It doesn't look like this forum is used much ? The time has come to replace our Cookware. With all the changes in Technology. I'm starting to research what type of Cookware I'm going to replace ours with. Looking for input The Good and The bad ??
In Memphis, there is a Williams Sonoma outlet that sells a lot of the high-quality brands at pretty discounted prices. That's where you'll find a wide variety of good stuff, and it weeds out some of the crap you see at Target, Macys, etc. Calphalon is a good brand for stainless pots & pans.
I wouldn't buy a "set" of anything. I hate most of the handles on anything you'll buy in a department store, and those sets usually have too much useless crap in them. For example, if everything about a pan is great, it's got a crappy big giant glass dome lid. If it's got a flat lightweight lid like I want, the handle sucks or it's got a weird curve to it.
If money is no object, buy (and learn how to use) the French enameled cast iron. I had a recent post about the LeCreuset customer service where basically we burned up the enamel lining in a big dutch oven, and they sent me a replacement for free. LeCreuset is probably the costliest stuff for a home kitchen, but it's very good quality. Lodge enameled cast iron is not Made in USA (china?).
Pick and choose the best of each item you want. If it's going to be set in a drawer, who cares about whether they match or not? Other considerations are whether you're cooking on an electric eye, glasstop, or gas flame. Cast iron can be used on glasstops, but there's a big risk of scratching or breaking.
Most home cooks can do everything they need with the following:
6 Quart (or bigger) Dutch oven (LeCreuset enameled)
10" Frying Pan (LeCreuset enameled or Lodge for plain cast iron)
10" skillet (LeCreuset enameled or Lodge for plain cast iron)
A stock pot about 8Qt - 12Qt in capacity (
https://www.epicurious.com/expert-a...pot-for-all-of-your-big-boiling-needs-article)
3 soup pans of varying sizes
If you're cooking on glasstop, a good multi-metal bonded set of pans will work fine. Figure out which handles work best for you, and avoid the ones that have a giant glass lid. They're heavy and otherwise pointless.