[Guest Post] Saving Money on the Cookware You Need by Troy Redington

Stocking your kitchen with quality cookware can be expensive and confusing. There are several different sizes, types, and materials used in cookware. Why has Alton Brown never done an episode of Good Eats about this?

Cookware Sets - This is often the easy way out, use a Kohl's coupon and simply go buy a complete set of your favorite TV chef's cookware. The quality is typically good and the cost per piece is typically fair; However if you're not careful, you'll end up with excessive pieces of cookware that you'll rarely use. Pick up a smaller set consisting of only sauce pans, frying pans, and stock pots, or better yet - save money AND cabinet space by buying only the pans you need individually.

A three or four piece set will usually suffice, but you'll still need a good non-stick pan for eggs, fish, and those other delicate stick-prone foods. Avoid complete sets of nonstick, the surface will not last and you'll have to replace the entire set instead of just a single pan.

10 inch nonstick skillet - Nonstick and teflon are a touchy subject for some. If you use it properly, take care of it, and throw it away when it starts to go bad - everything will be fine. I find that GFS or your local restaurant supply store carry pretty good nonstick skillets for cheap. I also LOVE the ones from IKEA (KAVALKAD is the product name). I use the 10" because 12" is too big for omelets. To make your pan last longer, don't use it over high heat. Never heat it completely empty - spray some Pam in there first (or oil/butter it). [Read: Caring for nonstick] Replace the pan when the nonstick finish starts to bubble and chip. Also, don't use metal utensils on these pans! My IKEA nonstick pans have lasted me 2 years. Not bad for a $9 pan.

12 inch frying pan w/lid - I went with hard anodized aluminum for this. I use it for pan frying, sauce making, and braising. I found a Calphalon Commercial version on Amazon for a great price (I paid $40). It's oven safe and it works great. I've even used it on my grill.

Stockpot - Pick a stock pot that is big enough for the biggest group of people you expect to cook for. A 6qt pot will be fine for a family of 4, but if you ever plan to boil a bigger batch of corn or mashed potatoes you'll need something bigger anyway. I advise a 12 or 16 quart stainless steel stockpot. Pick one that is easy to handle and easy to store.

Saucepans - Figure out what you really need. Up until recently, I only ever needed a single sauce pan. I'd use it for making mashed potatoes (instant) or stuffing (instant) or oatmeal (not instant). As my culinary skills advanced, I found myself needing and using a 2nd smaller sauce pan. If you only need one - just buy one. If you know you'll often need two - it might be worth trying to find a set with a matching stock pot and frying pan.

Cast Iron - I'm still a cast iron rookie, but here's what I've learned. The best cast iron pans are made by companies that aren't in business anymore. You can buy old ones on ebay or find them at flea markets. Lodge still makes and sells them - and they're great pans - but they're not as smooth as the old Griswald and Wagner brand pans. I'm OK with that, and I've found that the best prices on Lodge brand cast iron pans can be found locally at hardware stores. I have no idea how hardware stores can offer these pans at a discount, but it saves a lot not having to ship that heavy cast iron.

Don't confuse 'saving money' with 'buying the cheapest.' Replacing crappy cheap pans every two or three years is more expensive than buying quality pans that will last decades.

Guest author Troy Redington has a passion for food and grilling. He blogs about his cooking adventures at MeatNinja.com.