I bought this set of "Emeril-ware" pots and I LOVE them. They were on sale AND I had a 20% off coupon... and I think I paid about $80 for the set. The bottoms are so thick... nothing burns in them... The pots are very easy to clean. The pan cleans with some "Barkeeps friend" or whatever that cleanser is called...

I’m pretty sure I’ll have these pots when I’m a very old lady…

I do have 2 Teflon pans which I use all the time. They are the Smart and Final “Chefs Review” brand (a restaurant supply company) and they are great quality and were a VERY good price… I LOVE the handles, they have this silicon rubber handle cover that keeps the handle cool on the stove… but slips off and I can put the pans in the oven.

I’ve got a 13” pan and an 8.5” pan.

I’m not terribly weird-ed out by any Teflon health concerns… Using oil and being overweight has it’s health risks… Just the act of cooking has some health risks… breathing in vaporized oil and smoke/vapors from the food has some risks… and then there is the very real risk of cuts and burns while cooking…

My grandmother cooked out of aluminum pots and Teflon pans and lived in houses with lead paint and all kinds of other environmental risks…. And she lived to almost 98... And was in really good health both physically and mentally.

She gave me a bunch of her hand-me-down pots and pans… but the bottoms were thin… and I always burned stuff in them. And the peeling Teflon did gross me out…

I’m really careful with the Teflon pans and it and don’t stack stuff in it or use metal utensils in it. Teflon doesn’t like high temps… so I don’t fire it up past med-high… and I always put oil in the pan and don’t heat it dry. And I replace them when the Teflon peels but I‘ve had the Smart and Final pans for 3 years now… and they are still in EXCELLENT condition.

I absolutely adore my calphalon pots and pans. They heat up quickly and distribute the heat very evenly.

The cons though are that they aren't the easiest to clean, they say not to use olive oil sprays on them and they're heavy.

Even with the cons though, the pros far outweigh the negaatives.

I do have one teflon pan. I buy mine cheap at a restaurant supply place and toss it when it becomes chipped.