David lives in Brooklyn where he’s logged more than a decade writing about all things edible, including meal kits and meal delivery subscriptions, cooking, kitchen gear and commerce. These days, he’s likely somewhere trying the latest this or tasting the latest that – and reporting back, of course. 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 and we let you know that we got it for free to remain as transparent as possible about our picks.
The one brand that I considered testing but ultimately did not was Great Jones, which has garnered quite the following and fanbase in recent years. Alas, their Family Style Set is a mix of cast iron, stainless steel and nonstick, and it didn’t meet our criteria. Any heavy high-quality cookware can be reused as long as there is not any physical damage. Nonstick is best for easy cleanup and lower temperature settings.
The handles are lightweight and don’t add any cumbersome bulk, though they do tend to feel a bit cheap. The pans themselves aren’t heavy and boast lightweight maneuverability without sacrificing function. In our omelet test, our testers found that there was no sticking at all, and the eggs rolled out easily.
In both of our Lab tests, we determined these pans to be excellent for high-heat cooking, like searing meats and sautéing vegetables. Though they tend to concentrate heat in the center at first, it eventually spreads to the edges of the pan and provides steady, even heating. We did notice a bit of scorching while cooking tomato sauce over a medium setting, but gently stirring every so often should help avoid cuisinart knife any hot spots as the pan heats up. Since the skillets and stockpot in the All-Clad D3 Curated 10-Piece Set (sold exclusively at Crate & Barrel) are smaller than we recommend, we opted not to test the full set. However, we’ve tested similar pieces from All-Clad’s D3 Stainless Everyday line, which you can read about above. We excluded sets with glass lids because they can break or crack easily if dropped.
The Breville weighed almost 5 pounds and retained too much heat due to its thick base, which made temperature control difficult. Based on those results, we opted not to test the Breville Thermal Pro Clad Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set in this roundup. The Open Kitchen by Williams-Sonoma Stainless-Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set has a small, 6-quart stockpot (we recommend at least an 8-quart stockpot), so we opted not to test. We dismissed the Cooks Standard Multi-Ply Clad Stainless Steel 12-piece Cookware Set because the rivets weren’t secure on some of the pot handles, causing them to wiggle. The skillets in the Cuisinart French Classic Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set have higher sides, so tossing vegetables is a bit more challenging than with our top picks. And for the price of this set, we wish it came with a second skillet.
Cookware takes a beating day in and day out no matter the amount of cooking experience you have. From storing them to the moment you’re transferring the cooked food to the table, there’s a lot of banging and clanging these products need to withstand. Before purchasing any cookware, you should consider the type of material. Every type has its own advantages, but you will need to have an understanding of how each material functions during the cooking and cleaning process. Stainless steel is resistant to corrosion and is extremely durable. Some of the pieces have rivets, and though they are also coated in the nonstick coating, food tends to get stuck between the rivet and the pan.
When we sautéed chicken, it stuck slightly in the pan, but only a little. Rice didn’t stick to the bottom of the saucepans, and there was no scorching in the stockpot while we were cooking tomato sauce. We had to swirl the 3-quart saucepan a bit more when making caramel, but overall we still found it distributed heat evenly. That said, the Goldilocks skillet did a slightly better job at retaining heat than our other picks. The Racheal Ray cookware set comes with a saucepan and stock pots with lids.
But we recommend that you have at least one cast-iron skillet in your kitchen because it’s such a versatile pan. You can use it for everything from roasting a whole chicken to baking cornbread. Carbon steel, like cast iron, requires more upkeep to maintain the cooking surface, and it can rust if not properly seasoned.
However, these finishes don’t last forever; eventually they will lose their stick resistant properties. That might not bother you if you bought an inexpensive omelet pan but can be upsetting if you’ve invested in an expensive set. However, we realize gotham steel cookware sets that All-Clad isn’t cheap, and we also like the Tramontina set. If you prefer nonstick or want a ceramic finish , we support those picks, too! While you can certainly go wrong with some other sets out there, you can’t go wrong with any of these.
PTFE starts to break down at 500˚F and can decompose more significantly at or above 660˚F, so use your nonstick pans over a medium or low flame. “If you like nonstick, but worry that the finish won’t last, this might change your mind. This set is very versatile and amazing for high-heat cooking.” Our home tester found the price to be “affordable considering the quality and number of useful pieces you get.” We expect this set to last a long time so it’s definitely an investment worth making. 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 .