Cookware Set from Surgical Steel.

Salad master is very expensive. We bought a set for $399 which is almost the same just the steel a little bit lower grade than Saladmaster. I can look up the name. We use it for over year now and it works great.

Hi,
I highly recommend "Salad Master". We purchased our pots and pans 25 years ago. The Salad Master pots and pans work great and continue to look great too.

R.

We love our All Clad cookware - it is expensive but it lasts forever! Don't buy anything non-stick - a little extra virgin olive oil does a great job to keep things from sticking to your good cookware.

I have Cusinart that is 9 years old and I love it. It's stainless but I'm sure it's not the top top of the line (it's probably the Cadillac of cooking where the SaladMaster is the Porche).

I would also suggest, since you are looking at such high end products, you might consider deciding on what you want in the store/online and searching eBay for it. You do have to keep in mind though, that purchasing it 2nd hand will usually void any warranty that the company offers.

Good Luck!

We received Emerilware as a wedding present two years ago and couldn't be happier with it. It works just as well as my mom's calphalon, but for at least half the price.

Update: as far as frying, use a good olive oil (a tablespoon or less - just enough to coat the bottom of the pan) or a nonstick spray, like Pam. That should keep your food from sticking to the pan. Another thing to do when you're near the end of the cooking process is add half a cup to a cup of liquid to the pan. That will help get the stuck-on bits off the bottom of the pan and could be used as a sauce/gravy for your meal. Try water, chicken/beef/veggie stock, or even wine. Use a wooden spoon or high-heat rubber spatula to help scrap the bits off the bottom once you've added the liquid. It works great and makes cleanup much easier.

The only surgical steel I know of is by SaladMaster and it's extremely expensive.

For frying, I use the FryDaddy deep fryer. Cast iron skillets are also great for frying.

I have a steel set that I got at Bed Bath and Beyond at the after thanksgiving sale for about $50. It's lasted 2 years and, with the exception of the silicone coming off the handles of the pot that always goes in the oven, it's in good shape.

I also use a lot of cast iron. LOVE LOVE LOVE it.

S.

I have All-Clad (Stainless collection) and I love it. It is not the one endorsed by Emeril, it is a step up. It is the same company. My personal opinion is that the stainless is the best. Check out the website listed below.

www.all-clad.com

You can get details for what stores sell it on the website. I got my 10 piece set at Dillards a couple years ago for around $600+. I have also purchased a couple of other pots as needed. Separate items run about $120 and up. I have seen AllClad at other stores, I just happened to have a gift card from the holidays and that is why I purchased at Dillards.

I am very pleased with my selection.

When I went to purchas it, the sales lady asked me if I wanted a good set to use or a set to display (pot rack). I told her that I wanted a top quality set that will be great for me pass on to my daughter. She confirmed the information I had already researched about this product. She also said that it looks very pretty on a pot rack above the stove. I don't have one of those but I agree, it is classy looking. Just watch the cooking shows sometime, you will see it used by quite a few of the cooks. Mine is used and it looks as nice as new.

I also use a lot of cast iron pots and pans. It just depends on what I am preparing. Cast iron is fantastic if it has been seasoned properly. I am using my grandmother's cast iron pan for cornbread. My grandchildren (If I have any) will be able to use it as well...

My mom has Saladmaster and she swears by it. I remember when she got it when I was about 4-5 yrs old at a salad master party she hosted at our home. I am 46 now. It still looks new. She had a handle break last year and all she did was send it back and they sent a new one to her at no charge.

The same happened for me with my knives. I have the Henkel top of the line. Last year one broke. I called them, sent it back and got a new one of my choice delivered bo my door. My knives are about 12 yrs old because they were my first mother's day gift! My daughter is 13.

Good luck.

Salad Master is the only company I'm aware of that sells surgical grade stainless steel. I have a couple of pieces that my in-laws gave me, but it is VERY expensive. If you're lucky, you might be able to find pieces at a garage sale or craigslist. I highly recommend Pampered Chef's stainless cookware. I've compared my PC with SM and can't tell the difference. It's cheaper than SM, but not bargin basement either, but it is an investment.

If you are interested in the Pampered Chef (pricing & specs), send me a private message.

K.

I have Calphalon. we have the non-stick but I think (?) that it comes in regular. I've heard good things about All Clad as well. My advice would be to go into Williams and Sonoma and ask one of the sales reps for a run down on the differences in the brands. We did that when looking and it was really helpful. Of course we didn't purchase there it was too expensive:-}