I have used mezaluna-style knives that I do like Janie- but haven't tried Giada's. Many of them are based on the Alaskan "ulu" which is a curved blade Eskimos used for everything from butchering whales to trimming fat from skins and tanning hides.

I agree. That is not a knife I want.
I didnt realize so many people would buy just based on the fact it is celebrity endorsed. People around here think Paula Deen is some sort of kitchen god and if it has her name on it then it must be top notch. My own sis was going to buy a set of Paula's cookware because of her name being on it and she liked the color. I picked her out a good hard anodized set of cookware instead that was not a big well known name but a very good price. That was a few years ago and she says the set is still like brand new. Most of Paula Deen's cookware has a terrible name. My own hard anodized cookware was Cook's brand from Penney's serveral years ago and still in wonderful shape. I got taken in by that Martha Stewart dutch oven a few years ago not because of the name on it but more for the cheap price lol. I do not buy coated cast iron anything after that. I have a very basic Lodge cast iron 5qt dutch oven that works wonderfully and has no coating to chip away.

I like the ones I used in the restaurant - but when it comes to buying cookware from the food tv people - I don't trust them. Just not good quality with much of it.

For me cast iron, heavy stainless, heavy cast aluminum with clad bottom are the best pots. I also like my pressure cookers. Knives, I have many, some new some very old The old carbon steel ones are hard to beat. CF:)

I bought a 5 quart pressure cooker several years ago but Jon gave me such a hard time teasing that I was going to blow us both up with it that I only used it once. I havent taken it out of the box in years. I have a good set of stainless cookware but my favorite is the hard anodized nonstick.