You’ll also want to think about what specific pieces you need and how big of a set to buy. If you already own astockpotor small skillet you love, for example, you might want to look for a smaller set without those to save money. You’ll likely want a 10-inch frying pan, stockpot, saucepan and covered saute pan. The most common additions to these basic four are larger and smaller frying pans and saucepans. For less than $400, this Caraway set includes a 10.5-inch fry pan, 3-quart saucepan, 4.5-quart saute pan and 6.5-quart Dutch oven. It also comes with a smart magnetized storage rack and canvas lid for keeping your cookware organized.
The stick handles on the Anolon Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set were too short and not as comfortable to hold as the wide, longer handles on the Tramontina cookware. For information on how to prevent food from sticking to your stainless steel cookware, check out our blog post on the subject. Never clean your stainless steel cookware with harsh chemicals, like oven cleaner, that could cause permanent damage. Also, avoid using steel wool, which can severely scratch your cookware.
The colorful bakeware is microwave, dishwasher and oven-safe (up to 450-degrees). The colorful design of the non-stick cookware set is designed by Ree Drummond to go perfectly with the rest of her cookware line. Fortunately, plenty ofThe Pioneer Woman cookware, bakeware, serving dishes and more are on sale at Walmart. This cookware has a BPA-free build ensuring that the body does not react to food quality.
When they used the 10-inch frying pan to make an omelet, it rolled smoothly out of the pan, though some did get stuck in the rivets for the handle. The Goldilocks pot lid handles, and those on the sides of the stockpot, are wide with a slight dimple (similar to All-Clad’s handles); this makes them easier to grasp and more comfortable to hold. The stick handles on the Goldilocks set are strikingly similar to those on the Cuisinart 77-7 Chef’s Classic Stainless 7-Piece Cookware Set . A few of the Goldilocks pieces are a bit heavier than those in the Tramontina and All-Clad sets, so some people may find them more cumbersome to lift.
See our guides for how to perfectly season andsafely clean a cast-iron skillet so your trusty stovetop sidekick will stay with you for decades. With the ability to hold on to heat as well as some people hold on to grudges, cast-iron cookware is ideal for searing burgers, steaks and chicken. It’s also durable as heck and will develop both a seasoning and a natural nonstick patina over time. A large collection of cookware can quickly take over your kitchen cabinets, and if you live in a smaller home or apartment, the Space Saving collection from Calphalon will be your best friend. These pans are specially designed to stack together neatly, taking up 30% less space.
Or perhaps you already own stainless steel cookware, but it’s dented, warped, or inclined to cook unevenly. In that case, we think upgrading to a stainless steel set is worth doing because it will last a lot longer—maybe even a lifetime. You don’t need to get all of these pieces if you don’t think you’ll use them.
Everything but the open skillets and the steamer insert come with lids. The Great Jones Family Style set is unusual among the cuisinart knife we looked at in that it includes a nonstick pan and an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. For one, when testing the Great Jones Saucy for our guide to the best small saucepan, we found the loop-shaped handles uncomfortable to hold. Also, the nonstick pan is only 8½ inches, so it’s not as versatile as the 10-inch pans we recommend in our guide to nonstick skillets. And it has a ceramic coating, which we’ve found quickly loses its nonstick properties.
The pros we talked to said the All-Clad tri-ply cookware is the best for both professional and home use because it’s so durable. In our tests, the All-Clad pans heated evenly, were comfortable to hold, and tackled every cooking job without any hiccups. Though the largest skillet measures only 10 inches gotham steel cookware sets instead of 12, this set will outfit your kitchen with all the other pots and pans you’re ever likely to need. And if you’re partial to keeping your cookware bright and shiny, note that in our tests this set was one of the few that looked like new when we cleaned it—even after years of testing.
While sets are sold at a huge range of prices, you don’t have to spend top dollar to get a dependable one that you’ll find a pleasure to cook with. Before you shop it’s important to get a handle on what you like to cook and for how many people, as well as your tolerance for scrubbing and the size of your budget. We’ve been sautéing, frying and simmering in our test kitchens all day, every day for years. Using our pro experience, we’ve picked the perfect cookware sets for all kinds of cooks. The days of buying full cookware sets at department stores are coming to an end, thanks to an ever evolving list of direct-to-consumer companies that deliver kitchenware at more affordable prices. So whether you want a refresh, or you’re looking for a simple selection of essentials—or just want to try out a new brand—here are the companies making the best cookware sets right now.