looking to buy a chess set!

For boards get a 2.25" in either vinyl, silicone, or mousepad. They each have their pros and cons, a quick google search will help you out. Then I'd recommend House of Staunton plastic pieces (3.75-4" king), they have a good variety and are high quality.

https://www.amazon.com/Alcazar-Handmade-ChessCemtrals-Carpathian-Collection/dp/B013XFBMN2  It has some huge, wooden pieces. Very easy to hold and handle. Super fun to play with!

Where do you plan to play?

Consider outdoors/indoors/at home/in the office, wind, bumps by passer-bys, surface flatness, even the playing surface size.  Sometimes a large-ish travel magnetic set works better /more versatile.

For plastic set, this is probably the cheapest right now (yes, today only at $11).

https://www.wholesalechess.com/shop/chess-sets/club-chess-sets/triple-weighted-starter-chess-set-combo

I found a nice, basic set on Chesshouse.com, with a heavier roll-up board and weighted pieces, in a nice case for a pretty reasonable price. I purchased a clock separately that also fits in the case.

Here's a used set with a board for $5.00 from USCF. It's all you need to get started. http://www.uscfsales.com/chess-sets/plastic-chess-sets/tournament-single-weighted-plastic-chess-set-and-board-used-at-the-2016-k12-national-championship.html

For club and tournament play, I recommend either the regulation vinyl rollup boards (in particular any of the premium models, with cloth backing, should do fine), or a recent product - the new, improved, thinner - 1/16 inch - mousepad board, which can be rolled up or folded (without creasing or wrinkling) for storage and transport.

The improved mousepad chess boards have recently been offered Raphael Neff's Chess House and also by Shelby Lorhman's American Chess Equipment (ACE)...

https://www.chesshouse.com/products/flex-pad-club-chess-board

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/the-chess-house-flex-pad-club-board

http://amchesseq.com/Chess-Boards_c_12.html

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/new-mousepad-chess-boards

The following are several plastic sets which I think are better than average - i.e., nice.....

The "Fischer" series pieces...

http://www.houseofstaunton.com/the-fischer-series-plastic-chessmen-4-0-king-17434.html

The "Marshall" series pieces...

http://www.houseofstaunton.com/the-marshall-series-plastic-chessmen-3-75-king.html

The "Guardian" series pieces -  seem to be popular...

https://thechessstore.com/guardian-series-plastic-chess-set-in-black-camel-4-king/

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/guardian-plastic-sets-return-to-the-chess-store?page=1#last_comment

All of the chess stores cited above are reputable chess equipment retailers which I have purchased many sets from, and have been very pleased with their products and service.

Note - I store my rollup boards in a cardboard mailing tube - that way they keep nice and don't get wrinkled, and will unroll nice and flat for playing (so that it will lay flat, be sure to roll up the board with playing squares OUT)........

https://www.amazon.com/Duck-Twist-n-Pull-Tamper-Evident-Mailing-1163253/dp/B00383QJP6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1494582522&sr=8-2&keywords=mailing%2Btube&th=1

Finally, for those interested in quality solid wood chess boards, the following discussion might be of interest.....featuring boards by Drueke, JLP, and ColoradoWoodWorker (post#23)...
https://www.chess.com/forum/view/chess-equipment/drueke-vs-jlp-woodworking-solid-wood-chessboards?page=1