We already owned a set of Chantal enamel on steel pans that work nicely on the Sunpentown. Use a magnet to test the bottom of any pan you are considering using; if it sticks strongly, then the pan should work. An aluminum disk bottom probably won't work. Places to try: Sams, Costco, restaurant supply, camping supply, Tuesday Morning.

If the Teflon coating is coming off, I would toss them. You cannot re=season them. That is one reason I won't buy any pans that are teflon lined. The heat eventually damages the seals,along if you put them in the dish washer, even if it says ok.

I can't stand non-stick for most stuff. It can't be used on high heat. You have to use those plastic utensils, which I can't stand. Give me a good, thin metal spatula over one of those any day. It's just too delicate, non-stick. I think I have one non-stick pan, and it serves it's purpose (mainly for my husband, when he makes an omelet), but I have other pans that get used many, many times over before that one does. I love Stainless steel, as long as it has some heat-conduting metal in the bottom (and up the sides, if you want to pay for it-ie. All Clad), which so far all I have seen of it does. I have a few sizes of stock pots, ranging from 6 quart to 32 quart. I have a set of All-Clad that came with my cook-top. I like it, and for the most part, they chose handy sizes. Most of my pans are a hodge-podge. Cast Iron, I have a wok and a skillet I use a lot. Lots of Stainless. Some of them are close in size to the All-Clad. I bought them at TJ Maxx and the like, very reasonably priced I thought, because I didn't really want my DH using the All Clad. He has a tendency to forget he is cooking (!) and once actually melted the aluminum bottom of a pan to the stove. My favorite small skillet is just a little steel one. Things don't stick to it hardly at all, and it is just the right size for a single grilled cheese, or a scrambled egg or two. It gets used almost daily. As far as cleaning...If you get stainless steel, some are "stickier" than others. For those, I just put some water in it while it is warm (or put it on low, with water in it) while I eat, and when I come back, the food is soft, and easy to clean off. You should sit and eat with your family. :) When you are done, you can get them to help you clean! I also want to add...Anyone thinking of all-clad with the long handles (frying pan) should hold a pan with some weight in it before they buy. I find the handles to be uncomfortable, as do some other people. We must hold it differently from the people who like the handles. My grandmother always cleaned while we ate, then she would sit down at the end of the meal and try to get everyone to eat more, in spite of the fact that we had been eating while she cleaned and were full! Hopefully you don't do that.

Hi Shaun: I'm one of those who has a cookware set (Cuisinart) and find that I don't use half the items. If I were to do it again, I'd buy specific items for specific tasks. Before going any further in your shopping, take fifteen minutes to read the post at the link. It's pretty technical, but even if you retain only a tenth of the info you'll still know more than the average sales clerk at a kitchen store. My own preferences: I love Le Creuset dutch ovens (okay, they call them French ovens, but that's just Gallic arrogance), and their imitators seem to cook nearly as well at a fraction of the price. I got a set of three different sized nonstick skillets at Sam's a few years back for some low price. I like well seasoned black cast iron skillets. And I wouldn't think of having a kitchen without a pressure cooker. Here is a link that might be useful: understanding stovetop cookware