Recommendation for set of cookware??

Yep, a little salt, vinegar and a scrubber and the copper is as good as new....James

You can find plenty of the vintage Wagner and Griswold on ebay but it is generally pricey. However, the Lodge you can get preseasoned and ready to go for a very reasonable price. Seasoned cast iron is the Original and still the best Non-Stick pan available. I am sure you have noticed that most people are recommending stainless steel. You probably know this but the modern day non-stick pans have a chemical painted on surface (Teflon/Silverstone type stuff.) When overheated (much past medium) or scratched it releases dangerous substances that are believed to cause cancer of various sorts. Not what you want for breakfast.

The Tramontina has gotten a number of positive reviews (as in best value picks) during the equipment review segments on America's Test Kitchen on PBS (Cook's Country.) And the prices are very good.

The Cuisinart set at Macy's that Jolly pointed out is a really good value. I know that is 3 times the amount you stated that you want to spend but if you can find a way to swing it you will probably be done shopping for cookware unless you just have to have a certain size piece.

Also I have a couple of pieces from Wal-Mart of the Better Homes and Gardens stainless steel (18/10.) Compares favorably to the Tramontina. I have been using them for about six months and looks like they will last forever.

I have a selction of Lodge and Griswold pans and Dutch ovens although I still need to pick up a few good Stainsless suace pots. I'm pretty happy with my collection so far. It makes far more sense to spend some time and money buying good pieces that will last a lifetime and then some instead of wasting money buying cheap pieces that will need to be replaced every year or so.

Bknthesdle, cooks essentials is a QVC product. Made in china. I have some but my best cookware is cast iron and I also have stainless. I hate anything nonstick. If it gets scratched(which it does) I throw it away because I don't want to eat it.

The handle on the Tramontina pan I have does not heat up except right next to the pan, and I think that is from the heat rising from the burner. I now have a flat top electric, but when I had the gas stove, the handle didn't heat up at all.

Get thee out of the dept stores, and into the antique shops. You can find excellent cookware at pretty good prices.... usually cheaper for the good stuff made a hundred years ago than its modern counterparts in dept stores. I like cast iron either the plain black or for soups and dishes with lots of acid... then the enameled cast iron pots. Most of my cook ware is in the century old age group and still performs wonderfully.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

Cast iron hands down.

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Ted H

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett

Like belfrybat I've never had a problem with the Tramontina handles getting hot. They are really well made. I was longing for an All Clad set myself before I bought my set, but I couldn't afford that

This is what Cooks Illustrated has to say about Tramontina cookware:

Now I don't think it's only available at Wal*Mart anymore, but on reading online reviews it seems other places sell the exact same sets for much higher dollar.

I have quite a lot of cast iron cookware as well, mostly Lodge pieces, but they are a bit too heavy for me to use for everyday cooking for a family of seven. I do love using them though... my son said he knows that whenever I cook something in our big dutch oven it's "going to be good!"

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“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”

Am I the only one here who has never heard of "Tramontina?"

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

You're not the only one. I never heard of it either.

So, where is Trimontina made?

I don't know where it is made but, the only place I've seen it is Walmart. I'm sure that is not the only place that sells it though. I did buy a stock pot by Tramontino at walmart that is really good.

Never heard of it before this thread.

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Alice
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"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus

From what I could find Tramontina was founded in Brazil in 1911. Some of it (non stick and some others) is made in the USA, looks like they started manufacturing here in 2005.

This PDF says they are making quite a number of pieces in the USA, but I don't see the stainless steel pieces mentioned: http://www.tramontina-usa.com/global_innovations.pdf

If you ever see some of it at a Wal*Mart pick a piece up and look it over (only referring to the stainless steel tri-ply here, can't talk about the rest of their pieces). You may be pleasantly surprised. Next time I'm in a Wal*Mart I'll see where the box says they were made. (Can't believe I'm actually suggesting someone go to a Wally world.. ha!!!!)

Oh - and for those copper bottomed RevereWare pots? I used Barkeeper's Friend. It cleaned it up without much elbow grease!

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“You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.”

Someone mentioned they only have small pans, but they must not be looking in the right places, lol. I have this 22-quart stock pot and an even bigger one, but can't remember how many quarts it is. http://www.walmart.com/ip/Tramontina...ockpot/5902722

That's silicone on the handles, and it goesn't get hot and won't melt in the oven. I love Tramontina, especially for the price! They're sold at Sam's, Walmart and Target. I bought a basic set to start with (think it was about $150) and have been adding pieces gradually over time. I had some All Clad, and I think the Tramontina works just as well if not better, and I like the looks better!

But I also have cast iron pieces too, it all depends on what I'm cooking, I love stainless and cast iron. Oh, almost forgot...some of my Tramontina says Brazil and some says USA.

I used to have a huge set of Revereware, but gave it to my son. Doh! I didn't realize it would outlast me, him, his kids, etc...lol. You can get it on eBay now, but it costs an arm and a leg. I wouldn't have the newer stuff though, it's too thin. My son bought a newer pot and it cracked at the lip around the top after only about six months of use, and he said stuff sticks terribly in it.

The majority of our cookware is Revereware which has been found at yard and garage sales over the years. The beginnings of it were on the boat and that was twenty years ago. They are still going strong.

We found a Tramontina stock pot at a garage sale and bought it for a couple dollars. It's a good pot, but the actual reason I bought it was because it was the same name brand as my favorite machete and it's a good machete. Nice heavy metal, haven't noticed the handles heating up, but I don't move hot stock pots around much.

The rest of the cookware is old cast iron along with a few new pieces added in here and there. New cast iron can be ground flat and then seasoned and it is then very similar to old cast iron. I use the air tools at the autoshop to do the grinding, but there are various ways to grind the interiors of the new stuff so they are as smooth as the old stuff. I think old cast iron started out machined smooth while the new stuff starts out rough inside. Once they are properly seasoned, they are about as non-stick as teflon.

We also have some copper pans, but they heat their handles up real quick and then they have to be cleaned after each use if they are to stay shiny so they don't get used all that much.

Tag sales!

I got a beautiful brand new 12 inch revereware stainless steel skillet with cover, and a 10 inch one with cover, for 5 dollars....for the both of them!

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Recognize the beauty in things, in creation, even when thats difficult to do.
Be loving, show compassion. Create while we're here.
Enjoy this life, be in this life but not be of it.

stainless steel.

Yard sales & thrift stores FTW [For The Win]

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We will meet in the golden city, called the New Jerusalem,
All our pain and all our tears will be no more.....

If you mix the salt and vinegar and set it in it you don't need to do anything, just make sure you have enough to cover the copper. I can do it with a 1/2 cup of vinegar, after that is done I pour it down the bathroom sink as it keeps the pipes flowing good....James