Thanks for all the pointers. I have found that in my local market there
is a guy selling pots and pans. He has a thick-bottomed pot that he
claims is an expensive brand, that looks fairly solid, for a cheap
price (£10, almost US$20). I think I'll give that one a go. If it
doesn't work out, then at least I can use it for sauces and the like.
If it does work out, then I might shell out the proper money for a
top-ish brand.