When shopping for waterless cookware, it is important to determine your priorities.  What cookware pieces are you most likely to use?  What type of steam control mechanism would you like'steam valve or thermo control knob?  To be classified as waterless cookware, the cookware must be at least 5 ply (layers), have some type of steam-control valve and have a flat, encapsulated bottom that contains the metal layers enclosed in stainless steel.  Waterless cookware is typically sold on the Internet, home parties, or state and county fairs.  The cookware sold in department store environments is generally 3-ply.