Our testing team, led by our Kitchen & Cooking editor (who is also a professional chef) assessed this cookware set by putting each piece through a variety of tests. Investing in a cookware set that’s going to (hopefully) last for years to come can feel like a daunting investment. And while chef-approved brands like HexClad and Hestan may be fantastic, they come at high costs that can be unrealistic for the average home cook. The Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Set earned our vote for the best value set in our tested analysis of the wider stainless steel cookware market. Ahead, learn more about the set’s features and why we’d quickly recommend it to anyone searching for budget-friendly cookware.
Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed our BHG Recommends seal of approval. Products that earn the seal have been put through rigorous testing to make sure they’re worth a spot in your home. We buy most of the products we test ourselves, but occasionally we are provided samples by companies if buying isn’t an option. In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products. The overall rating was determined by averaging the scores of each category. The seared scallops did leave a mark however it was easy to remove with the help of Bar Keepers Friend.
Luckily, during the testing process, I found that Cuisinart’s set offers the ideal selection of pans, from small to large. It’s a range that can handle most standard-sized recipes, and there are also no variants offered that would look out of place or “too large” on a stovetop or in a storage cabinet. In short, the Cuisinart set saves space where it can, but it’s still large enough to take on big-batch cooking tasks. In fact, the fry and sauté pans can easily cook up to six servings, and they’re comparable in size to the All-Clad. Overall, testers found that the pieces in this cookware set felt well-built. The pieces have sturdy handles and after cooking, testers didn’t notice any warping.
Plus, all pieces are oven-safe up to 500ºF, and they’re dishwasher safe. Given that this is a Thai food website, it’s always important to tie in the suitability of any products I review for cooking Thai recipes. The Cuisinart set is more of an all-rounder suitable for a broad range of recipes from several cuisines. ✓ Triple-ply construction leads to incredible durability; with good care, these pots and pans could last a lifetime.
Each piece neatly nests together for easy storage and the lid organizer keeps all of the lids handy. Anyone investing in a full cookware set will want to know that the pans they’re purchasing cover all of their culinary needs—but this is particularly important to those on a budget. In other words, most cooks wouldn’t want to have to purchase additional pieces.
“I like heavy just because I think common sense would say the heavier they are, the slightly better quality they are,” says Jason Santos, a chef. “I’ve seen really cheap stainless steel pans that you can basically bend. So I think a heavy set is good. It’s safe to say it’s probably decent quality.” “Heavier pans tend to have thicker vessel gauge which will help to even heat,” a representative for the Calphalon research and development team explained to us. Testers liked that the handle of the pan remained cool to the touch even with high heat, an ideal safety feature especially if you have small children at home.
Stainless steel pots and pans are a fantastic addition to your kitchen, whether you’re just starting to build out your kitchen, or upgrading to a gorgeous new set. In addition to having a gleaming finish, stainless steel cookware sets are highly durable and can last a long time with the right care. 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. After all, finding an entire family of high-quality pots and pans without shelling out top dollar can be tricky indeed. That said, it’s not impossible—a fact we happily confirmed when we got our hands on Cuisinart’s Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Set.
They specifically liked how easy the set was to clean, earning it a near-perfect score in that category. With just water and a spatula, testers were able to rid the pan of food remnants. It’s dishwasher safe too, making it even cuisinart soup maker easier to give it a thorough clean. Overall, the best stainless steel cookware set is the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Triple Ply 12-Piece Set. Plus, the handle on the pan remained cool to touch, which makes it safer to use.
In terms of design, testers noted that the pan handles had a nice feel and found that the squared-off lid handles fit comfortably in their hands. The bigger pans and pots have a helper handle for ease of holding anything heavier or hot as well. Overall, they felt that the set had a substantial feel that helped justify the price point.