The first time we tested these, the five-ply construction demonstrated exceptional heat distribution, creating beautifully seared chicken and allowing for excellent fried eggs. But during our second round of testing, we observed some hot spots, and the skillet became discolored after 5 minutes over high heat. The slightly flared lips on the pots and pans minimize dripping to aid in keeping your kitchen neat while cooking. We prefer 10- and 12-inch skillets because they offer a larger surface area for cooking more food at once. But we’ve been disappointed to find more and more sets—including the All-Clad and Tramontina ones we recommend—moving toward offering only 8- and 10-inch skillets.
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 cuisinart knife 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.
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 Cookware Sets 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 only significant downside we found was the pesky rivets connecting the body of the pots and pans to the handles. They’re not coated in the nonstick coating, so food can get stuck to them and between the rivets and the pan. Some stainless steel cookware has a disk attached to the bottom of the pot that provides some of the same benefits of clad cookware at a lower price point.
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Additionally, we limited our search to cookware with sloped sides. Some skillets, such as this Viking Contemporary Frying Pan, have sharply angled sides that make tossing vegetables while sautéing difficult. This well-constructed, affordable, fully clad tri-ply set distributes heat evenly, and it’s durable enough to take some abuse in a busy household. We seared, flipped and scrambled to find our favorite nonstick pans. Keep in mind that some of the items are lids and sometimes the manufacturer throws in a few plastic utensils and adds them to the piece count.