized.

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.

These are actually the same people as America's Test Kitchen, I believe. And I think the OP was looking for nonstick, so this link might be useful:

http://www.cooksillustrated.com/equipment/overview.asp?docid=25947

(They also reviewed some nonstick cookware back in 2006.)

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.

Calphalon has always had a few different grades of non-stick cookware. You get what you pay for, so the low-end cookware will be just like most mainstream cookware for sale at that price-point: Crap. If you want quality and longevity, you want a higher grade of cookware. If I understand correctly, Calphalon sells four grades of cookware, now. They are
- Simply Calphalon (this is the stuff you want to avoid)
- Calphalon Contemporary (this is good stuff, which may be good enough for you)
- Calphalon Unison (this is the stuff you want to buy)
- Calphalon CS (overpriced for the typical home cook)

I've had both Calphalon and Analon, and the cheap Calphalon lasted the shortest period of time, then then Analon, then the better Calphalon - which is actually still in service, some pieces for quite a while now.

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

Knowing what goes on in a dishwasher, I would be shocked to learn that they've come up with cookware that cooks things well, is convenient to use, is effectively cleaned in the dishwasher, and that lasts a long time. It is one of those "Four Criteria: Pick Two" to satisfy situations. For me, I pick the first and last criterion, and compromise on the other two. YMMV.

Make sure you don't get anything too heavy - you might want to go to the store and check them out before buying.

Someone once explained the physics of cooking to me in some detail, and from what I recall, there was a pretty strong, positive correlation between weight and why great cookware works well. Frustrating.

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.

Very good point. Sometimes the cookware that cooks "best" may not be the best cookware for a specific cook.

Seems to me like stainless holds up the best, esp. with hand washing.

Yes, definitely, but the reason why many folks consider nonstick is because of the comparative difficulty with cleaning stainless steel. They're really not interchangeable for folks who place a high value on the convenience that nonstick provides them. However, it should be noted that that convenience clearly comes with a price, the fact that there is almost no way to compete on ground of longevity. However, that might be changing. Some of the hard anodized cookware is remarkably nonstick, and remarkably long-lasting.