Here's what we recommend:

- 12 inch fry pan for frying chicken cutlets, making a quick stir fry, etc.
- 6 quart sauté’ pan for cooking swiss chard, steaming beans, etc.
- 4 quart sauce pan for making risotto, tomato sauce, boiling water, etc.
- 12 inch round grill pan for grilling chicken, pork chops, eggplant, etc.
- 4 quart casserole for making soups, braises, etc.

On having a non stick pan, there's really no need for one. I'd encourage folks to learn how to use a good quality stainless pan with things like eggs and fish (simply be aware of your heat and don't turn food until it's ready). Non stick pans don't last forever and there are warning on high heat and most non stick surfaces (that should tell you something).

Good luck!

Keep the stainless steel! I am a big fan of mix and matching - different pans are best for different things. I agree with the editor - one non stick saute pan for delicate things is great. I still don't understand why someone would need a whole set of non stick. It seems like overkill and a pain to maintain.

Get some Bar Keepers friend - great for cleaning the stainless steel.

Cast iron dutch oven. I prefer enamel because I don't have to season it. You can make pretty much anything in it, and it can go from stovetop to oven without a problem. Lodge makes very good ones for not that much money, considering the flexibility of having such an item. I think I got mine for $50.

I bought my two cast iron frying pans in 1978 when I left college, and I still use them daily today! Don't waste your money on coated non-stick pans, they don't last long.

As a beginner, I would suggest the following:

A set of Cuisinart Multi-Clad pots+pans (12 piece set) ($270 on amazon)
A cast iron skillet. (Lodge makes a good one for $20)
A small nonstick skillet.

With that, you should be able to get started.
I've gone past that and have added an enamled dutch oven, a 8 quart pressure cooker, and a cast iron grill pan.
I am seldom lacking in the necessary pots+pans to get the job done.

Stainless steel is wonderful---by all means keep it. But it has to be cleaned meticulously or it makes a mess. SOS pads, Bar Keeper's Friend, or my personal favorite Cameo Aluminum and Stainless powder in a shaker can. Or all three. But the pans must be kept clean clean clean. And don't forget to heat the pan, and then pour the oil, to keep foods from sticking.

The stainless pans you got sound like a great start! If you're really tight on space you might just want to use them for a while and see if there are sizes you don't tend to use and get rid of those.

If you do buy non-stick pans, just be aware that they will eventually need to be thrown away (with daily use, probably in a year), whether or not they are really-high quality, once the non-stick coating starts to get scratched or degrade. (I like having one or two nonstick pans, so I get Calphalon ones at Marshall's or TJMaxx- good bargain, they hold up really well until they don't, and then I get a new one.)

A cast iron pan can be awesome, but does require a *bit* more thought and care. If you're a very avid cook, it's a great idea to get one now! But I don't think they are the magic pan for everyone that some people proclaim- if you're not interested in maintaining the seasoning, or are grossed out by not using soap on a pan, then it's probably not for you. I have my great-grandma's cast iron pan and it is one of my most prized possessions (but, yes, I still have a couple non-sticks, too!)

One pan that many people consider a baking essential but I use constantly for savory foods is the half-sheet pan, or jelly roll pan. These are GREAT for roasting vegetables, etc. and can serve dual-purpose as a cookie sheet, too.

We bought a nice, heavy calphalon set which includes 4 different sizes of saute pans, but we only ever use the sauce pans. Everything else gets made in one of our cast iron pans. My advice, keep your stainless steel sauce pans, get 2 different size cast iron skillets (everyone will tell you to get one at a thrift store, but honestly the one we got at Target is the best), and make bacon every weekend for a 2 months, pour out the grease and wipe the pan with paper towels.

Honestly? Even with the smallest Cuisinart set on the market (skillet, large stock pot, 2 sauce pans, some lids), you have everything you need. You can use the skillet or the stock pot for braises (although the stock post might be a bit awkward) if you need to. And it's quality stuff, so no need to swap it for something else.

If you have the money, it might be nice to add a few items depending on what you like to cook. But if you're on a budget I'd put my money elsewhere.

Unrelated to pans, but for setting up a kitchen I can't recommend a stick blender enough. They are AWESOME

As for pans, I love the cuisinart stainless steel pans (they heat way more evenly than the crappy non-stick ones I got from Costco a while ago).

oh man, why would you get rid of a perfectly good (free!!!!) set of pans? be sure to send your aunt a nice thank you note!

my first set of pans were (are!) also cuisine art, also stainless steel, and also a gift (one of the best gifts i have ever recieved, i think). i use them every day. they are still shiny and beautiful, even after four whole years of hard use. if you use enough butter, nothing will stick (and if it does stick, then you have tasty brown bits-- the perfect base for a yummy sauce!)

you don't need a nonstick pan. just make sure your pans are well-lubed and you'll be fine.

Cookware depends on what type of cook you are and how good you are with upkeep. If you are the type of cook who cooks things quickly because you need to eat quickly and does not worry about boilovers or picture perfect food then expect that foods may leave hard to clean residue on pots and pans. I used to have a nice set of stainless steel pots and pans but have since traded them in for a mishmash of cast iron, non stick and anodized. Still have the stainless steel saucepans which are a lot less shiny than they used to be.

I wouldn't really recommend getting anything else; a small nonstick might be kind of handy, but they are really unnecessary, so if that is what you're used to, then now is probably a good time to learn to get around it. I say this as someone who is potentially biased, however: I am a bird owner, and any bird owner is aware of the canary-in-the-coalmine role their pet risks taking on when they use nonstick pans. Nonstick pans, especially smaller ones, get overheated MUCH faster than you might think, and when they reach over 500 degrees and the plastic begins to decompose, they release toxic gases that can easily kill a pet bird, and, if kept on the stove beyond that, can also make YOU sick. It is surprising, the amount of people I have met who seem to think putting nonstick cookware on a stove set on the highest setting is okay. To me, it is more trouble than it is worth, so I recommend against it. I would stick with the stainless steel, perhaps get a medium sized cast-iron skillet and perhaps a dutch oven, and call it a day.

Also, if you're entering the work force, consider looking into a crock pot. Assuming you don't have someone at home to put dinner on the table each night, it is really great to throw something in there in the morning before work and have a nice, hot meal waiting for you when you get home.

Non-stick pans are pretty close to worthless. The only thing I could really see is having one for crepes and that is about it.

Stainless steel is great, keep it, see how you like it. Trick to making things not stick: first heat the pan, then heat the oil/butter, then put in the food. Depending on how good the quality is, you may have it for years to come. I agree with another poster, maybe keep out the most used pieces and store the rest for later. As for nonstick, one 8" pan is all you need in that department, I'm not a huge fan. I also second the purchase of a crockpot, you can make meals when you have the time and leave it to cook while you're at work.

In my first apartment my mom bought me a great set of stainless pans and, being insanely lazy at the time, I never cooked properly in them, nor did I wash them well. So I ruined some of them and compensated by later buying myself a non-stick set on sale. Now though? I use the what's left over the stainless set almost exclusively. I have one small small non-stick that I use for eggs, but the rest just stay in the back of the cabinet. Not to say this is your situation or that you are lazy at all, just anecdotal love of stainless.

How experienced are you in the kitchen? Since me and my roomies were all beginners out of college, we made a lot of mistakes and messed up our cookware quite a bit.

Whether it was ruining a non-stick coating, irrevocably scorching stainless, or putting wooden utensils in the dishwasher, that first round of kitchen stuff got abused. We just didn't know any better. I was happy I had a cheapo starter set from Bed Bath & Beyond because it wasn't tragic when something got destroyed.

If you know your stuff then go ahead and buy nice products. If you have roomies, just make sure they know how to properly use and care for any products that you're attached to.

The starter set from your aunt sounds like a great starting point. I agree with the editors - adding a small nonstick skillet wouldn't be a bad thing for things like eggs.

I started with a free set of T-fal nonstick from my company (5 year gift). Not fantastic quality but it got my kitchen started. Very very soon after I moved out, I added an enameled cast iron Dutch oven (Lodge) and a carbon steel wok. I've added more pieces as I've gone along that fit my cooking style and phased out the nonstick. I love all the additions I have and use them all frequently plus I don't have a lot of random cookware I don't use stored away.

Think about this: How often do you cook? What do you cook? How experienced of a cook are you? Use the starter set for a few months and take note of what you use the most and what you don't. Add (nicer) pieces that will fit your cooking style as you go along.

First thing I want you to do is go tell your Aunt how wonderful a woman she is. Then get thee to the kitchen and try making some stuff in your new pots and pans. Make some sauces or boil some potatoes and heck heat up some canned soup if that's what you're into!

We all want "the best" whether that means All-Clad or whatever. Cuisinart makes some nice pots and if you got this set (which is their cheapest) it should still serve you well for years! You may wish to upgrade at some point but there's no hurry. My wife and I are using a 50+ year old set of Revereware from her grandmother and it's just fine for what we do.

Enjoy your cookware and happy cooking!

A small nonstick skillet (I love my NordicWare one I got on Woot.com) would be handy but not required. A small cast iron skillet will be more versatile. The only other thing I can think of would be a Cast Iron dutch oven. Mine is a Tramontina and they go for about $40 at Walmart. They are TOTALLY worth every penny!

I love my Cuisinart green gourmet ceramic non stick fry pan. It goes in the oven or under the broiler just as easy as on the stove top. Non stick doesn't have to be teflon! As a matter of fact, my 3 most used pans are the fry pan, a 1.5 quart stainless sauce pan, and a 5 quart cast iron dutch oven (the lodge double dutch oven). Everything else pretty much sits in my basement until the rare time its needed.

I agree with the others that A) Your aunt gave you a very nice start, and B) You don't need non-stick. Having said that, a lot depends on how much you enjoy cooking. I'd recommend a cast-iron skillet (get an old one if you can--I don't care for the new Lodge cast iron. The surface is too rough), and an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven.

As to cleaning the stainless, I must disagree with the person who suggested SOS. DON'T use steel-wool pads to clean your stainless. If you've got crusted-on stuff, soak it with very hot water and soap for a couple of hours, then scrub it with a nylon sponge. And the best cleaner is Bon Ami. It will make your stainless shine!

By all means keep the Cuisinart set. I started out with a Farberware set (do they even make those anymore?) I used them for years even though the handles would come loose and crack. I bought a set of stainless Cuisinart about 5 years ago and absolutely love them. Even if you use only a few items often, the others will come in handy from time to time. Non-stick pans can be nice IF they are higher quality (no T-Fal). I would suggest that you use the stainless and if later you want to add non-stick or cast iron do it then.

If you have a membership, Costco makes their own (or rebrands) some stainless steel cookware. It is pretty inexpensive but really nice. It has copper in the bottom for better heat distribution. Also, it is induction compatible.

I bought it out of college when I was on a small budget, but, for what it's worth, my dad, who has a large budget, also bought a set. It's a great deal

I would definitely keep the Cuisinart set! When I bought my first set of pots and pans everyone tried to talk me into non-stick. I am so glad that I didn't! Once you learn to cook in stainless steel (using oil, cleaning, etc.) any other type of pan is a snap. But I know so many people who only cook on non-stick and cannot use stainless steel. Also, I agree with Emma and would recommend one medium non-stick pan for eggs and fish.

We have a set of the Cuisinart pans and they are really great--they heat evenly and well-- and we find them easy to clean and care for. As one poster noted, soak them and anything will come out; Bon Ami or Bar Keeper's Friend can be used to keep the shine. As you go along, try to pick up a dutch oven or two--we have two small ones (3 qts each) and two larger ones (5.5 quarts and 7.5 quarts) that we use all the time. We also have one nonstick pan, mostly for eggs. Keep the pans--they are a great start.