Sunshine wrote:
> So here's the question. I want to buy a new set of pots and pans. I
> know some don't like sets but for me they are easier and cheaper. What
> should I get, teflon or stainless steel? What brands should I look for
> (I would like the whole set to be under $200)?

As others have already said, go with the stainless steel. I can't
suggest specific brands--I haven't bought any pots recently--but here
are the basics of what you want to look for.

Steel is a poor conductor of heat, so you don't want pots made of
nothing but steel. Look for pots with aluminum disks in the base.
The aluminum will distribute the heat so that the bottom of the pot
will be evenly heated. That is the least expensive pot design that
works reasonably well.

Some pots use copper rather than aluminum. Copper is a better heat
conductor than aluminum, but aluminum is less expensive than copper,
so the best choice for a modest budget is aluminum. Pots using
aluminum are heavier than pots using copper since more metal is
required.

Some pots have heat conducting metal (aluminum or copper) in the
sides of the pot as well as the bottom. This increases the cost
of manufaturing the pots considerably beyond the price range you
are considering, and the benefits are modest.

The most likely part of a pot to fail is the handle, so look at the
handles to make sure that they appear sturdy. Stainless steel handles
are a good bet, but they can get hot (depending on the design). If
you don't mind using pot holders, I'd go with stainless steel handles.

Depending on how the pots are manufatured, they may have circular
grooves around the inside of the pot. These are harmless if they
are reasonably fine; if they are coarse they may tend to catch sand
and grit when you rinse out the pot. Not a big deal, but something
to look for.

One thing you do not want are the classic Revereware pots. These
are stainless steel with copper on the bottom. These would be good
pots of they contained enough copper to distribute the heat well,
but they don't. I mention this because at one time Revereware was
considered a top brand. Apparently they used to include enough copper
in their pots, but then decided to save money by reducing the amount
of copper, counting on consumers to buy based on reputation. As far
as I know, all of the the other manufaturers of cookware are reputable.
Kenneth Almquist