Pots and Pans set.

[Secksiebrat]

My hubby and I have been married 4 and a half years. We got a set of pots and pans from a walmart christmas special. They are now warped and never cook well.

I don't have LOADS of money to spend but does anyone that does cook have a good recommendation of a good pots/pans set? I cook to get the job done, but don't spend hours cooking.

Thanks!

~danielle~

[cdjack]

I don't have the whole set, but I really like the Rachael Ray pots and pans. I think they sell them at Bed, Bath and Beyond. I got mine at Marshall's though for a lot less money.

[Jan in CA]

There are some great ones out there, but they are expensive. My DD1 has some from Ikea that have lasted her a long time. My other DD2 just moved out and we got her some from there, too. The thing to look for is a good solid pan. Some are not well made at all which is apparently what you have now.

They have some good info about them in general here. The various types are across the bottom of the screen.
http://www.ikea.com/ms/en_US/rooms_i...ans/index.html

This is the set we got DD2. These were some of the least expensive, but they really seem like they are well made. Note- her boyfriend turned up the heat (gas) way too high and the handle started to melt. No one needs to cook at that temp though so it hasn't been a problem since.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/70082337

If you can afford it these look like a really nice set.
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30101168

[Wanda Witch]

You might check out the Cook's Essentials on QVC. I've had many different brands of cookware, cheap to expensive, and find I prefer this brand. You can buy set(s) or only those you use the most, which is what I did over a period of time. They are heavy duty and a breeze to clean.

[Debkcs]

Are you anywhere near a Costco? Ours has sets from $89 on up to $249.00.

A friends daughter took her Rachel Ray set back, didn't have the quality of her mom's stainless steel. I've always bought ours as we needed them, none of them match.

[vaknitter]

Personally all I will cook in is cast iron skillets and Revere Ware. Currently I have their entire copper bottom series but I have been told that there new insulated line is very nice as well.

Whatever you do DO NOT get Visions or anything glass as the specific heat of glass is so high that most things will burn to the bottom in the blink of an eye.

[MAmaDawn]

I have had all kinds over the years and my favorite are my iron skillets, a VERY close second is my Emeril Cookware. It is NOT non-stick. But all that Teflon is not good for you. I know you have all seen where it's flaked off of the pan and that means it's getting in your food... not good.

I have, but rarely use Cook's Essentials anymore. They were ok, but just haven't held up like I thought the price should have them.

[fireflyknitter]

I've never gotten the opportunity to do it myself but when our set finally wears out (won't take long if we keep putting them in the dishwasher on "accident" ) I don't want to buy a whole set again. I'm talking about the kind that comes in a box with 3-4 pots and pans of various sizes and like... 2 lids that don't fit. I just want to get one large skillet, one small skillet, one medium pot and one big pot, and I want to get something nice like cast iron or copper-bottom. And lids to fit!! We never use several of the sizes that came with the whole set and the quality of the set is not very good. They're all right, but I'd rather spend the money and get something that won't wear out.

And I can't stress how much I want lids! I'm tired of having to put a plate over my skillets!

[Mike]

Another cast iron vote.

I mostly use cast iron.
Good ones have even heating and heat retention (which has good and bad points when cooking). If you scratch the non-stick coating, since you put it there you can replace it. Once broken in they're as non-stick as teflon without the worries. No need to worry about high heat releasing fumes and killing your pet birds or getting into your kid's bloodstream.
You can cook with them anywhere (deep dish pizza in a skillet is great). They don't mind going camping and being thrown on a fire.

Even if you don't go all cast iron there are things that do better. Blackened fish would destroy teflon after a few uses and warp other metals. Making perfect sunny side up eggs in a cast iron skillet with a lid is fool proof once you get the timing.

I'm obscessed, a few of these are only made on special runs or not made at all now like the loaf pans and tea kettle.
There's also pizza pans and a 2 burner griddle stored in the stove and a few more in cabinets.

And they'll give you a reason to knit. The best thing I've found for clean up is knitted/crocheted wash cloths.

Other than iron I have a couple stainless steel sauce pots because high acid foods don't do well in cast iron.
And an aluminum pressure cooker.

[Jan in CA]

I can't use cast iron..they are toooo heavy for me. I have a nice set of Revere Ware, but they weren't cheap. I've had them for at least 10 yrs and they still look like new.

Mine are like these, but I don't have any non-stick or teflon. All stainless.
http://www.revereware.com/index.asp?pageId=94&pid=349