Which is a better buy: Wolfgang Puck or Emeril Cookware sets?

Question

I am looking into purchasing a professional-grade yet affordable cookware set. I have seen both of these as highly recommended, however the emeril is slightly more expensive. Can anyone recommend which is a better purchase? I need stainless steel, over safe, and am an avid amateur chef so quality and performance is very important. (I am also open to other suggestions if you have). Thank You!

Answer 1

You DO get what you pay for, and good quality cookware is definitely worth the money. As an avid amateur chef, you might want to ask yourself if you will really use all the things that come in a set. My passion is cooking, and, for me, it seems like sets have lots of items I wouldn't use, or would use infrequently at best.

Maybe you should think about what's important to you and what type of cooking you do, then shop for individual pieces. I have found that I actually prefer to have different brands of various cookware, because one company might make what I think is the best sauce pan, but another company makes a better saute pan. Maybe you never make soup or stock, so why have a stockpot?

A selection of cookware that is ideal for YOU shouldn't cost more than a pre-selected set. If you live where there is a cookware store you might start there. If you have Linens and Things stores or something like that, you can handle a large variety of cookware before you make your decision. Pick it up, see how it feels in your hands. Do you like the glass lids like the Emeril set has? Is it important to have something oven-proof. Do you want an anodized or nonstick finish?

Whatever you do, enjoy your new cookware.

Answer 2

If you are an avid chef, you will be happier with cookware that is constructed differently than WP or Emeril. Both have a thick disk of aluminum fused to the bottom, coated in stainless steel. A disk doesn't go up the sides of the pan, so it can't distribute heat up the sides of the pan, which makes a huge difference in how it performs, particularly for finicky French sauces, etc.

Up-the-sides-of-the-pan construction is how All-Clad is made and why it performs so well. They take a flat sheet of aluminum sandwiched between sheets of stainless steel and form that into the shape of a pan, so that the sandwich effect of the aluminum goes all the way up the sides of the pan. (This technique is called cladding.)

What you want is something constructed like All Clad for much less money. I recommend a brand called Le Gourmet Chef. There are other brands out there with this construction. They should be bragging about the 3 ply or 5 ply construction, show a cross section diagram of the layers on the box, perhaps use the word 'clad' somewhere.

A much fuller discussion of what makes for good cookware construction can be found at eGullet.org, Search for "stovetop cookware." You can also search this site for my past rants on this subject.

Answer 3

Emeril Cookware

Answer 4

Emeril Lagasse Cookware

Answer 5

My Opinion? Don't pay for anybodys name, both Chefs are great but they didn't make the cookware. I've been cooking all my life and have gone through alot of different cookware. Spend what you can afford because they all cook the same. I've never had a guest ask what brand I cooked something in. I get a kick out of people that go ballistic when someone uses a spoon or what ever in they're $10.00 teflon pan, here's $20 go buy 2 more I'm coming back next week. Any way, I bought my stainless at a department store, on sale, look for good heavy pans with lids, small (6 or 8in) medium (12 in) and a large one that you'd feel safe hitting someone over the head with if they scratched your teflon. Speaking of teflon, here's $20, go buy ya a couple aluminum pans (med&lrg) I might be over

Answer 6

I personally prefer the Wolfgang Puck line versus the Emeril line. Both are great quality pans but Wolfgang Puck pans clean up so much nicer than Emeril's in my opnion. Just a little water and a rag cleans them up nicely.

Answer 7

My husband bought me a set of Emerilware and I just love it. Emerilware is made by All-Clad. I have been using mine now for two years and can not imagine how I managed how to cook without them. I like the fact that I can use them both on the top of the stove as well as in the oven. The thickness of the bottom of the pans makes it much easier to keep your food from scorching or burning. I get a nice evenly heated cooking surface so that I do not get hot spots in the pan.
I also have a set of Farberware which I use to think were really great. I have had them for 28 years and they are still in great shape but, once I got the Emerilware it was like a totally different cooking experience! I would not trade my Emerilware for anything!

Answer 8

Rachael Ray, hands down. Her cookware is INCREDIBLE. NOTHING and I mean NOTHING sticks to it, it will not tarnish like stainless and is oven proof + the sizes (and shapes) of the pots and pans make cooking a breeze. My food even tastes better using her cookware. Her prices are more reasonable, too. I looked into the WP cookware on HSN and the reviews were not good at all.

Answer 9

Really, the more expensive ones are the same ones as the cheaper ones.. They're just more expensive. With the emeril line, you're paying for the label, not the merchandise. It's like buying Roots or Gap as opposed to Wal Mart brands.. They're high quality names with low quality merchandise.

I always buy my teflon and stainless steel cookwear from places like Kitchens Plus or Walmart. They range from about 10 dollars to 50, but they are well worth it.

Answer 10

Seems like stuff with someones name on it would cost more for lower quality. Check out Farberware Millenium Series, they have stainless and aluminum cookware that lasts a long time. I just got an aluminum saute pan that I love.