I also have a GE Profile induction cooktop. I have Infinite Circulon and am very happy with it. The Costco set sounds like it has the same type of interior surface, and if so, it is very non-stick and easy to clean. Also looks like a good price.

I have Favorit cookware from Ikea. It's awesome. Good heavy bases (makes perfect sauces!) and handles. The stainless steel comes out of the dishwasher looking new.

They also have a 365+ line, which is a little cheaper. I have a few of those pieces as well. They're not as heavy duty as Favorit, but work just fine as well.

Can't beat the prices!

I had previously had several pieces of Circulon cookware, and while it was Ok at first (but not great) before long (in about a year) the ridges that they tout as their big advantage, served only to trap food bits more securely, and to allow the non-stick surface to flake off more easily.

I was unhappy enough with my previous pieces of Circulon cookware that when my wife bought a full set of Circulon Infinite for me for Christmas, I thanked her and subsequently drove 160 miles round trip to return them.

I have since picked up a set of stainless pots and pans from Sears, along with a few open-stock, non-stick skillets to go with them.

Here is a link that might be useful: Kenmore cookware I bought

I found excellent quality & value in Henckels Classic Clad stainless cookware. I love the handles, and the quality is equal to All-Clad. I ordered mine from amazon.com and CutleryAndMore.com.

Here is a link that might be useful: Henckels Classic Clad

After you get yourself going with this stuff, I would begin to save for a set of Demeyere. The difference between the higher quality cookware and everyday cookware is astounding. IMHO, it is well worth the extra money.

What Demeyere cookware are you comparing? What line are you referring to? Apollo or others?

I have very little experience with stainless steel cookware. The only thing I have is an electric skillet and a veggie steamer. The veggie steamer works great, but the electric skillet is reserved for making ONLY spagetti sauce because it seems like everything else STICKS to it. I find myself fighting with cooked on food for what seems like an eternity.

Am I doing something wrong here? Maybe better quality SS doesn't stick? I love the way that the SS looks, but how do you all use it without it sticking to anything you put in it to cook?

Thanks - I'm sure it's a learning experience, not just with the induction, but the SS y'all are recommending as well. There's just so much good stuff I am learning on here!

Boxie

Boxie, I don't know what you're doing, but I can say that not much sticks to my Demeyere Atlantis cookware. Usually I just wash it in the dishwasher, and it comes out spotless. Occasionally I'll burn something on a bit, but it usually comes right off with a brief soak in soapy water. Worst case, I'll put a bit of Barkeeper's Friend Cookware Cleaner in the bottom and swish it lightly about twice around, and anything that didn't come off it the soak comes right off.

I note that Demeyere uses a special treatment on their Atlantis and Apollo lines that they call "Silvinox," where they plate some of the iron out of the stainless steel, which results in concentrating the alloying elements. This makes it "more stainless" than normal 304 stainless. This makes it better for cleaning up in the dishwasher, and makes it so things don't stick as much, and also makes it so that it doesn't tarnish the way other stainless sometimes does.

boxiebabe, I am contemplating the very same cookware from Costco for the same reasons you are. I think the price is great, especially with the coupon. But it concerns me to hear that the teflon may not hold up. When I clicked on the link to Kenmore cookware that bob_cville linked, it looks like a good set, too.

Teflon won't hold up--that's a given. There is a temperature at which Teflon starts to break down. Overheat that pan just once, and the Teflon is going to start breaking down. It doesn't matter who the manufacturer is, or how durable their marketing says their product is--the problem is a chemical property of Teflon itself.

A large proportion of serious cooks have exactly one Teflon pan--a frying pan for cooking eggs, which is where non-stick is really helpful.

Regarding Circulon, it has long been known that its ridges are more of a problem than help. The complaints are as Bob has already reported--after a while, stuff starts to stick between the ridges. I notice that they are now making the ridges gentler than they used to be--I suspect that change is to mitigate this problem. In any case, it seems that the ridges are more of a gimmick than anything else, and a rather ineffectual gimmick at that. The same company (Meyer) also offers Anolon, which is flat rather than ridged; that seems to me to be a better bet than the Circulon. I have some Anolon, and it hasn't had the problems that people report about Circulon. (I'm not suggesting Anolon as the "go-to" non-stick to buy if you want non-stick, because I haven't research non-stick. I'm only saying that Anolon seems to be a better bet than Circulon, and that my Anolon performed well until it was overheated.)

A note I should make: I have no evidence that any Anolon cookware is induction-capable, which would eliminate it from consideration for the purposes of this thread.

Solarpowered: Although I don't want to invest in the Demeyere Atlantis cookware at this time ($1200 for a 10-piece set is what I found so far), you've given me good reason to start a cookware savings fund! Your positive experience with the Demeyere is enough to sell me on it once my cookware fund reaches that point.
And thank you VERY much for taking the time to share your knowledge on induction cookware in general. I appreciate it immensely.

Like mrs_mjt, I like the looks of the Kenmore cookware that Bob purchased. It looks more in keeping with my budget, even less $ than the Costco cookware.
I hope that he'll chime in more with his review of the cookware - his likes and dislikes. Maybe even some tips of how I can cook with stainless steel since I am a newbie to it.

What I am attracted to, besides it being cost effective, is the silicone handles on the pots and pans. I wonder though, why they didn't include this on the lids? I like that it includes a steamer insert and a pasta insert, and it says that it's dishwasher safe. (Even though I usually wash all of our pots and pans by hand).

Thanks to all for submitting your experience so far. I am eager to hear more - so bring it on!

I'll join the chorus of folks that recommend against getting a "set" of cookware, but rather select out each individual piece to best meet your own needs. (I'll make an exception for something like that $179 Kenmore set--at that price, it doesn't really make much difference.)

Here are a couple suggestions from my experience in my kitchen, that might or might not work for you. My 3.2 quart Atlantis saucepan gets a huge amount of use. I often use it with the stacking steamer. I suppose one doesn't really need something that nice for a saucepan, but I really love cooking with it, and especially that I can just throw it in the dishwasher afterwards.

I also find the 11" Altantis sauté pan to be a mainstay of my kitchen. I cook a lot of dishes start out by sautéing or browning something, and then simmering in a sauce. The even heat of the copper bottom is wonderful for sautéing, and I love that very little sticks, which makes cleanup easy.

On the other hand, I have a cheap ($27, IIRC) Johnson Rose Crown Select non-stick frying pan that I use for cooking eggs. It works great, and it will be cheap to replace when the Teflon dies.

boxiebabe, Our Costco has another set of stainless steel induction cookware available for $186.

Kirkland Signature 16 pc. SS copper bonded 5 ply.

1.7 Qt
2.4 QT has steamer
4 QT
8 QT stockpot
3.5 QT saute pan
8.5" skillet
10.25" skillet

Item # 208782

I could not find this set at Costco.com so wonder if it is only sold in stores.

My Kenmore cookware review:

All in all I like the set of pots and pans, although a big factor in buying them was that I had a $50 Sears gift certificate to spend.

The pots seem quite sturdy, and make less of a buzzing noise on the induction cooktop than my older cheaper set from my college days. They are a nice assortment of sizes and after about a year they still look great.

I'm a little less happy with the lids: one lid was droppped and the rim is dented, they seal poorly, and rattle and spit condensation all over the cooktop, their handle can get annoyingly hot, and they are really hard to see through.

Previously most of my cooking was on an Anolon non-stick set, which was hard-anodized aluminum and which doesn't work on the induction cooktop, I was initially looking to replace it with a induction-capable non-stick set, (which is why my wife bought the Circulon Infinite set) and was nervous about getting a stainless steel set, but I really haven't had much problem with foods sticking to the pans. Although that is partially because I also got a couple of open-stock non-stick skillets that match the set and use them for most frying-type cooking.

Canuck99, sorry it took me a while to get back to you, I forgot the thread. I have the Apollo set and a few other misc pieces.

We also have Old UltrexIII and a few Farberware pieces left but it wouldn't even be fair to compare them.

As for those who can't live with no-stick, Demeyere has cookware with non-stick coating as part of their "ControlInduc" pieces. You really don't need non-stick, but they have it if you want it. If you are going to use any other brand of non-stick coated cookware with induction, BE CAREFUL. Because of the power of the induction cooktop, you can easily heat the non-stick coating off the cooking vessel and it is dangerous to your health. The "ControlInduc" line will not let this happen because the cookware is engineered to heat no more than 480 degrees Fahrenheit (which is more than enough to cook with). No other cookware that I am aware of will do this.

No, I don't work for Demeyere. I just want you all get the best out of the technology and the same cooking enjoyment we have.

Bob: Thanks for your cookware review. Hehe. Although it sounds like you're overall pretty happy with them, the lid thing gives me pause in purchasing them. Which, I suppose is why I asked for advice. :) I don't like the idea of the spitting and spattering, and for some reason, I thought that they have SS lids, not glass. So I guess that would be hard to see through! The good though is that they still look great, and that you're not having any sticking issue. Hmmm...

mrs-mjt: I really do like just about everything I've ever purchased from Costco, so I will check it out the next time I am there to see if my Costco carries it. Did you buy the set?

Any GW'ers out there already have Kirkland Signature 16 piece SS copper bonded 5 ply. and care to review them?

Thanks all,
Boxie

Klaa,

Thanks it turns out the plant in Belguim is shutting down for 3 weeks so I have sometime to narrow my first choice on what pieces to get.

I'm in Canada, so the Kirkland set is a 13 piece, but everything else is the same. I bought it in anticipation of having my induction cooktop installed at our new place at the end of the month. I just couldn't leave it in the box til then(we have to move as well), and I am so glad I didn't! It performs like a dream-much better the the old Lagostina set that I have(which by the way failed the magnet test).

boxiebabe, No, I didn't buy the Kirkland Signature set yet because I had planned on buying the Circulon with the Costco coupon until reading this thread! :)

Glad to hear the good review from moose.

mrs-mjt, this is exactly the set I plan on buying with my Amex Costco rebate. I was so upset when I didn't see it online, I thought they'd taken it out of the stores! Glad to see it's available in stores still! I have heard good things about it