Yes, I'll confess it.. to my shame I am an Abuser. A Pots & Pans/Cookware Abuser, specifically.

If it requires nurturing, careful handling and correct utensils while using it, I WILL ignore such niceties. My family are all Abusers of this sort.

Now, having made the horrible confession, I need Help. Not help in reforming my abusing ways (I will never likely alter that), but in help in finding cookware that can take the abuse I dish out and ask for more (or at least NOT beg me to stop).

Cost is no object. (I can't afford to buy anything at this time anyway! )

But I WOULD prefer cookware that doesn't cost $200 for each piece.

I have tried T-Fal hoping that a slightly more expensive set would last longer, and it did, sort of.

But, please, for those who REALLY know their cooking gear, PLEASE help.

Title Edited to Reflect New Category

This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,

Sher, you can buy commercial utensils and cookware. What you buy will probably outlast you.

cast iron its the best as long as you dont put cold water in a really hot pan (it will crack that way) but it will last for ever (as long as you dont put in that cold water to a hot pan)
requires a bit of oil to condition it.

One of my pans is a cast iron pan that my mother got from her mother. They really do last forever with minimal care.

Sher, with a family of (soon-to-be) five, you should get a commercial 2.5 - 5 gallon soup pot. One of your daughter's children will pass it on to your great grandchild. (I am serious. A commercial stock pot can easily outlast generations of cooks.) Yes, a good one is expensive, but it is worth it. Here are some new ones. If there is a restaurant supply house near you, you can probably find a used one that is much cheaper. (Do NOT get aluminum; get stainless steel.) I have a 5 gallon stock pot. Among other uses, it holds an entire turkey carcass, which makes it great for making stock after Thanksgiving. (You can also fill it with water and let it simmer on the stove on really cold days. The steam released really helps to warm up the house.)

Sagus and I have already decided to do the Commercial Stainless Steel when we can afford to replace the cookware. (We have a FEW other obligations right now.. not the least being a crib, food.. well, everything I guess! )

But I think a nice heavy cast iron skillet would be awesome for those friend chicken dinners.

A large stock pot DOES sound useful Dorian.

Thanks you all, for your great input.

No sense throwing good money out the window, I suggest going to K-Mart or Wal-mart or other cheap places and buy cheap cook ware, tear it up, abuse it and toss it and replace with new cheap cook ware as you destroy them.

Seriously any of the higher end pots and pans you can get come with specific instructions as to their proper use, all kinds have rules of use. Cast iron must be seasoned, can't be allowed to sit with water in it, is not dishwasher safe, is relatively easy to score and scratch and if you burn something in it you are in for a world of hurt.

Commercial stainless steel comes with warnings and rules, for instance you toss in salt near the end of your cooking time or else you will pit and start the corroding process. Have to be careful with mixing acids and salts too (tomatoes and salt can pit your pot and lead to long term issues). Some suggest a form of seasoning before use (which is to say oil, pam, what ever). In commercial cases they have specific tools designed for the pots and pans too. Mineral deposits take place swiftly if you have hard water and boil water (steamed stuff, pasta, blah)

Stainless steel is not non-stick cookware, that can lead to other issues.

Maybe you are actually looking at the problem from the wrong stance, I'm assuming you have non-stick cook ware and you also have metal spatulas, metal spoons, metal whisks, blah which are used on those. Further you might have copper chore-girl wire "sponges" or SOS pads or steel wool. You may want to consider going through your utensil drawer and taking out the metal stuff and replace with plastic and good wood. You might want to replace or remove SOS and steel wool from the hands of the chief pan washer.

David, a pot in a commercial kitchen gets about 100 times the use that one at home does, and they last for decades. I have never taken any special care of my stock pots, and they have lasted far longer than a series of cheap pots. They look and cook as they did when new. (OK, I admit that they are scratched asnd no longer shiny. But I use them for cooking, not looking.) I am unaware of any special tools for using commercial pots, other than longer handles on ladles and strainers that fit corners. The only problem one may ncounter with a large commercial stock pot is filling it and carrying it when full. A bit of common sense solves both problems.

Properly seasoned and used cast iron lasts forever and requires relatively little care. Letting it cool and then wiping it out is usually enough to keep it cooking properly.

Well, we were using the non-stick sort of spatulas I'd say semi-religiously (85% or more of the time) and plastic coated wisks about the same percentage of the time.

I have to join in the "pro cast iron" chorus, here.
My cast iron has never asked much of me after the initial seasoning... except my beloved griddle, which was salvaged from the junk pile behind a barn and needed a couple of hours of TLC to remove the rust. My collection ranges in age from almost a hundred years to about five years and every piece sees regular use. Keep it dry when you're not actually cooking, either do not use soap or warm it with a coating of oil after washing.

Sher, I have a commercial spatula that I wouldn't live without. Not only are they the best for getting burgers, pancakes, etc. turned or off a griddle, but they can be used to help lift hot casserole dishes out of the oven. Two of them can turn quite a bit of bacon over quickly, easily, and safely. Again, with 5 in the family having breakfast, that comes in handy. (Notice that they are cheap, too.) Mine is easily 25+ years old, and I got it used. It was being thrown away at the Steak & Shake I worked at. (It had a tiny nick on the side. )





The leading edge can be sharpened by inverting the spat, holding it at an angle, and pushing it over sandpaper. The sharpness helps get the fried burgers off the griddle more cleanly, which also make keeping the griddle cleaner. Fast food restaurants (with fried burgers) clean their grill with these, in the same way as I described sharpening. A few passes over the grill removes all stuck debris, melted cheese, etc.

We just moved and since we were without our household items for about 2 months, I went down to Goodwill to pick up some pans and skillets. Just by chance I got a sauce pan and skillet that are professional quality. They are better than anything I own, including my 3 cast iron skillets. They cost me about $6.00 each. I would suggest that you check Goodwill from time to time to see what they have. Don't expect to find something worth while very often but you never know what you will find especially if someone has passed away and the relatives just want to get rid of the stuff.

DD

Good advice, DoñaDiana. The Salvation Army thrift store is another one for good deals on not only cookware, but also, books, serious outdoor clothes that you only use a few times a year, old LPs, etc. At another thrift store, I have found about 5 pair of very expensive men's shoes. (I am one of the best dressed poor people you will ever see.)