Most sets are pretty lackluster, imo. If you’re looking for long lasting gear, I think piecemealing is the better way to go even if it is a little more spendy and tedious.

If you’re trying to avoid scratching your cookware, you’ll probably want to chiose silicone or wood or a mix since they excel at different things. For example, I find it easier using a wooden turner to scrape up fond to make a pan sauce, but I also find silicone easier for more delicate tasks like scrambling or flipping eggs. Food-grade silicone is safe up to like 500F, so you’ll be safe with either.

If you go the wood route, I prefer hardwood like teak over bamboo for longevity. Earlywood makes nice wood products, but there are many other brands that are cheaper and will still last a long time with care. For silicone, OXO and GIR are solid and pretty budget friendly. If you don’t already have a grater in mind, Microplane is god-tier.

I know you’re not particularly interested in stainless steel, but for those who are, Lamson, Wusthof, and Cuisinart will all take abuse and last.