Expert's Pick: Best Cookware

Suvir Saran, chef and author of Indian Home Cooking and the upcoming American Masala, says when picking pots, copperware is "the way to go. It's heavy, durable and can outlive any of us. It's a one-time investment." His recommendations: Mauviel's 3-quart saute pan for $350, 6-quart saucepan for $455 and 61/2-quart stew pan, which is like a Dutch oven, for $340.

To complete your set, buy 8- and 9-inch Lodge cast-iron skillets. "You can go to a garage sale and get a perfectly seasoned one that someone's grandma used for $5, or buy new ones for about $15 each," says Saran.

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