Information from REI employees is sometimes just hearsay.

I absolutely love my titanium pots. I have used them for more than 10 years and have not squished one yet! They are easy to clean. If you do real cooking, having a stove that simmers is more important than any minor heat transfer properties between aluminum and titanium. I really do not care how fast water boils; I care that I can do real cooking and have easy clean-up. I have the Sno-Peak nesting set. I do not know how other brands perform. Yes, they are expensive, but will last forever if you treat them right.