To me, someone who celebrates a bit more of the spectrum than most: Metal hot. Make food hot.
Non-stick means easier cleanup, but my wife seems to think cast-iron is necessary for certain things (searing a prime rib roast, for example.).
After I figure those out, then I gotta figure out gas vs. electric vs. induction vs infrared…
Get a thick bottom stainless steel pan and don’t be afraid to use butter, it’ll take care of all your needs and doesn’t require special or gentle treatment.
Cast iron gets jerked off over a lot but it has its merits. All of the ‘no soap’ talk is from the old days of lye based soaps and detergents. It still has the advantages of heat retention, durability, and low cost. Keep it dry and oiled when not in use and it’ll still outlive your grandkids.
Stainless steel is nigh invulnerable to just about everything, doesn’t require seasoning, and can be put away soaking wet without a concern. I’m not knocking cast iron, but cast iron is more of a hobby than it is practical everyday cookware. It’s the cooking equivalent of preferring vinyl records over other music formats that are literally just as good if not better.
I would rather cook my steak on a cast iron over stainless steel any day.
For sure. Most of my cookware is stainless. I have a mix of that, cast iron, and high carbon steel.The right tool for the right job.