After years of cooking with my cast iron(which I love)and flimsy non-stick pot/pans(which I hated),and hand me down mismatched piece(which I also hated lol) I finally decided to treat myself to a new complete set. I had no idea what to purchase. There are so many choices out there;non-stick,hard anodized,stainless steel,cooper,etc. I searched the web for facts,preferences,recommendations,and reviews. I looked&looked for months. Finally I decided I wanted to give stainless steel a try. I happened across this American Kitchen set. It seemed to have everything I was looking for. The fact that it's made in America was a huge plus. After a few weeks of procrastinating(I wasn't sure I wanted to spend $199 on a set)I decided to take the plunge. I found this set,new&unused,on another site. I got it for $100 with free shipping! I figured if it didn't hold up I'd only be out a few dollars. I was pleased from the moment I unpacked the pieces. They are very attractive. I love the brushed exterior on the pieces. The satin exterior looks very professional and doesn't show scratches as easily as I imagine a mirror finish would. The next thing that grabbed me was the weight of the pieces. They have a nice heft to them without being too heavy to handle. I had heard horror stories about any and everything sticking to stainless steel. Not having a dishwasher I was prepared to spend hours soaking and scrubbing my pans. Having used cast iron for the majority of my cooking it took me a couple of times to remember to use a lower heat setting on my gas stove top with this set. The first time cooked chicken was a complete disaster. It stuck like crazy. After following the directions included(which I should have read in the first place)and following advice about preheating the pieces for about three minutes THEN adding oil and letting that heat for an additional two minutes I didn't have a problem the next time I tried cooking something. Nothing stuck to the pieces with the stainless steel interior. I love the fact that I can use a lower heat when cooking. They all retain heat very nicely. I've cooked chili,soups,and sauces in the stock pot and find the leftovers are still warm when I go back for seconds(sometimes as long as an hour later). I love being able to make an omelette (without using any oil or butter) and have it slide right out of the pan!
Other pluses to buying this set(aside from quality&being made in the USA)is customer support. I've emailed with questions and received a response in 24 hrs or less! The warranty is great too.
I do recommend,as others have said,you invest in Bar Keeper's Friend to keep the pans/pots looking their very best. I've noticed some spotting when making pasta and such. Nothing too bad. Nothing that affects the use of the pieces but if you don't like spot/discolorations(I have some "Monk-isms" about things like that)a light sprinkling of BK'sF takes the spots right out. I've had the set since August and all the pieces look like new. Two other things about maitenance. First every two-three months you should 'season' the non-stick skillets with a little cooking oil. Add a tsp or two and use a soft paper towel to wipe. Second,I've heard some say they use non-stick spray in their pots/pans. From what I've read&been told that's not a good idea with any stainless steel pieces. That apparently causes a build up over time which damages the interior .
I recommend this set to anyone looking for dependable quality cookware. It's a wonderful starter set and makes me enjoy cooking all the more! I've heard people say that cooking with a good set makes all the difference. I never believed that until I bought this cookware. Since purchasing this I find that I look foward to getting in the kithcen.
I don't think you'll be disappointed with the American Kitchen set. I love mine and am looking forward to having it for years to come. I'll be buying more pieces!