Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel II Nonstick Cookware Set, 10-Piece

()They cook evenly. Pretty sturdily made with with rivets and they are lightweight without being flimsy. Easy to clean. Bottom of pans did not distort when heated. The padded handles for the lids and the pots are a sort of rubber or silicone which make for easy gripping and are cool to the touch (especially for the lids unlike metal handles). The colors are fun. The color is a an orange gradient that mutes the brightness of the orange color.

Why not a five star rating? I would like to see the layer of non-stick material to be thicker for more durability, but note that the pots and pans do come with a lifetime guarantee.

Good value for the money.

Also, note that these pots are not recommended for glass top stoves (per manual) as the ceramic bottom of the cookware could melt to the glass top.

()An attractive cookware set that covers the basics.The well-made pans offer a good cooking foundation, but are a little too lightweight.

I've been cooking elaborately for years and have used a wide variety of kitchen gear.Like most seasoned cooks, I have my favorite pans and pan-types, and habits in how I use them.I was pleased to see several of my "usual" sizes included in this set, including the 3qt saute pan, the 6qt dutch-oven style stockpot, and the 10" skillet.The 2qt saucepan is adequate, though I usually prefer a 2.5qt.The sides of the saute pan are high enough to stir a thick pasta sauce, the stockpot has a wide enough base to allow meat to brown.

The one omission is a heavy-bottomed 12" skillet, something I use regularly for frying and searing.

Less useful is the 1qt saucepan-there's not much I'd make in a 1qt that wouldn't be fine in the 2qt, and the 8.5" skillet is too small to be useful-it's fine if you want to fry an egg, or saute garlic (or a single shallot) separately, but I prefer to do that in the larger pan with the rest of the ingredients, the better to meld the flavors (and to have fewer dishes to wash).Most things that you would sear, toast, or saute will benefit from being in contact with the pan's cooking surface, making a small surface area less useful.But four (out of 6) useful pans is a much better ratio than most sets.

Caveats:Unlike my Calphalon pans, the handles on these are only rated oven-safe to 350F (rather than a more useful 450-500F ceiling).After 3 months use on a glass-top electric range, the 10" skillet (the piece I've been using most) has dark mars on the bottom (bad if you hang/display your pans).

The largest caveat is that these pans are entry-level thin.They do heat up quickly, but the thinness makes them bad for cooking dishes where the pan temperature needs to stay low-but-even, or where you're going to be adding cold items to the hot pan (eg, searing-these are far too thin to retain heat when you plop down a New York Strip).

For the beginner cook who doesn't have their own preferences or existing collection, this is a nice set to get them started, and it look nice too-a good choice for a gift.This 10-piece set is a bit expensive (versus other entry-level sets) and has a couple of "filler" pieces, but is a well-rounded package.Recommended with caveats.

UPDATE NOV 2012: These pans continue to hold up surprisingly well after a year of solid usage, and I've grown increasingly fond of them, so increasing my rating from 4 stars to 5 stars.The outer surfaces have gotten discolored/stained from such regular usage but the interiors remain flawless, and I find I reach for these pans more often than some of my heavier old-school pans.

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I have had this set for almost a year.We use them every day.They look beautiful hanging in my kitchen and they just make cooking a little more fun.They have held up perfectly.I have a glass top stove so I was a little concerned when I read in the manual that they arent ideal for that type of stove, but I have never had an issue.

They are light in weight, but not in durability. They clean up easily and beautifully.I have used an SOS pad on the outside and it doesnt scratch. I have also found them in the dishwasher when my children have to clean the kitchen and they have remained scratch free.They actually look almost as good as the day I bought them!I am now ordering sets for my friends for Christmas!

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I used some points from my credit card company to purchase this cookware set but wasn't completely sold on the orange color. A year later I am so glad that I didn't let the color keep me from getting this set. The one downside is that they are not dishwasher safe. On the other hand the nonstick works so well that it is effortless to wash these by hand. I have made sure to use utensils that won't scrach the coating, but these work great for everyday use. In the very distant future if I have to replace this set, I will definately buy again.

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I received this set in green for Christmas this past year from my husband. I have some other RR products and I really liked them so he thought he was picking a good gift for me, however he didn't know they would leak! The pans leak where they are riveted together at the handle. Every time I make something in them it leaks out. It also happens when I wash them. (I know you can put them in the dishwasher, but I never put pots and pans in the dishwasher!)I was really disappointed in the quality of the item. I would have returned them, but before I used them I through the box and all the invoices away. I guess I learned to keep all receipts!