We love that the folks at Wirecutter just so happened to pick an affordable set. They said that this one has the largest pots and pans — a 5-quart Dutch oven! — out of all the sets they tested, which made them feel like they were really getting something for their money. Don’t worry, though — the handles are all super comfortable, so they’re not too hard to hold or lift.
Additionally, the set is made from recycled aluminum and reinforced with a wobble-free base for extra strength and even heat distribution. The first thing you must keep in mind is the required number of pieces. A cookware set typically comes with pieces like stockpots, saute pans, frying pans, saucepans, cuisinart knife utensils, and stock pans. You can pick something with fewer pieces, according to your personal preference. Make sure to carefully look at what’s included in each cookware set, as many brands count lids as separate pieces and even count small utensils like spoons and spatulas as part of the set.
The set’s only other skillet, a 10¼-inch skillet/sauté pan hybrid, is also on the small side. We like the Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set for its even heat distribution, durable construction, and reasonable price. The Tramontina skillets produced perfectly brown chicken pieces with nice fond development, and the saucepans and stockpot simmered liquids without scorching. We found the wide handles on the cookware and the lids comfortable to hold.
We also tested the Hestan 12.5″ Probond Forged Stainless Steel Skillet, but it discolored and warped the first time we used it. So we decided not to test the Professional Clad Stainless Steel 10-piece Ultimate Set. The Thomas Keller Insignia 7-Piece Cookware Set has only two universal pot lids and is quite expensive, even at its reduced price of $900 . We think anyone would be happier with the All-Clad set we recommend, which costs significantly less. We did our best to avoid sets that aren’t fully clad (meaning the aluminum core doesn’t extend up the sides of the cookware), since the sides of the pan are prone to scorching.
As I emphasized in an earlier review of Made In cookware, a good nonstick set should offer the shapes and sizes needed for most standard home recipes. Ideally, most home cooks would own a 10-or-so-inch frying pan, a lidded sauté pan with a minimum capacity of three quarts, a smaller lidded saucepan and a large lidded stockpot. After extensive online research, I decided to compare some of the most popular nonstick surfaces—traditional PTFE, hard-anodized PTFE and ceramic—at a variety of price points. In total, I selected eight sets from well-known and well-regarded brands to test.
Nonstick cookware is easy to clean by hand because pressure water application might damage the surface. You do not need a lot of oil or fat to cook food on nonstick cookware. The delicate coating can get damaged if exposed to harmful conditions. Complete your kitchen with gotham steel cookware sets nonstick hard anodized, stainless steel or durable aluminum pots and pans. While some prefer to curate their cookware collection piece by piece and, in some cases, that makes good sense, especially for experienced chefs who know exactly what they want in each piece.
Since then, the brand has expanded their line to include nonstick and stainless steel pans, and, most recently, a bakeware line. Great Jones refreshingly forsakes the signature dusty shades of other DTC cookware brands in favor of vibrant colors and punchy patterns. The Yves Klein-esque blue Dutch oven is particularly eye-catching. Kendra is a fan of the Hot Dish, a groovy, 9-by-13-inch baking dish with angular sides and corners that make for perfectly-square pieces of snacking cake and lasagna.
The Ostend 12 Pieces cookware set features drip-free rims and stay-cool handles for ease of use and extra safety while handling. If dinner normally consists of pasta and soups this clever set is perfect for your one-pot lifestyle! We love that the tops lay flat and that everything stacks with ease. You can even remove or add the pot handles if your kitchen is low on storage space.
However, we did do some at-home testing of its sauté pan as a point of comparison in our review of the Always pan; this testing confirmed our understanding that ceramic-coated pans don’t last long . The Tramontina set we recommend is comparably priced , and unlike the Caraway set, it should last for decades if cared for properly. The Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set was our previous runner-up pick. However, after a new round of testing, we found the skillets warped over high heat. The bottom of the pans bowed so much that they wobbled on a flat surface.