Cookware

It comes with a ceramic coating 100% free of PTFE/PFOA/lead/cadmium providing you with a quick and safe experience. Furthermore, an ergonomic handle is installed on each piece to maintain the temperature so you can hold the cookware with ease. Our friends over at Good Housekeeping did some extensive testing (they fried 165 eggs, seared 50 steaks, and more!) on 35 new nonstick cookware lines. At the end, they picked this anodized aluminum set because it’s super functional. The pieces have stay-cool handles, stack easily for storage, and can go in the dishwasher.

Each saucepan and the Dutch oven have pouring spouts with strainer lids, and the finish on the exterior looks great on any cooktop surface. Our professional Allrecipes product testers meticulously tested each set individually. Our testers are culinary professionals with years of experience testing products. They put the best-rated and most popular sets through the wringer to figure out which sets reign supreme. “We’ve had some for up to three years, but if we only use it three times a week for 15 minutes, it’ll still always look very new,” he says, but most nonstick pans don’t last more than a few years.

The pots and pans are generously sized and perfect for large-batch recipes, though we do wish there were one more small frying pan included for quick, small tasks, like frying an egg or two. We think this set is a really good choice if you don’t mind slightly heavier cookware or the fact that it stains slightly with use. It cooked on a par with the Tramontina and All-Clad sets we recommend. But because Goldilocks is a newer direct-to-consumer brand, we don’t know yet how it will perform over time (though we’ll keep using it and update this guide accordingly).

This set from Le Creuset performed well during testing but testers felt the price point was a bit too steep in comparison to other similar styles. Testers noted that it cooked scallops well and clean up was about average, though some scrubbing was required. If possible, it’s best to invest in a multi-ply set as the pieces are durable and long-lasting. However, it’s worth noting that they’re likely going to be a more expensive design.

Made of stainless steel with an aluminum core, they areinduction compatible, oven safe to 550 degrees, and dishwasher safe for easy cleaning. The varying sizes of the pans and the fact that they can all go in the oven contribute to this set’s versatility. Plus, none of the food stuck to the pan when properly browned whether it was searing scallops or delicate omelets. The long handles stay comfortably cool during cooking and have Cookware Sets hanging holes for storage, but our home tester did caution that the side loop handles can get quite hot. While it’s not exactly a budget buy, All-Clad’s D3 line of steel cookware should last for decades if cared for properly, making it a worthwhile investment for a home chef. Each cookware piece is made from three-ply stainless steel with a thick-gauge aluminum core for fast conduction, and riveted stainless-steel handles.

Cookware Sets

Another great feature that pushed this set into ‘would recommend’ territory is the handles. Many pots and pans have fussy silicone or slippery stainless handles, making them difficult to handle and sometimes slippery. These handles aren’t smooth and have a slight texture, making them so much easier to grip. Handle material is a significant factor when choosing which pans to buy, especially when regularly pulling hot pans out of the oven.

Like all stainless, this cookware is dishwasher safe but is prone to some discoloration over time. This direct-to-consumer ceramic line is a triple threat in design, durability and efficacy. Plus, it’s perfect for the minimalist cook or the person with very little storage room. Even heat distribution, quick boil and breezy clean-up make Caraway your dinner-in-a-pinch partner-in-crime. We recommend their star-studded collection for newlyweds, first-time homeowners and anyone looking to reset their stovetop needs.

The enameled coating protects the steel from rusting, but if the coating chips or cracks, rusting can occur. Steel cookware should be induction compatible, but if the material is extremely thin, the induction might not recognize it properly. Cast iron retains heat well, making it ideal for searing, frying, baking, and braising, and it will keep food warm after cooking is done. It’s also very heavy, so it’s not as easy to move on the stove or to get in and out of storage.

Sets with fewer but larger pieces let you cook more food at once (versus “filler” sets with smaller pieces, which can slow you down in the kitchen). Stainless steel pots and pans are a great addition to every kitchen. They look gorgeous, last a lifetime, and can be used for everything from steaming rice to braising chicken to simmering soup.

Tall, narrow pots are best when the goal is to limit the evaporation of liquid, like when you’re cooking pasta. When you’re searching for the best cookware to outfit your kitchen, there are some advantages to buying a complete set. First, a set can be less expensive than buying individual pieces, so you’ll save money.