Most cookware complaints are maintenance problems, not manufacturing faults. This page covers what each material in the range actually needs. If something here contradicts the instructions that came in the box, follow the box.
Seasoning carbon steel and bare cast iron
Seasoning is a layer of oil that has been heated until it polymerises into a hard, slick film bonded to the metal. It is not a coating that is applied once; it builds up over dozens of cooks and it can be stripped back by a long acidic simmer or a scouring pad.
Stovetop method, about twenty minutes. Scrub the new pan with hot water and a little washing-up liquid to remove the factory anti-rust coating, and dry it. Put it on medium heat until any water has gone and the metal changes colour slightly. Add half a teaspoon of a neutral high-smoke-point oil (grapeseed, sunflower, rapeseed) and wipe it over the whole interior with a paper towel, then wipe again until it looks almost dry. Heat until it just stops smoking, then take it off and let it cool. Repeat two or three times. The pan will look bronze, then brown, then near-black.
Rust
Rust means the pan was put away damp. It is not the end of the pan. Scour the rust off with steel wool or a chainmail scrubber until you are back to grey metal, wash, dry on the heat, and season again from scratch. A pan that has been through this is no worse than one that has not.
Stainless and tri-ply
No seasoning, no special treatment. Food sticking to stainless is almost always a cold pan (preheat two to three minutes on medium, add fat, then food, and wait for the crust to release. Browned residue lifts with water brought to the boil in the pan. Rainbow tinting is harmless oxidation and comes off with vinegar. White chalky marks are hard-water minerals and also come off with vinegar. Do not use bleach.
Enamelled cast iron
No seasoning. Let it cool before washing) thermal shock is what crazes enamel. Use wooden or silicone tools, and never let an empty pot run dry over high heat. Interior staining from turmeric, tomato or wine is cosmetic; a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water, left for an hour, takes most of it out. Chips in the enamel cannot be repaired. A chip on the outside is cosmetic; a chip on the cooking surface means the pan is at the end of its useful life.
Knives
Hand wash and dry immediately, every time. Hone before use with a steel to straighten the edge, and have them properly sharpened on a stone once or twice a year depending on use. Store on a magnetic strip or in a block. A dishwasher will blunt an edge against the rack and pit the steel.
Bakeware
Uncoated aluminised steel darkens and mottles with use. That is patina, not damage. Hand wash it (dishwasher detergent strips the aluminium layer and the steel underneath will rust.
Induction and hob compatibility
Everything in the range works on induction. Woks need their flat base in contact with the hob to register. If your hob has a minimum pan diameter, check it against the base measurement on the product page rather than the rim measurement) they are not the same number.