I'm pretty old and have had many different sets of cookware in my lifetime. I've had copper clad stainless, aluminum with stainless inserts, stainless with aluminum inserts, plain stainless. I've bought complete sets for anywhere from $49 to $399 and they were mostly junk. Last year, I started building a set of enameled cast iron pots and pans. Super expensive and very heavy but they cook the best and probably will outlast my lifetime. That's what I recommend.
