Ah, All-Clad. But is it worth it?

Okay, look. I drool over All-Clad cookware like the rest of us. I often wonder if it's a scam and I am merely falling for a pretty pan.

But I don't think that's true. Every test and comparison I've ever seen or read about always puts the All-Clad at the top. And this is why my very few All-Clad pans are prized possessions. They say an All-Clad pan is becomes an heirloom; your grandchildren will be cooking out of it, someday. I hope that's true.

I found a blog post where they answered the question: "Why is All-Clad cookware so much more expensive than Cuisinart or other brands? Are the materials and construction far superior, or are we just paying for the All-Clad name?"

And I very much appreciate the answer. The two best tips from this article are:

• Because All-Clad pots are so costly, skip the sets that stores like Williams-Sonoma push. Instead, we suggest you buy just one pan at first.


• Buy irregulars. The 2 quart sauce pan is $139.95 on Amazon and $140 at Sur La Table. The same pan -- as an irregular -- is $95.20 at Cookware 'n More. That's a savings of more than 30%. Cookware 'n More runs occasional sales that cut the prices even lower!