Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
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Credit:
Reviewed / Timothy Renzi
Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.
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This durable, ceramic nonstick cookware set comes with all the pieces you need on a daily basis and serves as an excellent multi-purpose cookware set. Read More
The tri-ply construction gave the pans the benefit of heat conductivity, but the aluminum core ensures they’re not too heavy to handle. Read More
This set checks boxes in terms of size, durability, and performance. And we love the lightweight design, flared edges, and comfortable handles. Read More
This hard-anodized nonstick cookware set contains everything you need to cook a fantastic meal. Read More
While not as durable as Hestan's NanoBond line, these pots and pans are well-constructed, with even heating, flush rivets, and are a good weight. Read More
There are a few things that truly make cooking easier, and having a reliable cookware set is high on that list. Of course, the best pots and pans set for you may not be the best for someone else. There are a lot of factors to consider when determining the best cookware set to buy.
Whether you want a cookware set that is all stainless steel, or one that’s ceramic nonstick, details like price, materials, and handle design all come into play. Add shopping online to such a tough decision, and the options can be overwhelming.
We've spent years testing dozens of the most popular pots and pans sets around, and our current favorite is the GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick 11-Piece Cookware Set (available at Amazon for $399.99) . With everything from skillets to a stock pot with a steamer insert, it's all the things a home cook needs. And despite being a nonstick set, it's made with PFAS-free ceramic materials and boasts a durable build.
The Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-piece Set, which we reviewed, and is our former top pick, is still a great option and our favorite value pick for a stainless-steel set. If you’re willing to invest more, the All-Clad D3 Everyday set that we tested is tops for a stainless-steel cookware set that will last a lifetime. No matter what type of cookware you need, you can bet the best cookware set for you is on this list.
The GreenPan Valencia Pro Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set includes all the essentials for home cooks.
Sears well
Cleans easily
Durable
Induction-comaptible
Edges show wear over years of use
This Cuisinart cookware set is the best choice for top stainless steel cookware on a budget.
Great value
Easy to use
Sears meat perfectly
Nothing we could find
The All Clad cookware set is the best stainless steel set we've tested.
Distributes heat evenly
Durable build
Easy to handle
Lid handles can overheat
Our favorite nonstick cookware is the All-Clad HA1 Hard-Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set.
Lids fit tightly
Easy to clean
Durable build
Heavy
Hard to store
We were impressed by the exceptional performance of the Hestan NanoBond 10-piece cookware set.
Suitable for high-temperature cooking
Reliably nonstick
Oven-safe, dishwasher-safe, metal-utensil-safe
Frequent staining after high temperature cooking
Heavier weight with bulky handles
Slick, nonstick interior
Great for searing
Attractive design
Heavy build
Limited items in the set
Consistently nonstick without PFAS
Lightweight, well-made, and durable
Dishwasher and oven safe
A larger mid-size pot would be ideal
Handles can get dirty easily
Even heating
Large enough
Roomier pans
Lacks smaller pans
Food doesn’t stick
Easy to clean
Comfortable handles
Doesn’t heat evenly
Doesn’t sear as well as stainless
Beautiful appearance
Easy to store
Includes a Dutch oven
Doesn't offer a variety of cookware sizes
Superior heat distribution
Long-lasting
Hefty price tag
Too heavy
Straight-handle design
The best posts and pans sets come with a variety of cookware sizes and shapes, and include lids. Considering your own cooking style can help you determine what’s important to you in a set. Your favorite foods determine which pieces of cookware to prioritize. Whether you cook for yourself or a group can affect how many pieces you need.
We recommend a set with at least two saucepots, one large stockpot, a small fry pan, and a large skillet. (All oven-safe, of course.) Most sets come with a lid for every saucepan, stockpot, and sauté pan, while fry pans rarely come with lids. Sets often count lids as pieces to increase the count, so check the actual number of cookware pieces when looking at sets—a set with five pots and pans plus three lids is called an 8-piece set.
Stainless-Steel Cookware Sets: Stainless steel is great for high-heat tasks like searing meat and creating that browned residue—technically called fond—that makes the perfect start to a flavorful pan sauce. Stainless steel won’t affect the taste of your food, and it heats up quickly. Stainless-steel cookware also tends to last longer than nonstick. It can be harder to clean than nonstick, requiring a little more elbow grease. More on how to cook with stainless steel—successfully.
Nonstick Cookware Sets: Nonstick cookware is a staple in mosts kitchens. It’s affordable, easy to cook with, easy to wipe down and maintain. However, nonstick shouldn’t go in the dishwasher, and scratches more easily. For decades, the potential toxicity of nonstick cookware has also created concern. Some nonstick chemicals like PFOA and PTFE (Teflon) may be harmful. When they degrade due to chipping or excessive use of high heat, they may flake into your food or release fumes. Other materials like hard-anodized aluminum or ceramic present safer nonstick options.
Ceramic Cookware Sets: Ceramic cookware can mean either genuine ceramics or aluminum with a silicone finish. The ceramic coating is nonstick but without any harmful chemicals, avoiding the potential toxicity of traditional nonstick pans. They can be eco-friendly to produce and more affordable than stainless steel. Plus, they handle high heat well and offer a variety of colors. Ceramic shares some of nonstick’s drawbacks, however. It won’t last as long as stainless steel or cast iron cookware, and the nonstick abilities will fade in time. They should also never go into the dishwasher.
Carbon Steel Cookware Sets: Carbon steel offers similar heat retention and searing to cast iron. Ironically, it has less carbon than cast iron, making it thinner, lighter, and relatively nonstick when cared for properly. The downsides? You have to keep it seasoned, it’s not dishwasher safe, and it may react with more acidic foods. Depending on the construction, the handles may get hot. You tend to see carbon steel in restaurants more than homes, but there’s no reason you can’t use it in your kitchen, if you want.
Cast Iron Cookware Sets: Cast iron is a classic for a reason. It’s heavy-duty, old-fashioned, and incredibly durable. Cast iron can help bring out the best flavors in whatever you cook in it. Expect great heat retention and even heating. On the other hand, it’s about the heaviest cookware you can get, making it hard to handle. It’s also high maintenance. You need to season it, and cooking acidic foods can strip the seasoning. You also need to maintain it carefully to avoid damage and rust. Here's more on how to clean a cast-iron skillet.
Aluminum Cookware Sets: Aluminum cookware comes in regular (lightweight, affordable) and anodized (a little more durable). Aluminum can be easy to handle, and heats up well. However, regular aluminum can wear out quickly, warp easily, and may react with some foods like tomato sauce and acidic fruit. It’s also not compatible with induction stoves.
Anodized Aluminum Cookware Sets: Anodized aluminum solves some of aluminum’s problems. Unfortunately, it costs more and doesn’t heat up as fast as raw aluminum, and is still not compatible with induction stoves.
Copper Cookware: Copper is beautiful and has a traditional aire to it. While it has a number of benefits, including durability and excellent heat conductivity, it’s also quite expensive and 100% copper pots won’t work with induction cooktops. Modern copper cookware is often made with a stainless-steel core to mitigate that issue. Copper isn’t a natural choice for everyday cookware, but one or two pieces can make a lovely addtion to a varied cookware arsenal.
It’s typically best to buy cookware in a set and then add in specialty pieces as needed. You’ll get the most bang for your buck with a set, especially if it's an affordable cookware set—generally under $200 for a 10- or 12-piece set.
If you like to alternate between nonstick and stainless-steel pans (and it is best to have a variety), you can find sets that contain a combination of materials. Made In is known for its Chef-curated sets that contain stainless-steel, ceramic nonstick, and carbon steel pans.
Generally, no. While many cookware manufacturers tout “dishwasher safe” as a quality of cookware sets, the way dishwashers heat and dry dishes doesn’t play well with the construction of most cookware.
Pans are more likely to warp and chip when put in the dishwasher, reducing their lifespan. And in the case of nonstick cookware, the dishwasher environment and detergent can cause the pans to lose their nonstick quality.
It’s best to avoid nonstick spray on cookware, especially when cooking on the stovetop since the high heat creates a bond with the aerosol particles that can actually make food stick more. This residue can be hard to remove, even with soap and scrubbing, causing undo wear to the cookware and reducing any nonstick properties.
Nonstick spray is best used on bakeware when exposed to temperatures 350° or less, and when the spray is completely covered by the food being baked. If you’ve ever scrubbed a muffin tin or brownie pan that’s been sprayed and some of the spray wasn’t covered by batter, you know how hard that stuff is to remove.
It's smart to have a mixture of cookware materials at the ready for everyday use. Stainless steel pans are essential if you're looking for long-lasting cookware, especially for tasks that don't call for a nonstick surface—like boiling pasta water and simmering tomato sauce. This type of cookware doesn't call for any regular seasoning, like cast iron or carbon steel, making it low maintenance. It's also great for searing meat, since it can reach high temperatures and go from stovetop to oven when needed.
Nonstick pans are also important to keep on hand, because cooking delicate foods like eggs and pancakes without a helpful nonstick coating can be difficult. And a trusty cast-iron skillet is always good to have because it's incredibly sturdy and churns out unmatched cooking results when it comes to searing flavorful burgers and steaks. It can also benefit from nonstick properties when it's been properly seasoned, but it comes with more heft and a laborious upkeep.
Look for metal lids whenever possible. Yes, that means you can’t see what’s going on inside the pot, but glass lids always fog up anyway. While glass lids are typically made of very durable layers, metal lids will never shatter, giving them a longer lifespan than the glass variety.
We ran these cookware sets through multiple recipe tests, including searing chicken thighs.
The professional chefs and home cooks on the Reviewed team have tested dozens of top-rated cookware sets over the years. Each set is put through a battery of tests using each piece in the set. We also cook a multi-component meal using multiple pieces at once.
To earn our seal of approval, at least two saucepans, one sauté pan, and a stock pot have to fit on a standard cooktop range at the same time.
We design the tests to evaluate performance, ease of use, and value. We sear chicken thighs in the sauté pan and toss vegetables in the skillets. We also simmer sauces and soups and cook rice in the saucepots. Lastly, we blanch vegetables in the stockpot. If the set came with nonstick gear, we fry a few eggs without oil to see how well the coating works.
Finally, we monitor for any noticeable hotspots and evaluate the feel of the handles and ease of maneuverability.
The experts seem torn on what the best cookware set is, although the same brands do bubble to the top time and again. To save you some time and trouble, we’ve gone ahead and done the research for you. From what we can tell, several reviewers agree with the top entries on our list.
User comments around the topic of the best cookware seem to display the typical amount of rancor and infighting. We’re pulling these user reviews from sources like Reddit, Wayfair, and Amazon.
It seems that once cookware is in a kitchen, the experience is just about as personal as the food being cooked so opinions on cookware vary broadly. The most common complaints are discoloration of stainless-steel cookware and the nonstick coating of nonstick cookware giving out after a short time.
Lindsay is a professional chef, recipe developer, writer, and developmental editor. After years of working in restaurant kitchens, she turned to writing to share her passion for local, organic, and seasonal ingredients with home cooks and food enthusiasts.
Freelance Editor, Kitchen & Appliances. Danielle has a B.S. from Syracuse University and a AAS in Culinary Arts from Newbury College. Previously, Danielle was a Test Cook and Associate Editor at America's Test Kitchen, as well as a freelance recipe developer and food writer. She’s the mom of two boys and loves making pizza on Friday nights.
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