[Food] Calling NSC masterchefs

[Mr H]

I've had the same Le Creuset for 50 years.
It's only had 5 new handles, 4 new lids and 3 new bases.

 

[Frutos]

I've had the same Le Creuset for 50 years.
It's only had 5 new handles, 4 new lids and 3 new bases.

https://youtu.be/LAh8HryVaeY

 

[Martlet]

If you've got an induction hob (?) Circulon worth having a look at - decent quality and there should be some good Black Friday deals out there

 

[Goldstone1976]

Recently bought a new house and have just finished doing the kitchen out. It happens to be quite a bit bigger than our old kitchen, and now the lady wife has decided that she wants to fill it with brand new kitchenware; all your pots and pans, knives, and so on and so forth.

She's also decided that she doesn't want any old guff, but going down the 'branded' route seems to get very expensive, very quickly. And I don't much fancy shelling out £300 for a set of pots and pans when the fanciest thing I'm likely to be cooking up is some beans on toast with a little bit of cheddar cheese sprinkled in.

Where would one find good quality kitchenware at a reasonable price?

Your thoughts appreciated as always...

www.caterkwik.co.uk for pro-equipment - go for the bottom end of their ranges; much better than even good domestic stuff, though it does look like catering equipment. She/you need to decide the balance between looks and functionality. Got a brilliant Italian pizza oven amongst many other things from here.
www.sousvidetools.com for err, what it says on the tin.
Magimix for processing.
Then for general stuff - another upvote for Procook.
www.nisbets.co.uk is worth a look too.

 

[Springal]

For Pots I'd say look at something Anodised. Don't need to be expensive, I got some from John Lewis which were not to be and last very well. Don't go for Non-stick.
For baking trays etc etc look at Circulon - they last and wash up very well. Also good frying pans / woks.
Then look at Le Creuset for some cast iron bits and if you look after them they will last forever. I have a few different pans / pots I've built up over time, some casserole type dishes (deep & shallow) as well as a griddle pan for steak etc.

 

[Guinness Boy]

This, I have a large fry pan my mum gave me when I left home, had a few handles, but is 45 years old and in perfect nick. .

Just a pan away from Trigger's Broom.

Another vote for Le Creuset here. I have a saucepan and large casserole by them. Lasted absolutely flipping ages and will likely pass on to my youngest.

While we are here does anyone have a self sharpening knife block? I was bought one for a present a few days ago. I asked for kitchen knives but not self sharpeners. I can't possibly see how it works and googling it hasn't exactly confirmed that I have been blessed with a wonderful invention (in fact chefs seem positively dismissive of them)? Should I surreptitiously sharpen them the old fashioned way as well or will this be counter productive? Am I looking at a new set in a few months?

EDIT - apologies to those who beat me to the Trigger reference while I was typing this slowly.

 

[Goldstone1976]

Opportunity for a brag as Mrs Rat was on Masterchef 2 years ago (brag ends there unfortunately)

Anyway she says https://www.procook.co.uk/

She made it as far as the televised stage? Pretty bloody impressive.

 

[LlcoolJ]

You can't beat Le Creuset, it will last your lifetime and possibly your kids' too ... but it's not cheap.

There are some alternatives Von Shef have some (I've got some Von S stuff and it's decent) and there's a German brand called Berndes which is meant to be good value (not used this)

I'm still really fond of my Le Creuset stuff that I bought when I was flush but there are some cheaper items out there

The Mrs got a load of their stuff one year when some supermarket was doing deal on them. So with vouchers etc they were about 1/3 of the normal price. Vague as hell I know but they really are good quality and we've had them ages.

A good choice if you don't want to shell out the eye watering Le Creuset prices (they will last forever though, my Mum has some pans she still uses from when I was a kid, so 40 years ago).

 

[zefarelly]

Just a pan away from Trigger's Broom.

Another vote for Le Creuset here. I have a saucepan and large casserole by them. Lasted absolutely flipping ages and will likely pass on to my youngest.

While we are here does anyone have a self sharpening knife block? I was bought one for a present a few days ago. I asked for kitchen knives but not self sharpeners. I can't possibly see how it works and googling it hasn't exactly confirmed that I have been blessed with a wonderful invention (in fact chefs seem positively dismissive of them)? Should I surreptitiously sharpen them the old fashioned way as well or will this be counter productive? Am I looking at a new set in a few months?

EDIT - apologies to those who beat me to the Trigger reference while I was typing this slowly.

when we moved into our house there was a pair of cats bums for tea towels, a can opener, bottle opener and knife sharpener on the walll in the pantry . . . . I tried the knife sharpener with my Grans old carving knife and it wrecked it . . . . . I still use the old round bar file type

 

[zefarelly]

www.caterkwik.co.uk for pro-equipment - go for the bottom end of their ranges; much better than even good domestic stuff, though it does look like catering equipment.

Salamander Grills

I had to double check there.

I usually fry them

 

[Poojah]

what type of hob have you got?

Gas.

 

[Live by the sea]

Agree pro cook has some decent stuff . John Lewis also has a good quality range .

Avoid IKEA , it’s very poor quality as is Tesco ‘s . Can’t comment on the other supermarkets .

 

[Westdene Seagull]

Calling [MENTION=34109]Yes Chef[/MENTION]

 

[jakarta]

Just a pan away from Trigger's Broom.

Another vote for Le Creuset here. I have a saucepan and large casserole by them. Lasted absolutely flipping ages and will likely pass on to my youngest.

While we are here does anyone have a self sharpening knife block? I was bought one for a present a few days ago. I asked for kitchen knives but not self sharpeners. I can't possibly see how it works and googling it hasn't exactly confirmed that I have been blessed with a wonderful invention (in fact chefs seem positively dismissive of them)? Should I surreptitiously sharpen them the old fashioned way as well or will this be counter productive? Am I looking at a new set in a few months?

EDIT - apologies to those who beat me to the Trigger reference while I was typing this slowly.

Have one of these, keeps me amused for 20 minutes or so each month as I go through our knife collection. Always a ridiculous sense of satisfaction about using a newly honed kitchen knife to slice something up!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Robert-Welch-Signature-Handheld-Sharpener/dp/B003E5V22S

 

[The Clamp]

TK Maxx

Quality pans like Le Creuset pans and things like Sabateur (spel?) knives all at good prices.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Gas.

still think it's the best for cooking

I had a bit of a problem with my nice LeCreuset stoneware on gas in that the wooden handles got a bit charred (particularly the milk pan). Similarly with my nice metal handled Brabantia pans, the handles could get a bit hot when cooking with gas.

something to consider.

Zefarelly's break down in post #17 looks good to me

 

[Rugrat]

She made it as far as the televised stage? Pretty bloody impressive.

Yes ... I could grizzle about what happened but it's done. Defo in those early rounds they're looking for entertainment as much, if not more, than skills. Absolutely not the case in later rounds though. She enjoyed it though and no regrets

 

[Pevenseagull]

TK Maxx

Quality pans like Le Creuset pans and things like Sabateur (spel?) knives all at good prices.

good shout. I got a set of Brabantia pans for under £100 and a roll of Victorinox knives for £150 from there about 15 years ago. All still going strong apart from the frying pan which packed up spectacularly last month. The death of the frying pan was quite exciting as the triple layer separated with a helluva bang. I must have used it about 5,000 times though (including making tart tatins in a pub kitchen with a furnace of an oven for a few years).

 

[Notters]

As mentioned on another recent thread about pans, we have this set, which is excellent, non stick and can also go in the oven.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Circulon-P...ywords=circulon+pan+set&qid=1606410369&sr=8-5

 

[The Large One]

www.caterkwik.co.uk for pro-equipment - go for the bottom end of their ranges; much better than even good domestic stuff, though it does look like catering equipment. She/you need to decide the balance between looks and functionality. Got a brilliant Italian pizza oven amongst many other things from here.
www.sousvidetools.com for err, what it says on the tin.
Magimix for processing.
Then for general stuff - another upvote for Procook.
www.nisbets.co.uk is worth a look too.

Nisbets is definitely worth a look around.