We specifically rated them on its design, durability, versatility, heating ability, and ease of cleaning. Further insights were gathered from our experienced at-home cooks. It is recommended that you wash these pieces by hand, keeping in mind the care required to maintain the nonstick surface. While the coating held up for our reviewer during her home testing period, she did notice that it was less effective over time, as is typical with most nonstick cookware. While hand washing is usually recommended for nonstick cookware, the extra-tough finish on these pieces doesn’t require special care. We didn’t test the Caraway Cookware Set for this guide, since it’s nonstick.
Creating heirloom-quality cast iron cookware in Tennessee since 1896. If you’ve been reading Kitchn for a while, you probably know that we don’t usually recommend buying cookware in sets. The thinking is that so many of the sets out there come with things that you just don’t need, and you can just assemble your own set based on how (and what!) you like to cook. The set is available in four aesthetically pleasing colors, all with gold handles. Your budget and needs will play a big part when you’re shopping for the best deals on cookware that works for you. If you don’t cook often, you don’t need professional chef-worthy gear.
If you’d rather start with a few basics, you’ll be able to cook a lot with just a 3-quart saucepan, a 12-inch skillet, and an 8-quart stockpot. Time and time again, testing shows that All-Clad browns perfectly evenly and keeps stews and sauces at a perfect simmer. What that means to you is that you won’t have to vigilantly rearrange, stir and adjust the heat during cooking. All gleaming stainless steel inside and out, it has a core of aluminum that’s responsible for its great results. We love the sloped shape of the skillets which make it easy to roll out an omelet. In addition to considering how well pots and pans cooked and how easy they were to use and clean, we considered the assortment of pieces included in each set.
The lids are clear with stainless steel handles that are designed to stay cool. Plus, the handles feel comfortable to hold and protrude a bit to fit comfortably in your grip while cooking. One perk is that the pan comes with protectors to help prevent scratching when storing. Even so, its cute light-colored interior prevents any nicks and scratches from being too noticeable.
Our picks contain a selection of pot and pans that we think will meet most of your cooking needs. Get all the pots and pans you need to throw an elegant feast with this 20 piece cookware set. If you’re cooking Christmas dinner this year, you’ll want these on your burners. Similar to Our Place, Proclamation Goods Co. set out to design “one pan to rule them all”. The company emphasizes reducing consumption, minimizing waste, and engaging in ethical business practices. The flagship Proclamation Duo, consists of a wok-stockpot combo called the Hybrid Pot and a large 12-inch skillet.
We took the advice of our pros and looked at many in person before testing, to get a feel for the weight and actual size of the pots and pans. It’s difficult to get a sense of each set just by looking at pictures online. In addition to your main set, you can always purchase other essential pieces, such as a Dutch oven, a cast-iron skillet, and a nonstick pan. Ultimately, those pieces won’t see much use and will only clutter up your kitchen. Our experts agreed that you’re better off getting a set with fewer, better-quality pieces that you’ll reach for again and again. The pots and pans in the Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set heat evenly and are a comfortable weight, so they aren’t cumbersome to lift.
For anyone looking for additional colors, Crate & Barrel carries four exclusive colors with gold hardware. It’s difficult to distinguish Caraway from Equal Parts in terms of mission and offerings. They boast of their chemical-free cuisinart knife ceramic nonstick formula, and sell a small range of pans in on-trend colors with names like “perracotta” and sage. Caraway’s design is a little more modern in shape, with drawer-pull style handles and flat lids.
We’ll continue to monitor customer reviews to see if there’s an increase of complaints regarding the rims on either cookware line. For now, if you prefer skillets with rounded handles, we’d recommend getting the Tramontina set. In addition to making tri-ply cookware, most high-end manufacturers produce sets that are made from five or more layers of stainless steel, aluminum, and sometimes copper. In most of our tests, five-ply cookware didn’t heat as uniformly as regular tri-ply cookware, or the differences were negligible.