Steel or andonized cookware?

[Jadefeather7]

I have an Andonized aluminium frying pan which is great. I’m about to buy some pots and a pressure cooker but not sure whether andonized Aluminum is safe or whether I should get steel (which can be a pain to clean!)

I had a high end anodized set several years ago but ended up tossing it-I have a stainless steel set I've cooked with for years but also have a separate non stick pan for making eggs,etcetera.

@EKGEMS why did you end up tossing it and how do you find the steel now?

I read this as " cock ware " 🤣🙉

The set was labeled dishwasher safe but it just seemed to perform less than ideal after being in the washer despite using brand name soap as instructed. It got nicked and scratched very easily in washer and on stove or in storage. I love the steel as it heats quickly and is durable and cleans well in dishwasher. Eggs stick like crazy on it hence the nonstick pan

Same as @EKGEMS. Tossed them out and bought stainless, non stick frying pans for eggs and stir fries.

I use mostly non-stick (mostly Circulon, some Tefal). They don't last as long as stainless - how could they! - but the effort and pain they save in their 5-10 year life is invaluable to me.

I love being able to dry fry everything, including my 'fried' eggs. Can't do that on stainless without needing a full on wire brush drill attachment to clean it.

I love non-stick and have bought ‘friendly’ cookware for years. Trouble is, dishwasher friendly does not mean dishwasher proof.
So I end up buying new pots and pans every couple of years.
Stainless steel and ceramic are shite.
I understand that the US love cast iron.
I think that might be the way forward .

Horses for courses!

I use non-stick for frying pans, Tefal last well.

I’ve stainless steel Prestige pans for general cooking. DH favours them, they have a copper base to spread the heat.

However I love my cast iron Le Creuset pots and casseroles, they’re hideously expensive but worth every penny. They conduct the heat beautifully. Over 30 years I’ve worn out 3 pans and a casserole, but that’s because I used them constantly. They are perfect for sauces and ragus. £200 30 years ago equates to c£7 a year.

I also have a dead cheap 22litre anodised aluminium stock pot.

I never put pots and pans through the dishwasher.

Cast iron all the way. I get my le creuset on sale or on ebay. They will live longer than I will.

I only use cast iron. My favorite pan is nearly 100 years old and smooth as glass on the inside. I can fry eggs with no oil and they slide right out.

I had an induction hob 10 years ago and needed new saucepans. I bought John Lewis stainless steel for induction hobs and they are perfect 10 years on. Perfect. I have a Jamie Oliver non stick middle sized pan, a non stick omelette pan, a Le Crueset non stick large frying pan with lid, smaller JL one and JL non stick milk pan. Also a Le Crueset hob to oven stainless steel casserole. All of which I’ve had for years! I really would pay for decent pans and then they last.

The non stick don’t go in the dishwasher. Ever. The others do and are perfect every time. I cannot see why I would need any new pans in the next 10 years.

I have steel pans, they're not a problem to clean. They can go in the dishwasher, or be scrubbed with a green scritcher and be good as new. Aluminium is no good to me as I've got an induction hob. I've got nonstick frying and omelette pans, which were great for a while but they always seem to get to a stage where something has stuck and then you can't scrub it off.

The trick with eggs is to use fat and not to let it get hot before adding them. For other ingrediants I find adding a little water helps stop the pan from deglazing.

Everyone who uses non stick stuff are you worried about toxicity? Have you looked into it?

@Jadefeather7

Everyone who uses non stick stuff are you worried about toxicity? Have you looked into it?

DH and I are both PhD chemists and take these things seriously. Under the conditions it's meant to be used it's not toxic. But you absolutely mustn't overheat it.

This is a sensible piece about it.
www.healthline.com/nutrition/nonstick-cookware-safety#section4

As a non-PhD chemist, I'm not worried about it either. You'd have to put it into a situation where you definitely wouldn't eat the results due to horrible scorching - some way over 300C - to have any chance of making anything nasty from the non-stick.

Stainless steel's my first choice. No coating to flake off means it'll last for decades. Cleaning is no trouble unless I've had a serious culinary disaster, and even then it just takes a brillo and a lot of elbow grease.

A non-stick frying pan is good to have for recipes that want it.

The Le Crueset non stick frying pans really last well. Just clean with hot water and fairy and they are as good as new.

I use prestige stainless Steel pans that I inherited 20+ years ago. The handles have gone a bit odd (I presume they were made before dishwashers were a thing, yes they are that old) but they are dishwashered every day and still going strong.

I buy tefal non-stick frying pans for the odd egg and bacon treat, cheap and don't mind replacing every few years.