Please help - registering for pots & pans

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Cookingcowboy

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 29, 2013
Messages
19
Location
Philadelphia
My soon to be wife and I are getting married and we both enjoy cooking but have been without the income to buy nice things. We have a few family members planning to buy us new pots and pans but I need help about which ones are good. The things we are looking for:
High quality and durability.
Dish washer safe.
Preferably pans which can go from stover top to oven.
We are totally avoiding non-stick.
And it's ideal to have this in a "set" though ive read posts on here about people who don't like "sets" but it's a wedding registry and this will add a continence for those purchasing the gift.

I don't think we have many conditions other than listed above. Can anyone please suggest items or at least a way to know what is and isn't good quality? One place we are registering is Macy's so if they carry the brand that would be a bonus but we plan to register at other places as well so it's not a must. Thank you for helping us
 
I have one All-Clad saute pan and a set of Calphalon pots and pans. I think both work great; Calphalon is less expensive.

I would get one non-stick skillet. It's great for eggs and crepes.
 
One thing to consider is to look at the sets and see if everything in it is something you'll use. Also check the price. Sometimes sets can be expensive and include sizes that you'll end up storing and never using. My son and his fiancee just did the registry thing and they decided to go with Calphalon. They chose to do open stock items instead of a set. They did chose from the same line so they'll match but they found the sets didn't always meet their needs.
 
One thing to consider is to look at the sets and see if everything in it is something you'll use. Also check the price. Sometimes sets can be expensive and include sizes that you'll end up storing and never using. My son and his fiancee just did the registry thing and they decided to go with Calphalon. They chose to do open stock items instead of a set. They did chose from the same line so they'll match but they found the sets didn't always meet their needs.

That's an excellent point. My set includes two skillets I almost never use. I usually use a saute pan because the higher sides prevent some of the splattering mess on the stove.
 
I saw that you are also asking about Knives, just be careful that you don't put someone else in your position, "without the income to buy nice things.", feeling bad because they can't afford an expensive gift.

We tend to buy single cookware pieces and avoid sets.

Welcome to dc!
 
I saw that you are also asking about Knives, just be careful that you don't put someone else in your position, "without the income to buy nice things.", feeling bad because they can't afford an expensive gift.

We tend to buy single cookware pieces and avoid sets.

Welcome to dc!

We did consider that, thank you for your thoughts, she has some "money" on her side of the family. But we have many less expensive items listed for our friends and other family. Thank yiu
 

I'm so new and buying cookware, is this a type or a brand name? And if its a brand name do they make different models (like Ford makes many cars). Or is this an elite brand that only makes top quality cookware?

Can anyone tell me how i would know if the pan can move directly from yet stovetop to the oven? Thank you
 
Over the years I've had more than several "sets". Of those I have chosen my favorite pieces then unloaded the unused pieces. Other favorites came from restaurant supply stores. Knowing that, I can't even start to recommend something for starting-out cooks. If I were starting over, I would pass the word that I would appreciate gifts that duplicate pieces that have been favorites of the gift giver.
 
All Clad is a brand name and like most other brands, they have different series/lines. You can Google specific products to see if they are oven safe, but in general anything that has a bakolite (sp) or plastic will not be oven safe.
 
I'm so new and buying cookware, is this a type or a brand name? And if its a brand name do they make different models (like Ford makes many cars). Or is this an elite brand that only makes top quality cookware?

Can anyone tell me how i would know if the pan can move directly from yet stovetop to the oven? Thank you

All-Clad is a top quality brand. They have several lines from plain to fancy and all are the same quality with different appearances. Hard to go wrong if money is not an issue. Not all their lines are DW safe but all can go into the oven.

Just about any cookware can go in the oven up to 350ºF. Even with non-metal handles. I have a cheap set of three non-stick skillets with plastic handles that I put in the oven from time to time with no issues. All metal cookware can withstand higher temps w/o damage.
 
Do what professional chefs do (I'm talking about working chefs, not celebrity chefs who get all those expensive top-of-the-line pots and pans free-fer-nuthin if they use them on their TV show!). Go to a kitchen supply store, buy the best pan you can get for the money, usually aluminium, with or without a non-stick coating, and when it wears out, melts down, falls apart or whatever, you toss it into the recycle bin and go back for another one. You can get a whole passel of serviceable restaurant quality pans from a kitchen supply store for the cost of one All-Clad 10-inch frying pan.

I have a complete set of tri-ply All-Clad style cookware, from the 1 1/2 quart pot to the 10 gallon spaghetti cooker and everything in between, and several Calphalon pans, and you know which pan is always in the dishwasher? My $19.95 As-Seen-On-TV Orgreenic 10-inch fryiing pan!
 
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I know you said dishwasher safe but my grandma got me a cast iron pan set a few months after my wedding (also a Henkel knife set going strong after 5 years of non recommended dish washing in response to your other post) and we love it dearly.

After seasoning its natural non stick, it will sear food even on a crappy electric burner, goes from stovetop to oven. And unless you make something saucy I don't clean it so well. I wipe it out maybe rinse it and oil it,
Sometimes I'm bad and dish wash it if its really dirty but they always survive if I take it of the dishwasher right away and oil it.
Congrats on the wedding
 


I'd go with #4, #1, #2 in that order. I'd stay away from aluminum and copper.
 
I have many pieces of the All-Clad SS line and really like them. I also have a piece or two of Calphalon that work fine.
 
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