I'm too lazy to look up the old thread, and I'm too polite to crash the stainless one, but we're looking at new stuff. Old set scratched externally too much, lacquered up, and just didn't hold up as well as I'd like as far as cooking surface scratches. Suggestions that won't break the bank?

HTownAg98 said:

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Go to AceMart and buy their blue handle non-stick. It's not pretty, but it's cheaper than just about anything else, and you won't feel bad throwing it away after 5-10 years.

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You're going to have to help me out. I get lost looking at stuff there

https://www.acemart.com/kitchen/cookware/frying-pans/vollrath-71608-wear-ever-8-non-stick-aluminum-fry-pan/VOL71608

I've got this in 4 sizes. Similar to Acemart.

https://www.amazon.com/Tramontina-80114-535DS-Professional-Restaurant/dp/B009HBKQ16/ref=sr_1_6?crid=DW7B1VWKIYV9&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.gxsPBxoGB9ERRfUFH99VSIAv91Nu00BMQ7RLDSX6mCLY4StzoQi2WF97S1RbSpuJIYHCYEz_pO9yZ_JepX07TkU-K8wfMSd8x3_Q552jDiX6PLFaE9KyHxpS-_NnKt7Zig-irZA5iALtkRy6OrNxmrFD6DeCht6Z6nypP5xe1rYS12kc7eGLsabCcKTbM0sOlJv7FvYWfdeLsAWumFdmYc8sXFW3l5yDSwVK2c1Hm07_xOU2SUQuqKKhNXoWHcdBYPd5UCc5hWYzgaCFV9UjV3qIwQ71AljK1tiXTZS6iRo.HYHeI9jPD5TN6zymgWZBkcVX9VfSi4gwT2IsPRulv0Y&dib_tag=se&keywords=aluminum%2Bnon%2Bstick%2Bfrying%2Bpan&qid=1733240083&sprefix=aluminum%2Bnon%2Caps%2C117&sr=8-6&th=1

I buy the all clad anodized line at Homegoods. Usually cheaper than even the ace mart stuff.

Homegoods is actually great for cookware you dont intend to keep forever

I found a small sauce pot there that has been great. You can occasionally find some deals on name brand cookware too.

I'm assuming you're looking at pans and not pots? If so, grab a 10" and 12" Lodge carbon steel skillet, season a couple of times in the oven, and have at it. Or, go to Academy's BBQ section and grab a 10" and 12" cast iron for probably $40 all-in.

Carbon Steel pans

Teslag said:

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I buy the all clad anodized line at Homegoods. Usually cheaper than even the ace mart stuff.

Homegoods is actually great for cookware you dont intend to keep forever

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+1 - I've currently got a combo of the Tramontina from Amazon and some All Clad from the discount stores.

aTm2004 said:

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I'm assuming you're looking at pans and not pots? If so, grab a 10" and 12" Lodge carbon steel skillet, season a couple of times in the oven, and have at it. Or, go to Academy's BBQ section and grab a 10" and 12" cast iron for probably $40 all-in.

Carbon Steel pans

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I wasn't really plain enough. My bad. I'm after w whole set - pots and pans

Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

Don't feel bad. I cook eggs almost every day in my 8" skillet, and it lasts about 5 years before something happens to it.

The Wife was looking at Hexclad until I watched that video…..

We have stainless cookware plus a small all clad nonstick, a large T-fal nonstick, and a large Hestan nonstick. The first two nonsticks will just get replaced when needed. The Hestan I hide to keep people from ruining it

Sounds like I need to watch that. I've been interested in them.

I have invested in Smithey cast iron pans. Clean them and keep then oiled. Best option for us so far. Lodge, etc... much the same...

We have Mauviel copper pans. They sit because I am the only one that would take care of them. I don't know how you ruin Le Cruset dutch ovens, but I have a set that sits that way.

I scorched my Le Creuset to the point of no return, and had to get rid of it. It can happen. Given how expensive that stuff is, you would think someone would be able to put a new coat of enamel on the inside of them.

HTownAg98 said:

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I scorched my Le Creuset to the point of no return, and had to get rid of it. It can happen. Given how expensive that stuff is, you would think someone would be able to put a new coat of enamel on the inside of them.

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Not even the almighty Bar Keepers Friend could bring it back?

aTm2004 said:

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Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

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If they're not sticking to the pan, they're sticking to each other. Stir and you don't have to worry about either.

fav13andac1)c said:

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HTownAg98 said:

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I scorched my Le Creuset to the point of no return, and had to get rid of it. It can happen. Given how expensive that stuff is, you would think someone would be able to put a new coat of enamel on the inside of them.

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Not even the almighty Bar Keepers Friend could bring it back?

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Nope. Tried that, alternating boiling baking soda and vinegar, nothing. I've learned my lesson on using high heat and enamel cookware.

fav13andac1)c said:

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aTm2004 said:

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Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

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If they're not sticking to the pan, they're sticking to each other. Stir and you don't have to worry about either.

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I think you missed the sarcasm.

Amazon. OurPlace titanium pan. Free shipping.

aTm2004 said:

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fav13andac1)c said:

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aTm2004 said:

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Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

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If they're not sticking to the pan, they're sticking to each other. Stir and you don't have to worry about either.

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I think you missed the sarcasm.

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I definitely did. Still am.

Teslag said:

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They are gimmicks

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Yeah, don't get Hexclad. An egg will still stick to them if you don't use enough oil because of the exposed stainless steel. There's plenty of videos on youtube showing how they don't live up to the hype.

You can fry an egg in a stainless steel skillet if you heat the pan slowly enough and ensure the oil is hot before you crack the egg. I'm not that good, so I cook my eggs in non-stick pans.

aTm2004 said:

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fav13andac1)c said:

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aTm2004 said:

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fav13andac1)c said:

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aTm2004 said:

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Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

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If they're not sticking to the pan, they're sticking to each other. Stir and you don't have to worry about either.

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I think you missed the sarcasm.

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I definitely did. Still am.

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GAC06 asked why someone would need a non-stick pot, which to his point, isn't necessary. The joke/sarcasm is poking fun at people that throw pasta into a pot and don't stir and then complain it's sticking to the bottom of the pot. Probably the same people that complain that eggs stick to a cast iron pan when they don't use any fat or begin cooking meat in a cold pan.

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Thanks for explaining.

I've got everything cookware wise- cast iron, carbon steel wok, all-clad stainless, dutch oven, etc

I love TFAL pans. Cheap but durable. Great nonstick surface. They can take a beating.

GAC06 said:

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Nonstick pots? Why?

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I can imagine times they might work. In particular, if you first do something like brown onions or pieces of bacon in the bottom of the pot before other ingredients.

I have a nonstick pot from years ago, but all I've used it for in the last few years was to put drumsticks in before covering them with buttermilk to let them soak for 24 hours before breading them and deep frying them.

The rest of the time, it just sits there. It's not in the way, though, since it is on the top shelf and is hard to reach.

The only nonstick pan that I have is for eggs. I use it only for eggs. It was a cheap pan from WalMart that I bought something like 10 years ago, maybe more, for eggs. By not using it to cook other things such as meats with all the proteins that like to stick to pans and make them non-stick, the pan is nearly as nonstick today as the day I bought it.

Until someone tried to be helpful and scrubbed it out with Bar Keepers Friend a few months ago, it was as nonstick as when I bought it. Two or three months before they used the Bar Keepers Friend on it, I conducted a test by frying two eggs in it without any oil or butter and all I had to do was tilt the pan and the eggs slid around in the pan -- no spatula needed.

Other than that, my preferred pan is stainless steel.

aTm2004 said:

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Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

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I use Visions pots for just about everything.



Pasta does stick to the bottom, but after cooking and removing the pasta that isn't stuck to the bottom, I just refill it with water and let it sit for a couple of hours. The stuck pasta comes right out.

fav13andac1)c said:

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HTownAg98 said:

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I scorched my Le Creuset to the point of no return, and had to get rid of it. It can happen. Given how expensive that stuff is, you would think someone would be able to put a new coat of enamel on the inside of them.

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Not even the almighty Bar Keepers Friend could bring it back?

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On a couple of occasions, I was cooking field peas in a Visions pot (see image in previous post) and fell asleep. I woke up a couple of hours later to clouds of smoke. I was surprised that a scouring pad was able to restore it to like new.

fav13andac1)c said:

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aTm2004 said:

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Ever put the macaroni into the boiling water and not stir?

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If they're not sticking to the pan, they're sticking to each other. Stir and you don't have to worry about either.

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I have my best look with pasta in cooking it in a much larger pot than necessary. I bring the water to a good boil before adding the pasta. The idea is to be able to keep the water boiling after adding it. In general, it doesn't seem to slow down enough to stick.

If you barely have the water boiling when you add the pasta and so you have to bring it back to a boil, the pasta is far more likely, I think, to just be sitting there on the bottom and starting to stick.

Some people start pasta in cold water! I wonder how much sticking problems they have when doing that.