This pan set is shiny and beautiful upon opening. The pans do discolor a bit after using but I found that using cream of tarter to clean of the darker spots works just fine. They are easy to cook in but beware that they do seem to heat up faster and retain heat longer than coated pans. I do notice some food sticking to the bottom of the pan occasionally but using olive oil to cook has lessened that from happening. The pans also stack nicely inside each other for easy storage.