Cookware, Kitchen Tools and Kitchen Gadgets

[StorageLady]

Costco has started carrying a fairly large selection of sautee pans, pots, sheet pans, mixing bowls etc. I'm not a professional chef so have no idea if they would work in a commercial kitchen, but they work great for me at home

[Choirgirl21]

I think you really might want to consider the LamsonSharp slotted turner after all. It's obviously not cheap, but it's a remarkably high-quality piece that performs superbly and should last for the rest of your life, for about $30 or so. I love mine so much that I have two of them, in case one is dirty. They have a very thin profile, so they're great for flipping eggs, and while quite flexible are strong enough for the kind of scraping task you mention. One of the very best kitchen tools I've ever used.

With this recommendation I will consider it, thanks. The Wusthof is definitely too much, but the LamsonSharp isn't outside the realm of possibility. Does it clean easily and/or is it dishwasher safe?

[dwt]

I second the Hersch's recommendation. I use my LamsonSharp slotted turner almost exclusively for fish and find it nearly indispensable. I'm not sure we have the same model.

This is mine: http://www.lamsonsharp.com/product/4-x-9-jumbo-chefs-slotted-turner-right-hand

Here's another that looks like it might work well with eggs: http://www.lamsonsharp.com/product/3-x-5-slotted-turner

I don't think mine is hard to clean and I throw it in the dishwasher frequently. It has held up well for several years now.

[The Hersch]

With this recommendation I will consider it, thanks. The Wusthof is definitely too much, but the LamsonSharp isn't outside the realm of possibility. Does it clean easily and/or is it dishwasher safe? 

It cleans easily and is dishwasher safe. It also comes in both left- and right-handed versions. I see on Amazon that they make a version of it with a walnut handle, for much more money ($80), which you wouldn't put in the dishwasher, of course.

[silentbob]

We're in the market for a new "every day" pot (6 or 8 quarts), but I'm really not sure which way to go.

Both stainless steel and non-stick teflon seem too limiting.  My initial thought was to go the anodized route, like the Anolon Nouvelle Copper stock pot, but I keep reading conflicting information about safety and whether anodized cookware is truly free of PFOAs, PTFEs, etc.

I also looked into eco-friendly products like the the Greenpan, but according to the test kitchen publications they don't perform well.

Any other ideas, insights, or tips on where to take our search next?

[Smita Nordwall]

1 minute ago, silentbob said:

I also looked into eco-friendly products like the the Greenpan, but according to the test kitchen publications they don't perform well.

I have used the Greenpan. It's awful. 

[Ericandblueboy]

I use a Scanpan for nonstick cooking.  I've had the same Scanpan for years and it still works great.

[ktmoomau]

What will you generally use the pot to make?

[silentbob]

On 8/20/2018 at 2:32 PM, ktmoomau said:

What will you generally use the pot to make?

Braises, Thai curries, risotto...stuff that could be made in a Le Creuset dutch oven but may require more room and a more reliably non-stick surface?

[ktmoomau]

Just now, silentbob said:

Braises, Thai curries, risotto...stuff that could be made in a Le Creuset dutch oven but may require more room and a more reliably non-stick surface?

See I was going to ask why you wouldn't just get a Le Creuset, I have several and use them all the time- there are very big ones, they are pricey, but they last forever. They just came out with some really cool dutch oven, stock pots that the lid turns into a skillet or grill pan that I was drooling over at the SC outlet.  I don't know that I have any stainless steel pots that are more non-stick than my Le Creuset and if the enamel on the pot starts wearing it has a lifetime warranty- my Mom just got a 40 year old pot replaced.  I have two cuisinart stock pots I rarely use, except potentially for spaghetti.  There are other enamel coating brands too, I just like le creuset as it is what my Mom always had.  And when we go to HHI the outlet is right there and it is better than the normal outlets, they have some super good deals.  But you can find a good deal at Home Goods or TJ Maxx from time to time too.

[curls]

I second ktmoomau's recommendation of Le Creuset for braises. I use them for all of my braises -- while they aren't non-stick, a soak in soapy water should loosen up anything that is stuck. For risotto, I tend to use All-Clad or other heavy stainless steel clad cookware but enameled cast iron might be fine for risotto too.

[ktmoomau]

5 hours ago, curls said:

I second ktmoomau's recommendation of Le Creuset for braises. I use them for all of my braises -- while they aren't non-stick, a soak in soapy water should loosen up anything that is stuck. For risotto, I tend to use All-Clad or other heavy stainless steel clad cookware but enameled cast iron might be fine for risotto too.

I just did a risotto last night in my Le Creuset and none of it stuck, turned out fine (it wasn't quite as good as Michael Anthony's but it was good).  Also, if you overcook something- a soak with dish soap and/or baking soda if it is really bad has always done the trick for me.