On the plus side, these pans felt great to use and are extremely balanced, you’ll just have to play around with them to see which pans work best for each application. While this review is for the Cuisinart hard anodized 14 piece set, this set also comes in a 11 piece set and a 17 piece set. Most home cooks will find the 14 piece is just right for their needs. If you love cooking or cook for a larger family, then do check out the 17 piece set. It includes an extra 2qt saucepan with lid as well as 12” skillet with lid which some people find very handy.
In our tests, the Tramontina 3-quart saucepan made perfect caramel without burning, though we had to swirl the pan more to distribute the heat evenly. This wasn’t the case with the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic stockpot, which required frequent stirring to prevent the sauce from burning. We excluded sets with glass lids because they can break or crack easily if dropped. Glass lids also offer little advantage over stainless steel lids because you can’t see through them when they’re covered with condensation. Lids should fit well but somewhat loosely, with just enough wiggle room to allow steam to escape. Because of its even heat distribution, fully clad tri-ply stainless steel is the best option for both pros and home cooks.
This comprehensive set won over our testers with how easy it was to clean, making it a must-have for any kitchen. We also noticed that some pans from the Everyday line were polished around the rim and others weren’t, which suggests there may be an issue with quality control. The All-Clad representatives we spoke to said there may be slight differences in the finishes, depending on the type of machines used to manufacture the cookware. That means you may encounter similar inconsistencies with the rims on our upgrade pick, since it’s made from the same tri-ply cookware as the Everyday line. The different finishes on the rims are distinguishable when next to each other, but this is mainly an aesthetic issue and shouldn’t affect the way the pans perform. We’ll continue to monitor customer reviews to see if there’s an increase of complaints regarding the rims on either cookware line.
Testers did not that the stock pot felt a bit small for batch cooking, however they liked that the set had glass lids that make it easy to monitor your food. If you’re looking for a set that’s less expensive than other options, the best stainless steel cookware set is this 7-piece set by Cuisinart. The set received one of the highest ratings overall and was one our testers wanted for their own kitchens. Because copper is such an excellent conductor of heat, we decided to test the All-Clad Copper Core 10-Piece Set to see how it would perform against regular tri-ply stainless steel cookware. In our tests, the Copper Core cookware heated up so fast we had to swirl the pan more when making caramel, to prevent it from burning. Unlike the tri-ply All-Clad set we recommend, the Copper Core skillets discolored badly over high heat.
You’ll likely never have to replace the All-Clad D3 Stainless 10-Piece Set. It was hands down the best-quality cookware we tested in this price range ($700 at the time of publishing). The pots and pans are the perfect weight, and due to their superior heat conduction, they cooked food more evenly than our top-pick set.
The set is oven-safe to 500 degrees, can withstand your broiler, and can be used on any cooking surface, including induction. The only piece you might want to add to this collection is a nonstick skillet for your morning eggs. All-Clad’s D3 Stainless Everyday 3-Ply Bonded Cookware is a tri-ply set similar to our All-Clad pick. The handles on these are slightly curved, which some may find more comfortable than the stick handles on our upgrade pick.
We also found that the stick handles were comfortable to hold and the appropriate length, unlike the Anolon Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set’s handles, which were too short. In 2022, Tramontina redesigned its 8- and 10-inch skillets so they have a slightly larger cooking surface with steeper sides, which we prefer. The pans are still nicely sloped to fit the curves of a whisk, and their lips are flared enough to allow moisture to evaporate when you are searing meat or sautéing vegetables. The handle shape remains the same, but it’s angled just a bit higher. We found the higher angle provided more leverage when tossing vegetables, and it made the skillets easier to maneuver around the stovetop.
Whether you’re moving into your first home or simply looking to refresh your set of pots and pans, we have everything you need to complete your collection. Our team of professional testers subjected over twenty nonstick cookware brands to many rigorous performance tests to determine the best sets. They evaluated cuisinart pots and pans set temperature consistency and assessed pan design across brands. Using a 5-point rating scale, our team performed an omelet, sauce, and rice pilaf test to determine what cookware performed best as nonstick. Overall, the testers found the nonstick-coated rivets to be a smart feature and prevent food from sticking.
The durability of stainless steel allows it to stand up to daily use and does not limit you to using only certain utensils while cooking. Though stainless steel is less reactive than some other types of cookware, it is not recommended that you store food in your stainless steel pots for long periods of time. Before cleaning, always let a hot pan cool down before soaking—this will help prevent warping—then gently scrub away food particles with mild, soapy water .