Spartywarren - I think the Tramontina Triply cookware at Walmart is great. BUT, I'm sorry, I would not buy the set you are talking about. Not a good use of your Mom's Christmas money. The set is missing some essential cookware, and has a couple pieces you likely won't use. For example, an 8" saute pan is REALLY small. I have one that someone gave me, and it just sits in my cabinet. Even when cooking for one, it's still really too small. The 10" saute pan that does come in the set is pretty good, but I find myself reaching for my 12" pan the most (Tramontina makes a 12" triply pan, but not for this set). And SAUCEPANS! The set comes with a 1-qt. and a 2-qt saucepan, nothing bigger. Those two sizes are very duplicative, since they are small enough just to be useful when reheating a can of soup or something like that. It's good to have ONE of those (the 2-qt. being a little more versatile), but a waste of space to have both. But then the set is lacking a 4-qt. saucepan, which is the most essential size saucepan to have, extremely versatile for just about anything. Again, Walmart sells a 4-qt. Tramontina triply saucepan, but not in the set. The set also comes with a 5-qt. Dutch oven, which I have myself. I use it for boiling pasta, and corn on the cob, and a few other things. But when I am making chili, spaghetti sauce, soup, or stew, the 5qt. is definitely not big enough. For those dishes, I recommend you buy the Tramontina 6.5 qt. enamelled cast iron dutch oven (got very high reviews from Cooks Illustrated magazine, practically as good as a Le Creuset, which costs, like $250). That cast iron dutch oven is very versatile, it can be used for the dishes I just mentioned, and also to roast chicken or make pot roast too. I think your mom's Christmas money can be put to better use than that Tramontina set, which has items you won't use much, and is missing items you'll want to use a lot. I highly recommend you make a list of the separate Tramontina pots you'll need, and have your Mom buy them that way as your Christmas present. Here are my suggestions: Triply 2 qt. saucepan = $30 Triply 4 qt. saucepan = $50 Triply 12" saute pan = $40 Enamelled Cast Iron 6.5 qt. Dutch Oven = $45 Total = $165, about $15 more than the set you wanted, but you'll use it much more. Here is a link that might be useful: Tramontina 6.5 qt. Cast Iron Dutch Oven (red or green)

Linda, The rubber handles would be of concern to me for that reason, as well. As far as different materials/different applications - I don't have a set of anything. I've picked up my cookware piecemeal over the years as I've developed as a cook and as I've been able to afford things. I couldn't live without my flat bottom carbon steel wok. I miss my 10" cast iron skillet that I left in the States (cornbread!). When Calphalon first became popular I collected a bit of it but the only one I use now is a thick-sided saucepan with a lid that I make rice, pilafs and couscous in. It keeps the heat forever. I have several LeCreuset Dutch ovens - those perform alchemy. As far as stainless goes - I've picked up a few pieces of All-Clad at good prices both at LNT and Amazon. Then there are the non-stick skillets with oven-proof handles for eggs, frittatas, pancakes, etc... If you have problems with arthritis and lifting heavy pots, you also might want to check out a line of cookware made in Germany by Berndes. I have a few pieces of that and especially like the small roasting pan. I usually am cooking just for the 2 of us and it's perfect for pork, chicken, beef and vegetables. I use it all of the time. Have fun shopping! seagrass Here is a link that might be useful: Light and easy to clean

"dcarch - I don't have scientific answers to your questions, but having quasi-followed Appliances over the years I've NEVER seen anyone question that electric boils faster than gas. " I will take your word for it since I have not visited that Forum. The key is to locate actual controlled studies to confirm if that is an empirical truth or one of the many anecdotal kitchen myths. I will say this again, I am not claiming that it is not true; I am saying that I have questions which I myself can't answer. "Evidently a gas flame is an even poorer delivery boy. " Either that or whoever tested gas was not aware that "watched pot never boils" :-) "Are you saying when properly adjusted, natural gas isn't a clean burning fuel? That'd be news to me, too. " Not what I meant. If gas is such a poor deliverer of heat then all the extra BTUs will be wasted in heating the air, and air conditioning is a big cost in restaurants. Gas also require an immense amount of make-up air for combustion, and to exhaust air for a restaurant to the roof thru fire proofed welded steel ducts in a high rise office building in NYC is incredibly expensive. In addition, electric cooking appliances are much easier for cleaning, and cleaning is a big problem for commercial kitchens. Why don't they use electric? "I'd guess there are many factors involved. Some I've already touched upon, and economics would certainly come into play." This heated debate really boils down (PUN + PUN!) to one single question: Except cooking in a TV studio, why no chefs prefer electric for cooking? dcarch

I have seen the Tramontina at my local Wal-Mart and it is nice stuff. I took a magnet with me and all the pieces on display were magnetic. It is more higly polished than any other tri-clad I've seen, and the handles are more comfortable than All Clad. I've compared it to All-Clad and Emerilware Pro-Clad and I prefer it over either. The Emerilware's lids are cheaply made. They are glass with a SS rim. The thin stainless they use results in easily bent and dented rims. Two of the lids on display were bent/dented. Another alternative is Kenmore Elite Tri-Ply. Another fully clad cook set. The handles are more comfortable than the Tramontina, not as nicely polished but very similar in finish to the All-clad. The price is slightly higher than the Tramontina but much less than All-clad. One thing about all these sets, the bases are the same thickness as the sides. The bottoms were fairly flat but not as flat and heavy as other sets made for glass/induction cooktops. And while all of these were magentic, they weren't as strongly magentic as those with the heavy flat bases. I don't know if that makes a difference in the performance of the cookware or not. I've heard a few people say thier thinner pans warped. I never knew Sears made cookware. Obviously someoen makes it for them but I don't know who. Here is a link that might be useful: Kenmore Tri-Ply