i agree. i've had sets all my married years and phooey! i end up replacing the same ones over and over again. also, in Cook's Illustrated, he says to buy second up from the bottom line on non-stick because none of them last very long. that way you don't feel guilty about tossing them every year or so when they get scratched or chipped. i'm careful to get handles that can go into the oven and i make sure that when they're filled i can lift them without hurting my shoulders. as you get ...hmmm... more mature, that becomes an issue.

we recently got some hard annodized pots and skillets from either QVC or HSN and love them.... They are extremely expensive at Bed, Bath Beyond, that kind of store and much more reasonable at the online / tv shops mentioned above. Nothing sticks and you can use metal utensils on them.

we are also discarding our old 'non-stick' icky pots and pans.

warm quilt hugs, sue in CA

I had a set of Farberware stainless steel that I had for about 25 yrs. I bought a set of nonstick that I can tell are not going to last very long. Buy the best you can afford. I like All-Clad stainless steel and will replace my current one with those when the time comes.

I absolutely love my Revere Ware Copper-bottomed cookware that I got in 1961. But you must be diligent about using copper cleaner on the bottom EVERY time you use them. However, I don't like the stainless skillets for frying or browning chops or making pancakes, etc. so I use my iron skillets (I have 4 - all different sizes) - they are wonderful. I generally do not like the non-stick stuff, but I do have one 8" non-stick skillet from the Millennium line from Farberware. I use it only for eggs, omelets, crepes and sauces - never for anything that requires high heat. Revere Ware used to be top of the line in department stores but now you can buy it at K-Mart! Personally, I'm very satisfied with my cookware and would never consider paying hundreds and hundreds on other pots and pans.

Top the line can also mean more profit for the retailer.
I still like Revere Ware. I used several copper bottom pots belonged to my mother, she got then in the 50's.
I agree with the other person, I don't like to used stainless bottom fry pan for eggs.

Forgot to say that my mom had a set of Farberware stainless (no copper bottoms) that lasted all her life. We donated them to Good Will when she died at age 92. I used them at home before I got married and they were great. Cooked nicely and cleaned up easily. But I wanted something "fancier" when I got my own, hence the Revere Ware copper bottoms. Little did I know I should have also bought stock in copper cleaner! But since I hang them on my kitchen wall, they have to look nice and I must say, I'm proud of how pretty they still look!

EllenB,
Check out K-Mart or Wal-Mart. I've seen Revere Ware there and they are not expensive. They are even the same shaped handled and lids as the ones I bought in 1961. You can probably get them online, too.
Carol

Thanks, Carol - since we don't have a KMart, I'll check out WM for one. For years, I've used the small skillet instead of a 2 qt for a small quantity. It works, but makes sloppy stirring with something liquidy.

Now, if someone could help me find the soft-boiled egg crackers that we used years ago ...

What are soft-boiled egg crackers?

They are two parts to separate the shell of a SB egg - each half is about 1 1/2" high (red plastic) rings, the egg sits in one that has a metal jaw on each side and the other goes on the top and has a metal pointy thing that pokes into the shell to make the crack. We'd used these since the 50s and I used them until about 10 years ago when two of the metal pieces broke off - and I've been looking ever since, even in antique and thrift shops. The things I've gotten since mainly crush the shells. I know that, supposedly, SB eggs aren't safe to eat, but I still do ... they're comfort food!