I had the larger saucepan and the small skillet for a year and they still looked liked new even though I used them daily. So I got the 10 piece set about a month ago and have not been disappointed.  I don't know what sort of treatment the reviewers gave the cookware that showed such signs of wear as the pictures.  They obviously weren't treating the pan like a baby.  I don't use metal tools but my cookware that is over a year old, the large saucepan and the skillet, look like new.  In fact there is no difference between them and the ones that actually are new.