when do you use the different kinds of pans? stainless steel, nonstick, "regular", etc

i bought a stainless steel one but everything sticks (even with generous oil) so i'm not sure what i'm supposed to use with it

Your question is actually over a broader spectrum than a single simple answer.

In my experience (I am a baker but have done chef related courses and competitions in the past) nonstick is subject to debate.
There is some speculation and incomplete evidence suggesting that the chemicals used in some nonstick cookware is extremely harmful to pets, unborn children and respiratory systems. This make's choosing nonstick a health decision to some.
My belief and understanding is that so long as you are not cooking on an intense heat, you aren't likely to burn off the teflon and other nasties on the pan. For e.g steak.
If you were to fry some chicken slices for a curry then add coconut cream, a nonstick pan would better preserve the colour you've cooked on the food, while not allowing the sauces to burn on to the bottom of the pan either.

Stainless steel you see chefs use a lot for sauteing onions, searing meats etc. This is because they usually follow with a liquid to de-glaze the pan, lifting the caramelized food off the bottom.
These pans are sturdy and will usually last longer than the nonstick pans as there is no coating that will wear down.
Also these pans can be fired in to the oven after you sear a piece of meat, without worrying about plastic handles that come on other pans.

Steak for e.g isn't likely to stick (if you just brush the steak not the pan with oil) in stainless steel due to the intense heat used.

Honestly, you can cook what you like in what you like so long as you understand how the pan will treat your food.
I use the stoneline / stonedine pans. I like nonstick for it's cleanliness and lack of need for added fats. These pan's also have plastic handles made to withstand temps up to 180ºc, which means they CAN go in to the oven.
Not to mention they have a 12 year warranty (Doesn't this sound like a sales pitch?).

In your situation you may be using too high of a heat or trying to cook delicate foods such as crumbed chicken, where I can imagine the coating gets stuck to your pan.
A nonstick pan would be a nice solution, just remember not to use a high temperature and to use nonstick utensils or you can damage the coating of the pan.

I hope this answers your question.

some people sear by cast iron. my mom uses an iron wok for most stir frys nowadays and ive tried once or twice, not my style, way too heavy for me and i cant stand leaving dirty things behind. so i just use a nonstick. i have a couple stainless steel pans that i use for veg only, i find it heats up faster and hotter than the nonstick.

I got a special non stick teflon pan.

Heavy as f**k but really good.

Nothing sticks to the pan, you just clean it with hot water and paper towels

I use it everytime i cook, i never use any oil / butter
i just throw the stuff in the pan and cook it.

This post was edited by Kerzhakov on Jul 1 2013 12:44pm

i pretty much only use non-stick for eggs. sometimes ill grab it for other stuff cause the stainless steel one thats the same size is on the bottom of the stack and annoying to get to, but if it were easier to access i would use that instead. ive got a larger ss pan closer to the top, though, so if its not too big for what im doing, ill use that.

for stir-frys i use a wok. (real one, not one of those americanized flat-bottom teflon ones they sell at target and other places.)

cast iron properly seasoned (flaxseed is ideal according to one source i saw) will give a non-stick-like surface. woks are similar as well.


while meats will stick to ss pans, once properly done, it should pull off easily.