Is farberware a good first cooking set cookware line to consider?

3 Responses to “Is farberware a good first cooking set cookware line to consider?”

1. Christine says:

   January 26, 2010 at 1:33 am

   I got farberware appliances and cookware when I moved to my first apt for the same reason– I could get a whole line very cheap. Within three years, every single piece had to be replaced. Still, not a bad investment for three years worth, but there is a good chance you may be replacing after a year. I would say go for it, but don’t be disappointed when the stuff starts falling apart.
2. reuben26chn says:

   January 26, 2010 at 1:56 am

   You can get walmart brands at a fraction of that cost. I have seen sets for $30-$40. It is much better to buy those, see your usage for 6-8 months and then plan the major purchase. Or you might get a gift
3. Durian says:

   January 26, 2010 at 2:06 am

   With the economy so down, you might be able to get a lot more value for your money if you increase your budget a little bit. So for $200 you might be able to get a set of cookware with tri-ply clad construction that heats more evenly, much less likely to accidentally burn food than the Farberware construction. And it will last a lifetime. It’s worth the extra money because it lasts longer and is far more forgiving of your mistakes.

   What is “tri-ply clad construction”? It means that there are 3 layers of metal, not just on the bottom of the pan, but also going up the sides of the pan, and the sides make a huge difference in how likely you are to accidentally burn your food. The three layers are a sandwich where stainless steel is the bread and aluminum is the filling. Aluminum distributes heat quickly and evenly, stainless steel looks nice and easy to clean. “Clad” means that one kind of metal was fused to another kind of metal when it started out as a big sheet; you have to start with one of these fused sheets if you are going to make a pot whose triple layers extend up the side of the pan.

   This is the same kind of construction as pricey All-Clad cookware, but what matters is construction, not brand. I’ve seen cookware of the same construction under JC Penney’s house brand in a set for $200-225, and that was during the holidays (peak season). Expect to see them cheaper in the first half of 2009. You may find even better deals on the web if you search for “tri-ply” and/or “clad”.

   I started with Farberware and had the same experience as the other poster..initially cheap, but becomes useless so fast that it comes out expensive. Farberware construction is similar to many other kinds of cookware, included much pricier ones with some chef’s name in the brand. They fuse a disc of aluminum to the bottom of a very thin steel pan. Because the aluminum spreads heat evenly, this is a big improvement over a similar pan with no aluminum on the bottom. But, because the aluminum doesn’t go up the sides of the pan, food will tend to burn in the “corner” of the pan where the floor meets the wall, because extra heat cannot go up the side of the pan quckly, so a hot spot develops. Lots of higher priced cookware has the same weak design. If you can see or feel a line at the bottom of the pan, it means that a disk was fused to the bottom.

   By the same token, it costs extra money to make a pan the tri-ply way, so the manufacturer should be bragging about it on the package, using words like “tri-ply”, “clad” and often showing a cutaway picture of the pan (cross-section) to explain the layered construction and how the layers go up the sides.

   I’ve given similar advise in other Answers I’ve provided, if you want more information.