Is Buying an Expensive Kitchen Set Worth It?

[ImariFutari]

Okay, so this has been pressing my brain for a while!

Recently, I've been looking into a new set of non-stick pots and pans (my current ones are beginning to stain and fall apart), and as I was shopping online, I came to a cross roads.

Should I buy an expensive set, or a cheap kitchen set? In your experience, has either lasted longer than the other? Surely, it isn't better just because it's more expensive, correct??

My budget is rather flexible (at least, at the time I'm writing this ) so cost isn't much of an issue - but I'd still like to save money with the cheaper option, if that means that it could possibly last just as long as the more expensive set.

 

[Pat]

What do you call expensive? I purchased a set a few years back for a gift to my daughter for more than $100 and expected the set to be of quailty, it has not lived up to my expectations. Who will be using the pans is also something you want to think about. We have teeenagers learning to cook, using too high a temperature on the pans than they should be using.

 

[sidevalve]

IMHO it depends on how cheap and which pans you use most. For example we still have a saucepan that was my mothers and it's still pretty much as new, and wasn't expensive to begin with - but it is SO rarely used. Matching sets are all very nice but usually one or two items are used almost daily and the others gather dust until that once a year experiment/banquet etc. As with any tool get the best for things you use daily but the others don't matter all that much.

 

[Rosyrain]

You are better off most likely to go with the expensive set if it is a well known brand name. I have a set that I purchased for about $350 10 years ago and they still look almost brand new. They have held up great over the years and I get compliments on them all of the time.

 

[GadgetGuy]

Okay, so this has been pressing my brain for a while!

Recently, I've been looking into a new set of non-stick pots and pans (my current ones are beginning to stain and fall apart), and as I was shopping online, I came to a cross roads.

Should I buy an expensive set, or a cheap kitchen set? In your experience, has either lasted longer than the other? Surely, it isn't better just because it's more expensive, correct??

My budget is rather flexible (at least, at the time I'm writing this ) so cost isn't much of an issue - but I'd still like to save money with the cheaper option, if that means that it could possibly last just as long as the more expensive set.

Rosyrain is right!

Go with a more expensive set - one that is within your means and which you can afford.
Buying a cheap set will more than likely only give you a ton of headaches in the long run. You want a set that has superior quality, durability, sturdiness & good looks & thick-clad bottoms for even heat distribution.

Stainless steel is the better material to choose because it will probably last longer than just about any other metal that's out there. Hard anodized is probably the 2nd best. it is almost as durable as stainless steel. It has a nonstick interior & glass lids like the stainless steel sets!

I made the jump in '06 when I got a 10-pc set of Emerilware Stainless Steel Cookware. I've added additional open stock pieces to it to make it a monster 31-pce set! It is made my All-Clad. It has served me well
in the nine years that I had it, and it continues to do so! Great set! Probably not the best set in the world, but it has certainly done well by me!!

 

[queenbellevue]

"Expensive" is really relative though. A good set of knives will probably set you back hundreds if not thousands of dollars alone. The good thing is that good kitchenware lasts a LONG time. Like 10 years long.

 

[crimsonghost747]

Well, take a look at what other people are saying about the brands online. For something that you use almost everyday, I would be inclined to go with something good instead of trying to save money. My friend got a 100 euro pillow last week and we were laughing about it. Then we quickly noticed that if he keeps it for 3 years that's about 10 cents per night... which is NOTHING for a good night sleep.

Same with kitchenware. If you are going to be using it twice a day for the next 5-10 years, then does $100 or $200 really matter that much? Especially when you said that you aren't exactly on a strict budget.

 

[Berties]

pots and pans yes ,I have bought set of le cruset pans 25 years ago ,still going strong,big pans i use high graded stainless steel ,knives once you know what you need a good make of knife is money well spent,i like globals,easy to keep and clean,non stick frying pans I've bought expensive and they have never lasted,

 

[GadgetGuy]

Le Cruset cookware is astronomically expensive! But it IS very durable, like you said. Just don't drop it, or two things will happen! The porcelain enamel will chip. And if it lands on your foot, you're more than likely on your way to the hospital's ER!! It's very heavy.

 

[Berties]

Le Cruset cookware is astronomically expensive! But it IS very durable, like you said. Just don't drop it, or two things will happen! The porcelain enamel will chip. And if it falls on you foot, you're more than likely on the way to the hospital!! It's very heavy.

I've dropped one before ,it's actually cracked but stupidly it was still useable,
The tiles on the floor were ok,thankfully,but I do get concerned about the work tops as they are granite,the pans if used on gas are not so good as they have wooden handles ,but can be replaced easily

 

[GadgetGuy]

I think that they all have metal handles now.

 

[Mockingbird]

I think a better approach might be to consider the things and the way you cook. I never bought a nice complete set of pots and pans, what I did instead was buy quality pieces that I know were just right for what I cook. I spent $25 a a large covered fry pan because that is my go to pan when i make things like fried potato and pork chops. I spent a good dollar on a large ceramic pan that is for Lasagna , and pretty much the same for the three stock sized pans that I use for soup and canning. Probably the most used pans are to small sauce pans with covers and the medium fry pan which I use for eggs and frying.saute of ingredients for larger recipes.

Recently I have started to upgrade my baking pans, I finally managed to wear right through a cookie sheet, For this I did splurge and have a set of the better Corning Glassware. My next purchase will be a better spring pan and two dark layer cake pans. The dark ones do seem to work better for cake.

 

[OhioTom76]

Honestly, I am kind of torn on this. I grew up in a household that was just brutal on pans, so the non-stick coating would be completely shot within a few weeks of buying cheap pans. No matter how many times you would yell at them to stop trying to cut stuff in the pan with a knife, or using harsh metal scrubbers on the surface, they just kept doing it over and over - not to mention burning stuff to the bottoms of the pans. So when the holidays would roll around, I would try to buy them a few Calphalon pans from time to time - hoping they would last longer. Although they do, they too will go bad, plus given the fact that they were more expensive, my family is more reluctant to replace them when they should - so in some ways that is even worse.

Then a few years ago, I threw out all my pans, and bought a modestly priced Farberware set for about $60. The pans were much lighter and thinner than the Calphalons but still decently made - they weren't dollar store cheap. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they cooked just fine. And it was actually nice to have some lighter pans instead of lugging around those heavier pans for everything - my back certainly appreciated it when loading/unloading the dishwasher.

Also, I started watching Cooks Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen's cooking videos, and realized they were using the exact same Farberware pans as well, with the red thermal dots in the middle, to cook on their show. So I figured if it was good enough for them, then those pans were good enough for me. As long as you take good care of them, you should get a lot of mileage out of them - but the nicer thing is it's inexpensive to replace any one of those pans from the set too if you ever need to. With the more expensive sets, they all often have a specific look and design to them, and you cannot get individual replacement pans for them.

 

[missbishi]

Some of the best pans I have ever used have been from a UK store called "Wilko's". I have a non stick frying pan of theirs which is still in excellent condition 4 years down the line. I also have some of their stainless steel pans with encapsulated bases, which cost between £5-8 each. I'm really impressed with them.

I was brought up with Le Creuset cookware and my mother is still using the majority of the pieces she had now. It really does last forever and the only real issies have been witht he knob on the lid, which can easily be tightened with a screwdriver.

 

[Beer]

Not sure about this cheap pans. Bought a non stick Paella pan in Spain. Eventually the non stick started to fail but as it was extraordinarily thick and heavy I couldn't bring myself to bin it. I eventually managed to season it. It works perfect now and I doubt it is due to the non stick. Which is still there except in the centre where it is completely worn away. It is about 12 maybe 15 years old. Simply not cleaning it seems to season it perfect.