I, too, had to replace my beloved cookware (Calphalon anodized, many pieces, including a griddle, that I've had since I got married and expected to last a lifetime) when I switched to induction, and I always meant to post the results of my purchases here, because I bought many different brands. So here goes: An inexpensive set of stainless saucepans in graduated sizes, with glass lids, by Cooks Choice for about $80 on Amazon - they are serviceable, great for boiling water for pasta, hard cooked eggs, etc. An All-Clad 8" skillet - love it. I'd buy everything from All Clad, if they weren't such a fortune. Sigh. An enamel/cast iron 5-quart Dutch Oven by Emeril - very nice, but weighs a ton. Cheaper than LeCreuset. Nice quality. Did I say heavy? A 4-quart sauce pan from Demeyere - if you can afford it - it's what all the restaurant chefs use - go for it. A beauty. Will leave it to my sons in my will, if they're good. A 9-quart enamel stock pot from Le Cousances - thought it was a bargain on eBay, no lid (I have another that fits) but I think I paid too much. A great pot for chicken soup, stocks, etc. I'm not complaining. And the bummers: a 12" skillet by Wolfgang Puck - inexpensive, and not even worth that. I will save up my pennies for either an All Clad 6-qt saucepan or Demeyere skillet. A no-name stainless griddle, buzzes, food sticks. I use it mostly for son's enchiladas, then spend the rest of the day scraping off the cheese. I also have some vintage Le Creuset from my mother (flame orange, anyone?) that I never used before, but use daily now - two frying pans, and a nice double boiler, the top of which is a 7" skillet. Love to get the big skillet smoking hot on the induction hob and dry sear steaks and chops. I agree with chac mool - buy your pots and pans ala carte, rather than in a set - just buy what you use... Hope this helps!

I have a set of "Emeril" ware, made by All-clad but way cheaper. Got it ad BB &B for less than $300 with 20% off coupon. I really really like it. I also have an enameled coated cast iron dutch oven I got at Sams club for $40 - and I don't see any difference between it and the LeCreuset brand. For a griddle I think I'd just get a Lodge cast iron one. I also had 2 nice surprises after getting my induction. A stock pot (stainless) and a pot that looked like a pressure cooker but had no lid, both my deceased mother's, worked on the induction. I was really sad at the thoughts of giving up those 2 pans (the pressure cooker one was my fudge making and popcorn popping pan because it had such a thick bottom and nothing burned) so I was thrilled, tho surprisd, that they both worked! I think our mothers really knew how to pick out cookware or they just made things better 40 years ago (well of course they did!)

I just received this email from the folks at MetroKitchen from whom I purchased the induction disk I had to return. I am so impressed that they care this much about the quality of their products! So, a plug for MetroKitchen! Happy Thanksgiving everyone ! here is the email: Lee told me about your problems with the induction disk. We're very sorry that it did not work for you. I am investigating it further with the manufacturer because we want to make sure it works as we promise on our site. We had been told that it makes most pans induction-ready, but obviously that's not the case with yours. Thanks for bringing the problem to our attention. We'll do our best to help you try to use your current pans. For all of your extra efforts, we'd like to offer you a 10% discount on a future purchase at MetroKitchen.com. You can call us at 888-892-9911 with your order and mention this code --xxxxxxxxx . Or you can order on line and enter the same code in the "special instructions" box in the shopping cart. (It's on the same page as where you enter your credit card information.) Again, we apologize for the inconvenience. We'll keep you posted on what we learn from Mauviel about the disk. Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Regards, Lynn Nowicki CEO www.Metrokitchen.com

Talk about a coinkidink... this thread came up to the top again, just as the A&E service guy left my house. We got our new GE Profile 30" Induction cooktop installed this weekend. There is a "Control Lock" that disable the controls so that you don't turn on the stove while you're cleaning it, etc. Well, Day #1, and we had trouble with it. I swear, this appliance nightmare is giving me gray hair. First, I couldn't get the control lock ON so that I could clean the grubby fingers prints off after it was installed. After messing with it, I got it ON. I got out my new pots & pans and was ready to cook dinner that night, and I couldn't get the control lock OFF! I fiddled with it, then hubby fiddled with it - and he finally got it off so we could have dinner. After dinner, I had a hard time getting it back ON, so that I could clean up. Long & short of it is, that they had to order a $500 part for our brand new induction cooktop. They'll be out in 10 days to put in the new circuit board. Arggggg..... I am SOoooo over this whole appliance nightmare. Boxie