I have these and love them Circulon

Another vote form Stellar too - had a set as wedding pressie and added a couple of extra bits over the years - guranteed for 10 years I think - still almost as good as new 20 plus years on! Go in dishwasher no probs.

Found 2 good roundish shaped ones from IKEA too - one bigger for stock and one a porridge pans now!! Quite pricey but similar to the Stellar - can't recal the name but have dome shaped lids.

that was the best I could afford. (and tis nothing wrong with ASDA smartprice loo roll!)

I do agree though that if you buy better quality, they last longer and in the long run you spend less. I will one day., I just couldn't imagine spending £100! That's half what my car cost!

I would like a decent non stick frying pan.

I also have a couple of these which are fab for hob/oven stuff, and nice-looking enough to go straight to the table when friends over for supper

I like Prestige pans with the copper bottom. My mother has a set that has lasted her 30+ years and I've had mine 15 years. I have a couple of le creuset casserole dishes but I wouldn't use the pans for everyday cooking - they are too chuffing heavy and take too long to heat up.

Liking the look of the patique Reality linked to. If you're going for investment pans (and it sounds like it) then they do look good for the money. And importantly (IMO) they're suitable for induction hobs. I'm thinking about induction hobs in the future, as they give you the controllability of gas, and gas will be getting more expensive in the future as stocks dwindle - something else to think about?

Littlepurpleprincess good pans make a hUGE difference wrt cooking well. Really.

And they will last forever.

Cheap pans (like cheap loo roll) are a false economy. You should always buy the best you can afford. Ditto for knives.

my entire set cost £10 from Wilko's plus one wok for £2.50. They do look old already though and I got them in July....food tastes the same though.

John Lewis speciality brand are fab btw, but you won't get a whole set for £100. You might get a milk pan, a pasta saucepan and a frying pan for that amount.

I also agree that you shouldn't try to get a matching set. Getting the right pan for the right job is far more important than getting matching handles.

That means some need to be heavy copper based, some need to be cast iron ceramic, and some need to be stainless steel.

Hmm, I love le creuset but actually they are not the best pans for many jobs.

They are incredibly heavy and take a long time to heat up and lose heat. Perfect for stews and casseroles, but rubbish for delicate frying, or things that need pinpoint heat precision like sauces etc.

Also the non-stick is NOT guaranteed and does not last anywhere near as long as the pan itself. Stick with the old enamel ones if you are going for le creuset.

I like le creuset for some jobs, but prefer stainless steel pans for most others.