We made a list of the safest cookware brands that promise to last a lifetime. Some cookware sets might also feature pressure cookers, French ovens, and braiser pans. Most cookware sets label the pots and their lids as separate items, so keep that in mind when shopping—an 8-piece cookware set is often just four pots and four lids. According to food editor and journalist Julie Chernoff, stainless steel cookware is easily cleaned and generally dishwasher-safe.
They come in handy when stirring your food while cooking, or boiling water in less time than usual because you won’t have to remove the lid and let extra steam out. Founded in 1963, Calphalon is most famous for creating hard-anodized aluminum cookware that quickly became a favorite of professional chefs and at-home gourmet cooks. Cuisinart is known best for the introduction of the food processor to America cuisinart pots and pans set in 1973, but the brand has since expanded its collection to include a wide array of kitchen tools, including quality cookware. The stainless steel pieces are very affordable—even the Professional Series won’t break the bank. The stainless steel pan did not perform as well for cooking eggs—there was quite a bit of sticking—so you’re better off tapping the included nonstick skillet for this type of task.
The main incentive for buying piece by piece is that most sets come with smaller pan sizes. When you set out on a cookware set shopping expedition, it’s all but expected that you’ll be looking at higher price tags. That was certainly the case with most of the pan sets we tested in our larger review of stainless steel cookware.
However, the pans took almost double the time to preheat as our picks and were heavier than we’d prefer. We think this set is worth the steep price only if you’re looking for rivetless cookware. In the Wirecutter test kitchen, we continue to reach for All-Clad the most. Several of our staff members have All-Clad pots and pans in their own kitchens , and they find the pots and pans continue to heat evenly and clean up well, even after years of persistent use. We excluded sets with glass lids because they can break or crack easily if dropped. Glass lids also offer little advantage over stainless steel lids because you can’t see through them when they’re covered with condensation.
Cookware is the cornerstone of your kitchen, so it’s worth investing in a set that is beautiful and durable and that heats evenly. And we believe the Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set is the best for most home cooks because it offers solid construction at an affordable price. According to Rodgers, it’s important to follow the directions from the maker of your stainless steel cookware set to ensure you’re keeping it in the best shape. While many sets are dishwasher safe, some may recommend just using soap and water instead.
We also found that the stick handles were comfortable to hold and the appropriate length, unlike the Anolon Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set’s handles, which were too short. 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. All told, I’ve spent more than 130 hours researching and testing cookware sets for this guide. As a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, I have written reviews for all kinds of kitchen equipment and gadgets, including skillets, knife sets, and cutting boards.
When we prepared caramel, the dissolved sugar bubbled uniformly across the bottom of the All-Clad 3-quart saucepan; this wasn’t the case with saucepans in the other sets we tested. Also, because the All-Clad saucepan distributed cuisinart pots and pans set heat so well, our testers didn’t have to swirl the sugar in the pan as frequently as they did in the other saucepans. While simmering tomato sauce, there was no scorching in the stockpot, even with minimal stirring.
Like most stainless steel cookware, the Goldilocks pots and pans will discolor slightly over high heat, but this won’t affect its performance. Compare the Goldilocks 12-inch skillet we used to sauté chicken with an unused Goldilocks 10-inch skillet . For each set, we started by testing how well the large skillets retained heat. We did this by using an infrared thermometer to make a heat map of their cooking surface. We also sprinkled the surface of each large skillet with a dusting of flour and placed the pan over a medium-high flame to see how evenly the flour browned.
If you’re lusting after professional-looking stainless-steel cookware but don’t have the big bucks to shell out, this is the set for you. You’ll get solid performance whether you’re caramelizing onions or simmering a Bolognese. It has an instantly recognizable rustic aesthetic, five unique colorways, and hard-wearing enamel that is resistant to chips and cracks.
The attractive Cuisinart Multiclad Pro 12-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set is our top choice because of its durable stainless steel, as well as its balance of quick heating and solid heat retention. If you’re looking for a more budget-friendly option, the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 7-Piece Set not only looks great but works wonderfully. Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times. Our journalists combine independent research with over-the-top testing to save people time, energy and money when making buying decisions. Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice, we’ll help you get it right .