Beginner looking for a good knife set and cookware

[jpaulg]

SS is the most practical cooking surface in terms of cleaning and durability. The issue about food sticking to SS is that we have a generation of cooks brought up on Teflon who don't know how to use the older style equipment, not any fault with SS.

SS is a relatively poor conductor which is why it is best to go for a multiply type arrangement. Of the brands I looked at when I was shopping for my own home use cookware I liked All-Clad and Scanpan the best. I also found the copper clad or copper cored pots and pans to be well worth the additional dollars due to the efficiency of copper as a conductor. Copper clad does require extra cleaning care.

However in addition to a saucepan set I'd also get a cast iron dutch oven, a cast iron skillet and a small copper saucepan. Cast iron retains and distributes heat incredibly well and doesn't lose temperature when food is added. Full copper cookware is incredibly sensitive to heat so it is very good for sauces that require a delicate touch. Both CI and copper are more expensive than regular cookware and require more careful handling so I would only use a few specialised items where I got the maximum benefit from their properties.

http://www.cookwarenmore.com/display...u=6999&mode=sp

[luisc202]

Has anyone here seen a demo of the Americraft cookware. Those were amazing. I just got back from a fair and the chef let me personally throw the chicken into them and hte cleanup was soo easy I was amazed. They are waterless cokkware. but damn they are not cheap.

[luisc202]

I want to personally thank Rob and GB for assisting me in buying some knifes. If it wasn't for you guys I would have spent a grand on knives and would have later regretted it.

Thanks Again,
Luis

[vagriller]

Originally Posted by luisc202

I want to personally thank Rob and GB for assisting me in buying some knifes. If it wasn't for you guys I would have spent a grand on knives and would have later regretted it.

Thanks Again,
Luis

This site is the best!

[luisc202]

Originally Posted by vagriller

This site is the best!

Yes it is and it is members like yourselves that make it the Best ..

[GB]

Originally Posted by luisc202

I want to personally thank Rob and GB for assisting me in buying some knifes. If it wasn't for you guys I would have spent a grand on knives and would have later regretted it.

Thanks Again,
Luis

I am glad it worked out for you!

[Rob Babcock]

Be careful, though- listen to me too much and you'll wind up spending a grand on Japanese knives!

[luisc202]

Originally Posted by Rob Babcock

Be careful, though- listen to me too much and you'll wind up spending a grand on Japanese knives!

second order just in :). This can be addicting...lol

[Rob Babcock]

What did you get? I sold a 210mm Akifusa (too small, otherwise a fantastic knife), trying to decide what to get. I had a 240mm Kanetsune in my cart @ The Japan Blade, but when I hit "check out" it was out of stock. Now I have to go thru the whole deciding process all over again!

[luisc202]

Originally Posted by Rob Babcock

What did you get? I sold a 210mm Akifusa (too small, otherwise a fantastic knife), trying to decide what to get. I had a 240mm Kanetsune in my cart @ The Japan Blade, but when I hit "check out" it was out of stock. Now I have to go thru the whole deciding process all over again!

I ordered 3 more Tojiro DP knives for now and some knives from Henckels prof S Steak knives from Amazon.

[luisc202]

I am set with knives for now. I just need help on the cookware. The Costco set is not available anymore :(... I was looking at the Tamontina ones at wallmart and they are now priced at 150.00 so I also ventured to look at JC Penny as well.

Does anyone think this is a good deal? it has 2 more pieces than the wallmart set and costs the same.

JCPenney : cooks 10-pc. Tri-ply Cookware Set

[Andy M.]

The JCP set looks decent. It appears to have a good thickness to the body and you have a good selection of pieces. You will probably have to buy additional pieces depending on your own cooking needs.

[luisc202]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

The JCP set looks decent. It appears to have a good thickness to the body and you have a good selection of pieces. You will probably have to buy additional pieces depending on your own cooking needs.

Do you think it compares to the tramontino set? If not I will grab that one then.

[Andy M.]

Hard to tell from those pictures. Given the same stainless (18/10) in both pans, the key is how thick the layer of aluminum is in the middle. The lids need to fit tightly so steam won't escape.

Chances are they are both good. I know the Tramontina name and have a couple of odd pieces I like.

[vagriller]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I know the Tramontina name and have a couple of odd pieces I like.

What's odd about them?

[Andy M.]

I have this 12 quart stock pot but it leaks.

[vagriller]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I have this 12 quart stock pot but it leaks.

Hey, I have an 8qt Tramontina pot just like that and it leaks too! Honestly I've probably used the strainer once or twice in 3 years.

[Andy M.]

Originally Posted by vagriller

Hey, I have an 8qt Tramontina pot just like that and it leaks too! Honestly I've probably used the strainer once or twice in 3 years.

I actually don't have or want one of those.

I do have a Tramontina 12-quart stockpot and an 8" skillet. The skillet is a tri-ply that does a great job and the stock pot is a disk on the bottom type I use to make large batches of tomato sauce or small batches of stock.

[luisc202]

Originally Posted by Andy M.

I actually don't have or want one of those.

I do have a Tramontina 12-quart stockpot and an 8" skillet. The skillet is a tri-ply that does a great job and the stock pot is a disk on the bottom type I use to make large batches of tomato sauce or small batches of stock.

I will stick with the tramontina line. I just remembered my first knife set is from JC Penny's Cooks line and it started rusting pretty bad .

[vagriller]

Originally Posted by luisc202

I will stick with the tramontina line. I just remembered my first knife set is from JC Penny's Cooks line and it started rusting pretty bad .

You say the Tramontina set went up to $150? I see it online for $129 still. In any case, you will no doubt get good mileage out of that set.