You do need one nonstick pan -- so I would buy one 12-inch nonstick skillet and the rest stainless steel or anodized aluminum (I have a few pots and pans in this material and it's very solid and easier to clean than stainless). There are lots of things that are really much better done in a non nonstick pan -- cooking soups or stews, stovetop to oven things and so on. The nonstick pan would only be for making omelettes or pancakes and such.

We have stainless. Never had any problems cleaning them and they have the advantage of be able to go in the oven.

I am sure others might echo this, but a well seasoned cast iron pan is ALMOST non-stick. Maybe not for omelets though...I don't make omelets, so I can't say for sure.

The thing that scares me about non-stick is how the less expensive ones can end up flaking etc.

For the actual pots part, yeah, stainless rocks and is easy enough to clean, I find.

I can remember going to a bird show once, and seeing several notices that, if one has birds, then one should not be using non-stick cookware due to the offgassing. Whether at is true or not, I have no idea. Articles seem to suggest that the latest generation of them is safer.

But I have had two non-stick pans, and ended up throwing both away. Cast iron and stainless steel work fine and cleaning them is no huge burden.

Yes, you need one non-stick pan at least. I would buy a non-stick fryer with a lid. You can cook a lot of things in this kind of pan. Also, regular one non-stick frying pan for eggs and even pancakes and such.

The rest can be stainless, in my opinion.

I have a large stainless Revere Ware frying pan with a lid that I absolutely love. Recently, the lid handle broke and I threw away the lid (stupid!). My point: this Revere Ware pan washes like a dream even though it isn't non-stick.

I don't have any non-stick pans -- I don't like the idea of the various nastiness ending up in my food or air -- and I've never had a problem with it. I keep brillo pads just in case something gets totally burnt on, but I use the brillos maybe once every six months and for cleaning up after regular cooking, a sponge with a scrubby side has been totally fine.

That probably should have been:

I keep brillo pads just in case something gets totally burnt on, but I use the brillos maybe once every six months; for cleaning up after regular cooking, a sponge with a scrubby side has been totally fine.

Go go gadget punctuation.

We threw out our last non-stick years ago and haven't missed it.

Of course, we really really like butter.

(we also don't wash our cast-iron skillet, so there is years of bacon fat seeped into it)

We've had full sets of both, and I would never go back to non-stick. From what I understand, you're basically eating minute amounts of teflon every time you cook on it. I don't know how true that is but once I heard it I couldn't unhear it, if you know what I mean.

Buy the goodliest pots you can afford, they're your best friends in the kitchen! Even if you have to collect them one at a time. Soak them before you clean them and you shouldn't have too many problems. Buy Bon Ami or Barkeeper's Friend if you want a good scouring powder.

I've never had a problem with omelets or any kind of egg sticking to a pan - the secret is to add a bit of olive oil to the butter.

I've had Calphalon, wasn't impressed. Have All Clad now....love it. RevereWare is also wonderful - my parents have been using the same RevereWare since the 60s. Definitely beast and tank ;) You can save a nice chunk of change if you buy on sale or go for a package dealio thing at a department store. For example, Macy's is always doing boxed sets of good pots for a steal.

We have all All-Clad stainless except for one non-stick medium sized frying pan for eggs. Eggs+Stainless = Super Glued on mess.

Thanks for the advice, all. We're going to a "registry completion" event tonight at BBB, so we should be able to score a nice discount on some stainless steel pans (and the 10,000 other things I'm going to buy).

Update with details! I love to shop vicariously through others ;)

I've been adding stuff to the registry all morning, lol. I NEED a salt pig! And a hand blender! And a 3-gallon beverage dispenser! And a cab to cart it all home!

I have stainless pots, Revere, with the copper-clad bottom. Old-school, they work really well, and I love them. They came w/ stainless frying pans, which see little to no use. I occasionally get a non-stick pan for scrambled eggs, and discard it when it gets scratched and horrid. Cheap or expensive, they all get scratched and horrid. I have my Mom's cast iron pans, (as well as a new-to-me huge cast iron pan from the wonderful Goodwill) and I love them, use them all the time and highly recommend.

I don't baby the cast iron. It's iron, will rust if left in water, so don't do that. I use detergent if it's needed, use a metal scrubby when it's grotty. If it starts to lose its 'seasoning' I cook something high-fat, usually bacon, to recondition it. So, to me, cast iron is easy care. And really, really great to cook with.

Definitely going to get a cast iron. I love to fry potatoes, and I think they will be deeeeelish in a well-seasoned cast iron pan :D

The one I've added to our registry is 12"; think that's bigger enough, or should I look out for something bigger?

i'd get a 6 inch non stick pan for eggs . perfect size for an omelet or two fried eggs .

The folks at rouxbe like a nice stainless steel.

I want a salt pig too! Just because.

We use a stainless steel set that the mister has had for 20-25 years. It's solid stuff, cleans easily and will clearly outlast us.

We also have one non-stick skillet that we got for $40 or so 8 years ago. It's just now getting a bit scuffed and will have to be replaced. So, if you do go for any non-stick, get the good stuff - it's worth the extra money.

And because I was curious - the FYI on Salt Pigs.

I have stainless steel, I bought a really good set at the end of the January sales, so they'd been reduced several times from (I think) £149.99 to £39.99. Buy the best you can afford and you won't regret it.

And I have a salt pig :-P

A 12 inch cast iron pan is pretty big. Should be a treat to use.

OMG we had a ball- BBB really went all out for the event, there was food, soft drinks, a DJ, and 10,000 employees ready to help us out. Got a nice set of All-Clad pots and pans and a cast iron skillet, among other things.

Yay! I love mine!