edit- just to clarify- this is for nursie's question. he does- I got him the ten piece set a few years ago for his birthday and he really likes it- the set's a good deal. It has a big pot, a medium pot, a sauce pot, a big cross between a skillet and a pot (I'm not sure what it is called, it's like a short wide pot) two skillets and some lids. Granted it's not exactly all- clad, but it's about a fifth of the price. It's still really nice quality, just not as light. I don't know if this is still the case- but when I got it, the sets they sold at independant kitchen stores were the same price as the chains, but Emeril wanted to give the little stores an edge so their sets had an extra plate in the bottom. How much of a difference that makes I don't know though.