This makes very low-temp or delicate cooking in non-teflon pans a lot tougher, of course. Or anything for which starting from a low temp and slowly increasing is a nice thing to be able to do (tempering chocolate, for example)
[EDIT] Basically the value prop of teflon pans is that they can do just about everything at least well-enough (if not always being the best possible option) with just one type of pan, and that they are much more forgiving of lazy/untrained use or mistakes than stainless or cast iron. They can't do much that's impossible elsewhere, but it may require better technique and closer attention, and maybe having multiple types of pan, if you don't have a teflon option available. The above is one of the ways in which you have to apply some extra care and technique to avoid bad results, which can be all but totally ignored if you're using (undamaged) teflon.
Their main down-side (any health concerns aside) is that they are easily damaged by hard tools. With stainless and cast iron you can scramble your eggs with a metal fork, in a pinch, and it'll probably be entirely fine. Do that in teflon and you'll ruin the finish before long.
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leidenfrost_effect
https://youtu.be/CB-SCA1reqE?list=FL4AL7iVYshdIk6899Kgomug&t...
Almost everything else doesn't require particular consideration on stainless steel IMO. Potatoes can be more difficult than others though. Hash browns are easy, but little stir-fried potato cubes tend to stick.
With meat, generally, the food will unstick when it's sufficiently cooked, which is a handy coincidence if you ask me.
I'd love to get any pointers, too.
Carbon steel is a really good deal. In Europe it’s pretty much the professional standard for all the reasons you mentioned.
When we switched to an induction hob we replaced all our frying pans with Samuel Groves carbon steel.
It was just a much better vault all round compared to the alternatives.
We still have tri-ply stainless steel sauce pans (things like tomato based sauces are too acidic for carbon steel or cast iron).
Watched his cacio pepe. He doubled down on reminding to always use dry pasta. Not bad. Subscribed.