Can you recommend pans that don't cost the earth but that are decent?

[TheMuggleStruggle]

Come some from studio and they've barely lasted a year.

I can't afford top end prices.

Any recommendations please?

I would LOVE pink ones but black will do

Copper bottomed Prestige? I've got a set that were a wedding present 27 years ago and they are still perfect.

I think this is the sort of thing where you get where you pay for. If you're replacing a £5 pan after a year then it's a completely false economy.

Scoville - quote often on offer in the supermarkets and a year on mine look brand new. My mum has hers for much longer and they are still going strong.

I think lots of prestige pans have a lifetime guarantee. I had one that started leaking after about 5 years and they replaced it, no questions asked.

M&S are also good ime. I've got the midrange ones from our wedding list 21 years ago and they're still going strong.

Yes , can’t go wrong with Prestige , my parents have one that I remember as a child and I’m late 50’s !

I've got a range of Stellar pans, all bought at varying times from TK Maxx/Homesense. They're absolutely bulletproof, and I've had some for nearly 10 years.

If you are happy enough to mix and match colours, you can get le crueset in tk maxx.

These

I only have 2 (you can buy them separately) but I've had them for 18 years, used every day (other than a frying / griddle pan, they're the only pans I own!) and they still look as good as new despite some cooking disasters along the way. Used them with gas hob and now induction hob. Cannot recommend them highly enough.

Circulon

Usually a good selection to choose from on the TK Maxx website

Not pink or black but I love my IKEA 365 and Sensuell heavy stainless steel pans. Both come with hefty guarantees (15 and 25 yrs I believe) and are so nice to use. Lovely heavy bottoms so cook really well, can be scoured if necessary and can be sling in the dishwasher with no worry. Also no toxic non-stick coating.

Ikea 365

I've got the most amazing saucepan from Asda, I just needed one big one, it was £6 and it is actually no stick!! I have spent so much on pans over the years, it's the only one that has ever actually been non stick and I've been using it for months now, so easy to clean.

Another vote for Scoville pans from Asda here. Have lasted well and are very non stick without having the surface that gets damaged with metal implements or in the dishwasher. Sent son off to university with some and they look as good as new even when not washed immediately after use.

Sainsbury's ones are decent, I have their better range

What sort of pan? I've tried every major brand of non-stick over 20 years and never found better than Tefal- that's not to say others aren't as good but so many expensive ones are crap.

Tefal use a lot of different brand names for their non-stick in order to set different price points. So the very expensive Tefal is no better than some mid priced stuff under another name. They basically have three different qualities, the highest being the hard anodised, titanium infused non-stick.

How much is your budget and what do you need?

I like Le Creuset and have some that are 40+ years old. I also have them in a rainbow of colours which suits my mismatched eclectic. However for a really big pan like a pasta saucepan they'd be too heavy so I also like IKEA stainless steel pans. They are very reasonably priced and some of mine are over 20 years old.

If you go for a coloured set of pans to match a theme or your decor they will be as much a fashion product as a cooking one so won't be built to the same high standard as a classic design...unless someone on here can point us in the direction of something trend driven and solid.

I got Dunelms non stick pans and they have been fab

Another Scoville from Asda lover here.

I like IKEA 365, and these:

www.go-dynergy.com/products/ready-steady-cook-bistro-stainless-steel-cookware-set-silver-and-black?variant=40296005834

I’ve had this set for probably 10 years, used daily, and they’re great. Stainless steel isn’t as pretty as colours but it cleans up brilliantly.
(There’s also a 5-piece set with milk pan & frying pan included but I haven’t got those)

I couldn't afford normal circulon, so I bought the circulon commercial set. Best pans I've owned. Total workhorses.

Judge Vista pans are good, better than the pro cook gourmet range, that I also have.