When you’re buying cookware one piece at a time, it’s nice to get a lid, but if you have other cookware, you may already have a lid that will fit perfectly. Lids are often made from the same material as the pot, so they can withstand the same heat. Some lids are made from glass, which means you can see the food without lifting the lid, but they may not be able to handle high oven heat. Finding a balance of performance Cookware Sets and value can be challenging, but this set from GreenPan is a clear winner when it comes to cookware that works well and won’t break the bank. This set includes all the pieces we think are necessary for a well-stocked kitchen and the 1.2 mm copper exterior is striking enough to display when you’re not cooking. The Thermo-Clad cookware is oven safe to 450 degrees, but you should never heat up an empty copper pan.
Underneath the glass-ceramic cooking surface, there are metal coils that radiate the heat. You can set the heat electronically and there are usually heat indicators that tell you which sections of the stovetop are hot. These hobs look quite elegant and they are pretty easy to clean. Pans and skillets made of cast iron need to be seasoned, though, to prevent food from sticking and to prevent the metal from reacting with the food.
After years of cooking on PTFE nonstick, I didn’t expect much of a difference with ceramic—and I was quickly proven wrong. When I made a fried egg, tipping the pan ever so slightly, it slid out so fast that I nearly missed my target plate. When I didn’t quite get the simmer temperature right on my rice test using the saucepan, I expected a sticky disaster. Instead, every single grain came out without any coaxing, and the pan ultimately forgave my mistake even better than a PTFE nonstick would. I struggled to get a nice fond during the marinara test since nothing could stick to scrape off, and the burgers didn’t crisp up or caramelize the way I was hoping they would.
It can be difficult to sort through all the available possibilities. This pioneering collection is crafted from cast aluminum to deliver quick, even heating, and remarkable durability. Once you get a new piece of cookware, or a whole set, it easily becomes the favorite part of your kitchen.
Don’t preheat an empty pan to help avoid reaching high temperatures. In general, you can use higher heat with hard-anodized than traditional aluminum, whereas ceramic can only handle low to medium heat. And if you plan to use your cookware in the oven at any point, keep the manufacturers’ suggested temperatures in mind, as they vary widely.
With so many options on the market, it’s hard to know what set might best suit your needs. We enlisted the help of gear pro and kitchen equipment tester, Sharon Franke, a 30-year veteran of the Good Housekeeping Research Institute who specializes in cooking equipment. Here are the things to consider when shopping for a nonstick cookware set. When buying nonstick cookware, you should consider the materials of each pan and how long they will hold up overtime. She also loves a pan with a metal handle so that it can go in the oven, “if the manufacturer deems it oven-safe!” she says.