I soooooo much prefer Stainless Steel over Teflon.

Easier to clean... you can use scubbing pads, etc

Food tastes better... a little browning of food usually adds flavor

Safer...No risk of product flaking into food

Plus, stainless should hold up longer

I got rid of my Teflon years ago and never regreted it. You may want to keep one Teflon pans for omelets, but generally Stainless Steel is the way to go. Try to get a good set, not too cheap. What price range are you looking at? Amazon sometimes has some really good higher ends pans on sale. If you're not sure, you can always buy pans/pots individually instead of in big sets.

I am not limited in my price range.

Like you, I want a safer, well working product.

Glad you like yours carla35.

I have a stainless set my Mom got for me 35 years ago. It is Duncan Hines brand, and she got it with trading stamps from a small local grocery. I love it, and it still looks like new.

I supplement it with an iron skillet, 6 QT pressure cooker (aluminum) and one teflon skillet. I use the teflon for bacon and eggs, pancakes, grilled cheese and maybe a few other things.

Sue

Calphalon! I love mine!
I do find I have to cook eggs at a wayyy lower temperature in it though. I thought about buying a cheap tefon for omelettes.
I got mine at Kohls.

Here is a link that might be useful: Calphalon

Check out HSN.That's where I got mine and I love it.I bought the Woolfgang Puck bistro set (cost more than the one in the link) about 5 years ago and it is great.I have even burned stuff black a couple of times and it came right out by putting water in the pan and turning on the heat for a few minutes.I use comet on mine all the time and it's still nice and shiney.You can buy a couple of pans separately to try and see if you like it before investing in the set.They have other sets (brands) too but I know this one is good,and this is an excellent price.I also love the fact that it can be used in the oven up to 400 degrees.It's nice and heavy but not too heavy to handle.

Here is a link that might be useful: Stainless Steel cookware

I think you'll love the SS. Get a good set and they will be as easy to clean as Teflon. The heat distributes more evenly and browns much easier. Like Carla said, it tastes better, too. My set is Belgique that DH bought at Dillard's (now Macy's) back in the 80's. It still looks new for the most part and I use it every day. The price has gone way down since I got my set and they often run specials.

Just make sure whatever you get, that the pots aren't too heavy for you.

Food sometimes sticks, but if you put water in it right away, and a little dish soap or automatic dish soap if it is really bad, and let it simmer or just sit a bit, it comes right off.

I like my SS, but it is a little heavy, the bigger one.

I have an entire complete SS set that has been going strong for 25 years for me AND I got it secondhand so it could even be decades older. (Regalware FYI). Foods brown better. Easy to clean. The real burnt on stuff can be removed with a spray of oven cleaner.

Make sure you get a clad set, and one that is thick. Thin SS can get hot/cold spots as SS does not heat evenly like copper or aluminum.

I still use non-stick for eggs and a couple of other things.

I love stainless steel cookware. You couldn't give me teflon.

Another love is cast iron.

I would never use anything other than stainless steel cookware. I had a teflon frying pan once and couldn't wait to toss it in the trash. Worst piece of garbage that ever sat on my stove......... make sure it's something like 18/8 or whatever (haven't read through the replies yet, so I'm sure someone knows the number) and that the bottom OUTSIDE of the pot is aluminum to absorb the heat better. You don't want aluminum IN your pots and pans, it's not good for your health.

I still use my Mom's old stainless steel Wearever pots and pans. They are almost 70 years old. The frying pan is a bit warped though but cooks up the best steak. I also have another set of stainless steel pots and pans from Sears but they aren't as good or as thick as the old Wearever are.

I have a couple of Silverstone frying pans that I like but I don't use high heat when using them or metal utensils. I stopped using my almost new George Foreman grill and my Black and Decker Dutch oven frying pan when the Teflon started to flake off. I never used a metal utensil on either of these things but the Teflon still flaked off. That Dutch oven frying pan cost more than $80 too and I used it less than 10 times over the years I have had it.

Anne

I like cast iron best for frying (and it develops its own non-stick surface if you treat it right), but heavy bottomed SS is OK for most things. Don't get thin SS because you will only be able to boil water in it- everything else will burn. Rather than a set I'd recommend only getting the pieces you will actually use.

Thanks for the hints. Now I know what to look for.
I agree that you need different kinds of cookware for different tasks.
Your experiences are good to know.

Ditto Marilyn.

I love, love, love my Wearever. It was expensive but much cheaper than replacing teflon every few years like my friends have done! I've seen Wolfgang's set on HSN and it looks terrific, almost makes me wish I were shopping for new! LOL!

I've been using my SS set since 1955 & love it! Recently bought a stainless Wolfgang omlet skillet (18 gauge) at TJ Maxx for $10. & it's great!

Use the an iron skillet for cornbread & a big ol' iron pot for all day simmering of beans 'n ham.
Suzi

I have a Revereware ss set I bought with green stamps in 1964. It still serves me well. We also had a copper bottom Revereware smaller set we had in a vacation home and it is great too, though it is hard to keep the copper attractive. DD bought All Clad, and that stuff is so heavy empty that I would not want it. I highly recommend SS pots and pans, but warn you against these very expensive, very heavy sets that are so popular these days. Not so sure I want something so heavy to lift.

I have a Wolfgang Puck set from HSN,,,I got it at a good price and I love it....I would never go back to any non stick junk. After this seasons a bit it never sticks and clean up is easy. LOVE LOVE LOVE it!

The only non stick stuff I every had was an omelet pan which I eventually threw out. In 1966 I bought a very nice set of stainless steel cookware and have used it ever since. I remember my mom telling me that it would last me a lifetime and she was right. I shine it with Barkeeper's Friend.

We have a couple cast iron skillets - great for browning and they can go right into the oven too. We have 2 non stick for omelets, pancakes and french toast. I have a couple Le Creuset items.

But most of the time we use stainless steel - Calphalon