Wanted: New Cookware

Pampered Chef has great pans. They are kind of pricey to begin with, but have a life-time warranty and are really high quality. (I know an awesome consultaant if you want a referral!)

Another place to try is Spoons 'n Spice. There's one on 900 E and Van Winkle if you live in the Salt Lake Area. Again, higher price than some places, but again you get what you pay for!

I also love my Pampered Chef cookwear. It is expensive, so I'd recommend doing a show and that way you can get them at a major discount (usually). You'll never have to buy another pan set. :)

I really prefer stainless steel to Teflon for that very reason. Costco has a really great set of pans for around $200. I have a few relatives who are really into cooking who have them and absolutely love them. They are Kirkland brand, stainless steel. They are a steal for the quality.

I worked for Willliams Sonoma for several years, and am an admitted cookware junkie.

The first thing you need to know is regardless of whatever "they" tell you, there is no such thing as safe Teflon. Get rid of it all!

The next thing that is vital to understand is that good quality cookware has some heft - it's heavy. It needs to be to cook evenly and efficiently.

If non-stick saute pans and skillets are important to you, the very best alternatives to teflon are pre-seasoned cast iron and enamel covered cast iron, like Le Creuset. In fact, cast iron is one of the best ways to get iron into your families diet. No kidding! Cared for properly and cooked in properly (ALWAYS heat the pan before adding your oil and then food) it will be just as stick resistant as your Teflon coated pans. While you don't get the benefit of iron in your food with enamel covered cast iron, it is also magnificently stick resistant.

So.

I highly recommend:

Le Creuset, French made enamel covered cast iron. Beautiful and unbelievably durable, it will last for generations. I have several of my mother's pieces. It has a lifetime guarantee. If it ever chips, they will replace the piece!

All Clad, commercial weight stainless steel sandwich design. It has 8 layers of stainless steel, copper and other alloys that make for a very even, reliable cooking surface. If you're not familiar with cooking in stainless steel, it may take a little while for you to figure out how to keep your food from sticking -- always heat the pan before putting anything into it -- but it can be done.

Calphalon, absolutely beautifully made anodized aluminum. Each pan is spun, like a clay pot, into shape and then dipped in a chemical bath that creates a hard crust that will not chip or scratch off (it also turns the pans black). There has been some press about aluminum being connected with alzhimers. You need to know that it is NOT coming from aluminum pans - you breathe in more aluminum every day from our polluted air than you would ever get from a lifetime of using aluminum pans. Besides, anodized aluminum does NOT come off. The crust it creates is many times harder than the virgin metal itself. And since aluminum is second only to solid copper in heat conduction, you get amazing searing, etc., so be careful. Like the others, properly cared for (scrubbed spotlessly clean) and heated, it is nicely stick resistant.

Having said all that, here's what I use.

I own an entire set of French copper pots, pans and skillets. They've been in storage for about 5 years. I have two cast iron skillets, a 10" and a 6" I use every day. I have a few Italian stainless steel pots I bought in my early 20's, several large stock pots, a 12 "Calphalon saute pan, a very large Le Creuset cassolet pot and a pasta cooker/steamer from Williams Sonoma. Everything gets used regularly.

My point is, buy only the pieces you're really going to use. Sets of pot and pans are certainly enticing -- but if you're never going to use a 12" saute pan, why pay for it? Look very carefully at how you cook and what you reach for regularly.

Good luck!

Blessings,

M.

Hi. I swear by my stainless steel pots and skillets. I've had them for seventeen years now, and I wouldn't trade them for anything else. I don't have to worry about scratching fragile coatings, and food hardly ever sticks. When it does, a good soak and a little elbow grease takes it off every time. Stainless steel may be more expensive, but it's worth the price.

Oh, one other thing, please quit using your cookware if the teflon is scraping off. I knew somebody who got teflon poisoning from doing that, and he was really sick. Teflon is also harmful if you have birds in your home because they are sensitive to the fumes.

Good luck,
J.

I absolutely love my Pampered Chef stuff. Definitely would go with them again!

Hi E.! I would definately recommend cast iron. They are a bit more pricey because they don't come in sets, but they will last you forever and you can even pass them down to your children and they're children. They can go from stove to oven without any problems. You can also get porcelin enameled cast iron casserole dishes and sauce pans/pots that can also go from stove to oven. Teflon is not a good at all because once the teflon chips, you get rust which can cause cancer and other diseases. Just my .02 cents! Good luck!

I like Wolf Gang Puck. Sam's Club has a set for around $100. They wash up really well and are easy to use.

Pampered Chef! I've had mine for about 5 years and they are awesome.

Good idea to get rid of the teflon!

I have been using the Emeril cookware (from the TV chef that says "BAM!" - I am not sure how to spell his name). It is good stuff, nice and heavy, and if you are patient, you can get pieces for a good discount at TJ MAxx or Marshall's.

I have tephlon and as with yours it is chipping off. i have heard of a kind of stainless steel that is for steaming. You don't have to fry with oil or anything. Unfortunately, they are very expensive. I have heard horrible things about the chipping tephlon. Its not safe. Another alternative is cast iron. Again, expensive but alot safer than the alternative. Good luck. I'm in the same boat...

It depends on what kind of cooking you do. I recommend Emeril's pans manufactured by All-clad. Anything by All-clad is going to be top-of-the-line. What I like about Emeril's design is that the bottoms have a copper inlay which makes them heat on the bottom evenly, so you don't have hot spots.

I recommend stainless steel pans with a really heavy bottom, that way they won't get damaged by a careless husband or child who uses a metal utensil on it, and you can better brown meats and carmelize onions. If you are a non-stick kind of gal, get a hard anodized surface, again with a heavy bottom. If you pots and pans aren't heavy, they aren't going to work well and will need to be replaced sooner.

The only thing I don't like about my stainless pans is that the lid handles get hot. Next time I'd choose pans that have handles with some kind of coating so that I can pick up the lid without needing a hot pad.

Good luck!

Hi E.,
I sell Taste of Home Entertaining products. I invite you to visit my website at jessicaperez.tohe.com to check out our online catalog. On page 67 you will find The Anodized Cookware set that doesn't chip, crack, or peel and resists scratching and abrasions. They also have a full lifetime warranty. I know you will love these products! I can help you get them half off. Contact me via email or ###-###-####. I look forward to speaking with you.
-J.

I got T-Fal pans for our wedding and they were chipping by the end of the first year...5 years down the road I finally got new ones. Last year for Mothers day I got Rachel Ray pans and I LOVE them! I got a set and an extra large fry pan. I hardly use any oil in them and I cook all the time, most of my cooking is from scratch. They aren't chipping and still look good as new. I'd recommend them for anyone and am in the process of helping my BIL get some for my sister without her knowing... she covets my pans. haha. We got them on sale but even full price they are not too expensive, all of the pans including the extra one I got were about $150. I think at full price they are still around $179 for the set and $20 for the extra pan. $200 for pans...not bad.

Do you know a Pampered Chef consultant? I would definately recomend either the Professional or Stainless Steel Cookware from Pampered Chef. The Professional cookware (which is the set I own)is made of hard anodized aluminum with Dupont non-stick coating inside and out. This set is not dishwasher safe, but is sooooo easy to clean. The stainless set is a tri-ply clad stainless steal and can go in the dishwasher. The best part is they have a life time warranty. So even if 10 years down the road they do chip or start to show wear you can have your set replaced for FREE!!!! Yes, you may guess I am a Pampered Chef consultant but I absolutely love my cookware and everyone I've sold it to feels the same!!!

I got stainless steel cookware for my wedding 6 1/2 years ago. I didn't know if I wanted Teflon, because I knew it would wear out faster. But I hardly use my stainless because I have to use so much oil to keep food from sticking. Even quesadillas stick!
So I've ended up using my husband's bachelor sauce pan and 2 fry pan, all of which are T-Fal Teflon. The large fry pan has just given up the ghost, although I still use it for quesadillas if my new one is dirty. The sauce pan and smaller fry pan are still fine, and I really don't know how old they are. At least 10 years old.
If I had it to do all over again, I would have registered for Teflon pans. And since the ones we have aren't expensive ($15-$20 each), buying new ones every 10 years is okay by me!

I recently replaced our nonstick Circulon set with Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless Set and a couple of Emerilware Cast Iron frying pans. The cast iron is heavy, but totally non-stick and easy to clean.

I bought everything at Bed, Bath and Beyond and used their 20% coupons for each set/item.

If we had the extra money, I would have bought Le Creuset for everything. Sometimes you can find pieces of Le Creuset up at Tuesday Morning.

I feel better without non-stick coating leeching into all of our food. http://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/200409/hearth.asp

Enamel coated cast iron. Virtually indestructable, easy to clean, great heat distribution, and can be used indoors and out.

I have had my pampered chef pans for 2 1/2 years. THEY ARE AMAZING. I actually am now selling pampered chef because my husband got tired of me telling everyone to go buy their stuff and not getting paid for it. They are a little pricey, but they are lifetime guaranteed so if they get scratched you just have to return it and they will send you a new one. You can also get them half price if you do a partly. Which is wonderful. Let me know if you are intersted.
K.
-You can email me at ____@____.com and just leave me your name and number.

Consumer Reports tested tons of pans. Some of the most durable ones are actually the Kirkland from Costc....o and the Sam's Club's stainless steel. So those are the ones we got- the Kirkland. I LOVE them. I will try and find the link for you - to show you the tests they went through with the pans.

I have Circulon pans and I love them (they are non-stick). Calphalon is another excellent brand. And usually places like Costco and Sam's Club have some similar type pans for a little less money. I can tell you this, it's worth spending the money now for really good pots and pans because they will last a very long time. If you buy cheaper pans, they will need to be replaced every 2-3 years. I've had my pots and pans for at least 7 years and they show very little wear. We got a great deal at Bed Bath and Beyond - a $250 set $125 just because the box had a hole poked in it, but the pots and pans were perfectly fine. You should check the clearance area at BB&B and Kohls to see if they have anything on sale.

Le Cruset is what I have and LOVE! All of the chefs on TV use them too. They are the colorful ones. My set is Blue and they can go in the oven, on the stove top, etc. They are cast iron with a porcelin coating. There's no aluminum to seep into the food. The iron is actually good for you. You can get great pots, pans and skillets at TJ Maxx or Ross for much less. I also like to Wolfgang Puck Stainless steel line. I have a few of those and I love them. I got them from the same stores. They are durable, easy to clean, don't stick w/ oil, and they also don't have the aluminum. Good luck with your purchase. I don't like the Teflon either. If the flakes get into your food, that's not healthy.

My husband used to sell Saladmaster cookware about 20 years ago and he had a set when he was selling it. It is fantastic!!!! Costs plenty but you will never relace it. I replaced handles but not the pans. They heat evenly and are a joy to cook in. You can even cook waterless. The set I have is 20 years old and cooking strong. They have a website at www.saladmaster.com I believe. It is not cheap cookware but will last you a lifetime. A great gift for a newlywed couple.

Hello, I would recommend wearever pans which are anodized metal. They dont peel like tefflon does.They are aslo the same price as tefflon. I had a set of tefal and it peeled into my food and one by one we threw them out. at the time they were a new thing and pricey.I dont like the way little peices of tefflon come off into your food and it is eaten with out knowing it.I researched the internet for the best I could finnd that would aslo be non stick. I have have had the pans for4 months and they are great. They do have to be washed by hand no dishwasher. But are easy to clen and all You really do is wipe it out. I typed in anodized cookwear in the computer and searched for area stores that carry them. I bought Mine on sale a big set for 95.00. At Walmart.I chose these because I dont want to buy another set for years. I bought replacement pans of teffal and they only lasted for 3years and started to peel before that We even only used plastic utensils.Never metal.Good luck.They are nonstick too even with burnt food on them!

I've done a lot of research on the different cookwares available and have found that if you want a good quality non-stick cookware, hard-anodized is the best out there. I love the Pampered Chef Executive Cookware. It has a hard-anodized nonstick coating both the inside and outside, so it makes clean up a breeze- everything just wipes right off as well as a titanium core which means it will be durable. The hard-anodized coating will not flake off either like the Teflon, so when you make eggs, you don't have to tell people it's pepper :). There is a lifetime warrantee on it as well so that if something were to happen, you would get a brand new replacement (most cookwares you'll find on the market don't do this for you) so it'll be the last cookware you'll ever have to buy. The other set from Pampered Chef that I love is the Stainless Steel. It, as well as the Executive set, has excellent heat distribution and has a "sandwich" of stainless steel on the outside with aluminum in the middle. Let me know if you'd be interested because I'd love to help you get some for free or half price :). You can also look at them on my website at www.pamperedchef.biz/minichefbecky

E.,
My husband insisted on getting cast iron everything. I was very against it at first, but after about a month of using only cast iron, I would never go back. It's extremely easy to use and clean. If something sticks to it, you really just soak it in hot water and then wipe off the gunk later. The iron from the pans also comes out in trace amounts in your food (which is a good thing) rather than teflon pieces coming off in trace amounts. They're definitely not good looking, but if you want to spend a bit more, there are some companies that dress them up a bit.

Good luck!

I have been using cook essentials from QVC for the last 6 years and I love them. THey have a lifetime guarantee so if they scratch you send it back and get a new one. In 6 years I havent had to send anything back. they also clean up well nothing sticks to them.