My pots and pans are a mixed bag of Calpalon, enameled cast iron, non-sticks bought in Hong Kong and more. Some are really ready to be trashed but I'm "comfortable" with them. So I voted other...
The enameled cast iron were the pots I WANTED but I rarely use them as they are a pain to get out, and a bigger pain to clean (I hand wash them and they are heavy!)
I've always heard cast iron is wonderful, but the thought of taking care of them has kept me away from them so far! ;o) I have Lagostina stainless steel pots, and I love them. I actually find them just as good an non-stick as far as things sticking to them, or being easy to clean - plus, they can go in the dishwasher when I have room for them! Then I have a set of non-stick frying pans that are $15 a set from Ikea - good enough to function well, and cheap enough to replace every five years when they wear out. ;o)
Keeping cast iron seasoned is the problem. I had a cast iron wok that just would NOT season adn I was constantly scrubbing the rust out of it.
Nice thing about enameled cast iron is it doesn't need seasoning! But I still hesitate to put it in my dishwasher. I have this tiny saucepan, maybe two cups in size, and it weighs a LOT! The Dutch Oven is so heavy, I suspect it could buckle the rack! LOL I bought it because it was "pretty" --- a chocolate brown that goes so well with my Dansk stoneware dinner set. it's by Copco, a Danish company, which doesn't appear to make it anymore: http://www.copco.com/about/history.cfm Looked a lot like Le Crueset: http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/en-us/Products2/Enameled-Cast-Iron/ Darned stuff lasts forever and is very easy to clean: nothing sticks to it! But is it ever pricey!
