There Are Pandas, and Then There Are Pandas.
And this isn't either of them! The Pandas we're talking about here, are watches, not bears. And what got me thinking about them (again) was a link posted this morning by @cm.rook who pointed a few of us to the very attractive (and not terribly priced) Yema "Rallygraph" Panda which, in it's most traditional arrangement, looks like the one on the left, but can also be had in the version on the right: The model on the left is a true Panda, while the model on the right is called a reverse Panda. The reason for that distinction is clear--Panda bears, only come in the first arrangement. Now at this point, everyone should be thinking about the most well-know Panda, The Rolex Panda, which is actually a Daytona, and among Rolex Daytonas, the most famous of which is the Paul Newman Daytona, which was famous first, because it was Paul's, and second because it sold at auction for $17.8 million (US Dollars). The story of that auction is well-known so I'll only...
Nov 8, 2019
If you're bold and can take care of a pet/sourdough starter, then jump right into carbon steel or cast iron and get more upkeep responsibilities. Note that it takes longer to heat up compared to stainless steel. So if you want 30 minute meals after work, factor it in. Also, carbon steel tends to be thin to speed up heating, but this also means uneven cooking. Consider 3mm minimum thickness to alleviate that. I picked up a carbon steel pan in China so I couldn't tell you where to get it, sorry. But there are plenty of other options already mentioned.
If you're not too into maintenance, then copper core stainless steel gives great performance with low burden. Copper is a great conductor, which means the heat spreads, so you get more even cooking. The stainless steel is what will hold onto the heat once it receives it, and it heats up fast. Most also let you use it on induction cooktops (needs to be magnetic grade stainless). You can take them off the cooktop and throw them in the oven, or even under a broiler. They can take it. For cleaning you can use Barkeeper's Friend and it's like new.
For copper core SS, All Clad is the standard suggestion but Demeyere is the best. I've had a CIA 7-ply pan for a decade now and I think it's equal to, if not better, than the All Clad. Also have a few Bonjours for about the same length and it's great, but it's discontinued. You can find them on eBay. Viking is perfectly fine too. So whatever works with your budget, basically.