Fully clad with an aluminum core for even heat and excellent conductivity? Check. Riveted, cast stainless steel handles that won't come loose? Check. Both a 10-inch and a 12-inch skillet? Check. A 12-quart stockpot, which is a rarity in a cookware set? Check. Safe for induction cooktops? Check. But the Tramontina 12-Piece Tri-Clad Cookware Set doesn't stop there.
This excellent stainless steel set also includes 1.5- and 3-quart covered saucepans, a 5-quart covered saucepan, and a 5-quart covered Dutch oven. With a full range of the most-recommended sizes, there's just about nothing this set can't handle, even if you cook for a family of four or more. The set is also safe for gas or electric stove tops and oven-safe up to 500 degrees.
The Wirecutter praises the set's durability, excellent heat conductivity, large sizes (most cookware sets include smaller skillets and stockpots), and performance in the kitchen. Pleased owners rave that the Tramontina set has the quality of a much more expensive brand at a fraction of the price.
Pros: Excellent heat conductivity and performance, great selection of sizes, sturdy handles and precisely fitted lids, reasonable price for quality cookware
Cons: Like all stainless steel cookware, you might need to scrub a bit to remove tough foods like eggs, and the cookware can discolor slightly after repeated use
With a 10-inch skillet, 8-quart covered stockpot, and 1-1/2-quart plus 3-quart covered saucepans, the Cuisinart Chef's Classic 7-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set includes the basics needed to cook for one to three people.
Made of stainless steel with an aluminum-disk base, the set has stay-cool stainless handles that are riveted in place for sturdy, no-wiggle performance. The lids are glass. While you aren't going to get top-of-the-line performance from the set, you can still expect dependable, solid results.
Experts at the Wirecutter consider this an excellent budget buy for people who love to cook. Amazon buyers are enthusiastic about the set, too. It has more than 11,300 reviews and an average of 4.3 stars.
Reviewers regularly mention the set's quality, the size of the components, and the ease of cleanup. On the downside, some owners mention that the glass lids break easily and that the metal discolors after use at high heat. This is a common issue with most stainless steel that is not fully clad with aluminum, however.
Pros: Great price, conducts heat well, sturdy construction, some people prefer glass lids to metal for easy visibility while cooking
Cons: Not induction-cooktop compatible, not fully clad with aluminum, some buyers complained that the glass lids shatter too easily
You get a whole lot with the T-Fal Ultimate Nonstick 17-Piece Cookware Set, including 8- and 10-inch open frying pans, a 12-inch frying pan with lid, a 10-inch square griddle pan, 1-, 2-, and 3-quart saucepans with lids a 3.5-quart deep sauté pan with lid, 5-quart Dutch oven with lid, a 3-quart steamer insert with handles, a "One-egg wonder" mini skillet, and a no-scratch spatula and spoon
Made from hard-anodized aluminum, the T-Fal Ultimate Nonstick 17-Piece Cookware Set conducts heat beautifully while resisting stains, scratches, warps, and dents. The inside of the cookware is lined with a hard titanium nonstick coating, so you won't need much elbow grease to get your pots and pans clean after dinner is done.
A unique feature of the T-Fal pans is the ThermoSpot Temperature Indicator, which changes to let you know when your skillet or griddle has reached the perfect preheated temperature. Silicone handles won't burn your hand and are riveted for stability, and the glass lids make it easy to see how your food is cooking.
Pros: Nonstick yet scratch-resistant, includes a griddle, reasonably priced, dependable performance and excellent heat conduction
Cons: Not suitable for induction cooktops, like all nonstick cookware, it's best limited to low-to-medium heat
Read our full guide to the best hard anodized aluminum cookware sets.If you want to add a little color to your kitchen, check out the Vremi 15-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set. The 8-inch and 10-inch frying pans, 1-quart, 1.5-quart, and 2-quart saucepans with lids, and the 5-quart Dutch oven each have a different, cheerfully bright color of enamel layered over an aluminum core that conducts heat evenly and effectively.
You also get a five-piece set of non-scratch cooking utensils that includes a masher, slotted spoon, ladle, turner, and pasta server.
Admittedly, you aren't going to get the finest quality for such a bargain price, but this is still a decent set of cookware that performs quite well. The nonstick coating is easy to clean, the glass lids fit well, and the set performs nicely on low-to-medium heat. You can even pop the pots or pans into the oven up to 480 degrees.
Overall, this is a great choice for someone looking to stock their first kitchen, or someone who only cooks occasionally.
Some owners complain the handles come loose too easily and the pots and pans are all small sizes, but those are the only negatives.
Pros: Colorful, bargain price, nonstick and easy to clean, good heat conductivity
Cons: Small pots and pans, some complaints of handles coming loose, some complaints of discoloration after use
There's a certain mystique to cooking with cast iron. Yes, it can be a pain to clean and season – although the Lodge Logic 5-Piece Cast Iron Set is pre-seasoned to take care of that chore for you – and yes, it is very heavy, which can be a con for those with arthritis or weak arms. But it's hard to beat cast iron when it comes to searing a steak, baking stovetop cornbread, or scrambling eggs.
While you won't find saucepans or stockpots made of cast iron, you will find skillets and Dutch ovens. And Lodge brings both together in its five-piece set that includes a 5-quart Dutch oven with lid, an 8- and 10-inch skillet, and a 10-inch griddle.
With proper care, you can pass your Lodge cookware set down to your children, and they can pass it on to your grandchildren. But while you're still using the cookware, you'll enjoy the foundry-seasoned, naturally nonstick interiors, the integral handles – no wiggling or loose handles here – and the way the pieces can cook over any type of heat. They can handle induction, gas, electric, oven, grill, and even an open campfire.
Pros: The Dutch oven's lid also fits the larger skillet, incredibly durable, holds heat longer than any other type of cookware, pre-seasoned
Cons: If you don't like the weight or maintenance of cast iron, this isn't the set for you
Raed our full buying guide to the best cast iron skillets and pans.All-Clad has a well-deserved reputation for manufacturing some of the finest pots and pans available. Its cookware sets also have a reputation for being quite expensive. But as they say, you get what you pay for, so if you are able and willing to splurge, the All-Clad d5 Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set will bring superb quality to your kitchen.
The 10-piece set includes 8- and 10-inch skillets, 2- and 4-quart covered saucepans, a 4-quart sauté pan with lid, and an 8-quart covered stockpot. All are made with 5-ply bonded construction that alternates layers of stainless steel and aluminum for the utmost in heat conductivity, meaning the pots and pans heat slowly and evenly to perfectly brown and cook your food.
Says one happy owner on the Williams Sonoma website, "I have never been happier with any other pots, pans, or other cookware that I have ever purchased in my life. They are light and hold heat like nothing else."
The cookware is safe for oven and broiler up to 600 degrees and is also suitable for induction cooking.
Pros: Finest quality stainless steel cookware clad with multiple layers of aluminum for superior heat conductivity, limited lifetime warranty, stick-resistant surface, riveted heat-resistant handles
Cons: Very expensive
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