Need help.....

Well in the grand scheme of what is happening....this does not in any way qualify as “needy”...... but we have been cooking so much at home lately and realizing we have not invested in cookware in some areas for a long time. The main one I’m looking to step up is your basic large skillet. Do you guys have any go to ideas? Non stick or not? Oven ready etc? Look forward to hearing your thoughts and really appreciate any help you can provide

Oven-ready for sure. Lately, I'm a fan of the anodized surfaces on Calphalon or stainless steel (of course).

John, if you can be bothered with the seasoning and small amount of ongoing care your basic chefs carbon steel from catering suppliers can be a real asset. Once seasoned correctly they are non stick, go on any hob gas, electric, ceramic, induction, in the oven, on the grill, over the camp fire and cheap as chips. Not pretty. Indestructible.

Oven-ready is a plus. Heavy gauge stainless steel-coated aluminum or copper is ideal--non-reactive, easy-to-clean surface, excellent heat conductivity. I'm not a fan of non-stick coatings.

-Paul W.

[Robin Garr]

I'm a big fan of black iron skillets. They're cheap, they last forever, they distribute heat evenly, and if you make an effort to keep them seasoned, they can be almost as slick as nonstick. If you don't bother with that, they won't be low-stick, but still cheap, last forever, and cook well.

I agree with Robin. A cast iron skillet properly seasoned and cleaned correctly can be pretty slick, plus they can be used in the oven. I'd recommend the Lodge 12" cast iron skillet. I bought mine at Target for $20 (about half of MSRP). Of course, a few weeks after I bought it, I saw one in a thrift store for $15 and no tax.

The 12" size is great for roasting a whole chicken in the oven and gives plenty of cooking space for other foods. FWIW, Martha Washington left her prized cast iron skillet in her will. They're indestructible and last a lifetime.

That said, there are some superior Teflon-coated skillets, but even they have a limited lifespan. One thing I've discovered over the years is not to use cooking spray on them. For whatever reason, it seems to shorten their slipperiness lifespan.

[Jenise]

Well in the grand scheme of what is happening....this does not in any way qualify as “needy”...... but we have been cooking so much at home lately and realizing we have not invested in cookware in some areas for a long time. The main one I’m looking to step up is your basic large skillet. Do you guys have any go to ideas? Non stick or not? Oven ready etc? Look forward to hearing your thoughts and really appreciate any help you can provide

John, I have a variety of skillets--10 at least, I'm sure--they're the pieces I liked best from various collections I have purchased over the years: cast iron, Magnalite, Calphalon, All-Clad and no-name teflon. There are a lot of new names on the market I have not tried, including one being touted heavily by Tom Collichio and Grant Aschatz, whose name I can't remember. (I believe they're investor-owners in the line, too; at least Tom is.) Anyway, if I were to go with max quality for one-stop shopping because it doesn't make sense to go out and handle a lot of pans right now, I'd go with All-Clad. I have a mishmash of pieces from various lines they've done over the years as I replace/highgrade various pieces in my arsenal, and I love them all like my own right hand. The quality's superb.

As for non-stick or not, it kind of depends on the way you cook. Generally speaking, you don't expect to get the same crispness from non-stick, but for general ease of use nothing beats non-stick. Or to put it another way, as long as you're not a southern cook doing lots of bacon and fried chicken, but instead want to make sure that lovely sole filet comes up cleanly from the pan, and I'm fairly sure you're in the latter camp, non-stick's the way to go.

I guess I'm going to be the contrarian here. I've got lots of cuivre-inox cookware from Paris. I love them. They cook so well and clean up of fairly easy. I've got top brand skillets, etc. non-stick and bare. They are really good but if I replace them, it will be with low-cost, generic versions.

What pans I have been buying lately are dishwasher ready. Now that it is just me, I do the shopping, cooking, and cleaning and it is REALLY nice to just move the pan from the stove to the dishwasher. I don't spend a lot of money on them and I don't expect long life but the get the job done. They cook well and clean up is a dream.

Thanks everyone for your help!