you have an empty kitchen and $250.

[topaz]

You have an empty kitchen and $250.  What cookware set do you get and why?

As reported in keyne's LJ, most of our cookware has still not turned up after a couple of weeks of unpacking.  There are still some boxes where some of it might be hidden, but their numbers are dwindling.  A cast-iron skillet and Dutch oven are versatile things but we are getting to the point where we are ready to buy a new cookware set.

Whatever we get needs to be easy to store, as our new kitchen is a lot shorter on storage space than the last one.  So options which stack well will get bonus points.

But forget all of htat.  You have an empty kitchen and $250.  What do you buy to cook with?

Comments

This is the minimal set

[harimad.livejournal.com]

(I'm in a rush so I haven't read other comments)

Do NOT buy a set!

Do NOT buy a set!

Do NOT buy a set!

(Probably.)

Sets usually have too many of what you don't want and not enough of what you do. Better use of money is to get individual pans.

The minimal set you need (unless your cooking patterns are way different than most):
- a 10" or 12" nonstick (eggs are such good, fast meals)
(doesn't matter what brand, $15)
- a 10" or 12" flat pan (aka skillet) (or one in each size)
(cast iron and/or Revereware, $25)
- a 2 qt pot with lid
(Revereware, $35)
- a 4 qt pot with lid
(Revereware, $45)
- an 8 or 10 qt stockpot with lid
(doesn't matter what brand, $25)
- a 4 or 6 qt Dutch Oven with lid
(no brand recommendation, $35-50)
- maybe a wok with lid
(whatever they sell in Chinatown, $25?)

For the nonstick, I don't have any brand recommendations. They all last a long time. I got a 10" at Target for about $10. I used to avoid nonstick, but the "new" nonstick (been around for 15+ years) is much better than the stuff when I was a kid. It lasts a lo-o-ong time and doesn't exude fumes unless you heat it empty for more than a few minutes.

You can get cast iron for the flat pans, they're good for lots of uses and very inexpensive. They also can be heavy and not so good for things to cook gently, like pancakes. Maybe one cast iron and one not.

For the pots and not-cast-iron pans, you want something that can go from stovetop to oven and that has copper at least on the bottom. Some pots have a disk of copper, these usually look as if they have an extra layer on the bottom. Better ones have the copper go up the side a bit. In my opinion, the best inexpensive pots and pans is Revereware. The handles are (were?) ovensafe to 400F, which covers most needs.

The stockpot is for whatever needs a lot of water: making stock, pasta, corn, etc. The brand doesn't matter, just get one of 18/10 steel.

The brand does matter for the Dutch Oven, but I don't know the brands in your price range. Cast iron would be great but it'd weigh a ton, not so good for keyne.

The best woks usually come from Chinatown shops, and have no brand at all. Scrub and season like a cast iron pan.

Now, with the leftover money, buy a half dozen silicon(e?) spatuale and two wire-mesh colanders.

Don't forget Freecycle. It may not have what you want but the response cycle is fast.

Re: This is the minimal set

[harimad.livejournal.com]

When I wrote "probably," what I meant to add was, once you decide what pans you want, see if a set or individual items are cheaper. Given that your space is at a premium, I think a set is even less likely to meet your needs.

The prices I listed are estimates, based on a quick skim of Target.com.

The pots & brands I recommended are inexpensive but not cheap. They'll last you a long time. My family's Revereware lasted 30 years for my parents (who didn't cook a lot) and 10+ for me (who does).

If you'd like, I can list cooking essentials for many categories: pots, bakeware, small utensils, and so on. Tell me what you're missing and I'll tell you what you (might) need.