I've never liked washing pans by hand; to my mind, items should either be dishwasher-safe or disposable. However, my fiancé and I like this set of pots and pans well enough (and they clean with sufficient ease) for me to overcome my aversion. I even bought an additional item in the collection separately. We've had these for a few months and they look new--my loving fiancé treats them with special care so you can attribute that to their sturdiness or to the value we place on them. The surfaces are so averse to anything clinging to them that they dry more quickly than other pans. Cooking is easier, the set looks great, and cleaning is no trouble at all.