All-Clad d5 line

If you treat high-quality stainless like cast iron, you'll likely damage both the pan and your food. That does not mean either can't take high amounts of heat, more that the timing changes -- increased efficiency transferring heat plus much quicker to heat up. For boiling water, you can still crank up the burner as the heat will have a place to go (and can't get hotter than 212F). Preheat for as long as you normally would and / or over too high a flame and you could overheat pan / oil / food. Just take it easy until you get used to it.

I mean, does it damage the pans or does it just burn the food?

OK, I'm convinced! Thanks for the input. Incidentally, what happens if you cook on high with these pans?

That is absolutely true. The d5 also cooks a lot more evenly. Apart from sautéing, I find that the line really shines in making glossy silky sauces better than any other cookware in my experience. The other thing I love about it is the ease of cleaning. Just soak any burnt gunk for a bit and it slides off like butter. Congratulations on your new acquisition!! Just remember not to cook on high.

I'd classify that statement as a gross oversimplification as one cooktop's "high" is another's "medium". But, relatively speaking, you won't need as much heat to get the same job done with your new pan as compared with whatever you're used to (unless you've been using tri-ply or similar).

Oops, I meant med-low to medium, not med-low to low.