Pan Set - Which one to buy?

missmyler · 01-01-2014 5:21pm #1

Hi,

I am looking to purchase a decent pan set ( containing 1 or 2 frying pans and 3 or 4 saucepans) and am a bit lost on which ones to get? My budget is up to €150 for the lot.

My previous set were bought 5 years ago and are by Jamie Oliver. They already look like they are 20 years old and are scraped to death.

Does anyone have any ideas of a what makes a good set? Most of the ones I have been looking at are stainless steel. A couple are copper based. Is this what I should be looking out for?

I will probably purchase from Argos or Littlewoods for convenience sake and due to the sales being on but open to other suggestions.

The Hill Billy · 01-01-2014 5:25pm

There was a thread on this before with good recommendations. Have a look with the forum search function.

FWIW - I have a set of stainless steel Judge pans for the past 12 years that are used heavily & are still in brilliant shape.

missmyler · 01-01-2014 6:04pm

Thanks, I just had a quick search for Judge Pans and they are alongs the lines of what I was thinking of. Seem to be reduced massively too

I am really hoping to get one of the sets that are currently available in the shops or in the January Sales. The only thread (unless there is another one) I could see was back in April recommending to buy pots separately from the likes of IKEA, TKMaxx or Amazon which I havent really got time to do.

Does anyone know if there is any significant difference with the brands like Prestige, Ethoscook, Circulon or Le Creuset for Stainless Steel pans? Or should I be staying away from Stainless steel and just going for Copper?

Or lastly what about these Stellar ones? Reduced from €419.95 to 154.95 in Arnotts!

MissFlitworth · 01-01-2014 6:55pm

I love the Ikea 365 range, that's what nearly all my pots are. They're heavy, good thick bases and metal lids (which is important for me because I want to be able to put the whole shebang in the oven and also because I drop lids a lot) and to my mind really good value

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/30101168/

I personally have 3 of these pots 2 10l ones for pasta, stews, casseroles etc (and a steamer basket for steaming in them). 1 of the smaller 3l versions for sauces, small portions of rice and the like, a saute pan for risotto/other rice dishes like jambalaya and these tefal frying pans. Only thing I find myself needing to go with is a wok and I'll pick that up in an Asian market soon.

Oh - and at dinner today my partner's mum randomly showed me her 10 year old Stellar pan set that she picked up from Arnotts and loves. Have never used them myself and didn't get a chance to do my pot-test (ie knocking on the base to see if it's thick) but she's very happy with them

missmyler · 01-01-2014 11:24pm

MissFlitworth wrote: »

I love the Ikea 365 range, that's what nearly all my pots are. They're heavy, good thick bases and metal lids (which is important for me because I want to be able to put the whole shebang in the oven and also because I drop lids a lot) and to my mind really good value

I didn't realise IKEA did good pots. I thought it was all the cheap stuff. €65 seems very reasonable for a decent set. However Im now intrigued by their €150 set lol, wonder if it is worth the money?

C.K Dexter Haven · 02-01-2014 11:57am

missmyler wrote: »

I didn't realise IKEA did good pots. I thought it was all the cheap stuff. €65 seems very reasonable for a decent set. However Im now intrigued by their €150 set lol, wonder if it is worth the money?

Stellar missmyler- I have the stainless steel ones (not the non stick ones)- they've been brilliant- they're well over 10 years old now and absolutely no bother on them-I know many other people who have them too and they're delighted with them- they're usually on offer in either Arnotts or homestore and more

Can't comment on the non-stick ones on your link- Stellar are very good but I just don't care for non-stick pans -

missmyler · 03-01-2014 7:38pm

I went with the Stellar ones, I couldn't resist the discount. They are being delivered next week. I didn't realise you could also buy non non-stick ones though so hope I have made the right choice.

Minder · 04-01-2014 11:05am

Stellar are excellent. I have the stainless steel ones, the oldest of which is twenty five years old and still going strong.

Curry Addict · 04-01-2014 7:24pm

I also have a set of stellar pods many years and they are excellent.

fred funk }{ · 04-01-2014 7:52pm

missmyler wrote: »

I went with the Stellar ones, I couldn't resist the discount. They are being delivered next week. I didn't realise you could also buy non non-stick ones though so hope I have made the right choice.

Hi, which ones did you go for and where did you order from. I'm strongly thinking of investing in a good set of potd/pans.

HobbyMan · 04-01-2014 9:15pm

My suggestion is to buy good pans and look after them.

<link snip>

Let us know which set you go for and why.

C.K Dexter Haven · 05-01-2014 2:58am

missmyler wrote: »

I went with the Stellar ones, I couldn't resist the discount. They are being delivered next week. I didn't realise you could also buy non non-stick ones though so hope I have made the right choice.

You've got a good quality brand so well done on your purchase- there will be some dos/don'ts considering they're non-stick but if you follow the guidelines you should have no bother.
Congrats and do update us all in due course- I'm sure they'll be great:)

Spanish Eyes · 11-01-2014 10:05pm

Have Circulon non stick, great so far. Pots and a pan.

they were half price in Arnotts sale two years ago, so I grabbed!

Been through the mill, are oven safe. Good. I wipe the frying pan with olive oil after washing every time though. Don't know if it's necessary, but it keeps everything grand.

missmyler · 12-01-2014 11:14am

So my new Stellar pots and pan arrived the other day and I have to say I am delighted with them.

Pros: They look lovely. Immediately the difference in weight is quite noticeable. They are very heavy compared to my last Jamie Oliver set but this is what I was looking for. The frying pan is excellent and I only have to use a fraction of the oil I had been. The pan is slightly deeper than usual so good for sauces etc and it doesn't burn food as quickly ( I am using an electric hob)
Cons: The set only came with one frying pan. I need two and would have preferred if they also came with lids. They also appear to take a lot longer to heat up than my last set but again this is probably down to the weight of them? Or a watched pot never boils

C.K Dexter Haven wrote: »

Can't comment on the non-stick ones on your link- Stellar are very good but I just don't care for non-stick pans -

Stupid question here. How can I tell if my pots are non stick? I thought in order to be non stick they would have to have the black enamel on the inside which they don't? The frying pan in the set does have the enamel and clearly states on the box it is non-stick.

Back to my original thoughts, over all (so far) I really happy with them and would recommend them. Not sure if I would pay the original price of €420 though :eek:

Dizzyblonde · 12-01-2014 2:17pm

That's a lovely set, and a great bargain. It looks as though the pots aren't non-stick because they're not coated. I prefer them that way, you can use metal utensils.

C.K Dexter Haven · 13-01-2014 11:26pm

missmyler wrote: »

So my new [URL="http://www.arnotts.ie/Product/

Stupid question here. How can I tell if my pots are non stick? I thought in order to be non stick they would have to have the black enamel on the inside which they don't? The frying pan in the set does have the enamel and clearly states on the box it is non-stick.

Back to my original thoughts, over all (so far) I really happy with them and would recommend them. Not sure if I would pay the original price of €420 though :eek:

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

That's a lovely set, and a great bargain. It looks as though the pots aren't non-stick because they're not coated. I prefer them that way, you can use metal utensils.

As Dizzyblonde says, I don't think they are- when you zoom in on the picture, the black coating is only on the frying pan so it'd only that that is non-stick.

The thing I like about Stellar is that 20mins after turning off the hob, the contents of the pot are still piping hot.

DavyD_83 · 16-01-2014 1:36pm

Yep, sounds like they're not non-stick. Gotta agree with what a few people have already said, my preference would be to avoid non-stick.
With plain stainless steel, there's nothing to fade or change over time, as long as you don't use them to hammer in nails or burn the arse out of them, (would literally take hours!), they'll last forever.
Non-stick coatings scratch and wear out over time; our pan is non-stick and doing well, but it is the one I would expect to have to replace eventually.
We got a very similar looking set in Arnott's iin Jan sales last year; some of best money we have spent. Stellar 7000 set according to the underside.
Happy Cooking!

BenEadir · 09-02-2014 7:55pm

Hi all,

The pots we've used for the last 15 years are on their last legs and we need some new ones. Any suggestions on what to buy and where to get a good deal? I'm not looking for cheap $h1t but I don't want to spend a fortune either. A good deal on a set of good quality pots is the order of the day.

I'm based in South Dublin but happy to make a trip to a specialist store if necessary or order online. I've a family of three adults and two kids aged 10 and 14. I also have access to Musgraves Marketplace who seem to do a lot of catering supplies including pots etc.

The pots we currently have are an aluminium type with black handles and see through lids which I quite like as you can easily see whats going on in the pot.

Would really appreciate some recommendations from this forum otherwise I'll end up paying over the odds for some useless old crap!!

Ben

Loire · 09-02-2014 9:40pm

Hi,

Would highly recommend hard anodized pots. I bought mine in Aldi and they're fantastic - nothing sticks to them, they're hard wearing and very easy to clean.

Loire.

BenEadir · 09-02-2014 9:49pm

Loire wrote: »

Hi,

Would highly recommend hard anodized pots. I bought mine in Aldi and they're fantastic - nothing sticks to them, they're hard wearing and very easy to clean.

Loire.

Thanks Loire, are they still available in Aldi?

Ben

BenEadir · 09-02-2014 9:56pm

Are these the same type you recommend Loire and if so does this look like a good deal? http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B0018S13MM/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1391979026&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX110_SY165

Ben

baby builder · 09-02-2014 10:07pm

I've owned a le creuset set of saucepans, circulon pots, stellar ones and a variety of others - (I love to cook, like pretty things - and also have an obsession with the Brown Thomas kitchen department!!)

To be honest, the best set of pans I've owned are my current ones and they are from ikea. They're the 365 range, easy to clean, good distribution of heat and not flimsy. They can go straight to the oven from the hob and work on induction hobs as well as gas and electric - important if you ever feel like upgrading your kitchen!! They're not hugely pricey and worth twice what I paid for them in my opinion.

One thing to watch out for as well is the non-stick coating on some pots which inevitably gets scratched and starts coming off, rendering the pot useless.

The Hill Billy · 10-02-2014 9:37am

Threads merged.

tHB

Loire · 10-02-2014 10:59am

@Ben,

Not sure if/when Aldi will have them back in. The Circulon one's look good though - I've seen them in BTs, Debenhams, Arnotts. tbh the Aldi ones I have look remarkably similar. In either case, hard anodised is the way to go IMO

pwurple · 10-02-2014 12:19pm

Circulon are the best pans I've ever had. Gone through a fair few sets in my time, but have had these 5 or 6 years now and they are still as good as new.

BenEadir · 10-02-2014 12:35pm

Hi all,

Thanks for the feedback and suggestions.

I don't want non-stick and I do want see through lids so I went ahead and purchased a set of these http://www.arnotts.ie/Product/stellar-s7c1d-draining-lid-saucepan-set-of-5/312608/400200100?fhparams=fh_location%253d%252f%252fcatalog01%252fen_IE%252fcategories%253c%257bcatalog01_c400%257d%252fcategories%253c%257bcatalog01_c400_c400200%257d%252fcategories%253c%257bcatalog01_c400_c400200_c400200100%257d%252fuda_product_type%253e%257bsaucepan20set%257d%2526fh_refpath%253dfacet_62%2526fh_refview%253dlister%2526fh_start_index%253d0%2526fh_view_size%253d999%2526fh_eds%253d%2525C3%25259F%2526fh_reffacet%253duda_product_type%2526fh_sort_by%253d-price_rounded%252b Stellar draining lid pots plus frying pan. I don't believe they are "normally" €420 for one minute as they are available on Amazon.co.uk for £130 but for €155 delivered they look like good value and a quality product. Looking forward to the Arnotts delivery van arriving in a few days.

Cheers,

Ben

missmyler · 10-02-2014 12:47pm

BenThere wrote: »

I don't want non-stick and I do want see through lids so I went ahead and purchased a set of these http://www.arnotts.ie/Product/stellar-s7c1d-draining-lid-saucepan-set-of-5/312608/400200100?fhparams=fh_location%253d%252f%252fcatalog01%252fen_IE%252fcategories%253c%257bcatalog01_c400%257d%252fcategories%253c%257bcatalog01_c400_c400200%257d%252fcategories%253c%257bcatalog01_c400_c400200_c400200100%257d%252fuda_product_type%253e%257bsaucepan20set%257d%2526fh_refpath%253dfacet_62%2526fh_refview%253dlister%2526fh_start_index%253d0%2526fh_view_size%253d999%2526fh_eds%253d%2525C3%25259F%2526fh_reffacet%253duda_product_type%2526fh_sort_by%253d-price_rounded%252b

Same ones I purchased on my original thread so! They are really good quality, nice and heavy and far better than any of my previous sets. Apart from making scrambled eggs in them (they stick badly to the pot) I love them.

Although saying that I have managed to burn 2 of the pots already :eek:...I'm an even worse cook than I thought!

Dermighty · 10-02-2014 5:23pm

For non-stick Circulon make excellent stuff. I'd stay away from chef branded/endorsed pots & pans, they're (usually) a load of crap. There's a fairly comprehensive set on Amazon.co.uk for £109, LINK. I don't like Circulon utensils.

Tefal pans are good as long as you take care of them. Knives, forks and metal utensils will quickly end their usefulness.

Meyer are also good. Amazon.co.uk have them for £85.78 reduced from £133.95. LINK.

Regards them being scraped to death, I'd suggest silicon spatulas, we started using them about 4 years ago and they are brilliant. LINK.

C.K Dexter Haven · 10-02-2014 8:41pm

missmyler wrote: »

Although saying that I have managed to burn 2 of the pots already :eek:...I'm an even worse cook than I thought!

Ive don't that myself with the Stellars on occasion but they come up shiny with a bit of soaking and some elbow grease

Carawaystick · 12-02-2014 12:48am

missmyler wrote: »

Cons: The set only came with one frying pan. I need two and would have preferred if they also came with lids. They also appear to take a lot longer to heat up than my last set but again this is probably down to the weight of them? Or a watched pot never boils

Stainless Steel is a poor conductor of heat, so it takes a while longer for the heat to get through the base, compared to pots with a copper or aluminium (or even iron or carbon steel) base

Stainless also doesn't like salt. It can corrode and damage the surface of the
stainless.
Add salt to cooking water just before or at the same time as adding food: for pasta I add the salt just before the pasta so the salt has 2 seconds to dissolve in boiling water before the pasta starts cooking.
I wouldn't soak salted meat in cold water in a stainless pot

RacoonQueen · 12-02-2014 5:18pm

I'm chasing cast iron pans. Anyone any experience of Aldi ones?
https://www.aldi.ie/en/specialbuys/sunday-16th-february/products-detail-page/ps/p/cast-iron-fry-and-griddle-pan/

Pan Set - Which one to buy?

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