I used to use non-stick ano aluminum, still do sometimes for very acidic dishes, but I'd rather not these days for a variety of reasons.
I don't have any but a good cooking friend of mine swears by 316 grade stainless steel, uses it exclusively. Says it's the "cleanest" you can cook in, i.e. no flavor transfer from the metal.
This thread has been sticking in the back of my mind...
I wish I could use CI for everything but alas, experience has taught me there are just some things it's not well suited for. Meanwhile, I'm less and less comfortable with continuing to use my old non-stick ano aluminum when CI can't fit the bill. So I've been doing more research on stainless steel cookware, as recommended by that friend of mine, and thought I'd share some results that might be of use to any of y'all with a similar dilemma.
If you don't want to bother with the details, just skip to the recommendation at the end...
First off, what qualities to look for:
- Though my friend swears by 316 grade SS, that's not necessary. 316 is a grade suitable for marine and medical implant uses. In a kitchen environment, there is no practical advantage over 304 grade, though the cost of 316 is much higher. To identify 304 grade, in cookware it's more commonly called 18/10 or 18/8, which is not a grade but the percentages of chromium and nickel in the 304 spec.
- Multi-layer construction. SS itself is a poor conductor so the practice is to sandwich a layer of aluminum between two layers of SS (304 for the cooking surface but often 430 on the outside, which is 18/0 and more prone to corrosion). The aluminum helps distribute the heat evenly and is completely encapsulated, does not come in contact with the food. Some brands just layer aluminum on the base while others also go up the sides. Going up the sides is better. Fancier models have 5 layers with maybe a copper layer sandwiched inside but a simple SS/Al/SS 3-layer is good enough.
- Cast SS handles. Some have plastic components but that affects their ability to go into the oven, and if you have flame spillover on a gas range they can be damaged. The good cast SS handles are of a design that stay cool.
So, with those qualities in mind, what's the recommendation?
It really comes down to the brands All-Clad and Cuisinart. The others fall short one way or another.
All-Clad has the advantage of being made in the USA. It has the disadvantage of being by far the most expensive option out there. Cuisinart is made in China, but their "Multiclad Pro" SS line satisfies the desired qualities just as well as All-Clad, but more affordably.
Really between the two it comes down to whether the extra expense for "made in USA" is worth it to you or not. Being a backup set for when I can't use CI, I'm going with Cuisinart. Instead of buying a full set I'll just a la carte a couple of pieces and see how it goes, starting with a 1 1/2 QT saucepan.
Hope somebody finds this all of some use. Cheers.