Good quality saucepans?

I'm due to replace my saucepans and want a good quality set which will last. Does anyone have any recommendations! I notice that Briscoes have Hampton and Mason cookware on special-has anyone had a good experience with this!

Thanks for that. Would you say that a copper base is important!

Buy yourself as good a quality as you can afford. Hampton & Mason are cheap and like the Warehouse and some of Farmers own "brands" are made at a price and yoou WILL get what you pay for. Copper and aluminium are the best conductors of heat, copper being ahead of aluminium. Very few, if any pans that come into NZ now have a copper base. You want an encapsulated base.this means that the stainless base of your pan has a core of aluminium in between two layers of stainless steel.the aluminium is what will give you good heatdistribution as stainless steel is a poor conductor of heat. Now some will tell you you want sandwich base.the difference between a plain "sandwich" base and an encapsulated base is quite obvious when you look at the side of the stainless pan. An encapsulated base has stainless steel wrapped right atound it with the inner core of aluminium inside this, whereas a sandwich base looks like someone just stuck and extra pad of metal on the base. Pick the pan up, how does it feel in your hand! is it lightweight!.if so, look at something else. You want a good heavy based encapsulated pan which is still comfortable to hold. Of course, it will depend on your budget, but if you can, buy the best you can afford. If your budget will not stretch to the Infinite Circulon, Henckels or similar, then I would suggest the best of the Baccarat range as it does have a good heavy base for a cheaper pan ( I dont mean cheap, I mean cheaper than the others mentioned) I was in a store a week or so ago and they had a set of pans which I picked up, they were so light and flimsy, they did not even HAVE any base, neither sandwich or encapsulated, just plain stainless steel.just walk away from those types of pans as they will give you no end of trouble.

Thanks so much for your advice! The pans I have used for the last 15 years are zip and have a copper base, and yes they have lasted incredibly well. I'm only replacing them because I've caused a few fires in them and the handles are all coming off! I will definitely be looking for a set with an encapsulated base. Cheers.

Thanks 0800xford for the photos. Your pots look like the ones I am replacing. I'm beginning to wonder if "they don't make pots like they used to!"

Cookessentials: can I ask one more piece of advice! I'm looking online at the Baccarat five 5 piece series; are you familiar with this range and would you recommend it! The website says:Consisting of a high quality multi layer 18/10 stainless steel and aluminium construction, the Baccarat Five has lead the way in kitchenware innovation. The multi layer permanently bonded cnstruction of this cookware with outer layers of stainless steel and a triple bonded layer of aluminium, produce exceptional cooking results.
I would really appreciate your expert opinion :)

Thanks camper18. Do you find that they cook evenly and don't tend to burn (apart from chef's errors!)!

Yes, the "five" range is the one I'm eyeing up, hence all the questions! It seems good, but doesn't give alot of info.

Here is a review for the "five" range

http://www.productreview.com.au/showitem.php!item_id=34980

I only use WMF Transtherm. They are very expensive - however you will be able to hand them down to your grand kids. So per year of use they are cheap.

http://www.michaeljoyce.co.nz/shop/PRODUCTS+BY+CATEGORY/COOKWARE/WMF+Gourmet+Plus/Oven+Serving+Pan+28cm-WKGP17.html

I have bought a Hampton & Mason sauce pan, I think in September last year, it's cheap from Briscoes, but is now leaking.... hughgh

Don't try Hampton and Mason. We bought what we thought was non-stick cast iron fry pan set. Preseasoned with oil but eggs stuck to the bottom, made a mess of it, won't be bothering with H & M again, pays to buy quality I think.