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

For graters and zesters you cannot beat MICROPLANE. If you ever buy one and they are not expensive you will NEVER use anything else.

henckels- ran into an estate sale about a year ago, got a set of 8 in excellent shape and two boxes full of goodies (including a new freeplay am/fm/sw radio with attached LED ligth) for 30 bucks. best sale Ive ever been too- gavea whole box of specialized bakeware to my girlfriend, whos a baker extrodinaire

Le Creuset
All Clad
cast iron fry pans
Wustof

For those of you with the henckels and wusthof knife sets do you wash them in the dishwasher or by hand? I realise you are not supposed to use the dishwasher with many of these sets, just curious what people really do though.

Old Revereware is the best stainless steel. I have a couple large pots that I inherited from my grandmother that are older than I am and still work great, still have their handles, etc. You can get the old stuff on eBay sometimes.

I also have a nice cast iron skillet that works great. The next piece I get will be a double-burner griddle.

RedTartan

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Wash them by hand.

For those buying knives and pans pay very close attention to what you're buying as it's all not in the name. I sharpened a set of Henkels for my MIL that she got as a gift, they were a second line Henkels and were no where near the quality of the real knives. As for cast iron I wouldn't waste money on any Lodge new cast iron. I would spend the money and buy Griwold or Wagner antiques to cook with. The Lodge are terrible and aren't finished for cooking, I don't know why or how they even sell them except as decorations.

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Cast Iron is my absolute favorite. Second to that is copper bottomed Revere ware. I get it at Goodwill and Salvation Army for pennies on the dollar. I bought Pro Line Revere ware and don't use it as much. You certainly do NOT have to spend a lot on pots and pans to get stuff that will last you a lifetime. Knifes, I frgot the brand. Several german brands, a few Chinese hacking cleavers and one deluxe honest-to-gosh sushi knife.

I have to disagree with you on this point. I have several Lodge brand pans that I've used for over 30 years and they are just as good as any others. Maybe new ones aren't made like the old ones were, but I love my old Lodge cast iron.

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Lodge works well for me as well.
I love All Clad. Use mostly Wustoff knives.

Would like recommendations for a dutch oven - not just for the usual things but also for baking (like bread) over fire.

Revere ware, but their newer copperbottomed nonstick frypans are crap- haven't tossed them out yet because all nonstick frypans are crap- but I mean handles coming loose?!? varying success with nonstick bakeware and keeping htem for now but stone is better, and happily use newer Lodge cast iron which if it weren't so heavy would use for almost all frying. HOWEVER on my propane stove (unlike my natural gas one in ENgland) crepes are better on the nonstick pans than on the cast iron- so little heat comes out the propane probably unable to get it hot quick enough.

Knives- no brand name- but 1 of 2 ginsu knives from TV (remember?) still present (Army movers didn't pack one- they were using it to cut stuff the stinkers!) is our best allround knife. Have to watch some late night TV and watch for thjem again....

Which brand is always being talked up that is supposedly cast iron and is enamel coated, or something like that. Supposed to give the heating qualities of cast iron yet be a little more user friendly?

Still using the copper bottomed Revereware we bought 30 years ago.....

Paderno cookware. great stuff!

http://www.paderno.com/index.cfm

After a house fire, I had to replace all the kitchenware. I found Paderno. great cooking pans and pots, stands up to cleaning well, and great guarantee.

For knives, I've got a mishmash so far, but I'm going to go with Hinkcels.

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I should also mention that my old Giesser boning knife is the finest I have ever owned. Takes and holds an edge like no other. I can shave with it.

Are your Lodge pans polished? If they aren't polished everything will stick and they are hard to clean compared to a good polished pan. Lodge no longer makes polished pans, I was at the factory this year.

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Robert Frost

Wayne02, I think your thinking of Le Creuset, maevelous cookware!

I have a large set of AllClad cookware, pots, pans, lids and utensils--trying to add a pc or two every yr.--I ask for certain pcs. from my kids/dh for holidays..(I got tried of buying cheap, thin cookware every few yrs.). I have 6 cast iron skillets in grad. sizes. I have a wonderful set of kitchen knives that have "La Borde" (chrome molybdenum stainless) on the blade and they have a little heart cutout in the blade.. Don't know how old they are --they were my mom's. Great knives, holds a edge and are razor sharp. I think- they are chef knives. I have several small paring knives that I purchased at estate sales...don't know the brand.I have the Pyrex baking dishes,measuring bowls that were given to me as wedding presents (34yrs ago). I have several sets of Nigella Lawson long handled measuring spoons.

When I cook, I'm serious about the tools and wouldn't take for my old, well seasoned Lodge cast iron skillets and Dutch ovens. I jumped at the chance to buy a set of De Cuisson professional stainless with Thick copper bottoms that really work. Found some
Pro style Chicago knives with heavy 505 carbon stainless blades that hold an edge and have black, man sized handles. Good prices at the Chicago outlet store too...Glen

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Still have Revereware from 1978, but I've had to replace a few pieces because of things like running cold water into a hot pan, and because I accidentally burnt a couple pans. (I never was taught how to handle good cookware, and learned by trial and error.) In addition to Revereware, I have two cast iron skillets and a cast iron dutch oven.

Knives are Chicago Cutlery, with which I am quite pleased.

Pony!

I still have my Revereware set that I received as a wedding gift in 1979. Since then I have used a few others that weren't worth a crap. When we remodeled the kitchen, I bought a few Calphalon pots, pans and skillets. I really love them!!!

Stef - check out the department stores for the 2-pk of Calphalon skillet special. You get an 8" and a 10" fry pan for $29. In our area Dillards sells them.

DH bought me a set of Calphalon knives for Xmas this year. They are fantastic. I couldn't believe that the Chefs knife actually sliced an onion without any effort on my part. In the past I just had a mix match of knives. I bought a couple of Rada knives a few years ago that really work well, too.