Do You Have a Cookware Set That You LOVE?

I DO love All-Clad. It's pricey, though. You can go online and find deals on it, and if you don't need a whole set, you don't have to spend as much. But it lasts forever and as built to cook food the best way a cookware can.

Dawn

If you go with All-Clad - Williams Sonoma has some pans on super sale right now!

All Clad. Worth every single penny.

I have All Clad stainless steel - which is probably MORE than the $350 you want to spend. We registered for it and got it for our wedding - otherwise I wouldnt have such expensive cookware. I do absolutely love it and would say it may be worth the splurge considering how long you have it.

As a former Williams Sonoma employee - here is some insight: DONT get an entire non stick set - whether you pay 200 or 2000 for it, it still wont last. More expensive sets will last longer and perform better, but ultimately the teflon will get scratched and started to peel.

Get a set with reasonably heavy/thick pans and maybe some sort of metal that conducts heat well - but which is NOT non stick inside. Thin, inexpensive sets dont heat evenly, which is how things get burned on/stuck on. If you think about your pans - most of the things you cook dont stick/burn (spaghetti, vegetables, soup, sauce) as long as you pay a little attention to them.

Some things NEED to stick a little to cook correctly - for example, browning a piece of chicken.

Finally, if you DO forget about your sauce and it burns up, you can clean the pan by 1)Boiling water and baking soda in it - most of the crud will lift off and 2)Scrubbing with Bar Keepers Friend.

Get @ two skillets that ARE non stick and use those to cook eggs or other things that are hard to cook without the teflon coating.

I like stainless steel sets because you can put them in the dishwasher and, at our house, if it doesnt get in the dishwasher it doesnt get washed... :)

I have the Paul Deen set. It's awesome,durable, heavy duty, affordable, nonstick, and stylish. Mine is grey and I love it.

I have bought Calphalon pieces at Ross for around $20 to $30 each to supplement. I love the Calphalon, but it doesn't have a nonstick surface. It's more professional restaraunt style and you do have to use oil in the skillets. I buy the skillet as gifts sometimes and people tell me it becomes thier favorite piece and the only skillet they use at all.

I bought my set from JC Penney 10 years ago. They still look and perform like brand-new. They're stainless steel, 3-ply heavy bottom. I love them.

My mom has used her Farberware cookware since 1975, when she got married. I love it so much that she gave me one of her pieces when I moved to college, and I use it pretty much every day.

I HATE my Cuisinart cookware! My MIL bought us a few pieces before we even made our registry, so we just registered for the rest of the set. Mistake. Wish I would have done Farberware or All Clad.

Thanks to my MIL I have a few Blue Le Creuset pieces that are AMAZING...they are everything you describe!

And again, thanks to my MIL I also have a complete set of the stainless steal All-Clad...which are great but they can NOT go in the dishwasher :(

I LOVE my Stainless All-Clad but it is more than $350. I think 1 small saucepan is about $120. It is SO WORTH IT.....

I also LOVE to cook with cast iron. Once you get a great seasoned pan there is nothing better....

I don't put any of the pans in the dishwasher and I store them carefully to keep them looking brand new.

I have the most inexpensive version of Calphalon (Cooking with Calphalon). My MIL got me the set for around $120 on sale at Kohls (normally around $180??). I do LOVE it. I can't get over the difference of having it compared to my stainless steel set I had (which was also a nice set).

I've had my set over a year and have run it through the dishwasher on occasion. My skillet that I use OFTEN does show a tiny bit of wear. I think if I have to replace any pieces over time I will buy the next grade or two up of Calphalon. SUPER nice.