Old chestnut, best pan set, Wok, frying pan for Steak - mid-range budget..

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garjobo79

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Where to start. So many reviews, just when settled on something ( which always tends to be more expensive than youd like ) you see a review that puts you off.

Aware of all the good and bad..aware of non-stick etc looking towards Circular panware - starting afresh.

Budget for basic set of pans, £140 / nice frying pan for steaks - around the £50 mark at best. A wok.

So much choice even at this lower end of my budget, not looking to cook and bake - more heating up soup! scrambled egg etc - but as buying new, would like to get a decent set.

Thoughts welcome, thanks for reading.
 
To me personally I would get a Cast Iron pan for steaks.
And a steel wok. Try to get a wok with a lid. If you have, within a reasonable distance, an Asian market, check there first. They might not have the best name but it will still be pretty good.
Pots and pans- other than stainless steel, I have no recommendations for you. One thing I really like is glass lids where you can see what's happening inside without having to lift the lid.

To give you an idea of what's out there, scroll around Amazon, check out facebook marketplace. They probably also have a site with stuff being given for free. Ours here is called "Buy Nothing Waterdown" you are not allowed to 'sell' - everything is free. My son got me a full size fridge for free, clean, in good shape and works like a charm - all he had to do was pick it up. I've gotten rid of many things - too good to garbage but maybe so many out there it is not worth trying to haggle a price.
 
I'll second a carbon steel wok :)
Other than that I can't really help.
 
THANKS for the replies, appreciated, Cast Iron, the way to go then, will take a look. Anyone else with pan set recommendations out there?
 
There are three basic options for a serious cook. Cast iron, carbon steel and clad or layered stainless steel. Each has their proponents. They will all do a the job well.

Cast iron is the least expensive. Carbon steel is basically the same metal as a wok but a different shape.
 
For pots and pans choose stainless steel, not carbon steel.

Look for brands that are clad — the steel has aluminum inside.

IMO, it’s better to buy better quality cookware. Think about buying 2 or three pieces (a saucepan and a pot), rather than a set. Then add more as the budget allows.

Cheap cookware is hard to cook with because of hot spots and heat transfer issues.
 
For pots and pans choose stainless steel, not carbon steel.

Look for brands that are clad — the steel has aluminum inside.

IMO, it’s better to buy better quality cookware. Think about buying 2 or three pieces (a saucepan and a pot), rather than a set. Then add more as the budget allows.

Cheap cookware is hard to cook with because of hot spots and heat transfer issues.
Excellent advice.

My previous post was addressing skillets rather than sets.
 
I have a cast iron skillet - antique one, actually - and without a single question, cast iron is the absolute best for some/many tasks.

I also have a couple Darto pieces - one piece stamped "black iron" aka steel.
they season well, get pretty much non-stick ala cast iron. in terms of 'searing' the Darto pans are ~90% equal to cast iron.

for just plan ole' pots&pans, boiling/steaming - Zwilling Aurora. it's a multi-layer clad and performs on the stellar level. the Aurora line is made in Belgium so export/import/shipping should be minimal.

and a bunch of Bourgeat copper - old style, the real 3mm stuff - which for slow, even heat - stews & the like, are ideal.

for eggs I have (one) nonstick pan. maybe a 'horrors' thing - but that's what they do best.
 
thanks for all the replies, and advice. Not a budding chef by any means, but as i have to start afresh and purchase all new pans/frying pan as well as cutlary/plates etc - i want at least a good - very good few pans. Heard all about this non-stick chemicals ( im too old really to care too much about that ), but ideally would love a brand, Circular?, that will do the job and be..ok what what i want.
 
ref non-stick. . . . there's been a lot of really bad information circulated.

Teflon - trademark for PTFE. if overheated, it does give off gases - and pet birds are extremely sensitive to those gases. documented bird fatalities. . .
unless your kitchen is the size of a bird cage, they do not pose a danger to humans.

PFOE - a chemical used in the manufacture of PTFE pans.
multiple (national/international) studies have found zip point zero residual PFOE in "hard goods" - stuff like cookware.
it's a bad actor, since banned - but it's still getting fear-mongering press.

"newer" non-sticks use different technologies - "ceramic" is one of those.
in my experience the newer technology is about 80% of real Teflon, but does have the advantage that when they develop 'sticky pots' you can scrub them with a mild abrasive to eliminate the sticky bits....
 
Carbon steel for wok
Cast iron skillet for steaks
Non stick skillet for eggs
Cast iron for stews and curry.

That's for cooking on gas and my preference.
If electric or indunction, different story
 
I have a whole set of T-Fal skillets, from the 8-inch to the chicken fryer, that I am quite happy with, but they are not induction compatible. I have a set of stainless pots and pans that I am not happy with because everything sticks, even if just boiling some macaroni.

I rercently replaced my cheap non-stick that were no longer non-stick pots and pans with a 12 piece Soday set with a granite non-stick coating that are performing quite well, plus they are induction compatible. I use the 4.5 quart saute pan for a wok because I am cooking for one and my carbon steel wok is large enough to cook Mongolian Beef for the entire Chinese army.

I recently added an 8-inch Motase omelette pan to my Soday collection because I needed one and it looks exactly like the Soday pans.
 
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Are either of them available with that "granite" type coating? I would go for that one.

My DIL has some and I really like them. Although I do not know the brand name, sorry.
 
I'm also a fan of cast iron. And agree with others on the clad pots. Carbon steel wok would be lovely. But do buy quality even if you buy just a few pieces for now. I only use the non-stick for eggs....and will sometimes use the cast iron for them as well.
 
also have a selection of cast iron skillets, 5-inch, 8-inch, 10-inch and 12-inch.
so do I! love each and everyone of them. I even have some of those tiny ones sold to make a cookie in at Christmas time, not convenient really.
Plus I have my little square enameled cast iron pans, I've never fried anything in them, but they are perfect for individual servings -
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Stuffed Giant shells and of course, Brownies!!!!
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I also forgot to mention my 5qt cast iron cauldron, with lid, that I use to make soups and a double quantity of grandma's sauce, my 5 cup rice cooker, my Instant Pot, and I recently discovered that I have a big oval crock pot waaaaaay back in a bottom cupboard. Because, if I got down on my hands and knees to look in the lower cupboards, I would need paramedic assistance to get back up again.
 
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