Good cookware starter set?
I’m going to start cooking for myself next year so I’ll have to get some cookware. I can’t buy anything that’s cheap, so I’m getting it from Williams-sonoma. What should I get. i.e. what will I use often. I don’t want to get anything that’s too specialized. I’m looking to spend from 500-800.
A lot of that depends on what you plan to cook. For me, my basic cookware includes:
- One large frying pan
- One small saute pan
- One large and deep frying pan (for cooking saucy things and skillet dinners)
- One 5 quart pot (good for boiling potatoes, corn on the cob or making chili)
- One 3 quart saucepan
- One 2 quart saucepan
- Three interchangeable covers for above
- Slow cooker/crock pot
I also have a few misc. items that I use on occasion, but they aren’t what I’d call ’starter items’:
- Stovetop "grill"
- Large stock pot good for boiling large batches of potatoes or corn
- Electric skillet good for making pancakes
I do have another 3 quart saucepan on my wish list because a lot of the time when I make dinner I need one for veggies and one for noodles/rice, where the smaller one won’t do.
Get a good basic boxed set. Everything a beginner needs is in there.
I have some Calphalon that I really like, it was only about $300.
i would recommend a non-stick hard anodized aluminum, such as analon. you can get a basic 10 pc set and it will have 1 sm and 1 lg frying pan, 1 qt, 2 qt, and 3 qt saucepans and a 5 or 6 qt stockpot / dutch oven, and covers for all but the 2 small ones. you should also purchase a large 8 qt stock pot for pastas and soups. another must have in an enamel coated cast iron dutch oven for making pot roasts and the like. you can use that for anything you may brown or start on top of the stove and finish in the oven. make sure you handle all the pieces and that they feel comfortable to you.
A big stockpot - 5L min for soups, casseroles, bolognese. 2L pot, 1L pot - maybe one more medium sized pot if you have room. Big frypan, small frypan. Griddle pan. That should do it.
I would get either Caphalon or All-clad stainless.
You are going to spend a lot of money at Williams-Sonoma.
Check out Amazon.com for comparison prices before you make your purchase. I think If you do some research on-line you will find great sets for better prices.
With Williams and Sonoma you are just paying for there store name you can get any theres and any cook ware on line cheaper.
All Clad http://www.all-clad.com/
Salad Master http://www.saladmaster.com/index.nws
Sur la Table http://www.surlatable.com/
Calphalon http://www.calphalon.com