Favorite Cookware

[joel]

I bought a set of Calphalon One on clearance about two decades ago. Along with that - I have a few pieces of Debuyer Carbon and a few pieces of cast iron. I can’t say I had any major complaints with that setup, but a few months ago in a whim I bought a set of All Clad D5, and it’s been fantastic. Better food release, easy to clean, great heat retention, even heat, almost as good as carbon steel for searing - just a joy to cook with.

 

[shavefan]

I’m totally ruined over this Demeyere Atlantis stuff. I thought I had “good” stuff. But now I have great stuff!

I just ordered a Demeyere roasting pan for the Thanksgiving turkey. It’s not Atlantis and is most likely made in Indonesia, but I’m getting tired of the old shell game with Viking and All-Clad.

Glad to hear you're liking the Atlantis cookware. I happen to prefer it over my Allclad D5 and even my Mauviel

Demeyere makes some very nice stuff. Enjoy!

 

[honeycutt]

Love my cast iron cookware. My Dutch oven gets used the most. I have collected 7 pieces so far and looking for more.

 

[OldSaw]

Nice! They seem like a good choice, and added bonus is that it'll match what you already have in the kitchen.


Once you've had a chance to use these for a bit, let us know what you think. The weight can take some getting used to.


Despite the name, its really more of a fry pan with a pair of loop handles rather than a long handle (which turns out to be nice when you're trying to fit multiple things in an oven). Very versatile piece and brilliant at searing meat. I suspect Spaniards would probably chuckle at the name though, as it isn't quite what a traditional paella pan looks like.

I can’t seem to stop myself. I just got this 9.4” Demeyere Proline pan yesterday. Washed it out and made a quick egg just for fun. No sticking with a little less than a tablespoon of butter.

 

[OldSaw]

Used three of my four Demeyere pans this morning.

Bacon went in the oven at 400 degrees F for a little over twenty minutes in the Demeyere roasting pan.

The new 9.4” fry pan is probably going to be my most well used pan. It’s heavier than the Viking, which it will replace, but sits perfectly flat on the cooking surface. Sautéed a whole diced onion, 4 ounces of chopped mushrooms, one small diced tomato, and four lightly crushed cloves of garlic. Had more than enough to fill two omelettes.

Second omelette was a little short on egg, but I find it easier to fold than one with too much egg.

Second omelette looked much nicer than the first.

 

[OldSaw]

And they all cleaned up wonderfully well with a few spoonfuls of baking soda and a warm water soak. Took the sauté pan down from the rack to get all four Demeyere pieces in one shot.

The pot rack is filling up nicely. I really need to declutter that countertop.

 

[OldSaw]

Update:

I got rid of the Viking pans, gave them to my youngest as she has most of the Viking set already.

Then I ordered a couple of Demeyere sauce pans. I still need a small saucier.

Sorry, don’t have any pan pics, but this is the order.

 

[vpr]

I bought a set of All Clads 2 years ago and I don't expect to buy another set of pots and pans in this lifetime.

 

[4everPup]

Not sure if this qualifies as cookware but I love our Phillips Air Fryer.

 

[OldSaw]

My newest, perhaps final, additions.


I’m really not lacking much in my kitchen right now. I put off the 4 quart and 1.1 quart sauce pans long enough. Then I figured I might as well get that small saucier that I’ve been wanting because it wasn’t likely to ever go on sale and was probably more likely to see an increase, so I threw it in the cart and it arrived today. The Fissler pasta pot was sitting out, so I left it in the picture because I can’t remember if I talked about it already.

 

[Chef455]

I bought a set of All Clads 2 years ago and I don't expect to buy another set of pots and pans in this lifetime.

And you'll be able to pass them down to a grandchild.

 

[AndyPanda]

I've always loved cast iron and used my cast iron skillets for everything. Then one day I decided to find out what is so special about stainless so I bought this pan from Amazon. Really terrific quality for the price but it was much bigger than I imagined and at first I couldn't imagine what I'd use such a large pan for and almost returned it. I'm so glad I kept it. It heats up so much faster than cast iron - and so easy to control the heat. I love having so much space to spread things out evenly in the pan. It's terrific for frying mushrooms.

 

[SlimChicken]

I'm a kitchen "stuff" nerd. My first pieces of nice cookware were a Staub enameled dutch oven and a 12" All-Clad skillet.Then over time we added a Technivorm coffee maker and a Vitamix blender. This past Christmas we got 2 sauce pans and 2 stock pots from the All-Clad factory seconds sale. Add a couple of cast iron skillets and I feel pretty comfortable in my kitchen.

 

[Luc]

Interesting that this thread got pushed back up as I watched a few videos yesterday about pots and pans...

I use a cast iron Lodge skillet (the crepe one) to make tortillas. I never season it and my tortillas never stick to it. I make tortillas from masa flour and water only. No fat. The trick is to set my pan on medium while I mix the masa. The first one will always take a bit longer but I'm able to pull and flip it without a spatula. I've been using that cast iron pan for 3-4 years now. It doesn't look season at all (looks quite dry) but it works.

I also have a Staub 4qt braiser which is wide but not very high. Since the cooking surface is large, I use it when I need to do any slow cooking.

I used to have an Instant Pot and eventually switched it for a Ninja Foodi 9 in 1 or 10 in 1 (I forget which model I have). I bought 2 stainless steel inserts since I was able to scratch the ceramic-coated pot in the first week. I prefer stainless anyways for that and it doesn't stick that much. Soaking the pot for 10 mins in soapy water does miracles when I clean it. I mainly use the pressure cooker and the air fryer on that thing. I did not do anything spectacular yet (but I should try) where they indicate in the instructions to put your protein at the bottom and starch in the middle, pressure cook and then add veggies on top and air fry. The device itself is very useful and quick. If I forget to defrost meat, the pressure cooker will ensure that I have a warm meal in less than an hour. For stews and soups, it's my go-to device if I don't want to start the oven during the summer or if I don't want to slow cook.

Kamado Joe. I believe that's another good piece of kitchen equipment that's worth it. If you have room. I use it all year round but more during the summer. I would start my fire in the morning. Work all day (at home) and check it here and there. Everything is ready when I'm done working. I also started doubling my batches when cooking. Instead of 1 pork shoulder, I cook 2. That way, I have a leftover for a lunch and I freeze the rest. That meat is then ready for a quick meal during the week.

Finally, I have an Italian-made ceramic pan from Ballarini. I got that one from work as a gift. I like non-stick but usually, I kill them in 2 months. That one is pretty tough. I'm always very careful with non-stick appliances and try to avoid Teflon as much as possible. I had this one for a good 6 months now and it's working well. I often cook my poor-student-sandwich in there and it doesn't stick (no oil/butter/anything).

That sandwich is fairly simple if anyone is interested. I start with veggies (mushrooms, bok choy, and spring onions). I chop and put them in the pan. Lid on top and let it cook for a few minutes. When they are softer, I put an egg on top. I mix it using the spatula directly in the pan or use egg white (depending on if I need to boost my proteins that day). I add a slice of cheese and pita bread that covers the whole thing (you could use a big tortilla too). The lid is back on. The cheese will melt, and the bread will steam in the next 2-3 minutes. I put a plate on top, flip it upside down, and voilà.

 

[Tannhauser]

We just got Ninja 10qt dual zone air fryer, and I'm loving it. Yes, we have a connection oven, but this thing is so much faster and more convenient for our 2 person meals.

I tried brussels sprouts in the air fryer the other day, and I actually managed to eat all of them for the first time in my life!

 

[merovirginian]

Given the recent Demeyere love, my favorite line of theirs was the Apollo. I thought it was discontinued until I found it on a German site. I bought a few pots last holiday season (2021) and it was just as wonderful. For those who might be intrigued, here's the site I bought from (and very happy with):

Zwilling: Demeyere Apollo Töpfe, Stieltöpfe, Sauteusen und Pfannen

Zwilling: Demeyere Apollo Töpfe, Stieltöpfe, Sauteusen und Pfannen

berondi.de

 

[OldSaw]

I'm a kitchen "stuff" nerd. My first pieces of nice cookware were a Staub enameled dutch oven and a 12" All-Clad skillet.Then over time we added a Technivorm coffee maker and a Vitamix blender. This past Christmas we got 2 sauce pans and 2 stock pots from the All-Clad factory seconds sale. Add a couple of cast iron skillets and I feel pretty comfortable in my kitchen.

Love the Technivorm coffee maker!

I can’t help fighting this strange feeling that I should have a Le Creuset Dutch oven, despite having two Staub‘s that work perfectly fine. What kind of marketing power does Le Creuset have that makes me feel that way?

 

[OldSaw]

I've always loved cast iron and used my cast iron skillets for everything. Then one day I decided to find out what is so special about stainless so I bought this pan from Amazon. Really terrific quality for the price but it was much bigger than I imagined and at first I couldn't imagine what I'd use such a large pan for and almost returned it. I'm so glad I kept it. It heats up so much faster than cast iron - and so easy to control the heat. I love having so much space to spread things out evenly in the pan. It's terrific for frying mushrooms.
View attachment 1583461

It’s especially nice when you want to make something acidic, like chicken piccata. Even just a little lemon juice seems to wreck the seasoning on cast iron or carbon steel.

 

[OldSaw]

Interesting that this thread got pushed back up as I watched a few videos yesterday about pots and pans...

I use a cast iron Lodge skillet (the crepe one) to make tortillas. I never season it and my tortillas never stick to it. I make tortillas from masa flour and water only. No fat. The trick is to set my pan on medium while I mix the masa. The first one will always take a bit longer but I'm able to pull and flip it without a spatula. I've been using that cast iron pan for 3-4 years now. It doesn't look season at all (looks quite dry) but it works.

I also have a Staub 4qt braiser which is wide but not very high. Since the cooking surface is large, I use it when I need to do any slow cooking.

I used to have an Instant Pot and eventually switched it for a Ninja Foodi 9 in 1 or 10 in 1 (I forget which model I have). I bought 2 stainless steel inserts since I was able to scratch the ceramic-coated pot in the first week. I prefer stainless anyways for that and it doesn't stick that much. Soaking the pot for 10 mins in soapy water does miracles when I clean it. I mainly use the pressure cooker and the air fryer on that thing. I did not do anything spectacular yet (but I should try) where they indicate in the instructions to put your protein at the bottom and starch in the middle, pressure cook and then add veggies on top and air fry. The device itself is very useful and quick. If I forget to defrost meat, the pressure cooker will ensure that I have a warm meal in less than an hour. For stews and soups, it's my go-to device if I don't want to start the oven during the summer or if I don't want to slow cook.

Kamado Joe. I believe that's another good piece of kitchen equipment that's worth it. If you have room. I use it all year round but more during the summer. I would start my fire in the morning. Work all day (at home) and check it here and there. Everything is ready when I'm done working. I also started doubling my batches when cooking. Instead of 1 pork shoulder, I cook 2. That way, I have a leftover for a lunch and I freeze the rest. That meat is then ready for a quick meal during the week.

Finally, I have an Italian-made ceramic pan from Ballarini. I got that one from work as a gift. I like non-stick but usually, I kill them in 2 months. That one is pretty tough. I'm always very careful with non-stick appliances and try to avoid Teflon as much as possible. I had this one for a good 6 months now and it's working well. I often cook my poor-student-sandwich in there and it doesn't stick (no oil/butter/anything).

That sandwich is fairly simple if anyone is interested. I start with veggies (mushrooms, bok choy, and spring onions). I chop and put them in the pan. Lid on top and let it cook for a few minutes. When they are softer, I put an egg on top. I mix it using the spatula directly in the pan or use egg white (depending on if I need to boost my proteins that day). I add a slice of cheese and pita bread that covers the whole thing (you could use a big tortilla too). The lid is back on. The cheese will melt, and the bread will steam in the next 2-3 minutes. I put a plate on top, flip it upside down, and voilà.

Thanks for your nice contribution. I envy all you guys who have room for extra appliances like an air fryer. My space is fairly limited so we have drawn the line at stand mixer and blender, which don’t even get counter space until they are needed. I think we still have a crockpot up in the old garage, but have no room for it in the kitchen. Our oven is fairly versatile so I can simply use a Dutch oven and a low and slow setting for that type of cooking.

Coffee maker is essential though and not considered an “extra” appliance, so it does have a prominent place in the kitchen.

Now I need to go learn about this Kamado Joe you speak of.

 

[OldSaw]

Any Hestan fans in here? I’m thinking about trying one of their skillets.