[nicneufeld]

I'm a stainless kind of guy.  I don't much like non stick, and I don't like cast iron either, so my pans of choice are simple stainless steel.  I'm looking for brand recommendations that offer a good balance between value and quality...I'm not a pro chef, and I've heretofore been cooking on falling apart old hand-me-downs that have done well for me.  I'm looking for a brand similar to Forschner in knives...great quality and performance for a decent price.

Any brands I should look at?

[dbeechum]

These may or may not be out of your price range, but I really like my all-clad pans.

If you buy from here, you can save a ton of money. http://www.cookwarenmore.com/

And the irregular aspect of it - maybe one or two little blemishes that will get lost in the noise of regular cooking.

[nicneufeld]

Sadly the all-clads, even with the listed discount, are likely out of my budget for replacement cookware.

These look promising from what I've read:

http://www.amazon.com/Cuisinart-Multiclad-Stainless-Steel-12-Piece-Cookware/dp/B0007KQZWU

Not the fanciest stuff but seemingly serviceable (and likely an upgrade from my current stainless pans, the plastic handles of which are starting to crumble away).

[Pawtucket Patriot]

These may or may not be out of your price range, but I really like my all-clad pans.

If you buy from here, you can save a ton of money. http://www.cookwarenmore.com/

And the irregular aspect of it - maybe one or two little blemishes that will get lost in the noise of regular cooking.

I'm an all-clad guy too.  They are a bit pricey though.  My wife and I were lucky enough to get a Master Chef 2 set as a wedding gift from a relative.  In any case, they heat very evenly and are incredibly durable.

Thanks for posting that link, dbeechum.  I've been looking to add a 12" frying pan to my set; I don't really care if it's an "irregular."

nic, the Cuisinart set you linked looks very comparable to the all-clad stuff.  Both are made of 18/10 SS with an aluminum core and 18/10 handles.  If it's in your price range, I'd say go for it.

[roffenburger]

This is what my parents got me and my wife for our wedding:
http://www.discoverwaterlesscooking.com/

The website is a bit infomercial like, but I really like the set.

[slimsparty]

I know the all clad crowd will poo poo these and they have gotten to be a little more mainstream, but I really do like my calphalon. 

The aluminum is sufficient gage to spread the heat evenly and the non-stick is pretty good.

There are 2 problems:
-The nonstick comes off if someone uses a metal spoon to stir or tries to whip up the spuds with a cake mixer.
-a couple of mine have oil permanently burned on (Like the griddle for pancakes) and the first skillet I got.

But... I got the first 4 pans a part of a spiff because calphalon and henkels are owned by newel rubbermaid that does a lot of office product biz.  Then we got 8-10 more pieces for our weddin'

****warning thread hijack****

I have a semicustom set of wustoff knives. I love them.  My favorite is the Grand Prix II japanese style chefs knif that is hollow ground.  I have only run it up and down the steel and in 6-7 years i can still shave with it.

It has been half a lifetime ago, but I have a decent amount of commercial cooking experience and still have far less cuts when my knives are sharp.

[beerocd]

I have a semicustom set of wustoff knives. I love them.  My favorite is the Grand Prix II japanese style chefs knif that is hollow ground.  I have only run it up and down the steel and in 6-7 years i can still shave with it.

Yes, well that would require all users of the knife to respect it and treat it properly. Wouldn't it? 
I have the Trident set. (abused)

-OCD

[Pawtucket Patriot]

I have a nice set of Wüsthofs too.  I love my santoku chef's knife.  I just had my set sharpened a few weeks ago and they slice like buttah.

[nicneufeld]

Good knives are probably the most important kitchen tool.  Again, I don't have anything as nice as the Wuesthofs, but the 2 Forschner knives I own are fantastic...a 12" slicer that slides through roasts and briskets with ease and a small utility knife that I use for about everything.  Next up is either a large chef's knife or a santoku.

[pjj2ba]

I'm a fan of Update International for stainless steel pans.  As a bonus, they are typically induction ready (magnetic) so I can use them on our induction cookers.  Available on the web, and in some restaurant supply stores, not at the local mall.

[riverrat]

Not sure of the quality, but I saw an 18 piece set of stainless pans (includes a few kitchen tools as well, so about 7 pans with lids, and some tools) from wolfgang puck at sam's club for $100.  Seemed decent enough to give em a shot for budget pans.

[redbeerman]

Go a set of Emeril's a few years ago for  Christmas and they work great.  Cost was ~ $160 for a skillet, two saute's, two sauce, and a Dutch oven all with glass lids.

[smurfe]

All Clad fan here to but there are others out there that are fine. One point I have to add is to look around for individual pieces as opposed to boxed sets. This way you get pans you actually use and not be paying for pieces you never use. I buy all my pans this way. Normally I go to a local restaurant supply store and see what they have on sale or look for "seconds" to save a few bucks. Same goes for knives. I have a knife fetish and have numerous sets of knives. I have a set of Henkles which I hate. I had a set of Shuns which were good knives but sold them. I have a set of Global's which are very good to but rarely use them. I have bought a few individual Japanese carbon steel knives which I use for almost all of my needs. In fact, I actually just use 2 knives on a regular basis. A 240mm Gyuto (Japanese chef knife) and a 120 mm Petty (paring knife). Occasionally I use the Global bread knife and slicer. Unless you are a real knife nut though I would recommend a VG-10 stainless as opposed to a Carbon Steel knife.

210mm Misono UX10 Gyuto and Global G1 chef knife



240mm Watanabe Pro Gyuto and 240mm Tanaka Damascus Gyuto. Both #2 Blue Carbon Steel

[brewingbunny]

If you want a good deal look for a restaurant supply store in your area.  Usually they have the pans listed by type (18/10, etc) so you're only paying for the quality of the pan and not a brand name.  They're generally not boxed either so you can pick up the pan, look it over, feel for weight, check that the bottom is heavy enough, handle comfort, etc before buying.  My husband and I are currently phasing out most of our non-stick pans too.

[beerocd]

I've got a set of Revere Stainless - must be going on 16 years now. Good quality - but I don't see anything like my set on their site anymore. I've only made a claim on the teakettle(rust) - they sent a new one right out.