If you go that route, here are the basic pieces you need, plus why you should consider a Dutch oven. It is worth noting that this is stainless steel with a steel core, unlike the pricier All-Clad and Zwilling pans that have an aluminum core and conduct heat a bit faster. If that precision control is important to you, you may consider leveling up to one of those brands but this Calphalon set should get the job done for most types of home cooking. There’s also a 7-piece version of this same set at Walmart for $190 if this feels like too much cookware. The smaller set is the fry pan, chef’s pan and stockpot with lids and a few utensils.
Nonstick Cookware Sets offer easy cooking and cleanup, especially for new cooks in the kitchen, but the coatings don’t last forever and some have concerns about their safety. Read on for how to choose the right nonstick cookware set for you. Aluminum cookware pieces are typically less expensive, for example, but it is also less durable. A stainless steel pot can withstand heavier use, but stainless steel cookware generally costs more and isn’t as great at conducting heat .
Also, it didn’t perform nearly as well as some of the other sets. It’s hard to beat the price on the T-Fal Endurance Platinum Nonstick 14-piece set, but when it came to performance, we preferred the Titanium Advanced set. This set was a little heavier, and we didn’t love the tall buttons on top of the glass lids, which made them hard to store. All in all, it was easy to name the Cuisinart as a top cookware set. It has everything you need for a starter kitchen and it’s a great choice for those looking to upgrade their old sets, too.
Keeping that in mind, we designed the tests to evaluate performance, ease of use, and value. We seared chicken thighs in the sauté pan, tossed vegetables in the skillets, simmered sauces and cooked rice in the saucepots, and cuisinart knife blanched vegetables in the stockpot. It did include four saucepots—for some reason providing two 1.5-quart pots along with a 2- and 3-quart pot. The 5.5-quart stockpot was a little on the small end, too, but functional.
Everything feels so small, especially compared to the All-Clad and Anolon which offer larger sizes. I wasn’t quite sure what I could make with the 1-quart pot other than reheating a single serving of soup or melting a stick of butter (other sets have a more versatile 2-quart pot). And the sauté pan was small, too; it won’t fit more than two large chicken breasts. If you have a family or like to batch cook, this set probably won’t work for you.
I wouldn’t recommend paying much less than $240 for a full cookware set unless it’s on major discount. If this is still out of budget, consider piecing together a smaller set with one or two good frying pans and adding a stock pot and saucepan which you can find for pretty cheap. The cookware is all dishwasher- and oven-safe up to 550 degrees, and it can be used over induction stove heat. According to reviewers, this pots and pans set will last for years if you take care of it properly, and many say it performs as well as other high-end stainless steel sets.
Before becoming a cooking tools expert, she spent seven years working as a professional chef in New York City restaurants. In her free time, she’s busy baking sourdough bread and rustling pots and pans on her own stove. If you prefer bright, cheery kitchen tools this set comes in shimmery shades of red, burgundy, teal, light blue, and yes, gray if you must. In spite of its very reasonable price, this set offers even heating and has an interior nonstick finish that makes it easy to scramble up eggs and then clean out the pan afterwards. Here are the best sets you can buy no matter what price point or material you’re looking for. It was only recently that I heard about Made In cookware, and that is probably because they only sprung into existence in 2016.
There are no extra-large pots included, but the 6-quart stockpot is plenty adequate for soups and pasta water and can also serve as a Dutch oven. Stainless steel pans are undeniably pretty, and they also deliver in terms of performance, as this metal is incredibly durable. If you’re partial to stainless steel, you’ll like this 12-piece cookware set from Tramontina, as it provides unbeatable heat diffusion and durability. Equipped with sturdy, ergonomic handles that fit a variety of hand sizes, this high-performance cookware is very comfortable to use.