Adding a stainless pan? And other stuff...

[milkbaby]

Since I upgrade to a 6 qt saute pan, I have basically stopped using my 12" stainless steel skillet. I only use it now if the saute pan is already dirty or if I need to do one handed pan flipping for some reason. I love the extra real estate of the 6 quart pan and it is the ideal pan for wilting vegetables.

I agree a big saute pan works for me better more often than my 10" or 12" skillet/fry pans. I'm usually just cooking for 1 or 2 but always extra leftovers so bigger works better most of the time for me.

In stainless tri-ply, I have one All Clad fry pan and a few Calphalon and Cuisinart pots and pans. The All Clad seems to have more even heating or less hot spots than the other two brands. IMHO it's worth it, and if I had to do over again, I would just get the All Clad. It's not super premium pricing so you get decent bang for your buck especially if you find on sale. If you think about it, a good pan will probably last even longer than a good knife. You can cheap out, but I think it's better to at least get something moderately nice like All Clad.

[Nmiller21k]

Since I upgrade to a 6 qt saute pan, I have basically stopped using my 12" stainless steel skillet. I only use it now if the saute pan is already dirty or if I need to do one handed pan flipping for some reason. I love the extra real estate of the 6 quart pan and it is the ideal pan for wilting vegetables.

I agree a big saute pan works for me better more often than my 10" or 12" skillet/fry pans. I'm usually just cooking for 1 or 2 but always extra leftovers so bigger works better most of the time for me.

In stainless tri-ply, I have one All Clad fry pan and a few Calphalon and Cuisinart pots and pans. The All Clad seems to have more even heating or less hot spots than the other two brands. IMHO it's worth it, and if I had to do over again, I would just get the All Clad. It's not super premium pricing so you get decent bang for your buck especially if you find on sale. If you think about it, a good pan will probably last even longer than a good knife. You can cheap out, but I think it's better to at least get something moderately nice like All Clad.

All clad also has lifetime warranties....

[indiglofish61]

Carbon steel is the way to go, IMO, i have a set of 4 Debuyers , once i learned how to season em they are the best pans i ever owned, after a few trials and do overs i read up on how to season them , now its a joy to cook with em. Have a good one.

[Kit Craft]

I think I have to make $100(ish) my cut off. Thanks everyone. I will take everything into consideration and look for sales etc. I see some lines are 300(ish) and I just can't bring myself to do it at this point.

Eh...if I squeeze that budget just a bit it seems I can stick with all clad and go with Tri-ply.

[Nmiller21k]

You can wait for all clad factory seconds sales
I save and wait
Got a 12qt TK line for 200 (390) normally

[Kit Craft]

You can wait for all clad factory seconds sales
I save and wait
Got a 12qt TK line for 200 (390) normally

There is a post where they are having some sort of sale now too. I can wait, I am patient with this sort of thing. I know for a fact there will be mega sales at the outlets here. There are every year at back to school time. I was there last year and they had some Le Creuset 65% off! Only orange last year. They do color sales. There is an All Clad outlet as well with good sales too.

Point is, I can wait if everyone thinks I should stick in that direction. Probably still going to go with the cheaper tri ply though. Took me a whole year to save up for my KS...lol. I know it seems like a buy a lot of stuff but it is strategically saved!

[milkbaby]

Just sell off a few natural stones.

[Kit Craft]

Just sell off a few natural stones.

Wouldn't do a whole lot of good. Remember, I am cheap. Most of those are in the 75-125$ range new and that includes shipping. I buy small off sized cuts/breaks. I am this way with everything. Cars, houses etc. I won't buy the top end, just my personality. My wife actually had to convince me to pull the trigger on my KS and the HD2 was a gift from her, I would have never spent that much... Likewise, my average knives are in the $100 range too. I like budget friendly stuff.

I guess that partially comes from my grandfather. I grew up buying stuff, usable stuff, from secondhand shops, flea markets and yard/garage sales. Now it is part of me...

[Nmiller21k]

I buy top end kitchenware and knives
Along with food

Everything else I try to buy on budget
But I'm so particular with food and tools that I get too picky sometimes

[Kit Craft]

I buy top end kitchenware and knives
Along with food

Everything else I try to buy on budget
But I'm so particular with food and tools that I get too picky sometimes

Yeah, me not so much. In fact I let some really weird things dictate what I buy.

[Bob Z]

You could always put a post in the classifies: WTB allclad 12" tri ply or better. you never know.

[Kit Craft]

You could always put a post in the classifies: WTB allclad 12" tri ply or better. you never know.

Funny, I ran into one in the classifieds on another kitchen forum. Not the size I want though. Going out this weekend to check a few places. We have the secondhand "antique' shop here that is all kitchenware. I want to check that out first. Also going to the 'city' this weekend and there is a TJ Maxx and Kohls so I want to see what is sitting around. Plus there is a SLT about 45 minutes from here that I did not know about for years and I want to check that out.

But yeah, that too is a great idea!

[Nmiller21k]

I can usually find an all-clad or two at the Homegoods and TJ Max here
Usually right around 100

[Kit Craft]

I can usually find an all-clad or two at the Homegoods and TJ Max here
Usually right around 100

Yeah...I just got back from TJ Max, they had nothing. They did last time but this time they had almost no kitchenware at all. I guess they are shifting stock around or something. Or closing down, that would not surprise me. Nothing holds on around here.

We do have a few kitchen places that I stopped at but they too had nothing. Lots of enamel cast iron but no stainless of any kind. Weird...

[Nmiller21k]

TJ / Homegoods / Marshalls are all the same
They buy stuff that is 2-3 years off mainstream they have no set inventory
One week they'll be loaded next
Empty

[salemj]

^^^Yeah, place, cities, location, all have a lot to do with it. I've visited these stores while traveling a lot and they are all very different depending on location. If there is more than one in the area, each store often "specializes" in certain types of products and BRANDS of products. Bigger cities always have better stock, but it goes faster. Suburbs often have poor stock with one out of three stores being the "it" destination for a certain type of product (I remember outside of Seattle, for example: one store always got the all-clad and le creseut, whereas the other always had tons of cheap non-stick and nothing else). In NYC, there were two across the street from one another and the differences in stock were always kinda interesting; then there were other 50 blocks south that - again - seemed to have different amounts of inventory with different degrees of turnover. But always tons of all-clad there, especially the nicer lines (d5, d7, copper-core).

My guess is that you're just not in a very populated area, so the selection and turnover won't be as good on that front. I have definitely noticed that, the smaller the city, the lower tier the merchandise, with all-clad often being a key signifier.

[Kit Craft]

Thanks guys. That is the story of my life here in the boonies! Population of 600 is pretty small out here in the township. The closest town is around 6k and the closest city 60k. But I can cross over into Ohio into a medium sized city, few hundred K.

[keithmarder]

Thanks guys. That is the story of my life here in the boonies! Population of 600 is pretty small out here in the township. The closest town is around 6k and the closest city 60k. But I can cross over into Ohio into a medium sized city, few hundred K.

Wow, the building I live in has twice as many people as your town. We are our own voting district.

[Kit Craft]

Thanks guys. That is the story of my life here in the boonies! Population of 600 is pretty small out here in the township. The closest town is around 6k and the closest city 60k. But I can cross over into Ohio into a medium sized city, few hundred K.

Wow, the building I live in has twice as many people as your town. We are our own voting district.

Hah, been there. We stayed in Madrid for quite some time, loads of people.

[Bob Z]

Going back to the 5-6qt saute pan idea, I agree that mine gets alot more use than my All-clad does. Its Tramontina 5.2 qt non stick and came with a glass lid from Costco last year for around 30 bucks. Glass lids suck and i use an old stainless one but for the price (but you may not belong to costco) you will use this more than the all-clad. And getting one will give you time watch for that all clad sale.
I found an 11inch similar model online at target for $59. Just a thought to give you some time.