The odor thing is a bit strange for a SS pot... I'm not sure what that is all about.
My 2 pence, late, addition:
Asian markets and restaurant supply stores are your friend. Never will I buy cookware anywhere else. From my standard issue Volrath/ABC/Lincoln gear to my two flat-bottomed woks (one non-stick, one regular) I really have no need for consumer gear.
I basically keep a couple non-sticks in my needed sizes (one small, one medium, one large, and one medium sauce pan) And the rest are SS or alu depending on use. Even my larger non-stick Lincoln's were only $18 on sale. The non-stick wok from a local Asian market has become invaluable and has over 12 years of use and no issues or wearing of the coating which IMO is amazing... it seemed like a bad idea all around (high heat and non-stick, rough use, etc.) but it was a gift and I use it for tons of things to this day at home.
All-Clad can be nice, but I can also buy 3-4 of my current kit for one of them so the warranty/quality becomes a non-issue to me. Same with knives, you can get great Forschner/Victorinox chef/paring knives that will easily handle any home kitchen at a fraction of the cost.  |