Personally I would rather have CI over SS. If treated properly Staub or Le Creuset should be lifetime pans. However, so can plain ole Lodge. I haven't been willing to pay up for the high end ceramic coated, but have tried some of the cheaper stuff. Stay away from it. The ceramic will crack,, and be unsafe to use. The same can happen with the high end stuff, if you get it too hot. It will stain over time, but it is a cooking pot, not a show piece.
I decided to just go plain black lodge CI, and have had no problems. I have a 12qt and a 6qt, probably have less than $100 in both of them, and I have no doubts that they will last me a lifetime, if I treat them right.