Stainless Steel 8-Piece Pots and Pans Set, $240 (originally $400) at amazon.com This set of cookware includes a 8- and 10-inch frying pans, 2.5-quart sauce pan, 5-quart saute pan, and a 6-quart ...

Stainless steel is a workhorse in the kitchen. Be it a skillet, saucier, or stockpot, this is one type of cookware worth investing ... We recommend going with the 3-quart size for its versatility.

However, 6 and 8-quart sizes work best ... However, if you just want to use the pot in the oven, there are no temperature limits. Stainless steel has one the highest melting points.