Williams Sonoma help me decide - Page 2

[CityChic]

My DH is a chef and most of our items at home are WS (so far all purchased with gift cards from special occasions). We really like our stuff and are willing to wait for sales to get new items.

I would say it is worth it to only have to purchase once instead of repurchasing!

[mama2mygirl]

I bought a whole pot/pans set right before dd was born. It's been worth every penny.

[1growingsprout]

Thanks for all the suggestions.... ya i kinda have my heart set on WS ... I am willing to wait for sales... i checked ebay and will see how that goes but from the looks of ended auctions things sell for close to retail.
I bake/cook ALOT.... so i can definatley justify the cost...
i am sooo sick and tired of walmart junk... i have a good 20 years of cooking ahead of me... i deserve some good stuff...

[minimunklemama]

outlets are the way to go,
I got my waring blender at WS for half the price and I just discovered the crate and barrel on yesterday.i got all glass storage containers and two glass carafes for $18,
definatly worth the trip

[skueppers]

We stock our kitchen with quality tools. Cooking is much more enjoyable for us if we have the right tool that's a pleasure to use. For example, my husband got me a Calphalon One "Everyday Pan" (I think it's 14 inches across) for Christmas a couple of years ago, and while it was an extravagance, we use it several times a week and love it.

We haven't bought very many things at Williams Sonoma (we do have their measuring cups and spoons, which are fantastic), but the overall level of quality of the things in our kitchen is high. And of course items that were of higher quality to begin with last forever. We have some pots and pans in our kitchen that are probably 40 years old!

[avendesora]

I have many WS cooking tools, and love and appreciate them daily

Aven

[Scribe]

Another place to check for high quality stuff at a discount is Tuesday Morning, if they have it in your neck of the woods.

We have a lot of W&S stuff. It's very high quality.

[SiValleySteph]

I do feel like there are kitchen items that are worth spending more money on. Knives, IMO, yes. Mixing bowls? Not so much. We have a set of glass pyrex bowls that I've had for 7-8 years and I anticipate having these bowls for the rest of my life. We recently bought some stainless steel bowls as well b/c DH wanted to use stainless steel. Those are more expensive. I wouldn't buy melamine, personally.

Strangely, we have a really nice set of stainless steel measuring cups ($20 at C&B), but I always reach for my $1 plastic ones. Same with the measuring spoons. I need to remedey this habit!

[oats'nhoney]

I know exactly how you feel about that! WS & Sur La Table (also love C&B!) are my two favorite stores! I just bought the Meyer Lemon quick bread last weekend, couldn't resist! It is SO worth it to scrimp 'n save for awhile & buy a nice or "GOOD" (in the terms of Ina Garten - love her!) utensil or appliance. I was buying Target cooking items for YEARS before it all made better sense for me to shop at WS or SLT for things that will last forever; now I go to WS 2x a month & treat myself to one nice item such as a baking sheet, loaf pan, small gaget, ecetra. I have a list of "dream" items such as KA Mixer, Boos cutting board, super awesome olive wood mortar & pestle, Le Creuset, yada, yada.. but I only buy a couple of things like that a year as we live on a tight budget.

[chel]

when I first read this I was thinking no way would I feel the need to go to a high-end store for melamine, especially for a bowl! Upon looking at the site I'm assuming this is what you're after
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...howsku=7576119

some nice features above and beyond "just a bowl" so I say go for it!

[skueppers]

Originally Posted by SiValleySteph

We have a set of glass pyrex bowls that I've had for 7-8 years and I anticipate having these bowls for the rest of my life. We recently bought some stainless steel bowls as well b/c DH wanted to use stainless steel. Those are more expensive. I wouldn't buy melamine, personally.

We have two sets of glass pyrex bowls that I've had for about 15 years, and some stainless steel bowls with non-slip bottoms that are my husband's love. Plus a plastic bowl with a handle I got free from Bisquick 25 years ago, which I still use every time I make pancakes, although I haven't used Bisquick in 20 years.

But I covet those melamine bowls from Williams-Sonoma. I won't buy them, since I already have perfectly good bowls, but I do love them. There's just something about the way melamine feels.

[cristeen]

While I personally wouldn't go to WS for any kitchen item, I do have to say that I received a set of those bowls years ago, and loved them. I only have the big one anymore, but it's a great bowl. My one complaint is that the rubber grip on the bottom was not attached very well, so it may need to be reglued on occasion.

That being said, I picked up batter bowls (with the pour spout) in heat-proof glass a few years ago and much prefer them (they even came with plastic lids). Nowadays, I only reach for the plastic one if the glass and stainless bowls are all dirty.

[moderngal]

I have a set of melamine bowls from WS. I love them. If you can afford them and you want them- go for it!!

[1growingsprout]

Originally Posted by chel

when I first read this I was thinking no way would I feel the need to go to a high-end store for melamine, especially for a bowl! Upon looking at the site I'm assuming this is what you're after
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/produ...howsku=7576119

some nice features above and beyond "just a bowl" so I say go for it!

yes those are the bowls... DH and I are going this weekend, im going to get them as an Easter gift

[MamaPam]

I've been eyeing those same bowls. The few things we have from there we love and are holding up fine so far. We were browsing on Saturday and talking about some more expensive things we'd like to replace as needed pots, pans, knives, a few smaller things. We've wasted more money repeatedly replacing cheap items and we both cook/bake a lot so the more expensive quality items are worth it.

-Pam

[1growingsprout]

Originally Posted by MamaPam

I We've wasted more money repeatedly replacing cheap items and we both cook/bake a lot so the more expensive quality items are worth it.

-Pam

i totally agree....

[BetsyS]

I love WS, too.

Dh is really good about buying me great kitchen stuff for presents, as I love it. And, I love everything he buys for me. I have Le Crueset that I adore, great cutting boards, a kitchenaid, Henckel knives, Le Crueset and Harry and David spatulas, all sorts of good stuff.

I also have some pyrex bowls that are my friends from childhood. I'll probably have those until I die. And my Martha Stewart (from Kmart) metal measuring cups and spoons. I remember coveting those and spending (at the time) a lot of money on them in college. I love those.

But, I totally think high quality kitchen stuff is worth it. It makes the experience so much better.