I received a set of Stainless Steel Wolfgang Puck pans from my parents as a gift two years ago. They figured I would enjoy some high class cookware especially since it came with the extra cooking utensils. I was so excited to have designer cookware, and I have been repeatedly disappointed in so many ways. I'll spell them out clearly so others can make an informed purchase:
1) This cookware starts out looking great, but after a few uses on a gas stove, the pitting and discoloration of the steel is terrible. I read all the instructions and cared for these pans with much effort - handwashing, gentle cleaning, etc. They have been so pitted and stained after the first month of average use that I'm embarrassed to use them when other people are in my kitchen because they look downright dirty. I even tried gentle silver polish, overnight soaks, and just good ole' elbow grease without success.
2) Uneven cooking. I have been cooking for over 15 years, and some of that has been in professional kitchens. I routinely find that these pans heat unevenly causing food to burn in certain spots. The burned areas then stick to the pan. Forget trying to make delicate things like an over-easy egg. Almost every time I cook something using a dry cook method, it stick badly. I routinely break egg yolks, have well-buttered grilled sandwiches stick and then fall apart upon turning, and even less delicate things like 'hamburger helper' dishes have burned, but only in spots. Thank goodness I don't have kids in the house that might require 30 seconds away from the stove because cooking in these pans requires constant attention. Now, please assume I've tried adjusting the heat and stirring thoroughly and frequently. The same dishes I've made for years in other pans has ended up burned in these pans. I've even had the stove replaced over the past two years, and nothing has helped this issue.
3) Skin Burns! Stoves are hot so sometimes handles heat up on any cookware, but the handles on the pots, and especially on the lids seem to heat up much more than I'd anticipate. Steel is a conductive metal, so I'd expect some heat, but I've burned my hands more than a couple times by simply lifting a lid without a potholder. Actually grabbing the side handles of a pot could cause serious burns even after only a few minutes on the stove. This is just unsafe and poor design. I've also had friends who have cooked with me in my kitchen comment that these pans/pots 'spit'... what I mean is that if I'm heating water in the small saucepan, as I pour the hot water from the pan into a cup, the water spits and sputters (often onto the hands causing burns) as it contacts the heated edges of the pan when pouring. I've had this happen a little with other cookware occasionally, but it's a large problem with this cookware. Again, the heating qualities of these pans causes the areas not in contact with food to heat up very quickly.
4) Rivets are dangerous. To anyone shopping for pans, please take this point into consideration. When a rivet is exposed to food, such as they are with this pan, you set up a recipe for disaster. Food can become wedged in the small spaces around the rivets which makes cleaning very hard. Additionally, if those areas aren't cleaned properly, lodged food can grow all kinds of nasty food borne illnesses which are directly transferred to food next time you cook. Yes, heat kills bacteria the next time you heat up the pan, but it doesn't always kill the toxins that the bacteria produced while it was alive and well before heating. The toxins are what make you hospital-worthy sick. With these particular pans, they cut some corners with the rivets also, and they look as if they're oxidizing and beginning to break down. Again, disappointed.
5) The larger pots do not stack. Have ample cupboard room because even my small set takes up more space than it needs to. Poor design.
So, I'm stuck with a set of cookware that looks bad and cooks poorly. Who cares about the price or how good of a deal you're getting if you're food is sticking and your hands are burning? My recommendation: save your money and buy something else.