Are cookware prices going to drop?

[lutefisky]

Hi.

So, I was wondering...with the economic downturn, the price of copper near a 5 year low, and aluminum at a 7 year low, should I, perhaps wait a while before re-potting and re-panning my kitchen? I think a few (cheaper) copper pots would be an awesome addition.

Does anyone believe that prices will generally drop across the board, or is higher end cookware mostly immune to such change?

Thanks

k

[Daniel]

I think everything is going to drop.. If I was a betting man, which I am, I would wait to buy your new cookware at William and Sonoma's brankruptcy sale.

[john-k]

With foreign made products, you have to take into account the exchange rates. Also, a recession might make people more concerned with dining at home rather than at restaurants, and prompt people to spend money there. (Thats pure speculation)

International Herald Tribune article on luxury goods vs. recession

NYTimes article on luxury goods vs. recession

I don't know if I'd count All-Clad as a 'true' luxury good-- its available for sale alongside Martha Stewart and Emeril branded stuff at Macys. So perhaps they'll have to cut prices to stay competitive. Whereas Demeyere, being more exclusive, seems more like a true luxury good that will be a bit more insulated from the downturn.

Restaurant supply brands might be interesting. Their main customers are getting hit hard (at least around here), so they might need to cut their prices to maintain business.

[OliverB]

I'd not bet on it, the higher priced cooking stuff is luxury and the MFG know that those that want it will pay for it. Most of the high priced items are also a bit complicated to make and don't sell by the millions, they have to recover the cost of the plant etc.

You might see a light price drop, but I'd be very surprised if copper pots follow the copper price. Making them does not really get that much cheaper, the material cost are probably a small fraction of the process of making them.

But also, unless ALL of your pots and pans are falling apart (what do you DO with them?) you probably don't need to buy everything new? I'd look for sales.

[gfron1]

As a retailer what I'm seeing is companies tightening up their lines (getting rid of peripheral items), adding mid-range lines and keeping prices as is. And I keep being amazed that my distributors actually care enough about me to call me now, which as a small store, they've never done before. I'm sure that once the economy improves, I'll be forgotten again.

[Shalmanese]

Hi.

So, I was wondering...with the economic downturn, the price of copper near a 5 year low, and aluminum at a 7 year low, should I, perhaps wait a while before re-potting and re-panning my kitchen? I think a few (cheaper) copper pots would be an awesome addition. 

Does anyone believe that prices will generally drop across the board, or is higher end cookware mostly immune to such change?

Thanks

k

←

The total amount of copper in a pot would fetch $3 - $5 on the commodities market so it's unlikely that a drop in price is going to significantly make a difference.

[andiesenji]

I got an email from Sur La Table today with the following special

Scanpan nonstick skillets

Note that these are certified PFOA free and safe for metal utensils.

I've never had a Scanpan utensil but the prices are very reasonable and there have been several evaluations of other Scanpan cookware pieces that rated quite well with consumers.

[slkinsey]

Funny! PFOA-free nonstick cookware, eh? As they point out on their own web site, PTFE has always been PFOA-free. There is no such thing as PFOA cookware. PFOA (aka Perfluorooctanoic acid, aka C8) is a perfluorinated carboxylic acid that is used in the manufacturing process of making PTFE (aka polytetrafluoroethylene), specifically because its properties as an emulsifier help in the polymerization process. PFOA is removed after the polymerization process. Scanpan is saying that they have developed a PTFE manufacturing process that does not require the use of PFOA. This is good, because PFOA is bad stuff when it gets into the environment, which is does tend to do. But it's the manufacturing process that is different here. There would be no real difference with respect to the PTFE on the pan itself, which is already PFOA-free.