What brand/type of pots,pans, and knives do you use?

[Beeman]

I am always amazed at the quantity of pots,pans, and knives that are sold especially around the holidays. I'm also amazed at the poor quality of much of it and how many throw out their "tools' on a regular basis and buy more. Now I see all of the food network people have their lines of cookware.
We've had the same cookware for decades now and some is my Mom's that we inherited that is at least 60 yrs. old. Our pots are Saladmaster stainless steel which there is no doubt will outlive us. Our pans are some stainless that are the same as the pots and the rest are antique cast iron. We have some WearEver that was my Mom's set of pots probably from the 40's. For knives we bought Wusthoff about 25 yrs. ago and haven't bought another knife since. We also have a set of Kershaw steak knives we got as a gift.
What do you use?

[chickenmommy]

Farberware pots, cast iron fry pans, JA Henkels knives, and pots that were my Mothers that are ancient waterless that will never die but I love my farberware. I replaced my farberware in 1990 after a house fire, the cast iron, too. I will never have to buy another pot. Oh I almost forgot I have cast aluminum pots that were my grandmothers. They are triangular with removable handle, really neat pots that will last forever also.

[halfpint]

My husband felt I needed teflon pots many years ago, so bought me a set one Christmas. I hated them very soon afterward, but he had gotten rid of my revereware. So about 2 or 3 years ago he bought me a set of Emeril pots and I love them! About the only other thing I use on the stove is cast iron. I love to bake with stoneware or corningware, I don't like metal pans for oven cooking. Most of my stoneware or corningware I've had for 27 years. Some of my cast iron is from my MIL, so I have no idea how old it is. I don't know what my knives are, but they were a good set and are 27 years old.
Dawn

[papaw]

Tramontina.

This is the best cookware that we've ever used. Cost a good bit, but get it on sale and it'll last your lifetime and then some.

[sullen]

My Ma bought me "Wolfgang Puck" stuff off TV a few years ago and I HATE IT. I feel like calling the HSN everytime he is on and yelling at him. WHY would you make cookware with such thick bottoms???? I want to be the one making the pan the temp I want. Not some guy coating it so it never gets too hot.
Plus the handles will burn you if the pan is used a while.

[oldgaredneck]

Got a little bit of everything in the pots and pans department. My personal favorites are cast iron skillets that were my Mom's (God rest her soul).
They still cook up some fantastic cornbread.
My brother-in-law handmakes knives - we have quite a few of his - most of the time you could shave with them! When we do manage to dull one, he "touches up" the edge for us.

[Spinner]

I don't know the name of my pans without going to look. They are all either cast iron or stainless steel. I have one of those visions glass saucepans that I like. I think most of my cast iron is Lodge, but at least one of them says Harmax. The Harmax is a round griddle that I got in Hawaii in the early 70's. I don't remember where most of the others came from, it seems like I've just always had them.

[Tracy Rimmer]

My pots and pans are Lagostina or Le Creuset -- I also have some of the old fashioned cast iron (not the new stuff that isn't the same quality) frying pans, and my knives are Henckels, for the most part.

I hate teflon with a passion. I refuse to use nonstick anything. I surf through auctions, yard sales and second hand shops for the old fashioned bakeware -- the good stuff, not this garbage "Bakers Secret" stuff.

[stef]

My son gave me a Henkels chef's knife and paring knife for Christmas '05. Have not needed to sharpen them yet.

Several revere ware stainless steel pots from decades ago are still in perfect condition.

A dutch oven (thick, old fashioned aluminum) used to belong to my mother in law. One handle has crumbled, the bottom is rounded, but it cooks like nothing else.

Right now I need a 10" skillet, but will NOT buy non-stick again. So I will wait and wait and wait until I find something around $25.-$30. on sale. I'll know it when I see it.

Don't you love well-made kitchen tools? They're just as important as shop tools. I'd rather have one quality tool than a dozen gadgets.
Stef

[annethcz]

I've had such bad luck with non-stick skillets. Even when using plastic utensils, I always manage to get a scratch on the pan within a few months. And if you read the literature that comes with the pans, you'll see that you're supposed to discard any pan that is scratched or flaking. I think it's just a marketing ploy- if they keep making poor quality items, the consumers will be forced to keep buying them.

So I finally switched to stainless steel skillets. I bought Chefmate skillets from Target- they were rather inexpensive, but are much heavier and better quality than any of the expensive nonstick cookwear I've had.

My knives are Wustof, and my pots are stainless steel Reverewear. I've had both for 10 years, and I'm still happy with them.

[beorning]

Calphalon stainless pots and pans
two cast iron skillets
a commercial steel wok
scanpan nonstick frying pan
Henckels kitchen knives
a cheap carbon steel chinese cleaver
airbake and calphalon sheet pans
Calphalon and pyrex casserole pans

pretty happy with everything except the calphalon sheet pans. Everything sticks to them.

[MsPacMan]

I didn't inherit anything from my family.


However, my husband bought some copper bottomed Revereware back when he was a bachelor (around 22 years ago), and I guess I "inherited" that when I married him.


To this day, I've gotten other pots including some more "modern" Revereware, but nothing is better than that 20 something year old Revereware.


I figure I'll be using the pots he bought when I am old and gray.

[Stephen in SOKY]

Le Creuset cookware. It, it will keep performing flawlessly long after I can no longer lift it! A few pieces of Calphalon. And a couple of pieces of Mauviel copper.

Henckels and old Sabatier for knives.

Quality cookware makes cooking a joy rather than drudgery!

[3SistersFarm]

Twenty five years ago I bought a set of vita craft pots and pans and ekco arrowhead knives from a door to door sales guy. I actully got a loan to buy these things, seems crazy now but I did it.
Anyhow. I still use them both and they look fanstasic. My sister comments how many sets of pots and pans she has been through and I still use the same set and I love them.
I see them on ebay every once in a while.
TEE

[danoon]

The wife loves her Calphalon set.. but this stuff isn't cheap. I'd just as soon fry on a rock but she's a city girl and making her happy is expensive.

[tinknal]

My favorites are my Griswold cast iron.

[oz in SC]

Le Creuset for cookware.Easy to clean,easy to use once you get the hang of it but is of course heavy.

Kitchen knives- we have Wusthof and some French knives that are carbon steel(will stain/rust but can be easily sharpened) and a Japanese Sankotu style knife.
For steak knives we have some 'El cheapo' Chinese made knives and they ARE el cheapo....

We also have a set of stainless steel cookware but it isn't that great in my opinion.

[CowboyBunny]

Only stainless steel, glass and cast iron here for pots and pans, I hate non-stick. My pots and pans are Wearever and Tramontina. My dh once left one of my small Tramontina sauce pans on the trunk of my car and I didn't notice until I was doing 50 mph up the hill near our house, I looked in my rearview mirror to see it bounce at least a dozen times down the road. I went back for it and there wasn't a single dent or bend in it and the handle was still on tight. :baby04:
Cake and casserole pans are Corningware and Rival. I made crustless pumpkin pie squares once in a Wilson nonstick cake pan that I had and it ate the nonstick coating off the sides, it literally caused the edges of the pumpkin squares to be metalic gray. That was the last straw for nonstick and I threw all except my pancake griddle(new as a gift) out.

Knives are all Chicago Cutlery, gift from my dh, he shopped around for quite a while to find me a decent set. Not quite as good as Wustoff but not quite as expensive either. I've been happy with them.

I LOVE to cook and bake and after living with cheap stuff for so many years it's sure nice to cook with better quality stuff. It may not all be top of the line but it sure makes cooking more enjoyable.

Tami ~ Heritage Corner Poultry

[Ravenlost]

Revereware. I love my Revereware pots, but hate the skillet. I prefer the cast iron skillets I inherited from my Granny and the ones I've picked up in antique stores and flea markets.

I have a lot of different knives so not sure of any brand names.

[Irish Pixie]

DH bought me a set of Member's Mark (Sam's Club) cookware 3-4 years ago for Christmas-- it's great stuff. It's a lot like Calphalon but without the horrendous price tag. I just bought a set of JA Henkels knives and I will never buy anything else- wonderfully balanced, I'm impressed.

Stacy