I think I'm going to end up going stainless. Hits the sweet spot in terms of durability, safety, convenience, and weight.

Stainless 3-ply with Aluminum in the middle is perfect for even heating and indestructibility. It's not quite as non-stick as cast iron though.

Although it seems like the ideal on paper, stainless heats unevenly and sticks. IMO cast iron is ideal, albeit heavy.

Most of the stovetop cooking I do is just heating up rice or noodle dishes that I make in big batches. Those I make with big cast iron dutch ovens. The enameled ones are awesome.

For that stainless is a good choice. I usually use cast iron to fry, or toast things on the stove top, so sticking and even heat are important. Stainless is useful in a bunch of other areas though. Basically all my cookware is white stainless, or cast iron, not a fan of synthetic coatings.

Have you thought about copper?

Can be more expensive than stainless and has the same issues with acidic sauces (ie, tomato based), but it heats up really well, and you can get it pretty thick for a little more heft.

Plus, it looks nice (especially if you can find some antique French pieces).

Stainless is nice, it only loses on thermal mass and non-stickness. But if what you want is food, not perfection, it doesn't narrow your options much, and is much easier to maintain.