Stainless Steel cookware-- Reviews? Advice?

[texmati]

I did a quick search on mothering, and didn't come up with anything.

I'd like to buy a stainless steel set as I'm quickly becoming weary of my non-stick one.

Does anyone have a pan/set of pans that they love? Hate? I'm looking for a set under 150... but I'm also open to open stock.

[Ironica]

We went with All-Clad Stainless. We looked at sets, but found that none of them had all the pieces we wanted, and the cost of the pieces we wanted totaled to less than the set that came closest.

Emerilware is made by All-Clad but lower-priced.

There's a set at Costco that's Kirkland Signature labeled, and I couldn't find out who it was actually made by, but it really looked nice (and like it might be one of the major names). You could check that out.

[dogmom327]

I have this set: http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Chef...5671200&sr=8-3

My only complaint is that it doesn't have a dutch oven type size (maybe 6 qt?) saucepan. The largest saucepan in the set is a little too small and the stock pot a little too big sometimes.

I also cook with cast iron whenever possible

[texmati]

Thanks so much for the advice ya'll! I went to linen's and things today to look at some pots.

I checked out the all clad... it's kinda out of my price range, although everything i've read about them says that they are the absolute best. I didn't realize that the emeril stuff was made by them! I will definitely give them a closer look.

The cuisinart stuff was more in my price range. I can see what you mean about needing a bigger pot. Because of the size of my family, I'm either cooking for two, or cooking for 12! (When my parents and family come over) I also normally cook to have leftovers... hmm... maybe I should keep a track of what I'm using most often (out of the non stick stuff) and only buy open stock of that.

I have a couple cast iron skillets that I use... but no pots, yk? Some how I don't feel comfortable using those to make soupy stuff or boil water for pasta in them. So... maybe I don't need the stainless steel skillets after all.

Does anyone know the difference between cuisinart multi clad and cuisinart classic cookware?

[lightheart]

we have revere ware, http://www.revereware.com/default.asp the ones with the double thick bottoms, (I guess they are calling them tri-ply) got a set for a wedding present 14 years ago and I love them, have added a couple of thin copper bottom ones that I have found at thrifts. I like the thick ones better for cooking but to just boil water the thin copper bottoms are quicker

I use the skillet maybe 2 times a year if I'm doing something like a cream sauce that I don't want to risk coloring/darkening with my cast iron pans. (only for when I'm feeding 'certain' company, if it's just us then the cast is just fine and so what if a sauce darkens a little)

For us 2 spaghetti noodle size pots, 1 thick bottom, 1 thin. 4.5qts could get away with just one, but it means I can leave leftovers in one pot in the fridge I like the thick one if I am going to be simmering soup or beans all day.

for reheating a big pot of soup or beans, a big batch of mac and cheese a 2 qt copper bottom, don't 'need' this one, could just use the big pans, but for a couple dollars at the thrift it was worth it.

for rice 1.5 qt thick bottomed ****USE ALL THE TIME**** I would NEVER NEVER get rid of this pan!!!!

for tea water, reheating coffee or making hot chocolate, melting butter, 3/4 qt thin copper bottom

I have a big, don't know the size, but it doesn't quite fit on 2 burners, but too big really for 1 burner, it's my chicken and dumplin pan, because I like to float my dumplins so they don't touch one another and it gives good surface area... it's huge, I guess it's more like a roaster, my mom told me to take that pan when she died and for my brother to take the one that was shaped the same but only twice as big. (that one is good for gumbo)