Columnist Muriel Stevens: Great deals abound in summer

Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2000 | 9:31 a.m.

Muriel Stevens' shopping column appears Wednesdays. Her dining column appears Fridays. Reach her at muriel@lasvegassun.com or 259-4080.

Summertime is sale time, so if you're in the market for housewares, linens or home furnishings this is the time. Right now Macy's home store on Spring Mountain Road is filled with name-brand small appliances at greatly reduced prices. Cuisinart coffee makers with built-in coffee grinders, normally $175, are $99.95.

If you're a Costco member the same coffee maker is $79.99. That's a sensational price, but only members can shop Costco. And when you see something you might want, you have to buy it. Upscale items at terrific prices don't last long.

If you are in the market for knives, pots and pans and such, please remember not to buy these items just because they're pretty or because the price is right. It's vital that you pick up each piece and judge how it feels in your hand.

I was shopping with a young friend who is soon getting married. After we tested the things on her gift list she changed most of them. Commercial-weight cookware is wonderful for chefs, but few of us need pans we can barely raise from the stove. A pan only needs to be well balanced and have decent weight to assure even cooking. Price does not always determine quality. There are plenty of good companies producing excellent cookware for reasonable prices.

Check out Macy's own label, "Tools of the Trade." Affordable and efficient, this extensive cookware line is a good value. If some of the celebrity chef cookware wasn't so expensive I'd find humor in the claims made for it.

The handles on one new line that carries a really big chef's name is so poorly designed it could be hazardous. Instead of being designed to fit solidly into a cook's hand, these pots and pans have a graceful, tapered handle that gets wider at the point it connects to the pot.

Beautiful to look at, but potentially deadly. I picked up a sauteuse pan to judge the weight. It was barely in my grasp when the thin-to-thick handle tilted. Had that pan been hot and full it could have been a disaster. Look for handles that feel comfortable and secure. Most well-made cookware have such handles. Many are heat-proof and do not require a potholder.

Wolfgang Puck personally approved the design of his namesake cookware sold only on the Home Shopping Network. His involvement shows. Moderately priced and well-designed, these pieces are a terrific value.

The Cuisinart cookware I've had for years has cool handles. They're a joy to use and easy to clean. They are not nonstick. Heat the pans properly before adding food and nothing will stick.

Take care of your cookware and it will last for years. Do not use metal utensils in nonstick pans. No matter how expensive the pans, the finish will be damaged. Do not blame the company. I've heard wonderful companies maligned because the purchaser didn't read the printed material that comes with all cookware. Follow the recommendations for care. Remember, mistreated cookware is not returnable.

Knives should be chosen with the same care. They should feel good in your hand, should have a full tang and should never be washed in the dishwasher. Check out restaurant supply stores. The knife selection is always excellent. Most of these stores will sell to consumers.