Just to confirm, many of the above suggestions mention specific pieces; I’m looking for a full set of the usual pots and pans. I’ll likely find those too, not just the individual ones, right? I imagine that’s cheaper.
There’s something to be said for buying the pieces separately, something I was actually going to mention. The reason being that there’s some cookware that you probably use constantly – maybe every day, maybe even several times a day. And others that you use only occasionally. It’s the ones that you use all the time (and there may not be many of them) where you want the highest quality and durability.
My cookware is a mix of different brands and different qualities that are matched to my needs, and it works well for me. I can appreciate manufacturers wanting to sell “sets”, but that’s not always the best option for the consumer.
Maybe a little more expensive than the OP has in mind, but I splurged and bought a set of HexClad pans from Costco when they were having a Mother’s Day sale this past May. I was sick of cooking with cheap, crappy pans all my life. If you watch cooking videos like I do, you’ve probably seen ads where Gordon Ramsey (part owner of the company) is hawking them.
Do they live up to the cost and the hype? I think so, for the most part. The ‘gimmick’ is they are a composite of ceramic and stainless steel, with the steel in hexagonal formations of raised ‘dimples’ that prevent the non-stick ceramic surface from getting scratched. They come with a lifetime warranty.
I love their heat transfer abilities— it’s very easy to brown stuff. And the pans are very durable. They’re not quite as non-stick as, say, brand new Teflon pans, but with a little bit of well-applied oil they’re plenty non-stick for my purposes. They’re holding up well so far, and though I’ve been babying them with a silicone spatula, when my son’s been home from college he’s been making a lot of stir-frys in the HexClad wok, going to town with a metal wok spatula, and it’s still in good shape.
My wife bought a roll of that rubbery shelf liner stuff, and cut some pieces out that we lay between our cookware to help avoid scratching it when it gets stacked.
I would recommend hand-washing any non-stick cookware you have, being careful to use a nylon scrubbing pad.
As for which brand, my non-stick omelet pans are OXO brand. Not terribly expensive; I think less than many of the brands mentioned here. So if the non-stick coating starts to fail, I won’t cry too much about having to replace them. I am careful not to overheat them, nor do I store them so that they’re stacked. Instead, I hang them on hooks so nothing touches the non-stick coating.
I bought this Circulon cookware set earlier in the year. Only $350. We’ve been really happy with it. Works great on our induction stove.
I like Vollrath, particularly their CeramiGuard II line. Vollrath sells to restaurants and professional cooks, so though their products aren’t beautiful, they perform very well. No non-stick pan will last forever, but these last longer than most, and because the base is heavy aluminum, they distribute heat evenly. I get mine at a local restaurant supply store. They’re available from Amazon as well, and the Vollrath Food Service website has a “where to buy” feature.
Sets are ok for starter kitchens like a new homeowner or wedding gift. But once established, you probably don’t need two or three new sauce pans & stockpot and lids in the set every time the nonstick frying pan starts to annoy.
In other words, the nonstick is like a wiper blade or tires or brakepad, they wear out, but a saucepan is more like the window glass or wheel of the car: durable and without a particular wearing out or aging. Hee hee, a life’s pan, not lifespan.
I have been using thrifted and handmedown Revereware for saucepans most of my adulthood. They’re polished stainless with a copper foot & bottom outer surface. I’m certain most of my half dozen pieces are 50 years+, the handles are matte but sturdy. They’re not much to look at but their performance have earned their permanent place in the cupboard. Lesser pans have been discarded or used for yardwork, machine oil, etc.
Lastly, I wouldn’t invest in a very fancy European LC or Staub enameled CI oven until certain but I do recommend getting and using an entry level one in the meantime. Get a big one, they’re $50ish new at TJM/Homegoods around here. My own LeCreuset ovens top out at 4 quarts, I haven’t been able to justify spending hundreds, new or used, on 1 gal+. Stockpots in the sets are, IMO, particularly iffy.