www.consumersearch.com/www/kitchen/cookware -> www.consumersearch.com/www/kitchen/cookware/
Experts prefer stainless-steel cookware, which preserves as much flavor as possibleespecially important for rich sauces and gravies made with pan drippings. Reviewers say this mid-priced Cuisinart line strikes an excellent balance between quality and value, with even heating, well-balanced weight, helper handles and rolled rims for spill-proof pouring. Cuisinart Everyday is oven-safe to 500-degrees, great for dishes that start on the stovetop but finish in the oven. The All-Clad's heavy aluminum core (which extends up the sides of the pan) makes it a good choice for use with gas ranges, where flames can lick against the sides of cookware. This is the single most popular stainless-steel line, top-picked by five reviewersits also very expensive. The All-Clad line shares most of the features of the Cuisinart Everyday above, but is heavier, with more substantial handles and heft. It, too, is oven safe, but dishwashing isn't recommended. This is one of the cheapest stainless steel sets we foundand Good Housekeeping says the Wearever Soft Luxury pots and pans do everything well, from eggs to spaghetti sauce. This set isn't as sturdy feeling or heavy as the Cuisinart or All-Clad above, but if you're not a gourmand, the Wearever is a great value. Experts especially like the skillet, which has a nonstick interiorgreat for folks who want just one piece of nonstick along with their stainless steel cookware. The state-of-the-art Scanpan uses ceramic titanium, which is significantly more durable than other nonstick coatings and is better at browning foods. Scanpan inks the best scores for even heating and durability in recent testing, but unless you're a real aficionado, Scanpan may be more than you need. Still, unlike most other nonstick cookware, Scanpan is safe for the oven, the dishwasher and for use with metal utensils. Reviews says it's difficult to find good, nonstick cookware at a reasonable price, but Farberware Millennium Satin Enamel Nonstick gets the nod from Good Housekeeping. You get a lot of pieces for the money with this set, but they are hand-wash only, and you can't use metal utensils on Farberware's nonstick surface. Still, with three saucepan sizes, two skillets, a stockpot and a 12-inch saut pan, you won't need much more. Beloved by gourmet cooks, this beautifully designed, enamel-coated line is also fairly expensive, very heavy and prone to chipping. Still, experts say a piece or twoperhaps a casserole dishwould make a nice addition to the stainless steel or nonstick models described above. Good Housekeeping tests an even more impressive 62 lines, but is not as forthcoming with data and doesn't tell us much about the lines that didn't make the cut. Cooks Illustrated is another good review source, although this magazine's articles usually focus on specific types of pans. To date, fry pans, saucepans and saut pans have been covered in depth, so by adding up results, we were able to make some good assumptions about which brands score better most often. Other Web sites, like Consumer Guide, merely offer lists of products couched as recommendations. Accordingly, these types of article rank low on our credibility scale. You've probably seen a well-know celebrity chef hawking his own line of cookware on television; All-Clad is making this line for Lagasse, which is marketed as Emerilware. Reviewers say it's similar to All-Clad's hard anodized cookware, with a few small design flourishes, like pouring spouts on the saucepans. Industry insiders say that All-Clad is experimenting with how to sell less-expensive versions of its top-of-the-line cookware, and Emeril is the current guinea pig. Consumers posting to opinions sites have good things to say, but then again, it's pretty clear that these folks are huge Emeril fans. We look forward to seeing some more critical evaluations from Consumer Reports or Good Housekeeping in the future. Speaking of stuff sold on TV, you might have also caught an early-Sunday-morning infomercial for the Turbo Cooker (*est. This wonder-cooker is purported to cook whole meals in 15-minutes. Experts say it looks impressive on television, and in fact, testers were able to duplicate results in a home kitchen. However, reviewers also say you don't really need a special pan to cook chicken and rice in the same pot. You can do the same thing if you have a big pan or skillet with a tight fitting lid and a steamer basket or baking rack. Says Kiplinger Personal Finance's Jeffrey Kosnett, "But is the Turbo Cooker a revolutionary 'system' that supersedes the rest of your kitchen? Other trademarks or service marks on this site are the property of their respective owners. ConsumerSearch is not sponsored by any source reviewed, and we accept no consideration or payment for including, excluding, or ranking any reviews, products or services in our reports.
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