Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

. . . . awwwwn . . . Actually, I found my THRILL with this set of Cooks Standard cookware, to politely replace the Oneida set that my daughter gave me for my birthday. (Couldn't do the silicone handles, as they tend to deteriorate in the dishwasher.) Ironically, these are so awesome I can't bring myself to even PUT them in the dishwasher. All-Clad (and Williams Sonoma, et al), eat your criminally-expensive hearts out!! These steels are just as good! Take my word for it. I used to work for millionaires who owned that stuff, and I'm glad they couldn't see me laughing behind their backs in the kitchen as I removed $250 price tags for one pot and lid. Who in their right mind would pay $250 for a single pot and lid (and not even a bad-to-the-bone glass lid that you can see through with steam holes)? Having used All-Clad myself in their home for years, let me tell you that the quality of this Cooks Standard is NO LESS than that of cookware 7 times the price, and here's some food for thought: most of the top-selling cookware lines (Calphalon, Emeril, Oneida, Cuisinart, etc.) are all MADE IN CHINA, just as the Cooks Standard are. Do you think these competitors are all contracting different sweat shops that specialize in a particular superior 18/10 stainless steel over the next brand? No, my friend, they're likely all made in like manner by identical/rival companies with enough of a negligible difference among them to keep one from infringing on the patent/design rights of the other. And once it's made in China, it's made in China, ain't it? So the distinguished All Clad can proudly claim "handcrafted in America," but trust me: your mashed potatoes aren't gonna taste $500 better just because you boiled them in an All Clad pot. Save your money and go for this nice, beautiful, and sturdy weight option. By the way, the handles DO stay cool during cooking. At least, that has been my experience. Kudos to "Rascales" for his persuasive review that won me over in 10 seconds flat and solidified my decision. :-)