Beginner Cookware Set For Smart Chef

Q: Pots and pans and type and quality have come up several times. I wanted to explore the thoughts of the experienced folks here and see if we could come up with a consensus on a well rounded pot/pan collection based on value over the long term. I submit the following... 12 inch cast iron skillet/fry pan... Smooth/machined interior 25 13 quart Le-Creuset Dutch oven for "Oh so many things" 240 4 quart All-clad Stainless Or a real copper sauce pan. 150 1 quart chef's pan or saucier, copper.... reducing etc 100 Ok, about 500 bucks for a set that will grow with you and you could pass on to the grandkids. I've skipped a few, but I wouldn't be hard pressed to cook a great meal with the pans above. Comments? Suggestions?

A: I would include a non-stick fry pan myself. I love it, as I try not to use much fat in my cooking. I also love my large stock pot. I don't know what I did without it for so long. Where did you hear about machining being done to save a poorly cast pan? My point about smooth interior was to conciously avoid some of the crap cast iron that is on the market. 2 of our cast iron pans appear to be machined on the inside. They may not be, but they have spiral looking marks. One is a wagner, the other I have no idea, but they are both very heavy and perform well. While I know that All-Clad is nice, I don't think it is a good value. There are a number of other 18/10 aluminum clad stainless steel cookware lines out there at substantially lower prices. Since you mentioned value, I would look at some other lines of cookware before spending $250 for two small pans. Also, there is a line of porcelain coated cast iron cookware made in France called "Nomar" that is reported to be equivalent to Le Creuset but less expensive.

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