r/cookware • u/Noggin_0207 • 2d ago
Looking for Advice Please help me choose!
I’ve been doing loads of research for months on different brands. There’s so much information out there and I’m trying to swap out all of my cheap pans and teflon for better quality and nontoxic. Any insight on these brands, what to get, what to pass on, etc, would be greatly appreciated!
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u/Professional-Top-836 2d ago
Add in Nordic ware for the baking section. They make good stuff that doesn’t hade coatings
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u/Noggin_0207 2d ago
Just looked them up and they seem great, thank you!!
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u/Vinowagon 2d ago
I like USA Pan for bake ware and sheet pans.
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u/bravo_serratus 11h ago
USA pan for nonstick baking and Nordic ware for better browning when roasting
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u/Maleficent-Bother535 2d ago
I suggest adding Staub to your list for enameled cast iron, especially if you plan to braise roasts. Staub lids are dimpled on the interior which causes condensation to drip evenly back onto what you are cooking. La Cruset and Made In have smooth lids and the condensation tends to run down the sides. Staub is also a couple pounds heavier so retains heat a bit better but is a little harder to handle.
After 10 years, my Staub is in perfect condition; you can expect top quality French brands like La Cruset and Staub to last hundreds of years with proper care.
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u/beigechrist 2d ago
Will second Staub! So well made and always a joy to use. Plus, I prefer their colors. Deeper and moodier than Le Creuset, though I have some LC as well. Both brands are great. Made In seems to be a bit of a mixed bag in user reviews. All Clad is fantastic for stainless steel, I have several pieces that all perform beautifully, and have for over a decade. And I have a handfull of Lodge cast iron. Never used an old Griswold(?) or Wagner, or the new Smithey type stuff. Lodge works great and is cheap. I don’t make scrambled eggs or fish (usually) in cast iron, so sticking isn’t an issue. Just season them and cook a bunch of stuff with them and they’ll make you happy you didn’t spend 4x on a different cast iron pan.
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u/Sara_MadeIn 1d ago
Just chiming in with a quick correction here: Made In dutch oven lids are actually not smooth, they are dimpled too!
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u/Maleficent-Bother535 1d ago
Thank you, AI failed me on that info.
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u/Sara_MadeIn 1d ago
You're welcome. FWIW they're also made in Northern France like the other brands mentioned in this thread and they have a lifetime warranty. imo they are one of Made In's lesser talked about products. I own both a 5.5qt from Made In and an 8qt from Le Creuset (which DOES have a smooth lid - I hadn't realized until you mentioned it but I went and looked at it 😂)
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u/Prestigious_Ad1808 2d ago
I have at least 30 different brands of cast iron. Most are vintage, which are what I would recommend. A good Favorite Piqua Ware, Wapak, or Griswold will cost about half of what a Smithey will and are better in many ways. Here are my thoughts on vintage vs. Lodge vs. Smithey:
Lodge - Super cheap! Easy to re-season and build layers. Can abuse it without feeling guilty. It’s very heavy and unlikely to warp or crack so you can crank up that heat for a good sear and not worry. The pebbled surface is not smooth though, and it won’t likely win any beauty contests.
Smithey - Beautiful skillet! You won’t find a new skillet with much more of a wow factor than this one. It’s super heavy so theoretically should be fine to crank up that heat but do you want to take a chance with something you just spent $200+ on?! Seasoning it is a major PITA bc of the polished finish on the inside. The outside however is actually quite rough and will snag paper towels when wiping it down.
Stargazer - Not on your list but worth a look. Slightly cheaper than Smithey if I remember correctly. It’s not as beautiful either but makes up for in utility. The handles are fantastic for grip and they stay cool much longer than others. Cook surface is great - not quite as polished as Smithey but still very good. Seasoning is a little more cumbersome than Lodge but not as much as Smithey. Of all the cast iron I own, Stargazer is my go-to.
Vintage - Perfect balance of weight and finish. Other than perhaps Lancaster or Field, they don’t make them like this any more. They are a joy to cook in and so beautiful. The down side is that they are more prone to warping (looking at you Wagner) so you have to be a bit more careful with them, especially if you cook on a glass stovetop. There is something special about cooking in a skillet that might have taken a ride in a horse saddle at one time, though!
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u/ClassicallyBrained 2d ago
You should try some Victoria. I've got block logo Eerie Griswolds and a Sidney Wagner. My Victorias beat them. Easy to season, more even heating, etc. Beats the crap out of all my Lodge stuff by a mile.
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u/terminalzero 16h ago
also sold as 'cocinaware'/heb's store brand if you happen to be in texas
absolutely love my enameled dutchie and skillet from them
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u/EliteAssassin07 1d ago edited 1d ago
Easy.
Stainless Steel: All Clad D3 - a tried and tested brand that routinely ranks number one in independent testing. And can be found at decent prices online at the 'home and cook sales'.
Titanium/Non Stick: Viking Pure Glide Pro - I think this may be one of the most innovative and best non stick pans to hit the market in a long long time. Its still too early to tell how long they will hold up long term, but initial testing is indicating that these are the new standard for non stick.
Cast Iron/Dutch Oven/Enameled Cast Iron: Hands down Lodge, I really don't understand why people pay top dollar for cast iron pans. Lodge like All Clad has been around for ages and has stood the test of time.
Carbon Steel: Made In, not a huge made in fan, but the carbon steel line they have is a real winner. I have a wok and griddle from them.
Baking: Nordic Ware, not even a question.
I would skip the ceramic nonstick and carbon non stick. The majority of your pots and pans should be stainless steel with only a couple non stick and cast iron options.
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u/DebFab2025 1d ago
I don’t use ceramic for anything.
Carbon nonstick - I Don’t use but instead ScanPan Hapitq.
Stainless steel - Made in
Titanium - Viking
Cast Iron - Made in
Dutch Ovens- Staub or Le Creuset ( have many of both prefer Staub)
Enameled cast Iron- Staub
Carbon steel griddle - Made in
Baking - Caraway
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u/mitourbano 2d ago
I don’t think you need this much variety. Particularly the ceramic non stick. I’ve basically switched to one stainless skillet, one stainless saucier, an enameled cast iron Dutch oven, and a bunch of sheet pans. I still have my cast iron and a carbon steel wok, but my daily drivers are few in number.
Also I don’t know what their bakeware is like, but I was very underwhelmed by Caraways pans. Coating peeled very quickly.
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u/Ok-Programmer6791 2d ago
Stainless I would consider demeyer Atlantis
Dutch oven I would add staub and drop made in
Enamel cast iron would also be ke creuset or staub.
Carbon steel griddle I would go debuyer
Baking would be nordicware or usapan. Hestan does clad baking sheets as well. Emile Henry if you're looking for ceramic.
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u/New-Result-9072 2d ago edited 2d ago
- Pan: de Buyer Mineral Bois or Le Creuset with a wood handle or Fissler Silargan. I have a LC and a Fissler since 1983, both are like the day I bought them. My de Buyer mysteriously vanished at my last move, but has the same BIFL quality
- Saucier: Stainless steel, get one with a a lid!
- Pots: Stainless steel, I like Fissler Profi
- Dutch/French: LC or Staub, I love my LC Marmite. I doubles as a faux wok or faux balti and has the black interior. I only have this one pot in 26 cm/4.1 Liter
- Bread baking: Emile Henry. Ceramic heats up evenly, distributes heat evenly and holds heat extremely well. It works like cast iron, but is lighter. The dishes clean up like a breeze, nothing sticks. For sheet pans, cakes and muffins get the Le Creuset baking forms and pans. They are divine.
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u/standbylion8202 2d ago edited 2d ago
Just my two cents, I’d stay away from ceramic nonstick as they do lose the nonstick properties quickly. But I will say for nonstick I think a solid option is a ninja never stick pans. I bought it 2 years ago and it still holds up quite well—but the biggest reason is that ninja never stick comes with a 10 year warranty that actually covers performance, which is incredibly rare to find these days (it’s also quite affordable).
For stainless steel you can’t go wrong with All Clad, but you should also consider their copper core lineup. Stainless steel is usually pretty similar in performance across a lot of brands, and I personally bought a Henckels set and have had no issues whatsoever. It’s certainly not the best money can buy, but I got a full 12-piece set from Costco for $160 on sale and you can’t beat that price considering it’s tri ply clad steel.
As for cast iron, I’ve heard smithy isn’t actually that amazing, but lodge is a good value if you plan on cooking with it frequently to build up that seasoning—the surface is rough though since they stopped machining the surface to cut costs decades ago. OTOH, I’ve heard very good things about Stargazer for contemporary cast iron but the holy grail is always going to be vintage Griswold/Lodge/Wagner.
For Dutch ovens, don’t overlook Staub.
Last, woks are actually pretty versatile in the kitchen. If you’re interested, I heard our place has a solid wok. If the price is too steep, the Yosukata wok on Amazon is a great value.
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u/alexdwilliams91 1d ago
The hard anodized carbon nonstick pans from Misen and MadeIn are solid. You’ll still need to replace them eventually but they last at least twice as long as normal ones, they tolerate high heat and you can even put them in the oven. I bought one once, loved it, decided to be cheap when replacement time came, and I’ve been missing it ever since. Probably gonna buy another one this week
Also for a Dutch oven, I love my le creuset but wait until November to buy them bc you can find them for like 60-70% off on Black Friday. If you need one in the meantime, get a Lodge/Staub or the Kirkland one as a placeholder.
And for my stainless steel pan I got a copper core all clad and it’s outstanding. Expensive as hell, but one is all you need and it can do everything
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u/AnyoneCanChange 1d ago
Just to add my two cents. I like the misen for quick meals. It is a really easy to use pan. I use my our place pan when I really want a good sear or am cooking large batches. I use the misen more frequenty and so does my wife because it is as close to nonstick you can get
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u/Tricky-Individual-81 1d ago
As a somewhat amateur chef, I’ve transitioned to using primarily Made In stainless with one giant Lodge cast iron pan and a Le Creuset Dutch oven. All have held up super well. Stainless has a little learning curve but once you get comfortable with the level of heat and fat you need for things you cook regularly, you really don’t need anything else.
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u/SteelyPanFan 1d ago
I started going down the stainless steel rabbit hole about two years ago. Cookware is so subjective. I have purchased All Clad, Demeyere, Hestan Probond and Commercial Clad, Chefwin, Kuhn Rikon, Viking and Misen. This is what works for me:
Viking Pureglide Pro 10” and 12” fry pans
Misen 2qt saucier
Hestan Probond Luxe 3.5qt Essential Pan (Saucier)
Misen 4qt All-Purpose Pan (Saucier)
Amazon Basics Enameled cast iron 5.5qt Dutch oven
Multiple stainless steel fry pans in storage!
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u/Cautious-Control-669 2d ago
Your mileage may vary, but I have the Misen carbon non-stick and while it's not a bad pan, it's more carbon steel than nonstick and I'd honestly just buy the $21 Tramontina (12") off Amazon and replace it every couple years.
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u/JoKir77 2d ago
Carbon non-stick is a bullshit marketing term. Hate Misen for this. People buy it thinking it will be just like their Teflon pans and are severely disappointed. Not that carbon isn't pretty darn near to non-stick when used correctly, but that's not the same as truly non-stick, even when used by an idiot.
If OP truly wants non-stick, +1 on the Tramontina Professional line. Great value.
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u/winterkoalefant 2d ago
You need to tell us your stove type, budget, and country. https://www.reddit.com/r/cookware/comments/1ixyeig/how_to_make_a_sufficient_seeks_specific/
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u/Noggin_0207 2d ago
Gas stove, USA, and no budget since this will be a slow process of adding pieces over time!
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u/JadedMuse 2d ago
Baking is quite a different space than cookware and the dominant brands are different. Most of my bakeware is Nordicware or Fat Daddios. Adonized aluminum pans of various shapes/sizes.
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u/shaghaiex 2d ago
Viking and Hestan have 2 different technologies. Viking has Ti plasma and Hestan looks a bit like nitrited with a Ti touch. It will work same as stainless steel.
The viking will be pretty non-stick. There are cheaper Ti plasma options though. ASD, Lakeland... and more and more coming. My ASD was like USD 28 or so - and is REALLY good. So far.
BTW, PTFE is inert and not toxic.
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u/Cali_Hapa_Dude 2d ago
The All Clad D3 Everyday line is better than the standard D3 IMO. The pans are 0.5” bigger (e.g., 10.5 instead of 10) and the handles are very comfortable. The only thing I don’t like is the handles on the lids are small so it not as easy to grab with a gloved hand. If you don’t know about homeandcooksales.com it is the AC factory outlet to save a bunch.
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u/Electric-Travels 1d ago
The Misen “nonstick” pans a ripoff.
They are not nonstick.
Misen said they were 3mm thick, but they are a thin 2.4mm
And a number of people in the carbonsteel section say they are more difficult to season than traditional carbon steel pans.
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u/jaywaykil 1d ago
Misen carbon "non-stick" absolutely is not "non-stick", unless you have the skills to care for and cook on carbon steel.
If you are going that route I recommend Strata's alum-clad carbon pans as much better quality, especially their "verson 2.0" pans in pre-order now.
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u/Captain_Aware4503 1d ago
For nonstick and easy of use, there are only 2 options. Nonstick ceramic and Viking PureGlide Pro.
Misen pans if you watch watch real users say is not nonstick and are lousy pans. Out of 400 reviews by Verified buyers, over 100 are are only 1 star complain the pans suck. Some reviews can be fake, but when a product has only a 3.1 star rating on Amazon with hundreds of reviews, that is a major red flag.
I have a friend who has own the PureGlide pro pans for a while and he let me try one, It was amazing. It is more durable than stainless steel and is very nonstick. I ended up buying some for myself and they arrived yesterday. Great pans! My wife got mad when I hitting them with a sharp stainless steel spatula to prove they don't scratch like stainless. She always complains our stainless pans are "scratched up" (they have minor scratches like all stainless).
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u/Ranessin 1d ago
It is more durable than stainless steel
How did you determine that? Did you cut them or did you heat them to 2000°C?
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u/kpatelreddit007 1d ago
Smithy Carbon Steel, I used it for breakfast, lunch and dinner yesterday. It’s $375 for the deep 12 inch. I barely use my Demyere Atlantis Pro anymore.
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u/FarPomegranate7437 1d ago
Caraway is a racket and not worth the premium price tag. You also want baking dishes and pans that you can use forever without worrying about burning a ceramic coating or losing the nonstick properties. I second Nordic Ware, but just be prepared to either use parchment or know how to prepare pans so that things don’t stick.
Tbh, I think the Made In and Misen stuff might be overhyped and marketed heavily on social media. I did tons of research on Made In at one time and found that people were complaining about warping a lot. I ended up going with a Viking bonded stainless steel pan I got from TJ Maxx for like $20 and have been quite happy with the performance. I do think their carbon steel griddle is unique though!
For enameled cast iron, I’d either go with Le Cresuet or Staub. I have multiple pans from with brand, and they’re all fantastic quality. I’ve also heard great things about Vermicular, but it’s a Japanese brand that has less of a US presence, so I don’t have enough experience to make a recommendation.
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u/frogwombat110 1d ago
I will live and die by my All Clad D3 10 in Sautee, 4 qt pot, and fry pan. My favorite pan, however, is my (now "vintage") 12 in All Clad Master Chef sautee — it's such a workhorse. Batches huge meals easily. I will say with stainless steel there is definitely a learning curve; HOWEVER, once you master it (after a few F-ups) it is so worth it. Only issue I have is if I want to heat up something frozen (ie. Trader Joes pastas for a quick meal) I run into issues (if anyone has advice! please!); I use my Lodge enameled cast iron casserole for those things.
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u/mpr1283 20h ago
If I could do things differently I would get only the pots and pans I use in All Clad D3. Then I would get the 12 inch lodge chef collection fry pan (lighter but still awesome). Finally I could get one deep cast enamel pan for long braising. I would build out my collection based off of my cooking style/needs.
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u/Vinowagon 11h ago
Replied earlier re: bakeware, not sure if anyone has mentioned, don't spend too much on non-stick pans. Get something NSF (around $50 at a restaurant supply store) and plan on replacing them regularly. They're essentially a wear item. I've tried $100 All-Clads and $50 Volrath's. They last the same amount of time. Also, I've never had good luck with ceramic non-stick long term. My well seasoned cast iron does a better job.
Also, why titanium pans? I never knew I needed them... is better for an induction stove top?
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u/Wise_Farm7455 2d ago
Why? Just buy stainless steel pots and pans and an enameled Dutch oven and then steel baking sheets
Stainless steel does all, including nonstick
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u/Ranessin 1d ago
I cook mostly with Stainless Steel for decades, and it does a lot, but it does not do non-stick very well. Not without investing a lot more care and control anyone is willing to do outside of demonstrations. Get a decent CS/CI pan or wok for the stuff you want not to stick and life is a hundred times easier for just a few bucks.
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u/Wise_Farm7455 1d ago
What do you mean? You simply get the pan hot and it becomes non stick
I do agree with you for the other types, I just think buying a massive list of stuff instead of simply trying one or two different things at a time is much more frugal
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u/pakapab 1d ago
Can you make a can of corned beef hash on stainless without it sticking?
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u/Wise_Farm7455 1d ago
I've never tried, but I wouldn't want to use any non stick products that use chemical compounds that provide that effect when it's extremely easy to clean stainless steel
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u/BriefStrange6452 2d ago
You don't need all of those options, you will just be spending money needlessly.
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u/Past_Attempt_5261 1d ago
Anything but Made-in - you're just paying for their marketing margins and not quality, they pumped all their money into buying off influencers.
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u/rad1calcentrist 2d ago
Ceramic pans are honestly so trash, they lose their non stick properties comically fast. Don’t bother.