So essentially I want to buy one pan, I don't want to care about what utensils I use in it (metal, plastic, or wood), or what I cook in it, and I want to clean it easily by just putting some soap on it, using the rough side of a sponge and drying it off and tossing it back in the cupboard.
Ideally, I'd also like this pan to last longer than 2-3 years.
So overall I am thinking I want enameled cast iron because it seems like it could take all of that but then I recently read how you don't want to cook something like eggs or fish in it because they'll stick.
The other bit I've seen is just buying a coated non-stick pan of any sort but be prepared to throw them away in 1-3 years and don't use anything metal in them.
Should I just buy enameled cast iron and cook whatever I want in it? Should I buy multiple types and cook different things in them? Should I just stick with non-stick?
Overall, I am a very novice cooker who simply cooks for a family of 4. Typically using something like everyplate. I'm not looking for fancy but I am looking for "buy it once then use it until I die with low maintenance." I essentially want the Toyota Camry of cookware. Reliable, low maintenance, not going to win any cooking contests.
Any suggestions?
Thank you.
Stainless steel is buy it once and use until you die with low maintenance, use any utensil in it and can withstand the rough side of the sponge. Its also much kighter than cast iron, so easier to use. Look for one with stainless steel handles without any wooden or plastic parts, then you can also put it in the oven. No rivets on the inside is a bonus for cleaning if you find one like that.
I clean mine while it's still warm (if I can, doesn't work always unfortunately), use a stiff brush under warm water first and that usually gets 90 percent of the stuff stuck to the bottom, the rest I do with dish soap and the soft side of the sponge and don't need to be aggressive at all. Brushes are great for cleaning pots and pans!
In my experience :D, you can't use any utensil you want, use the rough side of the sponge, and expect a non stick pan to last more than a year. I stopped using nonstick for anything high heat like searing, I use it pretty much only for eggs these days and used my last nonstick for 5 years before I had to buy a new one for induction. It had no scratches when I gave it to a friend and was still nonstick, even if not as good as new.