Quality Goods at Quality Prices.
Before you read this, I want you to read and remember Two Facts.
1. You get what you pay for.
2. The things in your kitchen are an investment.
Listen, I know your first complaint about Williams-Sonoma. They're pricey. You can get the same things in another store for less money. Well, not the VERY same things in most cases, but you can get a coffee maker, panini, lemon zester, or blender like anywhere.
I know you can, but you still want to go to Williams-Sonoma. Here's why: Most of their stuff is BETTER.
Here's another thing I know about you. You like stuff that works the way it's supposed to. If it's a button, it should do what it says every time you press it. Not for the first 3 months. Not most of the time for the first 5 years. But Every time All the time, for as Long as you Own it.
It's cool. I feel the same.
Let's just hilight a couple things. It's Example Time!
Illy Coffee
I know, right? It's my favorite, too. You can get it cheaper at the grocery, or Target, or wherever, right? Yeah, You're right. Go buy it somewhere else!
A Peppermill:
Ok, do you want to get a Peugeot pepper mill that will cost you $90, or do you want to spend $7 on a decent one from Target or even Marshall's? It totally seems like a no-brainer. The cheap one will grind your pepper, and will beat the pants off buying ground pepper. In fact my pepper mill is brass with a ceramic grinder that I got for like $25 at Marshall's or TJ Maxx. But I can't stop thinking about the Peugeot. They're gorgeous, and my cheap one is already irrecoverably tarnished in a kinda nasty way. Quality metal, quality mill, quality price. But once I've spent the money, I can teach my kids the value of quality things, and pass it to them.
If your parents were as smart as you're about to become, you'd already have a Peugeot peppermill waiting for you for free. ;) Trust me, the company has been around long enough.
Bakeware and Cookware:
Pots and pans, casseroles, cake pans, cookie sheets, etc. Yours are already rusting, aren't they. They don't work like when you got them. You want to take them to goodwill and replace them with something WORTH taking care of. Cheap crap teflon peeling off your Chinese skillets and sauce pans... Get beautiful set of All-Clad cookware, made in the USA and then congratulate yourself on helping out the economy instead of hurting it. Or forget the economy because you can afford to buy Le Creuset. Good for you! All the fabulosity of Cast Iron without the whole "seasoning" matter, since it's all perfectly glazed.
When you're ready, you can get them from W-S. Or ebay. Hah!
Madeleine Pans:
See my Crate and Barrel review for the story.
See BONUS below for my feelings on their customer service.
Gadgets and everything else:
This is more of the same. A lot of it is higher quality than the Target and Wal-Mart crowd carries. If it's not, then it's just throwing away money. But you will also find things that aren't available most places, or are just Better than the rest.
BONUS!
William-Sonoma offer free demonstrations. They have sample foods most of the time. You can take free cooking classes! Go check their website for your local store's schedule. The employees are not 16 year-old high school students who can't answer your questions. They are cooks, home-makers, mothers and fathers with experience and answers. They take the time to help you, answer your questions, explain their products, and give you confidence that you're making the right purchase.
Better products.
Better service.
... not better prices,
But in my opinion, better VALUE. read more