Help with SS cookware buying and opinion on Wolfgang Puck Set?

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unlimitedjeep

Assistant Cook
Joined
Apr 22, 2006
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2
Greetings all,

I am looking to replace my tired old set of hand me down pans with a set SS pans. I was watching HSN today and they had the Wolfgang Puck 20 piece bistro in the link below. It seemed expensive and thought you could find a cheaper set, same quality that was not marked up due to some celebrity name etched into it. I was researching here and some of the threads have dead links to good SS sets.
Here is the wolfgang puck set
http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=2275766&web_id=2275766&sz=0&sf=qc&dept=qc0001&cat=&subcat=&gs=&attr=181&prev=hp!sf!181!dept&ocm=

Is there a similar set of SS that can be had either online or Target, Walmart, etc? Feel free to post anylinks. Thanks so much.
 
I can't offer much help as I'm in the same boat...about to buy and needing guidance. What I can offer is this: At my local Sams club for about $130, there is a very impressive (to a dummy like me) set of "tri-ply" cookware which to my untrained eye seems very similar to All-Clad. This is not "disk-bottom" but seamless 18/10 SS inside and out with an aluminum core that is full-height. The sides of the pots are thick, not just a single thin sheet of SS.
I have no wealth of experience to draw from but I like the thinking behind this design. There are plenty of folks here with real experience to work from...they'll weigh in, I sure.



Ricky

P.S. I checked online before posting this...Sam's has a Puck 19pc set #759738 that may be the same set for $99!

The tri-ply is 11pcs #955462
http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/search.do?action=search&searchtype=simple&simplesearchfor=cookware&simpleitemtype=0&location=store
 
unlimitedjeep said:
Greetings all,

I am looking to replace my tired old set of hand me down pans with a set SS pans. I was watching HSN today and they had the Wolfgang Puck 20 piece bistro in the link below. It seemed expensive and thought you could find a cheaper set, same quality that was not marked up due to some celebrity name etched into it. I was researching here and some of the threads have dead links to good SS sets.
Here is the wolfgang puck set
http://www.hsn.com/cnt/prod/default.aspx?webp_id=2275766&web_id=2275766&sz=0&sf=qc&dept=qc0001&cat=&subcat=&gs=&attr=181&prev=hp!sf!181!dept&ocm=

Is there a similar set of SS that can be had either online or Target, Walmart, etc? Feel free to post anylinks. Thanks so much.

Considering all the pieces you get that is a great value per piece if you bought it today. I have not used it so I do not know how good the quality is.


Target sells this Kitchen Aid set for 149.99.
http://www.target.com/gp/detail.htm...951818-0680140?_encoding=UTF8&asin=B000CSIELC

I have this set and like it.
 
I think this is a great price for quality SS pans. It is made by All Clad. You might need to get a non-stick pan additionally--for like, $20,=but this set wil be excellent.
 
unlimitedjeep said:
... I was watching HSN today and they had the Wolfgang Puck 20 piece bistro in the link below. It seemed expensive and thought you could find a cheaper set, same quality that was not marked up due to some celebrity name etched into it ....

I'm not convinced that tacking a chef's name onto a set of cookware raises the price (Martha Stewart might be the exception). When it comes to the "quality" of WP's cookware I have not read a negative review - every one I have been able to find says it performs as advertised.

One thing that I do stay away from is any cookware that has anything other than a pure metal handle (like the KA set at Target that kleenex pointed out) which can't go under the broiler.

Now, as for WP's SS cookware sets - I do have some problems. They seem to keep reinventing themselves and you really have to pay attention to what pieces you are getting to guage the value. For example, the 20-pc set from HSN this weekend vs the 19-pc set from Samsclub that Ricky (nufsed) pointed out. How many pieces of cookware (pots and pans) are you actually getting, how many lids, and how many cooking tools that you probably already have (spoons, ladles, turners, etc.)?

I did get a chuckle out the young lady this morning showing how sturdy the ladle in WP's set was by beating it on the counter ... do you really need a ladle that you can drive nails with?

IMHO - the 19-pc ($99) WP set from Sam's is a MUCH better deal than the 20-pc ($180) from HSN because you're getting more cookware and less utensils. Compare what you get.
 
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After posting earlier I had to go to Sam's anyway...so I looked at the tri-ply and the WP. I went ahead and bought the tri-ply. The WP set has eight pans and the tri-ply has six. Thats the basic difference, tho the WP adds utensils to the set as well. I was undecided between the sets until I actually put my hands on them...the WP pans have very thin SS sides and the edges (which roll outward) are seemingly razor-thin compared to the other set. Its personal preference, of course, and its hard to ignore the extra value of the WP's extra pans.
I actually would have jumped at the hard-anodized at Sam's if it were not Teflon but I don't know that anyone offers an equivalent to Calphalon "One".
Ricky
 
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Revere has a copper clad line on sale for $99.99. They also have a tri-ply set as well. Which are great if you have a smooth top stove as well.
 
Michael in FtW said:
I did get a chuckle out the young lady this morning showing how sturdy the ladle in WP's set was by beating it on the counter ... do you really need a ladle that you can drive nails with?

I want to drive nails and build a whole house with it:LOL:

Did it have anything that can act like a saw????
 
I prefer clad (tri ply) to disc bottom. Sam's Le Gourmet Chef, Kitchen Connection, Sur La Table, all have house brands of tri ply at reasonable prices. Martha's tri ply is copper clad at K mart and a bit pricier but still fine stuff and a good price. What AlClad will give you is made in USA (except some of the promo pieces), magnetic SS for induction, and their other lines which are quite fine. If I were buying AllClad I'd go with the MC2...no frills lowest of their prices great performance. If you really want real copper and it's benefits, you don't want triply.
 
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We got the $99 WP set from Sam's Club, and we've been very happy with it!

So far everything is holding up great, it cleans up well, and we've been very happy with how things cook in it.

John
 
I have found through the years that buying a very good peice here and there when i could afford it was the way to go. The peices will last longer and you can buy what you will use.
a online place that is very good for cookware is culteryandmore.com they have a wide selection no tax and no shipping charges.

mrsag
 
Thanks for all the repsonses!! I will probably go with the wp set or tri-ply from sams club...Thanks again!
 
I've had the Member's Mark set of tri-ply for about two years and I'm still very happy with it. It cooks evenly and cleans up beautifully, just a bit of Barkeepers when necessary. I love being able to use the pans and the lids in the oven.
 
Yes. LeGourmet Chef. I have several pieces, 1, 4, 6-quart saucepans, and they perform well. They are tri-ply stainless and, as you can see, quite reasonable. I have not used a skillet or sauté pan.

They are lighter weight than All-Clad and others but I have used them repeatedly over the years with no hot spots or burning.
 
There is a Le Gourmet Chef outlet near me. I was able to see this set in person, I can tell you that they are very nice. The finish on the inside is better than All Clad's. Almost bought a set, strangely however one of the employees talked me out of it. She pointed out that the stainless caps that cover the Aluminum rivets on the inside, had too big a crevise between them and the surface of the pan making them hard to clean.
I paid twice as much for a 10 piece set of All Clad.
 
There was also one in the Providence Place Mall, but they moved out.

I used to go in there a lot and buy stuff! I just hated to see them go!!!


~Corey123.
 
Corey123 said:
There was also one in the Providence Place Mall, but they moved out...


There is a Le Gourmet Chef outlet store in the Wrentham, MA Premium Outlet Mall. Also a LeCrueset outlet store and a Williams-Sonoma and a Kitchen Connections and a Harry and David.
 
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