info on perfect fry/saute pan needed

[mmgreens]

I am in the market for a new fry/saute pan and was wondering if anyone here really loves theirs. I would like it to be 10' or 3 qts. and be able to go in the oven and the broiler. there are so many on the market I am getting confused. can anyone help? thanks, Marcia

[Ohioan]

Hi, Marcia. A lot of people here like All-Clad, but I'd also like to suggest Paderno, which is a bit less expensive. I've been very happy with my Paderno saucepans, and yes, the Paderno pans, being all stainless steel with a bottom disk of aluminum, can go into the oven and under the broiler. The handles and lids stay remarkably cool on top of the stove, too; I've almost never had to use a pot holder with them! You can check out the prices at the Paderno site www.paderno.com (http://www.paderno.com) or try Bridge Kitchenware at www.bridgekitchenware.com (http://www.bridgekitchenware.com)

Good luck and happy shopping!
Phoebe

[Gail]

While I'm happy with my Cuisinart set (which to the eye looks similar to Phoebe's Paderno) I'd like to throw out a few thoughts. A lot of what you buy is going to depend upon what you're cooking and the kind of cook that you are. To a lot of us, the easy clean features of some of the nonstick surfaces are everything. For that, we're willing to put up with using special utensils and certain cooking restrictions dictated by the manufacturers. Are you really trying to cut your cooking fat intake dramatically? Maybe something nonstick is what you want. Others are going for a look (at one time I had beautiful, enamel-coated cast iron pans which were lovely to look at, but a terror to use. They heated unevenly, chipped and rusted on the bottoms. Never again.) Still others are what I'd tactfully call "vigorous" cooks-- we beat the heck out of our cookware, crank our burners up to the max and jab at our pans with sharp objects. Calling cast iron? Anodized Calphalon? Durability, obviously, is the issue. Might you have an issue with the weights of your pans? (My mom can't lift anything too heavy.) What about handles? A lot, like Phoebe's-- now have these wonderful, stay-cool handles. I recently went shopping, intending to buy one brand of pan, yet coming home with another. Why? I didn't like the handles or the heft of the pans I'd been coveting. (Needless to say, because I'm not completely satisfied with the features of any one make, I've ended up with a pretty eclectic collection of cookware.)

We can all give you our personal opinions. What we love, what we hate. Read everyone's suggestions. Go out there and look at things. Lift them. See how they feel when you turn them and move them about. I think that ultimately your decision comes down to what fits into your budget and your own personal needs and style as a cook.

Good luck!

PS Thanks, Phoebe, for the great web sites!
I wasn't familiar with either. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Gail (edited 08-26-2000).]

[Pat58]

I highly recommend T-Fal. They come in large sizes, have lidded models, and they are durable and REALLY non-stick as long as you follow the manufacturer's directions and not use high heat. They conduct heat very well and just over medium is all you need. I recently purchased a 12" skillet from amazon.com kitchen for a good price, and already have a 3 quart fryer with lid which I've been using 2-3 times per week for over a year and it's still like new.

[mmgreens]

thanks phoebe for your thoughts on Paderno.
I visited those web sites and thought the cookware looked like what I was intersted in.
I am thinking a non stick also, not instead of but also, if you have any ideas.also thanks to Gail, I guess I just have to get out there and shop. but I get confused with so many selections. I dont like those high handles, and I looked at Emeril's pans and they were very heavy. They were made by all clad. Thanks to all, you are very helpful. Marcia

[This message has been edited by mmgreens (edited 08-27-2000).]

[Ohioan]

Isn't it fun having too many decisions to make when we're buying our kitchen toys? http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif Gail is absolutely right that everyone has different needs and desires about the best pots and pans -- and I think at one point we were saying the same about knives, weren't we?

I just thought I'd jump back in and mention that tonight I got distracted and burned some brown rice in my Paderno saucepan http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/redface.gif , but the burned-on rice washed off easily with a sponge and soap, after a plain-water soak while I was eating dinner. Not non-stick, but easy to clean.

Oh, I also meant to mention that a good quality stainless steel can be virtually nonstick, too. I usually saute onions in 1/8 tsp of oil. Yes, you read that right: one-eighth. What I do is measure the oil into the pan and then use whatever I'm sauteeing (onions, garlic, etc.) as a kind of mop to spread the oil around. Or if I have to start with a fully oiled pan, I put a little oil on a paper towel and smear the surface with it. Something like misting the pan, I suppose. At any rate, I've never had any problem, as long as I'm using my Paderno pan or (I blush to admit) my old Revereware pan.

Cheers, Phoebe

[mmgreens]

Phoebe, funny you should mention Revere ware, that is one of the pans I am replacing. Since I have a few extra dollars, I thought I would invest in something excitingly up to date in the cooking world.
I would like something that the handle doesnt fall off...
also Pat58 I do have a TFal pan but I just dont quite get the knob on top. I make my tomato sauce etc in it and now nothing sticks, unlike my other Revere ware.
Any thoughts on the new Caphalon "Pots and Pans" collection ? they are non stick and somewhat lower priced, only a 10 yr warrenty, so I seem to think they might be overpriced for a "temp " pan.
thanks for all the imput. Marcia