I bought stainless steel pots and pans over 10 years ago. I have one non stick that I replace every couple years, but stainless steel has been good to me.
I'll second the cast iron recommendation. I now have many bare and enameled cast iron pots and pans. I also have a set of stainless but I don't like those as much.
My brother will not shut up about how much he loves his carbon steel pan. He complains about 99% of things not being worth the price, but he loves that pan.
It's non-stick like cast iron, but lighter weight, and heats more rapidly like stainless. It's worth mentioning that cast iron and carbon steel are both poor choices for any acidic sauce (tomato included) and for boiling water. Both can strip the seasoning layer. So it's good to have a stainless pan and pot on hand for those situations.