The Money Mustache Community
Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: jeromedawg on August 10, 2015, 04:54:48 PM
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Hey guys,
What are your opinions on cookware, etc? Obviously there's a TON of cheapo cookware and cutlery out there that does work for many. But for those who are really into cooking and serious about, is it absolutely worth it for you to put the money down on the [sometime outrageously] more expensive cookware & cutlery?
I think a very Mustachian cookware purchase is the classic cast iron skillet. Pretty cheap and can be had from anywhere between $10-30 or less at garage sales etc.
But what if I don't want to deal with lugging around a heavy piece of metal and want something a bit lighter?
Is it worth putting a lot more money down for something higher quality that will last a long time? What say you? It just seems to me that with cookware and cutlery, you get what you pay for in most cases and it probably doesn't pay-off to skimp up front. I got a deal for cheapo cookware from Kohls a couple years ago where it probably cost between $20-40 total for an 18-pc set (including lids and utensils). The pots and pans really suck and it would be nice to get something much better but I'm not quite sure where to even start. I already have a few cast iron skillets/griddles but was considering some SS cookware.
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For stainless steel, I've had my eyes on the 12-piece set Emeril by All-Clad (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001GD2YRW) which, on occasion, can be had for around $115-$155 (Woot) to $167-$200 on Amazon. I have no first-hand experience with them so my impressions are purely based on reviews on tech blogs and Amazon.
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Thrift stores often have great items available - just remember to stay away from the aluminum teflon(tm) coated stuff.
Cast-iron skillets, steel woks, even SS cookware sets are often available. By being patient, and visiting often to check the inventory, you can save $80-$100 bucks.
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I have All-Clad and it will easily last my entire lifetime. No regrets, totally worth it.
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Yes, good cookware is worth the expense and you can probably find a lot of things on Craigslist that people received as wedding gifts and never used. For most things you really only need one awesome chef's knife and a serrated knife. The chef's knife will cut everything and you can sharpen in yourself. Go to the fancy pants kitchen store and try a few out to see what feels good in your hand.
I received a very expensive knife for a wedding gift (approx. $300) and it is one of the most used items in my household. Most people probably don't require a knife of this cost, but I cook daily and as a hobby often entertaining people so for me it makes total sense.
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Quality is worth it. The error some make is quantity. A chef will usually recommend just a few essentials. Costly kitchens often have a bunch of unused clutter in the back of the upper cabinets.
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I think the biggest thing is to buy what you actually NEED. You probably don't need a 10-piece pot set. But you probably do need a nice big pot (6qt+ with a heavy bottom), and a smaller pot. You'll also need a skillet or some sort. I do like cast iron, but personally prefer a nice non-stick because I'm lazy.
I *did* buy a pot set when I graduated university (12 years ago). It's not a high end brand (Meyer), but it was their highest-end pot set. I paid $150 Canadian for it and it is still absolutely perfect and I have no reason to believe that it won't last me at least another 12 years. The bottoms are nice and thick, and flat. No complaints whatsoever. That said, I don't really need four pots, because I don't often cook four things on the stove at once --> I'm much more a one/two pot meal kind of person.
My most used and most loved kitchen item is my le Creuset braiser, but unless you found one at a garage sale (seriously, who would ever sell it?????), I don't think it could qualify as mustachian.
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The only recommendation that pops to mind is, don't spend a lot of money on a nonstick skillet. With regular use, they last barely a year. Just get a cheap one and replace as necessary.
Some people can make cast iron work as a nonstick surface. More power to them, but I am not one of those people. :) Sounds like it's not your first choice either.
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I got a nice stainless steel set of Kirkland pots and pans at Costco a few years ago and I love them. Mostly use cast iron for my skillet needs but I've found the stainless skillets work fine as long as you grease the pan. Of course at Costco you have to buy the big set, not individual pans but they were a good price and really good quality. I'm on a mission to remove all non-stick from my life since it's so disposable and bad for you when it starts to break down. Cast iron and stainless steel is pretty much bifl.
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One cheap gadget I'd recommend is a heat diffuser: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-144-Heat-Diffuser/dp/B0000X6ESO/ref=pd_bxgy_79_img_y
I use it when I make rice, oatmeal, or heat milk on the stove - basically anything where scorching on the bottom could be an issue. *this wouldn't be a good style for a flat stove top but for my gas stove it's perfect.
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When I put together my cookware set, I did a lot of research and I tried to buy quality pieces at discount stores like TJ Maxx and Homegoods and I only bought pieces I knew I'd use consistently. I pretty much avoided sets since they usually had extra pots that I didn't really need and would just take up space (I have a small kitchen).
I tried to find tri-ply clad stainless steel (aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel) because they're more consistent on keeping the heat distributed evenly. You can occasinally find All-Clad second hand at the stores I mentioned (which is what I did) usually 50% off retail or more. I also like the Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro and you can usually find some good deals on these online. Wal-Mart also has the Tramontina tri-ply clad stainless steel cookware which I heard was really good as well - I believe they did well when America's Test Kitchen wrote their article on top frying pans.
For cutlery, I think all you really need is a good 8" chef knife and keep it well maintained. I noticed that I don't really use any of the other knives in the knife block - they pretty much just take up space.
All in all, I still don't think I was very mustachian with cookware, even if I spent significantly less than the general public because I would've saved money just by learning proper cooking technique. Some of the best cooks I know get pots and pans from restaurant supply stores for cheap. They just have really good technique and know the limitations of the equipment they use.
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I like Caphalon, etc, all my friends had but I love my dishwasher more so I got a set of these at Macy's when they had a sale, gift with purchase and I had a coupon:
http://www1.macys.com/shop/kitchen/circulon/Cookware_care/Dishwasher%20Safe?id=7559
They are dishwasher safe while most of the others are not. I love them and they look new years later. I combined households recently and they are in a box in my basement, I miss them!
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My recommended pans:
1. 10" cast-iron skillet. Cast iron is literally the laziest cooking pan ever. Keep adding fat to the pan whenever it looks "dry", wipe clean with a paper towel. Boom. Can't use them for super high heat applications or very acidic things but all else gets done in this. (Need to eventually get a 12"). It's heavy but it gets used multiple times a day so it lives on the stove.
2. A good wok. Exact style depends on whether you have gas or electric. I'd strongly recommend a traditional carbon steel one, but a tri-ply stainless is just fine. All-Clad is overrated and overpriced. I have assorted Calphalon and Tramontina pans in addition to Al-Clad, and the cheaper ones are just as good. I use this for stir fries but also almost all sautee duty.
3. 5 or 6 qt enameled Dutch oven. Tramontina makes a really good and cheap one though the Le Creuset ones are works of art.
4. A 2-3 qt sauce pan. Enamel cast iron, stainless...whatever. As long as it's reasonably thick/heavy bottomed it will do. This is the least picky application for me, though I'd lean towards the enamel here.
With those 4 pans you can cook almost anything. And all should last generations with care.
An optional 5th pan would be a very tall stockpot, here SS, for doing soups, reductions, and steaming large things (like corn on cob, etc). You'd want at least a 10qt to make it "big enough" relative to the Dutch oven to be actually useful.
Those that recommend non-stick need to A) learn to cook and B) read the Madrid statement about PFOAs.
Edit: to directly answer the OP's question, pans useful to have in SS (my minimalist list aside) are a large 12" skillet or sautee pan for acidic reductions, skillet pasta dishes, etc. A SS stockpot is nice. A SS wok/fry pan is nice but the carbon steel (with care) is superior for super high heat stir fries and sauteeing IMO. I personally like my Calphalon tri-ply the best, followed by the All-Clad, then the Tramontina, but they're all really similar in performance. FWIW while pricey the base level All-Clad is the lightest set, but I don't think they're worth the huge price premium.
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A minimalist, mid-range in price item that is amazing is an electric pressure cooker. Instapot has a slow cooker, pressure cooker, rice cooker, sauté function all in one.
Keeps your house cool in the summer while you make dinner, doesn't use much electricity from what I understand. You can make beans in 15 minutes versus cooking them on the stove for 2 hours-- so it also promotes Mustachianism because if you forgot to plan your oatmeal or beans ahead of time, you still have no excuses to do take out. A whole pot roast is done in 45 mins as opposed to 4-6 hours oven braising.
The very cheap version is a simple no frills crockpot (I'm sure there are tons of these at yard sales or thrift). But honestly once you pressure cook you won't go back.
And like others mentioned, GOOD knives are essential. Spend a lot on one 8" chef knife, take care of it (hone it before each use and hand wash it) and it'll last your lifetime most likely. Cutting with a sharp, good knife is a time and money saver-- no excuses for pre-cut veg packs from the grocery store.
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Ah, as the world turns. This was one of the very first lengthy discussions I had when I first joined this forum. Now as then, I'll recommend the Tramontina triple clad set from Walmart (http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina-8-Piece-18-10-Stainless-Steel-Tri-Ply-Clad-Cookware-Set/19581112). Was positively reviewed by everyone back then, just as good as the All-Clad brand name stuff, at about 1/3 the price.
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My wife and I cook a lot and we always use non-stick pans. T-Fal has a series of non-stick pans that are safe for use with metal utensils. We're sticking to using plastic utensils with them, but I'm hoping they will last longer than the typical non-stick pans. We've had them for about 6 months and they look good as new. So far, I've been really impressed. They sell for about $30 each on Amazon.
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My wife and I cook a lot and we always use non-stick pans. T-Fal has a series of non-stick pans that are safe for use with metal utensils. We're sticking to using plastic utensils with them, but I'm hoping they will last longer than the typical non-stick pans. We've had them for about 6 months and they look good as new. So far, I've been really impressed. They sell for about $30 each on Amazon.
Thanks all! Wow, so many options haha. The set we got from Kohls is actually by T-Fal but it's obviously the lower end teflon-coated pans. My parents used metal utensils on several occasions when visiting, despite us telling them not to, so there's already scraping all over them but not *too* bad. We'll probably hold out on a set for a while. It's true that we don't use half the stuff in the set. The things we use most are the sauce pans really. The frying pans/skillets are too small to be useful. Will have to look into getting the Tramotinas that Sol recommends. Either that or hunting for bargains on the high-end brands.
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Le Crueset is an up front investment, but if I'd done it early in my life they would have been the only pans I need.
I have a dutch oven and a "saucerie" pan. These two pans serve most uses. You can watch for good deals at one of their outlet stores, online, or occasionally at TJ Maxx.
Costco carries a line of similar enameled cast iron and I'm wondering if it's just as good.
Some other observations:
You need far fewer pans than you think. I've whittled my collection down, but will do so more when we finally move. I think 3-4 pahs is sufficient.
Other "non-pan" items I like:
(1) An electric skillet. I like keeping greasy messes off my stove, and I can even cook outside with it.
(2) A great crock pot.
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Cast iron pans from Lodge, at $25, two of them in two sizes, 8 and 10 inches, along with an enameled cast iron dutch oven at around $40, also from Lodge. Couple of stainless steel pots from Ikea for under $15 each, a rice cooker at $15, and may be a couple of pressure cookers at $30 each. All in all, I can make some really fancy meals using these buy it for once cookware. Cost me under $200, mostly paid for with credit card reward points hacking.
Cast iron is not hard to maintain. Clean it after every use, dry it, put a drop of oil and it's fine. Seriously, I have managed to actually bake crud in my cast iron pans (I can be very absent minded). It came right off when I boiled water on them, let the water dry, and then reseasoned.
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I have All Clad (set and misc pieces) that I purchased at a significant discount (I was working in a kitchen store) in 1987. Absolutely no problems w/ it ever. Aside from that I have a large nonstick pan from Ikea and a smaller nonstick pan from Ikea. I consider nonstick to basically be disposable (they wear out eventually).
All Clad is aluminum w/ stainless interior - and variety of exteriors (anodized aluminum, stainless, etc.). Whatever pans you purchase you want heavy thick pans w/ materials that have good conduction of heat. Stainless by itself is not a particularly good heat conductor and will result in hot spots and burning in the pan. Most department store type cookware (e.g. at Kohl's) will have stainless sides and a sandwich of materials at the bottom that includes aluminum or copper. More expensive cookware often has metal handles that are designed to stay cool (v.s. plastic) so that it can be put in the oven or under the broiler. The mor expensive cookware will have better rivets between the pan and handle.
A large stock pot is a good 'cheap pan" purchase (e.g. plain stainless or w/a sandwich of materials on the base) because they are typically used to cook large quantities over mediumish heat and the food will eventually be evenly heated. A fry pan or sauce pan might be an area to look for slightly better quality. Non-stick, if you use it, IMHO, should be inexpensive because it always wears out.
I do see Calphalon and other good quality pans at the thrift store pretty often. Calphalon is anodized aluminum and will be "sticky" until it is adequately seasoned, just like a cast iron pan. It is also possible to scrub the anodized layer off (which really doesn't effect the function of the pan all that much). My All Clad that has anodized exteriors are all basically back to being silver at this point (started black like Calphalon). Also, almost all of the high end cookware companies offer starter pieces during the year - sometimes it is something sort of useless like a 6" fry pan, but other times it can be an awesome useful pan at 1/3 or less of the usual cost. Department stores almost always have these pieces during the holidays, as well as other times during the year.
Last point - you don't need 10 pans (as some of the sets would lead you to think), or the special $200 double boiler insert, roasting pan, or the vegetable steamer and such from high end companies - just get the pans you will use the most often and make-do.
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One cheap gadget I'd recommend is a heat diffuser: http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-144-Heat-Diffuser/dp/B0000X6ESO/ref=pd_bxgy_79_img_y
I use it when I make rice, oatmeal, or heat milk on the stove - basically anything where scorching on the bottom could be an issue. *this wouldn't be a good style for a flat stove top but for my gas stove it's perfect.
Awesome - just what I needed. My stove (stupid electric one) has a lot of hot spots due to very poor heat spreading. Thanks so much.
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Good quality cookware is ALWAYS worth it. One little known fact is that you can go to yearly warehouse sales in some states and get the shit DIRT cheap. I ended up with 2k (resale value) of Spring cookware for 150 bucks (the Swiss stuff not the cheaper US make)...total by going to a Waterford sale in NJ 7 or so years ago. Those pans weigh like 5 lbs plus each, and are 5-7 ply depending on purpose. I've never had uneven heating, spot burning, etc and I've used them on some pretty crappy stoves over the years. I also walked out with teachers gifts etc for the year. They literally mean clear the warehouse out if anyone lives near one of those warehouses. My La Cruesse I also got at a warehouse sale for 75 and it's awesome, I use it almost daily.
I do a TON of cooking and have been known to do a bit of catering for friends/family/husbands promotions/Christmas parties etc so I need a larger collection of pots. My knives were a 5 year anniversary gift from my office, a set of Henkels, not their top of the line but still very good. My other two can't live withouts...a good immersion blender and my Ninja.
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Only buy/keep what you're going to use! We have a nice-ish cast-iron pan but we don't use it much because we don't like cleaning it. So the nonstick pan gets a lot more use.
Get things that work for your everyday cooking style. And wherever you get them, make sure all your pots and pans have thick bottoms unless you're literally only using them for boiling water/steaming. If you need more pans for some special occasion you can probably borrow some from friends/neighbors/relatives or "rent" them from the thrift store (i.e. buy them cheap and re-donate them).
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Wow some of ya'll are... Dedicated.
We've been through cheap sets, expensive sets...
Work gave me a set of La Creuset goodies, like $800 set. Crazy. Sold them on Ebay.
Settled on:
- one 6qt SS stock pot (Wolfgang Puck iirc, $15 thrift store purchase)
- rice cooker
- crock pot
- large electric skillet (these are awesome, do almost anything in them)
- Webber kettle charcoal grill
that's about it. Fam of 8, DW is an excellent cook.
Oh and we use wood spoons. Sanded, seasoned, and they are wonderful; 3 for $5 from Amazon.
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I have 365 cookware from Ikea, it is 18 years old and still looks great.
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I bought scratch-n-dent All Clad pots/pans about 5 years ago and absolutely love them and will never go back to lower quality cookware. I use them multiple times per day and they will easily outlive me.
If you don't have a local cookware store that sells the All Clad seconds check out Cookware-N-More (http://www.cookwarenmore.com/). As far as I know they are the 'official' dealer of All Clad seconds and get them directly from the manufacturer. Twice a year they have a sale and items are discounted even more than normal (usually 40-50% off). Even though you are buying seconds All Clad still provides the full lifetime warranty.
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I've been looking around a bit and ran across these. Seems to be made by Tramontina which was mentioned above.
http://www.samsclub.com/sams/mm-12pc-cookware-set-stainless-steel/prod16330046.ip?navAction=
It seems like a quality but cheap set with a very useful variety without the random stuff you'd never use.
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We got an Al-clad SS set by Cuisinart from woot for I think $120 when we moved in together last year (This one: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CLCS-11-11-Piece-Stainless-Cookware/dp/B00BB19BH0 It's held up just fine so far but I have no basis for comparison. Nice even heat.) My experience was different from others', in that I do I use everything in it. Even if I didn't, it would have been more expensive to buy all but one or two separately (don't think I've seen SS pans in thrift shops here.) We also have a wok, a cast iron pan, a small teflon pan for eggs, and a small bunch of bakeware (glass: 2 9x13, 1 8x8, 1 7x11, 1 pie, 1 loaf; metal: 2 cookie sheets, 1 small cookie sheet, 1 muffin tin). OH and one cast iron stovetop grill/griddle, Lodge, $30 WORTH EVERY PENNY if you don't have an actual grill, or can't use it half the year. *thumbs up*
Things we don't use: giant stockpot (not as practical in SoCal as in IL: nowhere to put it to keep a giant batch of soup cold!), round 2 qt glass casserole dish (should give to my mom...), InstantPot (should use more, really).
Things we don't own: dutch oven, enameled cast iron pots (what do you use those for?)
Ultimately, what cookware you need mostly depends on what and how you cook. I couldn't imagine not having a frying pan or a paring knife, but if you're a minimalist and fine eating every meal out of a crock pot, more power to ya! I just like to cook a variety of things with a variety of tools. *shrug*
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Wow some of ya'll are... Dedicated.
We've been through cheap sets, expensive sets...
Work gave me a set of La Creuset goodies, like $800 set. Crazy. Sold them on Ebay.
Settled on:
- one 6qt SS stock pot (Wolfgang Puck iirc, $15 thrift store purchase)
- rice cooker
- crock pot
- large electric skillet (these are awesome, do almost anything in them)
- Webber kettle charcoal grill
that's about it. Fam of 8, DW is an excellent cook.
Oh and we use wood spoons. Sanded, seasoned, and they are wonderful; 3 for $5 from Amazon.
Yes! Rice cooker and crock pot are two of my must have kitchen appliances. We bulk cook on the weekend for lunches during the week and the crockpot is perfect for that. We usually throw something simple in the crockpot and then cook something a little more elaborate in the stove/oven.
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Those that recommend non-stick need to A) learn to cook and B) read the Madrid statement about PFOAs.
Someone who's using a nonstick pan is, by definition, cooking at home. Shouldn't we be encouraging them and not belittling them?
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We got an Al-clad SS set by Cuisinart from woot for I think $120 when we moved in together last year (This one: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CLCS-11-11-Piece-Stainless-Cookware/dp/B00BB19BH0 It's held up just fine so far but I have no basis for comparison. Nice even heat.) My experience was different from others', in that I do I use everything in it. Even if I didn't, it would have been more expensive to buy all but one or two separately (don't think I've seen SS pans in thrift shops here.) We also have a wok, a cast iron pan, a small teflon pan for eggs, and a small bunch of bakeware (glass: 2 9x13, 1 8x8, 1 7x11, 1 pie, 1 loaf; metal: 2 cookie sheets, 1 small cookie sheet, 1 muffin tin). OH and one cast iron stovetop grill/griddle, Lodge, $30 WORTH EVERY PENNY if you don't have an actual grill, or can't use it half the year. *thumbs up*
Things we don't use: giant stockpot (not as practical in SoCal as in IL: nowhere to put it to keep a giant batch of soup cold!), round 2 qt glass casserole dish (should give to my mom...), InstantPot (should use more, really).
Things we don't own: dutch oven, enameled cast iron pots (what do you use those for?)
Ultimately, what cookware you need mostly depends on what and how you cook. I couldn't imagine not having a frying pan or a paring knife, but if you're a minimalist and fine eating every meal out of a crock pot, more power to ya! I just like to cook a variety of things with a variety of tools. *shrug*
We actually have one of those stovetop Lodge grills that cover two burners. It's very useful for making larger batches of stuff (esp Philly cheesesteaks! Yeahh!) except it's such a PITA to clean up :(
As far as cookware, we have the following:
- big rice cooker (we're Asian, so....)
- crockpot
- T-Fal 20pc Inspirations Nonstick Aluminum (http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Inspirations-Nonstick-Aluminum-Cookware/dp/B004DPHD4E).. this was the cheapo set we got from Kohls probably for around $30 or so after rebates. Not worth it IMHO - one review on Amazon says scratching coating and needs to tighten handles after every use; this almost describes our experience. But we do use the sauce pans pretty regularly
- *huge* Cuisinart 14" SS pan (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NBWRU2/ref=pe_175190_21431760_cs_sce_dp_i1): we don't really ever use this. It's way bigger than I expected and when we've tried cooking on it, food seems to stick really bad. Not sure why this is the case when I thought SS was supposed to be much better to cook on.
- 12" non-stick chicken fryer type skillet w/ glass cover: my wife loves using this to cook potstickers
- Food Network 5qt Dutch Oven: we've used this for making stews and slow-cooking/braising a few things
- Le Cruiset Oval Doufeu: bought this from the Le Creuset outlet early in our marriage. We've made a number of things in it and are pretty happy with it overall
- Several cast iron skillets: 8", 10" & 12" skillets, 10" griddle, and long 2-burner stovetop griddle: love using all of these and probably use the 10" and 12" skillets the most.
As far as knives:
- Several Victorinox knives: 8" chefs knife (love this), small paring knife, 4" rabbit knife (great for chicken), 6" filet/boning knife (great for fish)
- Fujimaru set: 8", 6" and 4" I believe (these are super sharp)
- Junky knifes: some Pure Komatchi knives and JCPenney "Cooks" knives which are actually relatively decent (santoku and a cleaver)
*sigh* - obviously lots of cheapo stuff and probably lots of overlap and unnecessary stuff. got all this *prior* to mustachianism of course. I need to declutter a lot of it after listing everything out :T
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We got an Al-clad SS set by Cuisinart from woot for I think $120 when we moved in together last year (This one: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CLCS-11-11-Piece-Stainless-Cookware/dp/B00BB19BH0 It's held up just fine so far but I have no basis for comparison. Nice even heat.) My experience was different from others', in that I do I use everything in it. Even if I didn't, it would have been more expensive to buy all but one or two separately (don't think I've seen SS pans in thrift shops here.) We also have a wok, a cast iron pan, a small teflon pan for eggs, and a small bunch of bakeware (glass: 2 9x13, 1 8x8, 1 7x11, 1 pie, 1 loaf; metal: 2 cookie sheets, 1 small cookie sheet, 1 muffin tin). OH and one cast iron stovetop grill/griddle, Lodge, $30 WORTH EVERY PENNY if you don't have an actual grill, or can't use it half the year. *thumbs up*
Things we don't use: giant stockpot (not as practical in SoCal as in IL: nowhere to put it to keep a giant batch of soup cold!), round 2 qt glass casserole dish (should give to my mom...), InstantPot (should use more, really).
Things we don't own: dutch oven, enameled cast iron pots (what do you use those for?)
Ultimately, what cookware you need mostly depends on what and how you cook. I couldn't imagine not having a frying pan or a paring knife, but if you're a minimalist and fine eating every meal out of a crock pot, more power to ya! I just like to cook a variety of things with a variety of tools. *shrug*
- big rice cooker (we're Asian, so....)
Funny you should mention this. Mr. Tooth is Chinese, and when he tells other Asians he dislikes rice, they ask him why he didn't starve as a child.
My rice cooker is sadly underused owing to Mr. Tooth's distaste for rice. Must inculcate the baby with rice-eating habits.
Haha that's interesting. I've always liked noodles more than rice. But if you put a bowl of mashed potatoes in front of me, that's going to override everything...!
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Le Crueset is an up front investment, but if I'd done it early in my life they would have been the only pans I need.
Le Creuset has outlet stores, old styles are least expensive but retired colors are low, as well
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For those in urban areas cookware is one of the easiest items to find free on the street. When in doubt look around garbage around universities in the spring and winter. Parents love to think their children will cook in college, and students never do. I've found it unbelievable, at least here in New York, the amount of pots, pans, dishes, glasses, cutlery, knife sets, appliances etc. you can find just by keeping your eyes open.
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Le Crueset is an up front investment, but if I'd done it early in my life they would have been the only pans I need.
Le Creuset has outlet stores, old styles are least expensive but retired colors are low, as well
Yep, we got our 6qt doufeu from an outlet store. To my recollection, it was sub-$150...
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For those in urban areas cookware is one of the easiest items to find free on the street. When in doubt look around garbage around universities in the spring and winter. Parents love to think their children will cook in college, and students never do. I've found it unbelievable, at least here in New York, the amount of pots, pans, dishes, glasses, cutlery, knife sets, appliances etc. you can find just by keeping your eyes open.
LOL that is pretty unbelievable! One time I found a perfectly functional DVR on top of a garbage pile in a dumpster in my old apt complex. I took it back, set to factory defaults, and flipped it on ebay for about $100 or so. I didn't realize people would toss perfectly functional (and even higher-end) cookware though! That'd be crazy if someone fished some nice All-Clads out of the dumpster!
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We actually have one of those stovetop Lodge grills that cover two burners. It's very useful for making larger batches of stuff (esp Philly cheesesteaks! Yeahh!) except it's such a PITA to clean up :(
It is, rather. I scrub it with a brush and/or a steel scrubby pad (not steel wool), no soap.
- *huge* Cuisinart 14" SS pan (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NBWRU2/ref=pe_175190_21431760_cs_sce_dp_i1): we don't really ever use this. It's way bigger than I expected and when we've tried cooking on it, food seems to stick really bad. Not sure why this is the case when I thought SS was supposed to be much better to cook on.
SS is...different. It absolutely *has* to be preheated fairly high, which is why it doesn't work for me for eggs (I like sunny-side-up eggs made on low heat). If cooking meat, it also helps to season it: heat up, wipe with oil, quench in cold water, repeat 2-3 times. That said, if something does burn, I like that I can scrub the daylights out of the pan with baking soda without worrying I'm taking something off. Also no concerns about eating teflon.
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We actually have one of those stovetop Lodge grills that cover two burners. It's very useful for making larger batches of stuff (esp Philly cheesesteaks! Yeahh!) except it's such a PITA to clean up :(
It is, rather. I scrub it with a brush and/or a steel scrubby pad (not steel wool), no soap.
- *huge* Cuisinart 14" SS pan (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000NBWRU2/ref=pe_175190_21431760_cs_sce_dp_i1): we don't really ever use this. It's way bigger than I expected and when we've tried cooking on it, food seems to stick really bad. Not sure why this is the case when I thought SS was supposed to be much better to cook on.
SS is...different. It absolutely *has* to be preheated fairly high, which is why it doesn't work for me for eggs (I like sunny-side-up eggs made on low heat). If cooking meat, it also helps to season it: heat up, wipe with oil, quench in cold water, repeat 2-3 times. That said, if something does burn, I like that I can scrub the daylights out of the pan with baking soda without worrying I'm taking something off. Also no concerns about eating teflon.
Yea I need to pickup more of those scrubbing pads. Brushes don't work all that well when I've really burnt stuff on. I find I have to run it under super-hot water to get all the soot off if it's really bad. Then it's a paid having to re-season the thing.
That makes sense for the high heats. The pan is so huge and the burners on our stove aren't all that big, so not all areas of the pan get hot. Not sure how to remedy this other than by getting a larger stove (LOL). Maybe I should just sell the pan or something... it's pretty impractical if it requires such high heat yet there's no way to evenly distribute the high heat across such a huge surface (unless that heat dispersion tool someone linked earlier would do the trick?)
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Barkeeper's Friend is awesome for cleaning stainless steel cookware, but I use it rarely. Usually we just deglaze the pans when food sticks.
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- big rice cooker (we're Asian, so....)
Funny you should mention this. Mr. Tooth is Chinese, and when he tells other Asians he dislikes rice, they ask him why he didn't starve as a child.
My rice cooker is sadly underused owing to Mr. Tooth's distaste for rice. Must inculcate the baby with rice-eating habits.
Haha my dad's Italian and hates pasta. That was what was for dinner nearly every night when he was growing up (my grandmother was not a very adventurous cook).
I think the what goes hand in hand with buying good quality items is taking care of them correctly. I bought myself a mini 3cup Cuisinart food processor and ran that through my (terrible, hardly working) dishwasher too many times. The lid is now bent and the blades are not quite as sharp as they once were. Now that I have a big Cuisinart monster (11 cup), that baby gets hand washed gently.
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- big rice cooker (we're Asian, so....)
Funny you should mention this. Mr. Tooth is Chinese, and when he tells other Asians he dislikes rice, they ask him why he didn't starve as a child.
My rice cooker is sadly underused owing to Mr. Tooth's distaste for rice. Must inculcate the baby with rice-eating habits.
Haha my dad's Italian and hates pasta. That was what was for dinner nearly every night when he was growing up (my grandmother was not a very adventurous cook).
I think the what goes hand in hand with buying good quality items is taking care of them correctly. I bought myself a mini 3cup Cuisinart food processor and ran that through my (terrible, hardly working) dishwasher too many times. The lid is now bent and the blades are not quite as sharp as they once were. Now that I have a big Cuisinart monster (11 cup), that baby gets hand washed gently.
Mr. Tooth adores Italian food. I don't bother buying pasta less than 12 boxes at a time. I'm seriously investigating a home pasta maker at this point.
Yea, I studied abroad in Italy for a few months and love pasta. All I have to say is "BUCATINI!" - I got a fancy Kitchenaid mixer from Kohls at a crazy price (actually bought two more and flipped them locally, which pretty much paid for the one I have) and it came with a mail-in rebate to get a free pasta maker attachment set (roller and fettuccine cutter). i think we've only used it once though, since our kitchen is small and we don't have much counter space. my wife prefers using the electric hand mixer if she needs to mix stuff.
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Outlet stores, discontinued cookware and store closings are your best bet for quality cookware at a great price.
Fine tools that are a joy to work with are a good thing:)
Cheap cookware is a nuisance at best, it doesn't last, it is impossible to cook evenly or avoid burning your food or your fingers. If you cook every day it makes sense to have quality tools.
Since you already have a set of cookware you probably know which pot sizes you use the most - let that be your guide. While an entire set is always the cheaper option - I do hate to go that route when I know I only really "need" certain sizes and pieces. So the last time I hunted down only the specific pieces I wanted - which cost so much time and effort I question the validity of that move.
Dutch oven
One red Cuisinart 7+? quart oval cast iron dutch oven with enamel interior. Used for roasts, whole chicken, stews, stovetop casseroles and lasagne (instead of the oven) and any time I don't want to use the crockpot, because I am at home.
Skillets
One 11" skillet - Cuisnart (but a cheap version) with non-stick interior - to be replaced soon with a "green" version. I have two smaller stainless steel skillets - one 8in and a 10in deep skillet which I rarely use.
Pots:
Stainless: at least 12 gauge - some are hybrids and have copper infused bottoms
3 different size pots - 1 really small, 1 sm/med and 1 large - I use all 3 - all the time.
Steamer
What we also use all the time is a steamer - for ears of corn - potatoes and heads of cauliflower and cabbage.... It's heavy duty stainless steel and I found it on sale at the military base one day. $35 bucks - the best deal I ever made.
Mixer
Hands down my favorite, the one thing I couldn't live without and always wanted is my heavy duty Kitchen Aid mixer - I love looking at it, it's red:) and a must have for baking.
Crockpot
Only gets used a couple of times a month and sometimes for parties.
Mandolin
For slicing, dicing and shredding - potatoes, turnips for sauteeing and shredded raw veggies like carrots and sliced cucumbers and sweet potato fries:) I love the even slices, clean up is a snap and the blades have stayed sharp. The shredded carrots look impressive on a salad plate:)
Blender
The least used item at present is my Cuisinart blender - sometimes I use it daily for smoothies or hot soups, it has a thick glass jug - other times I forget about it for a while until summer - makes quick work of chopping veggies from the garden. It is the one gadget that is totally frivolous and not really necessary, because you could do without:)
I went through 5, yes five blenders to find one that had the settings, motor and power I wanted at the price I wanted to pay (60% off at Tuesday Morning) - incl. a Black and Decker blender which literally exploded all over my kitchen, I was lucky I didn't get seriously injured.
Quality knifes
and a couple of good cutting boards are essential. My preference is two diff size paring knives - one curved, 1 small/med butcher knife, a filet knife, a big all round knife plus a bread knife, a cheese knife and good quality scissors - the kind you use for fowl.
We are overstocked in that department and yes they are all high end, (long story) but what good is a knife unless it lasts a lifetime.
I'm an old lady now, but I wish I had allowed myself the joy of that red Kitchen Aid mixer when I was in my thirties. Back then I considered it more of a wishlist-status item- one I could do without. Well, one can do without a lot of things, but it was stupid to deny myself that pleasure - we were always foodies and those do last a lifetime.
It was on my Christmas list about 8 yrs ago and still does get a fair amount of use - I have the one with a stainless steel bowl, a dough hook and a regular whisk/beater. Love.
Well, that's it from this foodie ... I hope you find some great deals, go for quality kitchen tools and you will not regret your purchase.
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I already have a few cast iron skillets/griddles but was considering some SS cookware.
Just a side note: If you want something lighter than cast iron, get OLD cast iron. Yes, there is a difference. Old cast iron is much lighter and has been tooled super smooth inside (unlike the modern cast iron that is pebbly). It is much easier to cook on and sticks less as well. It can often be picked up at garage/estate sales for $5 or less. That's where all of ours came from. (That doesn't mean you won't still need a saucepan or two).
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I'm an old lady now, but I wish I had allowed myself the joy of that red Kitchen Aid mixer when I was in my thirties. Back then I considered it more of a wishlist-status item- one I could do without. Well, one can do without a lot of things, but it was stupid to deny myself that pleasure - we were always foodies and those do last a lifetime.
Older model Kitchen Aid mixers are actually better than the latest ones. At some point they cut costs changing the gearbox to plastic (the gears are still metal). Most people will be fine with the latest stuff, but they can't take as much daily abuse kneading large batches of bread that the old Kitchen Aid mixers can.
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I'm an old lady now, but I wish I had allowed myself the joy of that red Kitchen Aid mixer when I was in my thirties. Back then I considered it more of a wishlist-status item- one I could do without. Well, one can do without a lot of things, but it was stupid to deny myself that pleasure - we were always foodies and those do last a lifetime.
Older model Kitchen Aid mixers are actually better than the latest ones. At some point they cut costs changing the gearbox to plastic (the gears are still metal). Most people will be fine with the latest stuff, but they can't take as much daily abuse kneading large batches of bread that the old Kitchen Aid mixers can.
And the motors were made by Hobart.
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@ spork and robertsd
Well, there you go guys - two - more reasons to buy the best:) and forget the rest.
All I can tell you is that baby works fine, even though the parts and motor have changed, but in all honesty it does not get a heavy workout. I've used one of the old models before and I tend to agree with you that it will probably not be as long lasting and durable.
...and thanks for reading my long post:) - whew
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+1 for investing in quality for the stuff you use a lot. So to me that would mean:
- a good chef's knife + serrated knife
- quality pot set. I cook on stainless steel, I bought mine as a small set, because that was cheaper than buying what I actually needed loose. Outlet stores and stock sales can save you lots of money here. My SS pots were not outrageously expensive (mid-range quality i'd say, but nice and fat-bottomed) and have made me happy for going on 8 years now. they still look as new.
- a good wok / something to stir fry in
- griddle, but you already have that.
To me, all the rest is optional and hence of lesser quality as it gets much less use.
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Ikea also has some good basic cookware. They have cast iron with 25 year warranty for less than half the price of Le Creuset, lots of good quality stainless steel as well.
I want to change from ceramic to induction cooking in the next couple of years, fortunately I bought good quality stainless steel 20 years ago which can also be used on induction. If you are looking for a buy it for life set you should have a look at what type of stove you will use 10, 20 years from now.
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Just re-visiting the thread as we're looking to slim down an reinvest in some nicer cookware. I'm seriously considering just getting a bunch of Tramontina pots and pans following these guidelines at a minimum:
1. 12-inch traditional skillet/fry pan with or w/o lid - something that’s big enough to fit four chicken breasts, sear pork chops, and easy to make a nice fond and pan sauce
2. 10-inch nonstick skillet - for cooking delicate omelets and fish
3. 12-inch cast-iron skillet - for frying and searing steaks (already have several cast-iron skillets so we're covered here
4. 4-quart covered saucepan - for vegetables and other side dishes
5. 2-quart covered saucepan for reheating leftovers, or making sauces
6. 6- or 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven - for stewing, making chili, french onion soup, braising and deep frying, and for going from stove to oven (already have a couple dutch ovens - Emeril 5.5qt cast-iron Dutch oven and Le Creuset 7.5qt Dofeu)
7 12-16qt large stockpot - for making soups, stocks, boiling pasta, or cooking for a crowd.
Sam's Club has a 12pc set that's $199 and includes the 10" & 12" skillets and 2qt sauce pan but nothing else on the list above (unless the 3.5qt sauce pan satisfies the 4qt requirement)... http://www.samsclub.com/sams/mm-12pc-cookware-set-stainless-steel/prod16330046.ip?sprodId=prod16330046
Otherwise, I suppose I could try to resell the 8qt stockpot, 5qt dutch oven, and 5qt deep saute pan that are in the set and purchase a 12qt stockpot separately.... actually, I hear the 12" saute pan doesn't really have a true 12-inches of surface area so it seems the 5qt deep saute pan might end up being a good alternative to keep on hand. Not so sure about the dutch oven or stockpot though. I think if I have those around though I may end up using them anyway. Still would want the 12qt stockpot though for larger quantities of broth/stock/soup
Anyone have alternative suggestions?
Once I have everything, I'm probably just going to donate or toss all the non-stick crap and whatever else we don't want. I was also thinking about getting rid of our crockpot and getting an instapot or something like that instead. Too many gadgets though :T
FWIW: the Sams Club deal looks to contain cookware that's all "Made in Brazil" vs the comparable Tramontina "tri-ply clad" items on Walmart's site which all appear to be more or less the same items but "Made in China" - not sure if there's any real difference but I suppose I could save a bit getting only what I need piece-by-piece from Walmart vs as a set from Sam's Club.
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I got the smallest Walmart Tramontina set a couple weeks ago to replace cookware that literally developed holes from too much use. I've been pretty happy thus far and the set was about $130, shipped, with tax.
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I got the smallest Walmart Tramontina set a couple weeks ago to replace cookware that literally developed holes from too much use. I've been pretty happy thus far and the set was about $130, shipped, with tax.
I see they have an 8-pc tri-ply clad set going for $109 currently - http://www.walmart.com/ip/19581112
But there are even less pieces in that one that I'm looking for. Especially the 8" frying pan. I *never* use the 8" frying pans that I have so that would be pretty useless to me. And I'd also want a 3.5-4qt sauce pan as well.
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Just re-visiting the thread as we're looking to slim down an reinvest in some nicer cookware. I'm seriously considering just getting a bunch of Tramontina pots and pans following these guidelines at a minimum:
1. 12-inch traditional skillet/fry pan with or w/o lid - something that’s big enough to fit four chicken breasts, sear pork chops, and easy to make a nice fond and pan sauce
2. 10-inch nonstick skillet - for cooking delicate omelets and fish
3. 12-inch cast-iron skillet - for frying and searing steaks (already have several cast-iron skillets so we're covered here
4. 4-quart covered saucepan - for vegetables and other side dishes
5. 2-quart covered saucepan for reheating leftovers, or making sauces
6. 6- or 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven - for stewing, making chili, french onion soup, braising and deep frying, and for going from stove to oven (already have a couple dutch ovens - Emeril 5.5qt cast-iron Dutch oven and Le Creuset 7.5qt Dofeu)
7 12-16qt large stockpot - for making soups, stocks, boiling pasta, or cooking for a crowd.
Sam's Club has a 12pc set that's $199 and includes the 10" & 12" skillets and 2qt sauce pan but nothing else on the list above (unless the 3.5qt sauce pan satisfies the 4qt requirement)... http://www.samsclub.com/sams/mm-12pc-cookware-set-stainless-steel/prod16330046.ip?sprodId=prod16330046
Otherwise, I suppose I could try to resell the 8qt stockpot, 5qt dutch oven, and 5qt deep saute pan that are in the set and purchase a 12qt stockpot separately.... actually, I hear the 12" saute pan doesn't really have a true 12-inches of surface area so it seems the 5qt deep saute pan might end up being a good alternative to keep on hand. Not so sure about the dutch oven or stockpot though. I think if I have those around though I may end up using them anyway. Still would want the 12qt stockpot though for larger quantities of broth/stock/soup
Anyone have alternative suggestions?
Once I have everything, I'm probably just going to donate or toss all the non-stick crap and whatever else we don't want. I was also thinking about getting rid of our crockpot and getting an instapot or something like that instead. Too many gadgets though :T
FWIW: the Sams Club deal looks to contain cookware that's all "Made in Brazil" vs the comparable Tramontina "tri-ply clad" items on Walmart's site which all appear to be more or less the same items but "Made in China" - not sure if there's any real difference but I suppose I could save a bit getting only what I need piece-by-piece from Walmart vs as a set from Sam's Club.
12 quarts is 3 gallons. That's a LOT. How many are you cooking for on a regular basis? I find our 6 qt stock pot is great for pasta and soup (when we don't make it in the 10 cup InstaPot). We're typically making 4-6 servings (batch cooking for 2). The issue with pots bigger than about 8qt is that cleaning becomes a huge chore. You don't really need more than 8qt for a pound of pasta... And the 3.5 qt should be fine instead of 4 qt. Why is that even a question?
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Just re-visiting the thread as we're looking to slim down an reinvest in some nicer cookware. I'm seriously considering just getting a bunch of Tramontina pots and pans following these guidelines at a minimum:
1. 12-inch traditional skillet/fry pan with or w/o lid - something that’s big enough to fit four chicken breasts, sear pork chops, and easy to make a nice fond and pan sauce
2. 10-inch nonstick skillet - for cooking delicate omelets and fish
3. 12-inch cast-iron skillet - for frying and searing steaks (already have several cast-iron skillets so we're covered here
4. 4-quart covered saucepan - for vegetables and other side dishes
5. 2-quart covered saucepan for reheating leftovers, or making sauces
6. 6- or 7-quart enameled cast-iron Dutch oven - for stewing, making chili, french onion soup, braising and deep frying, and for going from stove to oven (already have a couple dutch ovens - Emeril 5.5qt cast-iron Dutch oven and Le Creuset 7.5qt Dofeu)
7 12-16qt large stockpot - for making soups, stocks, boiling pasta, or cooking for a crowd.
Sam's Club has a 12pc set that's $199 and includes the 10" & 12" skillets and 2qt sauce pan but nothing else on the list above (unless the 3.5qt sauce pan satisfies the 4qt requirement)... http://www.samsclub.com/sams/mm-12pc-cookware-set-stainless-steel/prod16330046.ip?sprodId=prod16330046
Otherwise, I suppose I could try to resell the 8qt stockpot, 5qt dutch oven, and 5qt deep saute pan that are in the set and purchase a 12qt stockpot separately.... actually, I hear the 12" saute pan doesn't really have a true 12-inches of surface area so it seems the 5qt deep saute pan might end up being a good alternative to keep on hand. Not so sure about the dutch oven or stockpot though. I think if I have those around though I may end up using them anyway. Still would want the 12qt stockpot though for larger quantities of broth/stock/soup
Anyone have alternative suggestions?
Once I have everything, I'm probably just going to donate or toss all the non-stick crap and whatever else we don't want. I was also thinking about getting rid of our crockpot and getting an instapot or something like that instead. Too many gadgets though :T
FWIW: the Sams Club deal looks to contain cookware that's all "Made in Brazil" vs the comparable Tramontina "tri-ply clad" items on Walmart's site which all appear to be more or less the same items but "Made in China" - not sure if there's any real difference but I suppose I could save a bit getting only what I need piece-by-piece from Walmart vs as a set from Sam's Club.
12 quarts is 3 gallons. That's a LOT. How many are you cooking for on a regular basis? I find our 6 qt stock pot is great for pasta and soup (when we don't make it in the 10 cup InstaPot). We're typically making 4-6 servings (batch cooking for 2). The issue with pots bigger than about 8qt is that cleaning becomes a huge chore. You don't really need more than 8qt for a pound of pasta... And the 3.5 qt should be fine instead of 4 qt. Why is that even a question?
True, I was thinking 12qts is actually quite a bit. Sometimes I get into soup-making phases but it's not very often. My next project was for pho but I'm sure a 12qt stockpot is overkill. More and more it sounds like the Sam's Club set (with the 8qt stockpot) for $200 is the way to go for this. Trying to see if I can get any other discounts beforehand though.
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I ended up caving and getting an Instant Pot DUO60 that was on sale still through Amazon Prime Now via Cyber Monday. Came out to be around under $70 after Chase Freedom Cashback. I figure since it can make rice and a bunch of other stuff, now I can get rid of/sell our slow rice cooker and also the cheapo crockpot we have that we don't use.
I'm still leaning towards picking up the 12pc Member's Mark/Tramontina clad set from Sam's Club as well but keep hoping that the $200~ price will drop (I doubt it).
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I wouldn't say it's mustachian, but if anyone wants some Cutco brand cutlery I'm your guy! haha. I used to sell it in highschool and still have access to place orders. The only thing I would say is mustachian about it is they do last a long time and have a great warranty/stand behind the product. The straight edge chef's knives (come in 2 different sizes) are 'high carbon' stainless steel which relates to how sharp you can get them. But that pretty much goes for any set of high quality knives you might be looking into.
I'll be bookmarking this thread as a reference for when I ever need a new pot or pan - some good info here!
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Do any of you guys have a sous vide? Or anyone DIY one? I came across this - http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/diy-sous-vide/
Was also given the idea of a simple setup along the lines of these three items:
http://www.amazon.com/Willhi-Wh1436-110v-Temperature-Controller/dp/B00V4TJR00/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8
http://www.amazon.com/Instant-Immersion-Heater-Portable-Beverage/dp/B000VK0DRY/ref=cm_cd_al_qh_dp_t
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ZW6OHHY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_3&smid=AJTYHPOY359XM
Though, the immersion heater probably isn't strong enough. Any ideas? The Anova Precision cooker is "on sale" for $129 but that seems like a lot for a gadget I'm not 100% committed on using. Plus, if I can DIY one for less than half the cost, why not?
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My kit would include:
* A 12"-14" non stick, Teflon type aluminum skillet for eggs, pancakes and items that you don't want to stick. (the real thin ones warp)
* A one quart and two quart sauce pan, could be any material, non stick Teflon or stainless.
* A 12" Iron skillet and 12" iron dutch oven
* A large cook pot for soups, stews, etc. Could be aluminum, stainless, or non stick material.
* Lids for most of above items.
* A couple various size baking pans & sheets.
Throw in a few misc. utensils, spatula, tongs, spoons, etc. and you could stove top and oven cook about anything.
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Sous vide is my most recent experiment, & I have to say it's amazing. So far I've only done chicken breasts, good steak, & carrots, & in all cases the taste was amazing. Sous vide also gives us the ability to buy on sale & either precook food for a convenient thawing when needed or freeze it raw to cook sous vide unattended for several hours. It can be finished whenever you want to. I was able to get a prerelease Anova wifi unit for $129, & it will handle the much higher heat needed for vegetables.
However, this article describes how it is possible to try sous vide for the lower heat foods for the price of a beer cooler & some freezer ziplock bags: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/cook-your-meat-in-a-beer-cooler-the-worlds-best-sous-vide-hack.html
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I have Revere Ware I inherited from my mother. She got it as a wedding gift in 1945. Still works great, including the dutch oven (all this talk of Le Creuset bewilders me.) I decided a few months ago that I wanted a smaller saucepan. I got a matching one at Goodwill for $2.
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
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Sous vide is my most recent experiment, & I have to say it's amazing. So far I've only done chicken breasts, good steak, & carrots, & in all cases the taste was amazing. Sous vide also gives us the ability to buy on sale & either precook food for a convenient thawing when needed or freeze it raw to cook sous vide unattended for several hours. It can be finished whenever you want to. I was able to get a prerelease Anova wifi unit for $129, & it will handle the much higher heat needed for vegetables.
However, this article describes how it is possible to try sous vide for the lower heat foods for the price of a beer cooler & some freezer ziplock bags: http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/04/cook-your-meat-in-a-beer-cooler-the-worlds-best-sous-vide-hack.html
I agree. Recently at a friend's bachelor party, one of the guys brought a couple Anova sous vides, tubs, and a bunch of ribeye. It really was some of the best steak I've had in a while. The cooler (I'm assuming it can be *any* cooler...not specifically a "beer" cooler?)/ziplock bag idea seems interesting and I'm tempted to try it. The only thing that boggles me a bit is getting water into it at the right temp. I guess if I'm just making 3-4 steaks max, I shouldn't need more than 2-3 gallons? And in that case I suppose I could just heat water on the stove and dump it in... one of those immersion heaters sounds easier for this though. But per the point of the article, I guess at a bare minimum all you really need is hot water and a thermometer
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The cooler needs to be on the small side -- I suspect the "beer" label refers to the size that holds a 12 pack max.
Here's another site that describes sous vide in a cooler: http://notsoancientchinesecrets.com/healthy-sous-vide-skinless-chicken-breast-recipe/
It has a review of the Anova sous vide on another page.
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I also recommend the 8" Victorinox chef knife mentioned above. We've used one for a year and just bought another for a vacation home. Super sweet for $34.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000638D32?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
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I also recommend the 8" Victorinox chef knife mentioned above. We've used one for a year and just bought another for a vacation home. Super sweet for $34.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000638D32?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Yep I have that exact knife - got it for around $25-30 about over 5 years ago. It's a great knife and I've gotten several other Victorinox knives that I like as well. I also jumped on a deal for a Fujimaru knife set (3 different sized knives) for around $48 a couple years back. Those are super sharp and really great knives as well.
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Does anyone have a GOOD garlic press? I manually minced for years, until I had a gift card and 20% off after my wedding, and finally got a garlic press. And guys... it was life changing. I can't live without it now.
BUT. That stupid piece of junk lasted TWO MONTHS before I bent it in HALF along the metal part =( So now I need a new one, because hedonic adaptation. I am now spoiled and lazy by the garlic press. I had a little XO or cuisinart things- got it from Bed Bath and Beyond. Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CTG-01-GP-Curve-Handle-Garlic/dp/B004YZEIZ0/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1449019056&sr=1-2&keywords=cuisinart+garlic+press (http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-CTG-01-GP-Curve-Handle-Garlic/dp/B004YZEIZ0/ref=sr_1_2?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1449019056&sr=1-2&keywords=cuisinart+garlic+press)
So now I'm considering a "blade", since it seems less likely to break- does anyone have one? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TLUFEU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1CS1P1EFYDJZ8&coliid=I387VZCWBOGU41 (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B010TLUFEU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=1CS1P1EFYDJZ8&coliid=I387VZCWBOGU41)
Of course, maybe I should just go with a better quality press, so the liquid doesn't get lost on the cutting board? I would love recommendations!
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Does anyone have a GOOD garlic press?
Well my garlic press came from Ikea and its still going some 6 years later. Its all metal so no bits to crack or fall off. It does the job :)
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Does anyone have a GOOD garlic press?
Well my garlic press came from Ikea and its still going some 6 years later. Its all metal so no bits to crack or fall off. It does the job :)
Well, it was the metal on mine that bent, hence my concern. 6 years is great though. Maybe I'll grab one next time I'm at ikea. Thanks!
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+1 on Revere Ware. My sister gave me a large Le Creuset Dutch oven (she got at an estate sale) and I sold it on Craigslist. It was so heavy empty it was ridiculous!
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Do any of you guys have a sous vide? Or anyone DIY one? I came across this - http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/diy-sous-vide/
Was also given the idea of a simple setup along the lines of these three items:
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Have you thought about using your new instant pot for this?
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Do any of you guys have a sous vide? Or anyone DIY one? I came across this - http://forum.mrmoneymustache.com/share-your-badassity/diy-sous-vide/
Was also given the idea of a simple setup along the lines of these three items:
...
Have you thought about using your new instant pot for this?
Sous vide? You mean hooking it up to a PID/temp controller? I think you typically want to hook up a manual/analog (non-digital) rice cooker or multi-cooker pot/slow-cooker when doing sous vide this way. I did see at least one recipe for "sous vide" duck breast on the instant pot website but I'm not sure if that's *true* sous vide.
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I have Revere Ware I inherited from my mother. She got it as a wedding gift in 1945. Still works great, including the dutch oven (all this talk of Le Creuset bewilders me.) I decided a few months ago that I wanted a smaller saucepan. I got a matching one at Goodwill for $2.
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Another +1 on Revereware. My set is half pieces that I inherited from my Indiana grandmother and half Goodwill finds.
Full disclosure: Also have and love Griswold cast-iron skillet, Griswold cast-iron dutch oven, the reversible Lodge cast-iron griddle/grill, and two pieces of All-Clad (12-inch skillet and 1.5 quart saucepan. Sold the saucier). The Griswold skillet is probably our most used pan, but then everything else is a distant third to the Revereware.
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Sous vide? You mean hooking it up to a PID/temp controller? I think you typically want to hook up a manual/analog (non-digital) rice cooker or multi-cooker pot/slow-cooker when doing sous vide this way. I did see at least one recipe for "sous vide" duck breast on the instant pot website but I'm not sure if that's *true* sous vide.
Well, I don't actually know what I'm talking about, except that I too got an instant pot in a cyber monday sale, and some searching online seemed like it could sort of work like a sous vide thingie. I saw the duck breast recipe on their site, and I guess it seems more reliable than using a beer cooler.
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Sous vide? You mean hooking it up to a PID/temp controller? I think you typically want to hook up a manual/analog (non-digital) rice cooker or multi-cooker pot/slow-cooker when doing sous vide this way. I did see at least one recipe for "sous vide" duck breast on the instant pot website but I'm not sure if that's *true* sous vide.
Well, I don't actually know what I'm talking about, except that I too got an instant pot in a cyber monday sale, and some searching online seemed like it could sort of work like a sous vide thingie. I saw the duck breast recipe on their site, and I guess it seems more reliable than using a beer cooler.
Haha nice. Yea, I don't think you can use the Instant Pot in-line with the DIY sous vide contraption. The duck breast recipe looks interesting so many one day I'll try it - http://instantpot.com/sous-vide-duck-breast/ - actually, they do say to use plastic bags/vacuum sealer bags to put the duck in and dumping in with the "keep warm" function. Problem is that you don't really have any specific control over the temp, so while this may work for duck breast it may not necessarily work for steak, chicken, fish, etc... would be cool if it had that functionality though. The other thing about true sous vide is that there's something in the water that makes it circulate (in the case of the DIY sous vide, it's the aquarium pump haha).
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Following someone's link to well-priced cookware, I ran into this:
http://stores.cookwarenmore.com/chantal-1-8-qt-classic-red-teakettle/
I have this in green. I bought it for somewhere around $2 at a yard sale and had no idea that retail is $100+. Estate sales are great for cookware. You are buying what probably served someone well for decades.
Just re-visiting the thread as we're looking to slim down an reinvest in some nicer cookware. I'm seriously considering just getting a bunch of Tramontina pots and pans following these guidelines at a minimum:
1. 12-inch traditional skillet/fry pan with or w/o lid - something that’s big enough to fit four chicken breasts, sear pork chops, and easy to make a nice fond and pan sauce
2. 10-inch nonstick skillet - for cooking delicate omelets and fish
3. 12-inch cast-iron skillet - for frying and searing steaks (already have several cast-iron skillets so we're covered here
*snip*
Anyone have alternative suggestions?
*snip*
Yes! Use that cast iron skillet to cook your omelets! You get much better browning and flavor. I didn't like scrambled eggs and omelets until I started cooking them on cast iron. Sooo good. If your omelets are breaking, it may be your flipper that is the issue (assuming your skillet is well seasoned and oiled). You want to look for one that has a metal blade (slightly bendy), a straight leading edge, and a handle that won't get hot. I have this one (recommended on a cast iron blog) and it serves me well: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002CJNBTO/ci12-20 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002CJNBTO/ci12-20)
Does anyone have a GOOD garlic press? I manually minced for years, until I had a gift card and 20% off after my wedding, and finally got a garlic press. And guys... it was life changing. I can't live without it now.
*snip*
Of course, maybe I should just go with a better quality press, so the liquid doesn't get lost on the cutting board? I would love recommendations!
When I went looking for a garlic press, I wanted only one joint (the hinge between top and bottom) and no removable baskets. Each one I saw that didn't fit those criteria had a lot of issues in reviews (and even looking at them in the store) with the hinged plungers getting stuck and the removable baskets getting lost.
So, I got this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CSUQP90?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CSUQP90?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)
However, I didn't get it to use with garlic (though it seems to be tough and work well for that purpose). I purchased it as the perfect way to juice key lime halves for pie. Yum.
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Oh I like that. Something made to handle nuts and olives should work well for garlic. Hmmm. Added to my "homework list".
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Following someone's link to well-priced cookware, I ran into this:
http://stores.cookwarenmore.com/chantal-1-8-qt-classic-red-teakettle/
I have this in green. I bought it for somewhere around $2 at a yard sale and had no idea that retail is $100+. Estate sales are great for cookware. You are buying what probably served someone well for decades.
Hah, I found one of these at Goodwill and thought I was going to resell it, and just kept it instead - mine is a nice turquoise. My girlfriend loves using it when she visits (she loves the whistle). Make sure to let it dry out between uses, otherwise it will rust on the inside (as per my research on this kettle).
I'm not a foodie, nor cook expert, so all my stuff is yard sale items too. I have lots of classic Pyrex for mixing / cooking / storing. The newer stuff isn't as durable. I also have lots of Pyrex Visions cookware - don't know how it compares to the brand names bandied about, but they do well for me. I did buy my GF a LeCruset dutch oven like new for $20, it sure was heavy. Not sure how much she used it.
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Rust on the inside...? Uh-oh. I keep water in mine all the time. But the description says that it is enameled inside, and mine seems to be. There is bad mineral buildup from the hard water in this area, but drying it out often would only make that worse.
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I ended up picking up the 12pc SS Member's Mark set from Sams Club and it's great. Made pancakes in the 12" saute pan it this morning and the first batch turned out nice, except I tried to make one huge pancake and that turned into a mess lol. I did end up with some burning and sticking (from the sugar in the bananas and blueberries) and I ended up having to wash the pan out between batches so I'll have to learn how to avoid things like that.
Excited to use the other pieces in the set though.
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I ended up picking up the 12pc SS Member's Mark set from Sams Club and it's great. Made pancakes in the 12" saute pan it this morning and the first batch turned out nice, except I tried to make one huge pancake and that turned into a mess lol. I did end up with some burning and sticking (from the sugar in the bananas and blueberries) and I ended up having to wash the pan out between batches so I'll have to learn how to avoid things like that.
Excited to use the other pieces in the set though.
At least for me, the answer is to cook with fat. Add a pat of butter before something goes in. Tastes delicious, doesn't stick, and fat isn't the health boogeyman anymore.
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This is what I've ended up with after several interstate moves:
- Chasseur oval casserole- purchased second hand (I was very patient and waited for a good deal to come around)
- Spun steel wok (found on the kerb).
- Small SS saucepan x 2, copper bases (1 found on kerb, another hand-me-down from mum, was an engagement present)
- Arcosteel SS copper based saucepan (same deal, parent's engagement present)
- Stainless steel double steamer ( ditto )
- Scanpan stockpot with pasta insert and steamer
- Slow cooker- not essential but quite useful- I make a lot of stock
- High quality stand mixer (definitely not essential but makes many things quicker, and not just cake batters)
- 1 Scanpan breadknife
- Victorinox knives- 1 filleting knife, 1 paring knife, 1 medium-sized flat-bladed knife
I find this setup is more than I really need but serves me well. I think I could get away with only one small saucepan and ditching the double steamer, but it's occasionally useful to have that many pots (and I tend to put things in the fridge in the saucepan, once it's cooled down enough. Means things are ready to be re-heated immediately, and I need less storage containers). I think the thing I use the most regularly is the wok. Mine has a flat base, and is used for stir-frys, sauteeing, frying eggs, making (small-ish) omlettes*, and occasionally for steaming too. That workhorse lives on my stove, and I've never re-seasoned it.
Probably counts as heresy making a Western-style omlette in a wok, but the angled sides make it fabulous for getting the damned thing out.
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Y'all are making me drool over here. I can't wait to get my dream kitchen setup.
What you are all right about that I need to get are good knives. And a stand mixer. And a wok. And and and. . .
Someone mentioned using wooden spoons, after sanding and seasoning them. I had no idea! No wonder I buy them with high hopes and end up tossing them when they get gross. I wasn't using it right. Just another lesson learned on these forums.
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Y'all are making me drool over here. I can't wait to get my dream kitchen setup.
What you are all right about that I need to get are good knives. And a stand mixer. And a wok. And and and. . .
Someone mentioned using wooden spoons, after sanding and seasoning them. I had no idea! No wonder I buy them with high hopes and end up tossing them when they get gross. I wasn't using it right. Just another lesson learned on these forums.
The next thing I really want is a kitchen makeover!!! Our oven range is pretty crappy and the fridge was the cheapest thing I could find at Sears after the old one broke down several years ago. Our sync is cast-iron/porcelain so is starting to rust in some areas. But everything is functional, and we're too cheap to look for replacements lol. It sure would make things a lot nicer... our cabinets are nasty too. The whole kitchen is a flashback to the late-80's/early-90's hahaha.
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When we were married, we had a set of RevereWare, which lasted a long time ... but eventually the bottoms warped.
After a great deal of reading and looking, I decided to go with Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro cookware. If you're in the comparison stage, compare it against All Clad and other waterless cookware sets. Keep in mind that Cuisinart has several lines -- so Multi-Clad Pro isn't the same as the others; I think one might've been called Classic and another I think had Sillouette in its name. Note the layers of metal and how they go up the sides. I seem to receive Amazon gift cards on a regular basis as gifts, and I'm collecting pieces /passing on old RevereWare items to my college-aged girls. I'm entirely happy with these new Stainless Steel pieces.
I also have my old, old, old cast iron items, but they're only good for what they're good for. They're not one-stop, do-everything items.
I also have a large stockpot that's heavy glass -- I think it's made by Corning. I love that thing for soups because I can see what's cooking.
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Just for reference I cook every day, typically from scratch, except for once per week or so when I will eat out for lunch. If my house burned to the ground and I had to buy new kitchen cooking items, I would pick up the following right away:
- 2qt sauce pot
- 3qt saute pan
- 6qt soup pot
- Roasting pan with rack
- Large Chef's knife
- Medium boning knife
- Medium serrated/utility knife
- 2x small vegetable knives
- 2x medium cutting boards
- Honing steel
- Coffee Grinder
- Electric Kettle
- French press
That's it, really.. for about 90%+ of what I cook. I was gifted a whole set of Calphalon 10 years ago which is what I use. The non-stick scratched 5 or 6 years ago and has not been replaced. Other items I have that I would buy again eventually are large oven safe bowls (or square casserole dishes), which I can mix in, bake in, eat out of, and when clean stack together nicely in the pantry.The crock pot comes out in winter for soups, and I have a cast iron that occasionally gets used for meat. Next it's a cost/benefit for me. I bake maybe 4-5 pies per year, so it makes sense to own a cheap glass pan vs. buying tin at the store each time. Same with cookies, muffins & desert breads, so I own all that too! Have a hand mixer but don't recommend it, own a fork & spatula instead.. only use it every couple of years to make meringue.
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In our kitchen our most-used cookware includes:
8" and 10" nonstick pans
Cuisinart stainless equipment:
2 long-handled saucepans (1 and 2 quart maybe?)
2 saute pans saute pans - (vertical sides). I like these for making casserole type dishes because I can saute the meat and onions and whatever, and then add the rest of the ingredients and pop them in the oven. One is normal size and one is quite large
8 and 12-quart stock pots - These are kind of optional and don't get a ton of use, but I do use them for making homemade stock. If I didn't make my own stock, I could do without them.
Lodge 6 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven. I use this one the most for making soups and stews Prior to owning this, I used the 8 quart Cuisinart pot for soups, but this is a little easier to do any browning in because the sides are lower.
I'm also surprised people aren't recommending pressure cookers. Now that I have an Instant Pot, I'm not sure I'd buy a stovetop pressure cooker. However, I have a super nifty Fagor pressure cooker set that has a 4 and 6 quart bottom, the pressure cooker top and a plain glass lid so either pot can be used as a pressure cooker or regular pot. If I needed to minimize I could definitely ditch my 2 quart sauce pan and use the smaller of these pots instead. I got my set for way less than Amazon is selling it right now, but this set would be my primary pots if I had a small kitchen. http://www.amazon.com/Fagor-Futuro-5-Piece-Pressure-Cooker-Set/dp/B0018N0W3I/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1451156565&sr=8-7&keywords=fagor+pressure+cooker+set
Outside of cookware, I am in love with my InstantPot and my Blendtec blender, and especially the little Twister jar that's available for making hummus, mayo and stuff like that. I've gotten far more DIY with my kitchen adventures since owning the Blendtec + twister jar (making condiments, grinding chile powder etc.)
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In our kitchen our most-used cookware includes:
8" and 10" nonstick pans
Cuisinart stainless equipment:
2 long-handled saucepans (1 and 2 quart maybe?)
2 saute pans saute pans - (vertical sides). I like these for making casserole type dishes because I can saute the meat and onions and whatever, and then add the rest of the ingredients and pop them in the oven. One is normal size and one is quite large
8 and 12-quart stock pots - These are kind of optional and don't get a ton of use, but I do use them for making homemade stock. If I didn't make my own stock, I could do without them.
Lodge 6 quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven. I use this one the most for making soups and stews Prior to owning this, I used the 8 quart Cuisinart pot for soups, but this is a little easier to do any browning in because the sides are lower.
I'm also surprised people aren't recommending pressure cookers. Now that I have an Instant Pot, I'm not sure I'd buy a stovetop pressure cooker. However, I have a super nifty Fagor pressure cooker set that has a 4 and 6 quart bottom, the pressure cooker top and a plain glass lid so either pot can be used as a pressure cooker or regular pot. If I needed to minimize I could definitely ditch my 2 quart sauce pan and use the smaller of these pots instead. I got my set for way less than Amazon is selling it right now, but this set would be my primary pots if I had a small kitchen. http://www.amazon.com/Fagor-Futuro-5-Piece-Pressure-Cooker-Set/dp/B0018N0W3I/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1451156565&sr=8-7&keywords=fagor+pressure+cooker+set
Outside of cookware, I am in love with my InstantPot and my Blendtec blender, and especially the little Twister jar that's available for making hummus, mayo and stuff like that. I've gotten far more DIY with my kitchen adventures since owning the Blendtec + twister jar (making condiments, grinding chile powder etc.)
The Instant Pot is great, isn't it? I love mine. Super-useful kitchen gadget. We have a Ninja blender that I damaged the blades on with the larger pitcher (I left a spoon in while making salsa... :(). I'd love to get a Vitamix or Blendtec for our next blender but we'll see.
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Guys!!! I got knives and a block with the sharpening steel for Christmas! And a cast iron griddle! Apparently my boyfriend's uncle deals in old cast iron, so it's an old one all cleaned up. I can cross a couple of things of my wish list! :-)
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Another fan of nonstick. I'm not a foodie - don't enjoy cooking. Love my two new nonstick frypans I got for my birthday earlier this month. Nonstick quality is all over the map, even from the same company. One of the best is T-fal Pro. You can use metal utensils and put it in the dishwasher (I don't do either). The nonstick lasts more than a year, and the pans stay flat and heat evenly.
Love my little German Wusthof paring knives I got from my secret santa last year - yes I requested them on my info sheet, LOL.
Other than that, I'm not fussy about cookware.
I will say last year I killed my 20 yr old $350 Vitamix with a piece of frozen parmesan cheese. Replaced it with a $35 Ninja set. I only use it a couple of times a month, but so far, so good.
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So, I got this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CSUQP90?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CSUQP90?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00)
However, I didn't get it to use with garlic (though it seems to be tough and work well for that purpose). I purchased it as the perfect way to juice key lime halves for pie. Yum.
That looks very similar to mine and it works great. Although I'm currently just crushing garlic...
I need a decent chefs knife. I have a Mac 8 inch that I really like - especially the weight of it but Its now chipped in two places. reckon a decent knife sharpener would be able to grind it down? I have another 8 inch knife but I'm not in love with it.
The enamelled dutch ovens? got one from Target on sale a year ago and I love it.
One of my best recent buys was a large chopping board with a juice well.. I love that too!
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I ended up picking up the 12pc SS Member's Mark set from Sams Club and it's great. Made pancakes in the 12" saute pan it this morning and the first batch turned out nice, except I tried to make one huge pancake and that turned into a mess lol. I did end up with some burning and sticking (from the sugar in the bananas and blueberries) and I ended up having to wash the pan out between batches so I'll have to learn how to avoid things like that.
Excited to use the other pieces in the set though.
I ended up getting this same 12 piece set for christmas and it is beautiful but I have noticed something strange about the pots in my set. The bottom of my pots are all slightly curved upward in the center and this is especially noticeable on the larger pots such as the 12" saute pan. I feel like this makes only the edges touch the surface of my glass/ceramic cooktop. I would love to know if your's are like this too before I conclude that they are defective. Is this some weird intentional design or something?
(http://i.imgur.com/Km4OEuF.jpg?1)
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I ended up picking up the 12pc SS Member's Mark set from Sams Club and it's great. Made pancakes in the 12" saute pan it this morning and the first batch turned out nice, except I tried to make one huge pancake and that turned into a mess lol. I did end up with some burning and sticking (from the sugar in the bananas and blueberries) and I ended up having to wash the pan out between batches so I'll have to learn how to avoid things like that.
Excited to use the other pieces in the set though.
I ended up getting this same 12 piece set for christmas and it is beautiful but I have noticed something strange about the pots in my set. The bottom of my pots are all slightly curved upward in the center and this is especially noticeable on the larger pots such as the 12" saute pan. I feel like this makes only the edges touch the surface of my glass/ceramic cooktop. I would love to know if your's are like this too before I conclude that they are defective. Is this some weird intentional design or something?
(http://i.imgur.com/Km4OEuF.jpg?1)
Weird - I never noticed or cared to check! Will take a look soon to see if there's any curvature on mine. I used mine on a gas stove so it's not as big a deal I guess. But I can see how that wouldn't really work out so well for a glass/ceramic top.
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Weird - I never noticed or cared to check! Will take a look soon to see if there's any curvature on mine. I used mine on a gas stove so it's not as big a deal I guess. But I can see how that wouldn't really work out so well for a glass/ceramic top.
Thanks, I look forward to hearing what you find. I kinda noticed it when I first opened them but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me until I put a straight edge up to the bottoms. I'm not sure if it's affecting the cooking because I always used such cheap pans than anything is better than them.
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Weird - I never noticed or cared to check! Will take a look soon to see if there's any curvature on mine. I used mine on a gas stove so it's not as big a deal I guess. But I can see how that wouldn't really work out so well for a glass/ceramic top.
Thanks, I look forward to hearing what you find. I kinda noticed it when I first opened them but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me until I put a straight edge up to the bottoms. I'm not sure if it's affecting the cooking because I always used such cheap pans than anything is better than them.
Strange... I haven't really noticed this warping when I've washed the pots and pans. Are you seeing it on ALL of them? Or just one or two?
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Weird - I never noticed or cared to check! Will take a look soon to see if there's any curvature on mine. I used mine on a gas stove so it's not as big a deal I guess. But I can see how that wouldn't really work out so well for a glass/ceramic top.
Thanks, I look forward to hearing what you find. I kinda noticed it when I first opened them but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me until I put a straight edge up to the bottoms. I'm not sure if it's affecting the cooking because I always used such cheap pans than anything is better than them.
Strange... I haven't really noticed this warping when I've washed the pots and pans. Are you seeing it on ALL of them? Or just one or two?
I see this on all 7 of them but the curve is perfectly symmetrical with the larger pots have a larger depression in the center. I've read tons of reviews on these pots and never seen anyone mention this though.
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Weird - I never noticed or cared to check! Will take a look soon to see if there's any curvature on mine. I used mine on a gas stove so it's not as big a deal I guess. But I can see how that wouldn't really work out so well for a glass/ceramic top.
Thanks, I look forward to hearing what you find. I kinda noticed it when I first opened them but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me until I put a straight edge up to the bottoms. I'm not sure if it's affecting the cooking because I always used such cheap pans than anything is better than them.
Strange... I haven't really noticed this warping when I've washed the pots and pans. Are you seeing it on ALL of them? Or just one or two?
I see this on all 7 of them but the curve is perfectly symmetrical with the larger pots have a larger depression in the center. I've read tons of reviews on these pots and never seen anyone mention this though.
So I checked the deep saute pan, dutch oven and both regular saute pans and they are all slightly concaved like yours. Perhaps not as severe but it's there. Maybe you should try using a hard straight edge to see how severe it is? I think the tape measure makes it look perhaps worse than it actually is. I haven't noticed it affecting the cook on anything though.
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One recommendation I have for knives is to learn how to sharpen them. A honing steel does not sharpen (despite what many celebrity chefs say on their shows), it merely re-aligns the blade. Eventually it will need sharpening to cut properly. I've lost count of how many people I've visited who have expensive knives that they've never sharpened in years of ownership. A dull expensive knife is just as useless as a dull cheap knife (and more useless than a sharp cheap knife). Have you ever seen a chef on TV breeze through an onion and wondered how they did it so much faster than you? A sharp knife is a big part of it.
Whether you're getting expensive or cheap knives, LEARN TO SHARPEN THEM. You can use a stone for the least material removal and the most badass factor, or you can go on amazon and get a ready made sharpener. Taking it to a professional a couple of times a year is also an option, but be wary of super cheap places as they usually use a grinding wheel that will a) take off more metal than they need to and b) generate enough heat from friction that it may affect the temper of the steel.
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Weird - I never noticed or cared to check! Will take a look soon to see if there's any curvature on mine. I used mine on a gas stove so it's not as big a deal I guess. But I can see how that wouldn't really work out so well for a glass/ceramic top.
Thanks, I look forward to hearing what you find. I kinda noticed it when I first opened them but I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me until I put a straight edge up to the bottoms. I'm not sure if it's affecting the cooking because I always used such cheap pans than anything is better than them.
Strange... I haven't really noticed this warping when I've washed the pots and pans. Are you seeing it on ALL of them? Or just one or two?
I see this on all 7 of them but the curve is perfectly symmetrical with the larger pots have a larger depression in the center. I've read tons of reviews on these pots and never seen anyone mention this though.
So I checked the deep saute pan, dutch oven and both regular saute pans and they are all slightly concaved like yours. Perhaps not as severe but it's there. Maybe you should try using a hard straight edge to see how severe it is? I think the tape measure makes it look perhaps worse than it actually is. I haven't noticed it affecting the cook on anything though.
I just checked all my pots and pans. Every single one of my modern pots and pans bows up in the middle. (Quality ranges from low to middling; nothing is fancy names.)
My inherited Wagner cast iron skillet also bows up from the outer ring and then slightly back down in the middle. I don't know if it is warping from poor use. (My paternal grandmother was known to be, at best, a mediocre cook and Dad says she would regularly have thin layers of copper flake from the bottoms of her Revereware pots when she let them boil dry.)
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So I checked the deep saute pan, dutch oven and both regular saute pans and they are all slightly concaved like yours. Perhaps not as severe but it's there. Maybe you should try using a hard straight edge to see how severe it is? I think the tape measure makes it look perhaps worse than it actually is. I haven't noticed it affecting the cook on anything though.
I just checked all my pots and pans. Every single one of my modern pots and pans bows up in the middle. (Quality ranges from low to middling; nothing is fancy names.)
My inherited Wagner cast iron skillet also bows up from the outer ring and then slightly back down in the middle. I don't know if it is warping from poor use. (My paternal grandmother was known to be, at best, a mediocre cook and Dad says she would regularly have thin layers of copper flake from the bottoms of her Revereware pots when she let them boil dry.)
So I found some information pertaining to the concave bases of my pots after some painstaking searching on the internet. It seems that manufacturers intentionally create slightly concave bases on pans to avoid the pans becoming convex because it is much much worse for them to become convex and have spinning unstable pots. Apparently they are designed so that as the metals heats it expands to become more convex and is supposed to create a perfectly flat surface once the pan has reached cooking temperatures. I feel that my saute pan still pooled oil around the edges even when heated but I will have to do more testing. I also don't have a burner that is quite big enough to cover the full 12" base so maybe it wasn't hot enough.
Here are some links that mention it:
http://www.schott.com/hometech/english/download/appropriate_cookware.pdf
http://lotusrock.com/stable-concave-design/
http://www.meyer.hk/modules/content/item.php?itemid=20
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So I checked the deep saute pan, dutch oven and both regular saute pans and they are all slightly concaved like yours. Perhaps not as severe but it's there. Maybe you should try using a hard straight edge to see how severe it is? I think the tape measure makes it look perhaps worse than it actually is. I haven't noticed it affecting the cook on anything though.
I just checked all my pots and pans. Every single one of my modern pots and pans bows up in the middle. (Quality ranges from low to middling; nothing is fancy names.)
My inherited Wagner cast iron skillet also bows up from the outer ring and then slightly back down in the middle. I don't know if it is warping from poor use. (My paternal grandmother was known to be, at best, a mediocre cook and Dad says she would regularly have thin layers of copper flake from the bottoms of her Revereware pots when she let them boil dry.)
So I found some information pertaining to the concave bases of my pots after some painstaking searching on the internet. It seems that manufacturers intentionally create slightly concave bases on pans to avoid the pans becoming convex because it is much much worse for them to become convex and have spinning unstable pots. Apparently they are designed so that as the metals heats it expands to become more convex and is supposed to create a perfectly flat surface once the pan has reached cooking temperatures. I feel that my saute pan still pooled oil around the edges even when heated but I will have to do more testing. I also don't have a burner that is quite big enough to cover the full 12" base so maybe it wasn't hot enough.
Here are some links that mention it:
http://www.schott.com/hometech/english/download/appropriate_cookware.pdf
http://lotusrock.com/stable-concave-design/
http://www.meyer.hk/modules/content/item.php?itemid=20
Interesting! I wouldn't have known if you hadn't brought it up! Thanks!
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I have had the same set of visionsware since I was in college. Yep, it's the original Amber color from the late 1980s. I have about 16 pieces of it and I hate it. Sure it works fine, but it's heavy as hell. In the past 10 years, I'm sure I've only used one of the pots, and that only a handful of times. Now, I don't cook much to begin with, and when I do, my preference in order is: microwave, crockpot, rice cooker, oven. I really don't like stovetop cooking.
So for Christmas, I decided to replace all of my Visionsware with ONE POT that could do everything. I sent my family on a search for the perfect pot. Oh boy, did they find it! a 4 quart soup pot with steamer from Tools of the Trade. I'm getting rid of every other pot and pan that I own and just keeping this one. On top of that, the steamer can double as a colander!
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I have had the same set of visionsware since I was in college. Yep, it's the original Amber color from the late 1980s. I have about 16 pieces of it and I hate it. Sure it works fine, but it's heavy as hell. In the past 10 years, I'm sure I've only used one of the pots, and that only a handful of times. Now, I don't cook much to begin with, and when I do, my preference in order is: microwave, crockpot, rice cooker, oven. I really don't like stovetop cooking.
So for Christmas, I decided to replace all of my Visionsware with ONE POT that could do everything. I sent my family on a search for the perfect pot. Oh boy, did they find it! a 4 quart soup pot with steamer from Tools of the Trade. I'm getting rid of every other pot and pan that I own and just keeping this one. On top of that, the steamer can double as a colander!
Have you looked into the Instant Pot? It's another one-pot-stop-shop type of deal and can cook a ton of stuff pretty quickly. Got one not long after BF from Amazon for around $70 and I really like it.
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I just checked all my pots and pans. Every single one of my modern pots and pans bows up in the middle.
I also went and checked, and every one of my pots and pans is perfectly flat on the bottom. Some tri-ply steel and some cast iron.
I think a bowed up middle would make them really hard to cook in. Oil wouldn't coat. Eggs would slide around. Pancakes would be a disaster. Probably doesn't matter for just boiling water, I suppose.
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I just checked all my pots and pans. Every single one of my modern pots and pans bows up in the middle.
I also went and checked, and every one of my pots and pans is perfectly flat on the bottom. Some tri-ply steel and some cast iron.
I think a bowed up middle would make them really hard to cook in. Oil wouldn't coat. Eggs would slide around. Pancakes would be a disaster. Probably doesn't matter for just boiling water, I suppose.
Are you checking for levelness on the underside of the pots/pans or are you checking on the inside-bottom of the pan? I haven't checked the inside-bottoms yet but the underside is definitely slightly concave... still, I've had no issues (at least so far) with cooking stuff; granted, I haven't used the pans a ton. But I did make pancakes in them :) they were sort of a mess to clean up though - I added blueberries, bananas and pearl sugar to the pancakes, which probably caused them to burn (I think I was supposed to probably wipe the pan and add more oil before batch #2 as well)
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I just checked all my pots and pans. Every single one of my modern pots and pans bows up in the middle.
I also went and checked, and every one of my pots and pans is perfectly flat on the bottom. Some tri-ply steel and some cast iron.
I think a bowed up middle would make them really hard to cook in. Oil wouldn't coat. Eggs would slide around. Pancakes would be a disaster. Probably doesn't matter for just boiling water, I suppose.
It is a very minor curve as you can see from the picture I posted back on page 2 so to me there's not a problem of things sliding around or oil coating the bottom but more of a concern that heat wont transfer well to the center area on a flat electric convection surface
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Another vote for Revereware. I too inherited a small set of stainless Revereware from the 40s and I always loved it, but when I started cooking more, I discovered that I needed more/different sizes than I had, so I researched buying a new set and learned that the newer sets were poor quality. I ended up finding the additional pieces that I needed on ebay. (The best is pre-1968.) They aren't super cheap, but they stand the test of time and everything matches. :) Additionally, I have a 6qt enameled Lodge Dutch Oven, and a DeBuyer's carbon steel skillet, which I can barely lift, but it seers meat and sautes veggies like a champ.
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Another vote for Revereware. I too inherited a small set of stainless Revereware from the 40s and I always loved it, but when I started cooking more, I discovered that I needed more/different sizes than I had, so I researched buying a new set and learned that the newer sets were poor quality. I ended up finding the additional pieces that I needed on ebay. (The best is pre-1968.) They aren't super cheap, but they stand the test of time and everything matches. :) Additionally, I have a 6qt enameled Lodge Dutch Oven, and a DeBuyer's carbon steel skillet, which I can barely lift, but it seers meat and sautes veggies like a champ.
I seem to recall my parents having some Reverewear (I just remember the copper bottom, stainless steel, and black handles). I'm not sure where they got it from but I remember them being used quite a bit. Now that I have a new set of the SS cookware, I feel much more complete :) I haven't even used all the pieces yet... I think I probably would have by now if it weren't for that darned Instant Pot :)
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I buy kitchen stuff based on the recommendations of Alton Brown (in his book "Gear for Your Kitchen") and America's Test Kitchen. Aside from that, I have a bunch of hand-me-down low-quality pots from my mom (the big one is fine for boiling pasta; the small one kind of sucks for making French sauces and will be replaced with an All-clad saucepan eventually). I also have a $40 Chinese enameled dutch oven -- I balked at the price of a Le Creuset or a Staub -- that I'm skeptical about, but the finish hasn't flaked yet.
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I buy kitchen stuff based on the recommendations of Alton Brown (in his book "Gear for Your Kitchen") and America's Test Kitchen. Aside from that, I have a bunch of hand-me-down low-quality pots from my mom (the big one is fine for boiling pasta; the small one kind of sucks for making French sauces and will be replaced with an All-clad saucepan eventually). I also have a $40 Chinese enameled dutch oven -- I balked at the price of a Le Creuset or a Staub -- that I'm skeptical about, but the finish hasn't flaked yet.
I got a Food Network enameled cast iron dutch oven from Kohls (this was recommended by ATK I think) and it's not bad. It has chipped in several places but I think it's due to my parents (namely my dad) abusing the thing. We also have a Le Creuset "doufeu" that we got from an LC outlet store (this one is enameled glass) and it's still in as good as shape as it was when we bought it. IMHO the LC is noticeably higher quality than the Food Network dutch oven and likely many other 'cheaper' counterparts. I'm sure YMMV though... I don't think I'd ever pay full price for an LC (at most, I'd spend my money at the outlet store).
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I have had the same set of visionsware since I was in college. Yep, it's the original Amber color from the late 1980s. I have about 16 pieces of it and I hate it. Sure it works fine, but it's heavy as hell. In the past 10 years, I'm sure I've only used one of the pots, and that only a handful of times. Now, I don't cook much to begin with, and when I do, my preference in order is: microwave, crockpot, rice cooker, oven. I really don't like stovetop cooking.
So for Christmas, I decided to replace all of my Visionsware with ONE POT that could do everything. I sent my family on a search for the perfect pot. Oh boy, did they find it! a 4 quart soup pot with steamer from Tools of the Trade. I'm getting rid of every other pot and pan that I own and just keeping this one. On top of that, the steamer can double as a colander!
Have you looked into the Instant Pot? It's another one-pot-stop-shop type of deal and can cook a ton of stuff pretty quickly. Got one not long after BF from Amazon for around $70 and I really like it.
Wish I had known before I bought a rice cooker and slow cooker. thanks for the tip. May have to wait another 10-15 years until one of those other ones breaks
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I have had the same set of visionsware since I was in college. Yep, it's the original Amber color from the late 1980s. I have about 16 pieces of it and I hate it. Sure it works fine, but it's heavy as hell. In the past 10 years, I'm sure I've only used one of the pots, and that only a handful of times. Now, I don't cook much to begin with, and when I do, my preference in order is: microwave, crockpot, rice cooker, oven. I really don't like stovetop cooking.
So for Christmas, I decided to replace all of my Visionsware with ONE POT that could do everything. I sent my family on a search for the perfect pot. Oh boy, did they find it! a 4 quart soup pot with steamer from Tools of the Trade. I'm getting rid of every other pot and pan that I own and just keeping this one. On top of that, the steamer can double as a colander!
Have you looked into the Instant Pot? It's another one-pot-stop-shop type of deal and can cook a ton of stuff pretty quickly. Got one not long after BF from Amazon for around $70 and I really like it.
Wish I had known before I bought a rice cooker and slow cooker. thanks for the tip. May have to wait another 10-15 years until one of those other ones breaks
lol, or if there's another crazy good deal on the IP. Then just sell/donate/give away your slow cooker at least (you still may want a rice cooker). That reminds me, I still want to look for a manual rice cooker so I can build a DIY sous vide :)