I called Farberware, asked them about this set. It is not sold anywhere else, only Amazon.

This is not Hard Anodized -- google that term to see what it means. Basically, hard anodized makes the aluminum harder and more durable than stainless steel and makes the teflon (non-stick surface) stick to the metal better.

So the rep on the phone told me that this is a good basic set, but might not last very long. And as was shown on the TODAY show several weeks back, the non stick surface on these cheaper sets actually disintegrates into your food over time.

She then told me about how this one company (Meyer Corporation) makes all the cookware for different lines: Anolon | Circulon | Farberware | KitchenAid | SilverStone | BonJour | Rachael Ray. So not sure how much better Rachael Ray may be than these others.

Different lines have different warranties. This farberware set (and many of the farberware ones) only have a 30 day warranty. Anolon , Circulon, and KitchenAid all have lifetime warranties.

Lastly, she said their own site is potsandpans.com and if you go to potsandpans.com/sale, it will then allow you to see their holiday sale prices. Otherwise you will not see the special prices.

Hope this helps!