Hand I played yesterday very similar to this which illustrates that slow playing a set does (sometimes) work. Bets are approximate but there or thereabouts. I have about 12k, cut off has about 10k.
9 handed table. Blinds 100/200. I limped from UTG+1 with 88. Cut off limps, folded round to BB who checks.
Flop comes
.
I check, cut off bets 400, BB folds, I smooth call.
Turn comes
.
I check, cut off bets 1000. I dwell a little bit (I normally act quite quickly) and raise him to 3000. He thinks for a long time before pushing his remaining chips in. I call, he flips A7.
I appreciate the lack of pre-flop raising shifts the dynamics of the pot a little, although he definitely wasn't putting all his chips in on the flop with a weak ace like that.
I am in no way experienced enough to know whether this could be a +EV play over the long run. I do prefer the idea that there is a choice, though, and that there is no one "MUST" option.