If I want a steak, I'll cook it on the grill.

When you're cooking for a family, teflon if the way to go. They need to be replaced every few years, but the time you save scrubbing pots and pans is worth the extra money.

 

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Cast iron is dead simple to clean, so is stainless steel. You have to cook differently with them though.

 

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The benefit of the non-stick pan is that you don't need to add much oil (butter/fat, etc..) if you cook eggs or meat.


I switched to a non-stick pot for makign rice (and it made it so much easier) and then I decided to get anohter pan for other things - now i pretty much only use my non-stick pans except when i need to boil water.


The first lesson to learning to cook is to not put the heat setting to maximum- it's not relaly about burning but it's just something that makes it easier to cook things properly.

I prefer non-stick for eggs. Everything else I like stainless and cast iron. I'll take ANY cast iron skillet or pan I can get my hands on, rusted or not. You'd be surprised what a great tool it is once brought back from the "dead".

Lodge pre-seasoned are really great if you're looking and they are very cost effective.

 

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I have stainless steel, one cast iron seasoned pan, and cheap non stick. I'm thinking of just getting a few high quality non stick instead to complete my set. I cleaned my stainless steel today with stainless steel cleaner.

 

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I need to pick up some non-teflon pots, but I'm not as worried about pans. My 12" skillet / everyday pan will be Teflon-coated until the day I die.

 

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http://whatscookingamerica.net/LindaPosch/ToxicCookware.htm


you people will rant and rave about CO2 killing the environment and then turn right around and suck the cocks of teflon pushers....

 

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ITT: People who don't know anything about physics, chemistry, or cooking.


Cast iron is wonderful for cooking for some things. For doing things like pan cooking a steak, it's the go-to choice if you can't grill.

For cooking eggs, scrambled, fried, over easy, etc., non-stick is the way to go unless you've got a flat-top grill in your home.

As for "good" cookware - I prefer the stainless steel sandwich construction like All-clad over anodized aluminum like Calphalon for all non-cast-iron and non-teflon cooking.


Two hints to people who don't understand how to use non-stick cookware:

1) You can boil water over a campfire in a paper cup or even a styrofoam cup. Think about it.

2) You very rarely need more than medium heat to cook anything on your stovetop. If you are doing "true" saute cooking (most people who say they are, aren't) you will want more than "medium" heat, you want your pan "rocket hot" as AB says, AND you won't be using anything as thin as a non-stick pan anyway, nor would you be using something like cast iron, though you COULD with an exquisitely seasoned cast iron - most people don't own one of these and the "pre-seasoned" ones you get from Lodge won't cut it - though those are excellent.

 

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I use Emeril cookware by All Clad, stainless that I clean with Barkeepers Friend. I have a non stick for eggs, cast iron for cornbread and a Mangalite for gumbo.

 

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I got rid of the old non stick and I will only use one non stick pan and then the rest regular pans. Its very handy to have one non stick pan I think

My stainless steel cookware now looks like new after polishing it.

 

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