Sure, you want the All-Clad, but you can spend a lot less and still get nice pots

Review after review proclaims expensive All-Clad stainless cookware the gold standard -- just ask any bride what cookware she wants on her gift registry. But do you need to spend $700 on a ten-piece set to get a decent collection of pots and pans?

In a word? No. If you can resist the seductive lure of All-Clad, we spotted some good values in reviews of cookware at Consumer Reports, Cook's Illustrated, Good Housekeeping and a bunch of other reviews.  Examples include Calphalon's Contemporary Stainless cookware, which goes for about half as much. Plus Calphalon uses the same type of encapsulated aluminum construction that makes All-Clad the darling of reviews. For even less, we found solid ratings for Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless. This cookware line has an encapsulated aluminum base, but the tri-ply construction doesn't extend up the sides of the pan as it does with the All-Clad and Calphalon cookware. But at a cost savings of about $550 over an All-Clad set, casual cooks might not care.

Our report also covers nonstick cookware. Most experts recommend going with a stainless steel set, then supplementing with a nonstick skillet or two. Still, lots of people still prefer all their cookware to be nonstick.