I get tons of emails and the occasional catalog from Williams Sonoma. It seems like the kind of place I should like, but every time I look at a product from there, I’m just stunned at the prices. Are their products worth the price premium? Or, do they cater to the Food TV/HGTV type crowd who has money and they’re furnishing a yuppie house or apartment?
All of the actual cooking equipment could probably be found cheaper and/or better.
Both. They carry some high-end cookware, but even so, a lot of it is overpriced. I notice they are offering some deep discounts on some things, such as stainless and other stove-top items, but I’d want to comparison shop as to whether their discount is actually a good price. I think stores like this are being hurt by online retailers like Amazon.
Sufficient quality, but generally overpriced, plus you’re paying the brand premium. In other words, if you don’t care about money and just want above-average, trendy cooking stuff, go there and don’t worry too much that you might pick the “wrong” thing. If value is at all a priority, do a little research and there’s almost always a better choice, usually similar or better quality for much cheaper.
The one W-S pot (pasta cooker/steamer) I own is slightly better quality than the pots & pans I have from general department stores. It seems like the heat transfer is more even.
WS carries products that look pretty. If that’s what you want their prices aren’t bad.
If you just want to cook you don’t need $200 skillets and $150 knives.
I bought a set of WS soup bowls in the mid 1990s and despite pretty heavy use, they look flawless and still shiny brand-new. Cheap plates I bought at WalMart three years ago are dulled and scratched, and a couple have broken and chipped.
I agree that WS is pricey and one pays a premium for the brand name and no doubt there are less-expensive quality alternatives. But for basic stuff you want to last a long time, IMHO it makes better sense economically to pay a bit more up front for quality.
Those are really pretty and classic. I’ve also got walmart plates that look like crap despite being pretty new. Hmm…
I’m pretty sure you can often find WS stuff at TJ Maxx.
TJ Maxx, really? It’s been a while since I shopped there. I’m probably overdue. 
I love my bowls, they get almost daily use. The WalMart plates I bought were porcelain and in rich, Tuscan-type colors and looked really pretty for several months. But they’re all scratched up now, Well, WalMart. I should have known better!
Well, it’s hit-or-miss with TJ Maxx. But they usually have high-end cookware, cheap, (I got a Le Creuset pot there a while back) and I believe I’ve seen WS stuff as well.
Moving this thread to the Cafe Society burner. From IMHO.
Williams-Sonoma has a mixture of both overpriced and high quality. They sell a lot of very high quality brands at their stores (Le Creuset, All-Clad, etc) and those are at the standard prices for those brands - which are very rarely discounted. Those kinds of things are pricey, but are also pretty close to the best you can buy. They give you great results and will last forever. I can’t speak to the W-S branded stuff. A lot of the ancillary items are probably overpriced for what you get (the pancake mix kind of stuff, etc).
Sur La Table is a similar store that also often includes quality items on the lower end of the spectrum as well as the high end stuff, and if you have one in your area, I’d recommend taking a look.
TJ Maxx, Marshalls, and places of that sort carry some W-S stuff as well as Le Creuset and All-Clad, but its almost all factory seconds - there’s probably some sort of minor flaw that caused to be rejected for sale at the high end stores. Minor scratching, etc. If you want the really good stuff, but just can’t do the full retail price its a great route to go because none of the flaws are ever deal breakers, they’re almost always minor cosmetic stuff.
Well, they carry Le Crueset, Kitchenaid mixers and All-Clad cookware, to name a few. It doesn’t get a whole lot better for product lines. Better prices can certainly be found, of course. Companies like Le Crueset will create a particular color for their product line that can only be purchased at the retailer who is paying for the privilege. Sur le Table, WS and others do this.
I agree that WS is overpriced, but comparing it to Walmart (even favorably) is kinda harsh… there’s probably a more reasonable middle ground, like Bed, Bath & Beyond, Craigslist (for used WS stuff), or most department stores…
We registered for our wedding pots/pans at W-S because they had a line of Calphalon that was being discontinued and were being discounted quite a bit. I don’t know if it was just discontinued at W-S or if Calphalon stopped making it, but we ended up with everything we wanted (and then some) for a very reasonable price.
My general thought is that you can buy just as good if not better cooking gear at restaurant supply houses. But they won’t look as good. It’s not needed for cooking quality but I like to have good looking pots/pans/knives in my kitchen.
I’ll second the Sur La Table recommendation. I’ve never walked out of there empty handed, and it’s hardly ever what I walked in for.
There is a W S outlet store near us, and it seems at least half the time I visit them they have 50% off sales on select Calphalon, All Clad, or similar quality items. Yes, it’s 50% off MSRP, which still ain’t cheap, but I haven’t found it cheaper anywhere else.
Like any other store, it pays to know your products and comparison shop. The few items I’ve bought or been given from WS have all worked well (e.g., Le Creuset) or have held up well and still look great (e.g., Emile Henry). Same for Sur le Table. These have really been my most durable kitchen wares.
The price of those items at your link ($29.95 for six salad bowls, and similarly for sets of six plates, six soup bowls, six coffee mugs, etc.) is very reasonable for everyday-use items that will hold up.
Kitchen Kaboodle is another store that carries everything from T-fal to Scanpan, and that has regular sales on all cookware.