If you are seriously interested in good cookware....and really interested in cooking, don't buy a set....buy what you need in different brands. There is no one "set" of cook ware that is best for everything. You need a couple of non stick fry pans for eggs, a couple of stainless sauce pans for things like cooking veggies and rice, you need a heavy dutch oven with a non reactive finish for stews and such, you need a roaster that is not non stick so you can use it with high heat and a large stock pot for boiling pasta or corn.
But remember stainless steel is not a very conductive medium...it's OK for boiling stuff....but not good at all for most other things.
But don't buy a set of pots and pans.
Linda C

Typically heavy in cookware is a good thing. For the best performance your SS should have a copper or aluminum disk to help conduct heat evenly.

Non stick pans are toxic I generally avoid them. If you have a good ss, cast iron or anodized aluminum pan and use the proper temperature to cook eggs you will not need a non stick pan.

I have never even seen a BB&B so I don't know what kind of cookware they sell.

I cooked for many years on an electric coil range and now have a smoothtop. Used many different sizes and types of well seasoned cast iron both on top and in the oven for most of my cooking. Also used non-stick for eggs and things that did better with it. I only had to get rid of one cast iron that didn't work on the smoothtop, the others are ok.

Before and during a small kitchen remodel, I purchased some Calphalon hard anodized cookware pieces on sale and also a SS disk bottom stock/soup pot from TJ Maxx and some new non-stick including Calphalon commercial from Amazon. I am not that thrilled with the Calphalon but have never tried the Calphalon One. Gave one hard anodized away and replaced it with SS.

I listened to the advice about not buying a set, but after getting my smoothtop, I had to replace all my saucepans, a midsize stock pot and some frypans as they were old and rocked on the glasstop. Costco had a Sitram set, Profisserie I think, on sale online and it had sizes I needed and the price was good. So I purchased it and have used most of the pieces. It cooks well.

I think BB&B has Emerilware, Calphalon and also Cuisinart, plus various non-stick and other brands. I have some Cuisinart and like it although just one pan and think they have discontinued that line. I have some Calphalon tri-ply that has worked well. Also have some individual SS & non-stick pieces I have picked up, most from TJ Maxx and Amazon.

Decide if you would like glass or metal lids. The glass is nice to see through, but I think I prefer metal for how it affects the cooking process. Watch for sales and go to various stores and just handle, lift and move around the pots and pans. Find what feels good in your hand and how the pan is balanced etc. how long the handles are (that affects what fits in my oven). A disk bottom or copper or aluminum sealed inside the bottom of the pan will cook better. All clad or tri-ply or more is not necessary, but nice for when you do want it. A plain cheaper aluminum stock pot works good for boiling water, pasta etc. That said, I love the disk bottom 6qt pot I picked up at TJ Maxx that has curved shaped sides and nice handles and can go well from stove to table.

Good luck and congratulations on the upcoming wedding!

beanie,

As pointed out above; "Typically heavy in cookware is a good thing." Since you're talking about a gift registry at BB&B I'd suggest Calphalon One or All-Clad. Emerilware is made by All-Clad and looks like pretty good cookware. It is less expensive because it's made where labor is less expensive than in the US. Calphalon one has better ergonomiccally designed handles than All-Clad, so it's easier to move weight around, and they look cool too. All-Clad is hard to beat though.

Best of Luck!

I don't think sets are a bad thing if you are starting out with NOTHING in your kitchen. I got married this last year and had nothing to begin with besides 2 pyrex glass baking pans - so I went with a Calphalon One set (which I LOVE LOVE LOVE). I also got a Calphalon One roasting pan. I supplemented this with 3 Le Creuset pieces (13 qt Dutch Oven, 1 qt sauce pan, a smallish fry pan) and 2 All Clad pieces - the double burner grill and griddle. I absolutely love and USE everything I have.

My reasoning for going Calphalon One v. All Clad was purely a handle issue for me. I was very uncomfortable manuvering the All Clad - the handles dug into my palm. The Calphalon One handles are perfect for my hand shape and the overall performance of the pans is great.

We ended up using some wedding money to buy new pieces off ebay, amazon, cooking.com, etc. when they weren't bought off the registry - the prices are often vastly different.