Cookware
Marsha
or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really
make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets
that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
Marsha
Vic Smith
As long as it's not too thin it doesn't make any difference.
Keeping it frugal, you can often get good quality cookware
second-hand. Wife's still using a skillet she bought for 4 bucks at a
used store 12 years ago. Teflon still in good shape.
She's a professional cook.
Another way to save is pick up pieces individually instead of sets.
--Vic
Samatha Hill -- take out TRASH to reply
My suggestion for skillets that will last a long time: Cast iron.
BigDog1
I own a total of 4 Calphalon pieces (2 skillets and two lidded sauce
pans) that I bought in separate sales at different locations, so
they're not a set. They are easily the best quality cookware I've
ever owned. But they're just not worth full retail. If I hadn't
gotten them for 60% or more off of regular price they'd still be
sitting on the shelf.
frater mus
Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to
either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which
it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by non-foodie
heathens but you may find some in good condition in garage sales.
I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant supply
store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the pieces you need.
--
brother mouse
composed offline and synced later.
http://www.mousetrap.net/mouse/offline.html
h
"frater mus" <frat...@nowhere.invalid> wrote in message
news:he4gut$dt3$1...@news.eternal-september.org...
> Marsha wrote:
>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price or
>> are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really
>> make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets that
>> last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
>
> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to either
> not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which it's not,
> so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by non-foodie heathens but
> you may find some in good condition in garage sales.
>
> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant supply
> store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the pieces you
> need.
>
I concur. For pot roast I use an ancient dutch oven (big pot with a heavy
lid) and for most meat we use a well-seasoned iron frying pan. All of that
stuff is courtesy of my grandmother and circa 1940s. For pots we use the
Revereware set I received as a college graduation gift 32 years ago. Since
DH is quite the foodie and does most of the cooking we also have several
skillets and some specialty gear he got from the commercial restaurant
supply store. Restaurant supply stuff is really built to last.
Marsha
I agree, and we have one, but use it just for steaks. For everything
else, we'd like something that needs less maintenance.
Marsha
Marsha
I have seen sets and pieces on Craigslist locally. It might be worth
looking into.
Marsha
The Real Bev
What maintenance? Once you get it burned black you can treat it like anything
else, just don't soak it for a couple of days or it will find a spot to rust.
Stainless steel lasts forever, just make sure the handles are attached well.
ALWAYS buy used unless it's an emergency. Non-stick coatings aren't all
they're cracked up to be.
--
Cheers, Bev
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
"If you put the government in charge of the desert, there would
be a sand shortage within ten years." -- M. Friedman (?)
The Real Bev
> Marsha wrote:
>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the price
>> or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of cookware really
>> make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We just want skillets
>> that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
>
> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to
> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which
> it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by non-foodie
> heathens but you may find some in good condition in garage sales.
If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are tools and
should be able to stand up to whatever use they get without whining.
> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant supply
> store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the pieces you need.
I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I have no
idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
--
Cheers, Bev
=========================================================
"Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority."
-- U.S. Supreme Court, McIntyre v Ohio Elections,1995
Michael Black
> Stainless steel lasts forever, just make sure the handles are attached well.
> ALWAYS buy used unless it's an emergency. Non-stick coatings aren't all
> they're cracked up to be.
>
Definitely. I bought a non-stick frying pan years ago, and it took a lot
less time than I would have expected for the coating to start coming off.
I scrapped that, was given a new one for Christmas as a replacement, which
didn't last any longer.
I came across a store that had stainless steel frying pans with a heavy (I
guess aluminum) plate on the bottom and the price was low enough that I
figured it was a clearance. I don't have problems with things sticking,
but it sure lasts long, and no worry about damaging the coating.
It was either that store, or something similar, where I got a nice pot
with a similar aluminum plate on the bottom, with a steamer insert, for
an equally low price.
Buying bit by bit is definitely the way to go. Then you can look for
clearance or used, but also you pick what you get, rather than having
to live with a set that might have a good price if you could figure out a
use for that tiny pot you never use.
Michael
Rod Speed
> frater mus wrote:
>
>> Marsha wrote:
>>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the
>>> price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of
>>> cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We
>>> just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for
>>> the input.
>>
>> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to
>> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which
>> it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by
>> non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in
>> garage sales.
>
> If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are
> tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get without
> whining.
>> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant
>> supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the
>> pieces you need.
>
> I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I
> have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
Stainless is better, you cant do some stuff like marmalade in aluminum.
The Real Bev
> The Real Bev wrote:
>> frater mus wrote:
>>
>>> Marsha wrote:
>>>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the
>>>> price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of
>>>> cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We
>>>> just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for
>>>> the input.
>>>
>>> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to
>>> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon (which
>>> it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by
>>> non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in
>>> garage sales.
>>
>> If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are
>> tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get without
>> whining.
I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the price...
Carry on.
>>> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant
>>> supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the
>>> pieces you need.
>>
>> I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I
>> have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
>
> Stainless is better, you cant do some stuff like marmalade in aluminum.
That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never occurred to
me to make marmalade. Why won't aluminum work?
--
Cheers, Bev
------------------------------------------------------------------
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Rod Speed
> Rod Speed wrote
>> The Real Bev wrote
>>> frater mus wrote
>>>> Marsha wrote:
>>>>> We're looking for good quality cookware. Is Calphalon worth the
>>>>> price or are you just paying for the name? Does a good set of
>>>>> cookware really make a difference? We are not gourmet cooks. We
>>>>> just want skillets that last more than a year or two. Thanks for the input.
>>>> Cal is nice but overpriced; folks that buy it on name only seem to
>>>> either not use it (display only) or want it to act like teflon
>>>> (which it's not, so it doesn't). Used Cal has often been abused by
>>>> non-foodie heathens but you may find some in good condition in
>>>> garage sales.
>>> If you CAN abuse it it's not worth the price they ask. Pots are
>>> tools and should be able to stand up to whatever use they get
>>> without whining.
> I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the price... Carry on.
>>>> I like heavy, no-frills commercial gear from the local restaurant
>>>> supply store. Oven-safe, tough, reasonably-priced. Only buy the
>>>> pieces you need.
>>> I would LOVE to have one of those 20-gallon aluminum stock pots. I
>>> have no idea what I'd do with it and no place to put it, but I WANT one!
>> Stainless is better, you cant do some stuff like marmalade in aluminum.
> That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never occurred to me to make marmalade.
I did that because the manufacturer of the lemon and lime marmalade I liked stopped making
it and made lemon and lime and grapefruit instead, and I didnt like it anything like as much.
> Why won't aluminum work?
Aluminum doesnt like citrus juices.
frater mus
> I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the
> price... Carry on.
I think it was clear enough, although I might disagree with the point.
One has to treat teflon (or calphalon, or those hideous induction
stovetops, or nice knives) specially to avoid damaging them but this is
a consumer education issue and a personal choice.
Same with exotic sports cars; you can't drive them 30mph over
speedbumps but they may still be worth 200k for their intended purpose
and environment. Mishandling them may cause $$$ damage.
I have used one Cal saute pan in one commercial and liked it. I did
not like it $80 worth (or whatever) or I would have bought one by now
> That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never
> occurred to me to make marmalade. Why won't aluminum work?
I suspect it's a reference to the generic problem of reactivity when
cooking acids in aluminum. Calphalon gets around that problem with
anodizing (at least until somebody damages the surface, as discussed above).
Rod Speed
> The Real Bev wrote:
>
>> I wasn't clear. I meant if abuse HURTS the pot it's not worth the
>> price... Carry on.
>
> I think it was clear enough, although I might disagree with the point.
>
> One has to treat teflon (or calphalon, or those hideous induction
> stovetops, or nice knives) specially to avoid damaging them but this
> is a consumer education issue and a personal choice.
>
> Same with exotic sports cars; you can't drive them 30mph over
> speedbumps but they may still be worth 200k for their intended purpose
> and environment. Mishandling them may cause $$$ damage.
>
> I have used one Cal saute pan in one commercial and liked it. I did
> not like it $80 worth (or whatever) or I would have bought one by now
>
>
>> That's interesting. I've made my own lemon curd, but it had never
>> occurred to me to make marmalade. Why won't aluminum work?
> I suspect it's a reference to the generic problem of reactivity when cooking acids in aluminum. Calphalon gets around
> that problem with anodizing
That doesnt survive a dishwasher.
h
"Dan Birchall" <nob...@imaginary-host.danbirchall.com> wrote in message
> Been ages since I shopped for cookware, but names like "All-Clad" and
> "Master Chef" and "Wear-Ever" come to mind as sturdy things with handles
> that don't fall off (which is important to me, just in case the zombies
> come...)
>
Or you cook heavy things in very large pots. Standing in the middle of the
kitchen holding a handle in both hands while the pot hits the floor and
splashes boiling tomato sauce all over the floor, cabinets, and your legs is
not my idea of a great start to the evening. Been there, done that, which is
why I love my old Revere Ware stuff. I'd put it up against zombies, too!
The Real Bev
> Been ages since I shopped for cookware, but names like "All-Clad" and
> "Master Chef" and "Wear-Ever" come to mind as sturdy things with handles
> that don't fall off (which is important to me, just in case the zombies
> come...)
If zombies are in your future, I suggest cast iron with as long a handle as you
can get. Leverage counts.
--
Cheers, Bev
=================================================================
"No matter how cynical I get, it's just never enough to keep up."
--Lily Tomlin
The Real Bev
Guardianware is nice if you can find the detachable handles. Do they still
make it? heavy aluminum with heavy glass lids. The bottoms warped, but if I'd
really cared I could have taken them to an auto machine shop and have them
ground flat.