Having just ranted about the $20,000 pullman kitchen [somewhere above], I now have to eat humble pie and admit I own All-Clad pots and pans and find them to be, in the very long run, a good value. I like their appearance, I rely on the way they perform on the stove and in the oven, and after giving away the non-dishwasher Calphalon, discover that cooking is easier and clean-up a snap. That the shiny stainless remains brilliant and gleaming still is a testament to the quality of the product (and certainly not to my housekeeping methods). AT's advice about buying one piece at a time and eschewing the full sets is right on target: you'll discover that no set ultimately offers precisely what you alone need, and All-Clad is sufficiently versatile that even with 9 or 10 pieces you'll find yourself relying on only one or two favorites. Thanks for posting both the question (I asked the same thing years ago) and the cogent answer.

You can usually get All-Clad at a slight discount on Ebay. Or, you can do what the Bloomindales sales lady told me to do: Buy the whole set, getting the discount, the gift, and the 10% off for opening a Bloomingdale's credit account. Then give some for Christmas presents and sell what you don't need on Ebay. (This is for people with spare time or easy access to the P.O.)

Also: Burned-on food cleans up in no time if you use baking soda as you would scouring powder. My pots are still brand new-looking after 2 years.

i have a few pieces of all clad purchased at the annual All Clad Seconds Sale held every year in Western Pa. the link is... http://www.cratecook.com/SpecialEventAllClad-Dec.htm

go steelers!

There are some things in the kitchen you can skimp on. You don't need a fancy shmancy cutting board, or the best kitchen canisters in the world, but cookware and cutlery are things you really need to invest in. A set of $40 knives will last you about a year before they start to rust. If you never want to buy another set of cookware again, invest in the good stuff. You save money in the long run.

By the way, this is just my personal preference and experience, but non-stick cookware is more of a trouble than what it's worth. It doesn't last as long as the cast-iron or stainless steel cookware and there are reports that the non-stick coating is dangerous to use in the first place.

My husband came home one day with a set of All-Clad pots and pans. After my sticker-shock-induced heart attack subsided, and I used them a couple of times, I had to admit that they're far superior to the high-end non-stick pans we'd been using.

and for Mark Bittman's counter-take on the value of high end cookware like all-clad:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/09/dining/09mini.html

My brother is a chef and agrees with this philosophy as well. I think there are probably better things on which to spend one's money...

I use Emerilware, by All-Clad. It's the same quality construction with a slightly downgraded stainless steel. the lids stay on BETTER than all-clad. I love them.

I have some All Clad, and I have to say that I much prefer my cheap, pre-seasoned Lodge cast iron. All Clad is very nice and heavy, but I honestly don't think it's as good as cast iron. Just my two cents.

I have 4 pieces of All-Clad, purchased with my ex, with a combination of Amazon Rewards and some cash, which I ended up with after the split. (I had a 5th piece - a small pot - which I ruined by accidentally leaving it on the burner long after the water boiled out of it. I'm lucky it didn't explode.) I really love the stuff - things don't burn or stick in them, and this without the icky non-stick coating, and it washes up really, really easily. I read the Bittman article and I am really curious about the restaurant supply cookery. Does it have these same features?

My mom gave me a few All Clad pots and pans as a college graduation present. That was 5 years ago now and after a lot of use they still cook like a dream and look brand new. Two thumbs up from me!

brooklyn_kate, I read that piece, and while Bittman is probably correct, I think he's missing out on the fact that, for some of us, the aesthetic experience of cooking includes using nice materials.

To put it in perspective (okay, MY perspective, but this is my comment, so bear with me, heh), I also love reading. I know that, say, a Jane Austen novel is going to please me no matter how it's bound or what its cover art looks like. But darned if I don't prefer to read a beautiful old hardcover version, anyway.