Barkeepers Friend works too. But baking soda is a fraction of the cost…try it!!
Bought a Tramontina 12 in non stick fry pan at Costco today. Looks as good as the All-Clad at a mere fraction of the price. Worth trying. If it works well and lasts long enough I may buy more. I paid $21.99. It’s for sale on Amazon too but at almost twice the price: http://www.amazon.com/Professional-Nonstick-Restaurant-Frying-Size/dp/B009HBKQR0/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1450639757&sr=1-3&keywords=tramontina
I use my cast iron pan almost every day. I’ve washed it in soap plenty. There’s not nearly as much Sturm and Drang as people make out. If it looks a little less non-stick because I cleaned it too well, I just rub a tiny bit of oil on it with a paper towel and set it on burner on low for a few minutes. That’s really all it takes. I’ve never had an issue with rust.
Eggs I usually cook in a small non-stick pan. Ceramic currently. I’ve got an all-Clad saute pan, but I’m not that crazy about it.
I’m sorry but your sister is totally wrong. I worked for years at a high-end kitchen store which I won’t name and have used AllClad pans extensively, both from sets for in-store demos and the ones I purchased individually. There is no difference in performance whatsoever. They have several different lines, from 3-ply through copper core but comparing the pieces in the same line, they are identical.
@3bm103 that tramontina is supposed to be very good. There was an old thread about cookware a while ago, and folks raved about it.
Full sets are not that expensive.
Looking forward to hearing how you like it!
I don’t spend much on nonstick frying pans - the tramontina is great and when the finish starts to look bad, it is easy to toss and rebuy.
We buy individual pieces to fit what and how we cook.
Thanks for the clarification; good to know. It may be that I was considering a set from their lower quality line and comparing it to the prices of the individual pieces, and my sister meant the pieces in that particular set were not of the same quality. I didn’t realize that All-Clad had different lines. Again, I appreciate the clarification!
Some 3 or 4 years ago I bought the nonstick fry pan that was “highly recommended” by Cooks Illustrated:
T-Fal Professional Total Nonstick Fry Pan, 12.5 inches.
It outperformed the nonstick All-Clad they tested, which is saying a lot.
I use this pan practically every day, despite owning a great set of 5-ply stainless pots. Sometimes you just need a nonstick surface.
When it eventually wears out I plan to get another, but this one is still going strong.
I bought it on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Professional-Thermo-Spot-Indicator-Dishwasher/dp/B000GWG0T2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450686121&sr=8-1&keywords=t-fal+professional+non-stick+fry+pan+12.5+inches
I have that 22 inch Tfal…it’s very nice. The one I use daily but I need to replace is slightly smaller. I think it must be an 11 inch as I have no lid that fits it.
Now I know why my skinless chicken breasts never brown after reading one of these articles! You need a stainless steel pan, which I do not own…but pkanning on getting one for this purpose. It seems my TFal lasts about 4 years but always ends up scratched and useless.
I also bought the T-Fal based on the Cook’s Illustrated recommendation. I use it several times a week for fish and it’s been fantastic. Still looks and performs like brand new.
I’ve also had a lot of good experience with this smaller ceramic skillet for eggs and omelets.
http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/30977-zwilling-ja-henckels-sol-ceraforce-fry-pan.aspx
I’ve learned the hard way that it’s very important not to overheat non-stick cookware. I try to the keep the flame not much higher than medium.
I’ve read the spraying nonsticks can ruin the Teflon. I’ve always sprayed them…have you guys?
I use both cast iron and ceramic non-stick a lot. I also use stainless sometimes when I want to develop a “fond” for a sauce.
Here is an interesting article about really living with cast iron:
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/11/the-truth-about-cast-iron.html
I’ve inherited two old cast iron skillets from a great aunt that have the smooth, polished inside surface.
What I like most about cast iron is the abuse you can give it. Sometimes outside, I set it right over a propane burner to get it really hot (700+) to sear something. I always let it cool before washing and so far, no warping.
For the ceramic, I’ve used the relatively cheap “Green Pans” available at Kohl’s and Costco. I like them. I stopped using teflon after seeing the coating flake off a couple times.
As an aside, for some reason, the ceramic pans don’t seem to perform that well with coconut oil. My son was trying to use that for eggs, but it actually seemed to make them stick. Olive oil and butter are no problem.
Take a look at Scanpans–these non-stick pans last a long time and work very well. They are made in Denmark–you can purchase directly from them (www.scanpan.com) or through Sur La Table. There are a number of different grades but all of them are PFOA free and made from recycled materials. The cheapest grade is the Classic series. We have All-clad and LeCruset pans and now use Scanpan almost exclusively. My foodie husband has given up his cast iron pans for the Scanpan.
Another vote here for cast-iron. It’s cheap, it’s reliable, it’s pretty darn near indestructible.
We got a large Calfalon frying pan as a gift many years ago, and despite trying to be careful with it, it is warped almost beyond use. Meanwhile, our two main cast-iron pans were inherited from my wife’s grandmother and we use them every day. I wash them with soap. For years, I used them with a glass-top range. (The glass top broke, and we ditched the whole range, but the frying pans had nothing to do with it.)
We also use Le Creuset enamel, some stainless steel, and other pans, and I am certain some of the newer pans perform as well as cast iron, but cast iron wins the price:value championship every time.
We too prefer to buy cookware one at a time (no sets). A few years ago we had a large Circulon nonstick frypan we liked, but after a year it warped and would spin on our smoothtop range. Kudos to Bed Bath and Beyond that gave a full refund (save your sales receipts).
We replace it with a large Scanpan from Sur La Table. It cost more than our refund (which was about $65), but we’ve liked it. The glass lid is nice too - allows us to watch the cooking more.
Re: the All Clad lines…even their “bottom of the line” is excellent. But it is expensive!
I have several fry pans , two all clad which are fantastic, also a few calphalon that are similar, but not as deep. I have a couple of calphalon non stick , which disappoint me in terms of durability with the surface. I am meticulous about the care of my kitchen tools.
I only use one non stick pan at this point and it is for making Swedish pancakes only
I wash my cast-iron with soap when it seems to need it. It’s fine.
Re: scanpan - I just emailed the company yesterday because they have a lifetime warranty on their products, and my mother in laws’s classic set ( now 15 years old) is peeling.
Apparently, they have a newer patented technology, called “evolution”.
I spent some time yesterday pricing replacements for her 1 and 2 quart pots. Amazon, had competitive prices.
Love our Lagostina pans. If a frying pan can be sexy, Lagostina is just that lol. Looks great, solid, cleans up great, even cooking. Great line of cookware, not cheap but you can find past seasons at the discount stores