This

I am going to check out the All-clad stuff. Still havent decided on non stick or SS. FYI my wife is a good cook, no lessons needed. She enjoys cooking thats why I want to buy her some nicer pans to use, in my mind there is nothing finer than the flavor from cast iron but its not practical for all things.

Jason

This. I am slowly converting my most commonly used cookware over to Hexclad. Dishwasher safe, but it cleans so easily, I usually just hand wash it. It is mail order only (ie Amazon). Not sold in stores.

I have been buying Le Creuset over the past 5 years. Adding a piece here and there. Expensive but they last a life time. Most pieces cost about the same as a good fishing reel. The really big dutch ovens cost the same as a rod and reel. So it's reasonable if you enjoy cooking.

I did purchase one of their small non-stick pans and it's awesome!! Thick and heavy so you know they are well made.

The whole set is $699 so in your budget. Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick Pro 12 Piece Cookware Set

Buy the best and get you a set of Towncraft stainless steel. It is everything you want in a set. Lifetime warranty, heaviest stainless cookware available on the market, dishwasher safe, and waterless and greaseless. Stainless is the healthiest cookware you can use.

this had me rolling

I felt the same

can't hide money - i picked up an enameled LC skillet at a thrift store in Dothan - could tell the person who had it didn't know WTH they were doing
after cleaning it up & using it (correctly), i was very impressed - if i were to "go big" & get away from black cast iron, LC would be on my list
but for $700, i could score a truck load of iron - once you go black, it's hard to go back (iron that is)

I have a set of All Clad (copper core) and I hate them. Burns everything. I put my stove on 2 and the crap will burn.

LC is high dollar for sure. Not sure if it relates or not, but we bought an LC kettle to go on top of the wood stove. It was pretty and pink and my wife wanted it so we got it. Didnt make it a whole year before it started rusting around the top. LC said it wasnt rated to go on a wood stove (300 degrees or so) that it was for a gas stove only! We wont be venturing into the LC store anymore. I believe that thing was about $150. Still have it. Still rusty lol.

Jason

When you grab a high quality piece of cookware you'll know it. Won't be light, loose, thin or warped. Probably won't have any rubber or silicone attached to it. Will have a thick slab of metal on the bottom

James, you cant leave it for 4 hours without stirring it

I hope you stub your toe at 2am getting up with that new baby!

Ended up going back Calphalon non stick for now. We'll revisit SS later this year and see what she thinks. FYI ended up with an "amazon deal" on the nicer calphalon 15pc set for about $450 so it was a little under budget. As long as the "simply calphalon" lasted, and these being 1.4 times the durability (per calphalon) they should do well. Got the stackable space saver ones, not sure if thats going to work out or not. Well see!

Thanks for everyones suggestions. In the end I took from this that nonstick isnt worth the investment to get high grade, save that coin for SS. Who knows one day we may hit it big and buy a set from that guy in Jackson TN who sells them for about 2g's for his small set!

Jason

2k for pots and pans. Y’all crazy

A good scope is $1000 easy. Go buy some graphs for your boat and see what that costs. Cookware is cheap in my opinion if you buy quality.. quality will last and it will pay for itself in the long run. We eat multiple times a day... good cookware makes a huge difference in the taste of our food.

I have several cast iron skillets and one LC just like the one you show... but I never use it. LC shines in dutch ovens and casserole dishes. They make a really good non stick skillet too.

i've got an enameled Lodge dutch oven that's performed really well for me for several years now - her name is Big Red (for obvious reasons)