apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

I dunno if it's just me....but I would love a set that was designed with a stacking strategy in mind (perhaps detachable handles?) and some lids that are interchangeable. On that last one, I'd love to have one clear lid and one opaque lid of the same size that fit on a couple of different pots/pans.

Oh that is good, Michelle - I can never decide which I want - clear glass or opaque (and ovensafe).

I prefer slightly round or curved handles that are good for gripping, and larger pots that taper perfectly for smaller elements.

Oh oh.. Biggest gripe about pots and pans -- bolts/grooves/etc on the inside of a pot or pan that catches food easily and is a pain to clean.

I agree heartily with the bolts/grooves on the inside of the pan!! I Love my stainless calphalon set, but I HATE those handle bolts!! There is always crud stuck in there... =/

one big gripe of my all-clad is the steamer insert.. because the holes are at the bottom and no along the sides, I feel the food nearer the bottom steams faster and unevenly. I find myself going back to my old insert (see link)

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images.surlatable.com/surlatable/images/en_US/local/products/detail/481366.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.surlatable.com/gs/william-bounds-steamer-insert-vegetable-specialty-tools-kitchen-and-bar-tools-1.shtml&h=300&w=300&sz=30&hl=en&start=1&um=1&tbnid=WBDZ3wHQwxVCCM:&tbnh=116&tbnw=116&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsteamer%2Binsert%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

as opposed to using my new one (see link)

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.chefscatalog.com/img/products/285x285/10661_285.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.chefscatalog.com/product/10661-all-clad-stainless-steamer.aspx&h=285&w=285&sz=9&hl=en&start=8&um=1&tbnid=WSS6-Ae8Un23HM:&tbnh=115&tbnw=115&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsteamer%2Binsert%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

as close to universal lid size as possible. (one large, one small?). if this is not possible, then color code the lids. i hate searching for the right lid!
glass lids, so you can see the food.
removable handles are brilliant.
a collapsible steamer that fits both large and small saucepans.
the large skillet should be oven/broiler safe.
a pouring lip is nice
a grill insert or rack for the large skillet would be a nice touch

i have no use for a pasta strainer--i just pour it into a colander and am done with it.

-- Hook or hole in the handle so it can be hung from pot racks
-- Ovensafe, and stamp on the bottom to what temp it is oven safe.
-- LOVE the "universal lid" idea posted above. I swear, I have a knack for always grabbing the wrong lid.
-- Heavy, but not so much that I give myself a hernia trying to move a pan.

I don't care so much about a universal lid, but it's important that there be some lid that fits the skillet(s), even if it doesn't also fit the saucepans.

Also, if there were some kind of removable silicone wrap or sleeve for the saucepan handles, it would be a huge help. Picking up a full, heavy saucepan or stockpot can be really awkward with two mitt-covered hands, or worse, a wadded-up towel.

utopia:

- must perfectly cook three course meal in under one hour with only a block of moldy cheese in the fridge.
- must be self-cleaning, self-drying, self-putting-away
- must never burn me
- must collapse to perfectly fit in my cramped ikea cabinets


reality:

- easy to clean (the bolts on the inside and even the handle area usually have too many nooks and crannies to clean easily)
- ovensafe
- glass lids! yep! are those ovensafe?
- the stupid in-pot pasta-colander-strainer thing...SUCKS. never use it! i say market it as "look how this colander stores so easily inside one of your pasta pots!" then also include a collapsing steamer basket...OR, include a wok and bamboo steamer?

I agree with most of the others. One huge gripe I have about cookware sets is when they put in filler items such as spoons, pasta forks, etc. to make people feel like they're getting more for less.

I really just want good solid cooking pieces in the set that are oven and broiler safe. A 12-inch covered skillet, 5-6 qt. dutch oven, 8-12 qt. stockpot with inserts, 2-3 qt. saucepan are essentials in my kitchen. 5qt. Sauteuse, 1 qt. saucier, and maybe even a roasting pan would be nice additions.

In my dream world someone would make the handles color changing in the oven so I don't try to grab them when they are back on the range!

I always want every pan (regardless of size, almost) to have an "assist-handle".

And as I've become a more experienced cook, I want everything to be oven-safe. I didn't think about that when I bought a few pieces of cookware many years ago.

bobcatsteph, love the idea of the color changing handles to indicate heat! I can't be the only moron to grab a burning hot metal handle after taking a pan out of the oven. No idea if that is possible, but it sure would be nice.

What I would love to see, besides a set of pans that does *not* have nonstick coating on *any* of the pans, is a stamp on the bottom with what size the pan is. I always forget in the middle of a recipe and have to go find a ruler. Surely I'm not the only fool with this problem!

I also agree with many already-posted commens, especially the helper handles, the oven-safe-ness, the detachable handles, and the pouring lips. My only concern with universal lids is that you usually get just one or two lids for all of your pans, and then you (well, maybe it's just me) end up having to improvise with mixing bowls and whatnot when you're using more than two pans.

Handles turning a different color when burning hot = GENIUS. I have more burns from doing that before I think....

I want comfortable handles, I hate the grooved handles on pots and pans like All-clad. Love the pans but I hate the feeling of holding the handle, especially as they get heavier when they are full.

No need for the pasta cooker, never use it for that.

If we are talking an entire set it would be nice to have a mix of metal and non-stick. I don't want everything non-stick but a nice omelet pan is a great piece that we use for a lot of things.

-all pots and pans, regardless of size, should have two handles, either two small ones like on a dutch oven or a larger one with a small "assist" handle. there's nothing worse than losing your grip with one hand and having nothing else to grab to steady the pot. handles should be "grippy" and comfortable to hold when the pot is full.
-each pot and pan needs its own lid. if there are two 9-inch pans, then there should be two 9-inch lids, not just one that fits both.
-each piece, including the lids, should be oven safe.
-i like the idea of stamping the dimension, volume, and oven temperature safety limit on the bottom of each vessel.
-my current (cheap) set has an adjustable steam vent on each lid. this is a great feature!
-pot handles and lids should all have holes or hooks for hanging.
-pots and pans should nest comfortably in the cabinet in one or two neat stacks.
-a non-stick omelet pan is nice for some, but since not everyone wants one, it should be an optional add-on.
-i will select my own spoons and spatulas, thank-you very much.
-smooth fasteners for easy cleaning.
-i love the idea of a color-changing handle to indicate whether it is cool enough to touch, but it doesn't have to be the whole handle. a heat-sensitive dot or two on the handle is sufficient.

I love the idea of color-coded handles and lids. The new silicone handles are great for that. I'd like the look, also, of stainless cookware with the different colored handles for a punch of color.

ASSIST-HANDLES on all but the tiniest pot.

A very small, 2-cup pot that doesn't tip over from the weight of the handle.

A 3-qt pot....these seem hard to find, especially in a set.

The smallest frypan should be big enough to hold a sandwich made from those "wide" loaves, Like Brownberry or Arnold bread.

Oh, I guess I could just use the bigger pan, LOL