I’ve been given the go-ahead to replace some of our more battered cookware…and now I don’t know what to buy! We have the following, in descending order of use:
Lodge Cast Iron 12″ skillet with lid, a gift from Kevin and Jill, our cast iron gurus
Calphalon Contemporary 8 quart stockpot with steamer and pasta inserts
An absolutely indestructible Magnalite 10″ skillet, handed down from my parents
Martha Stewart 3.5 quart enameled cast iron casserole which, oh hey! has been recalled!
IKEA 5 quart cast iron casserole
We also have – and very rarely use – a square non-stick griddle and an All-Clad 2 burner non-stick griddle.
The items I want to toss and/or replace include:
– 4.5 quart, scratched to hell sauce pan with wooden handles held on by screws so stripped that they can’t be tightened down any longer. When I pour anything out of this pot, I have to rotate my hands in opposite directions to keep it from wobbling. Imagine that with 4 quarts of boiling water or bubbly peach butter!
– 3 quart saucepan that has been similarly abused
– 12″ non-stick skillet that I bought for about $10 at Target at least 5 years ago and is more like ‘stick’ than ‘non-stick’ at this point
So I ask you: what the essentials in your cookware stable? I want to hear your case for specific sizes, brands, and coatings. If you read this site, you probably have a decent idea of what we cook – lots of meat, soups, and the occasional pasta, most of which can be accommodated by what we already have – but also jams, jellies, and tomato sauces that require non-reactive cookware. Canning necessitates at least two saucepans plus the giant pressure cooker. I’m ready to spend the money. I just need you to tell me what to get. So help!
latterdaybohemian 
Besides the cast iron skillet, the two pieces of cookware I use most often are an 8in omelette pan (Kitchenaid, anodyzed) and a two-quart saucepan (stainless steel, but shallower than the one you have). I find that the saucepan is great for boiling – rice, beans, short pasta. The omelette pan is great for eggs, and for sauteing aromatics. Make sure you get a nice heavy pan – they hold their heat better.
K
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We have an 8 in omelette and a 12. I use the smaller when cooking just for me, or a little one, and the larger when I’m cooking for more. Like Kevin, we rely heavily on our 2q saucepan. We also have a 3q that came with spouts on either end and a funky strainer lid that we use for pasta, potatoes, etc. etc. allllll the time. Finally, we have a little 1q that I love. It’s perfect for heating up veggies, making a little rice, oatmeal, etc.
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Solid Adivse from Kevin & Ryan. Heavy gauage pans is key holding and controling even heat. There’s a million brands and sub-brands today. I use Calphalon hard-annadized commercial grade, but Alclad is also great.
My must have list is:
1) 8″ Saute pan (Omlette) – Non-Stick
* A cover for the 8″ is great for poaching, but rare to find – I have a great generic cover sold seperately
2) Large Saute pan (12″?)
3) Small Sauce pan (1 or 1.5 qt)
4) Medium sauce pan 2-3 Qt
5) Medium Steamer insert (key that it fits your 2-3 qt)
6) Medium Double Boiler Insert (Key to fit 2-3 qt)
7) Large Stock Pot (8 Qt or more)
Nice to have:
3 Qt Saute pan with Cover
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