On the bottom there’s a stainless-steel base that makes the cookware safe for use on an induction cooktop and you can pop a skillet in the oven up to 400 degrees F. There are no extra-large pots included, but the 6-quart stockpot is plenty adequate for soups and pasta water and can also serve as a Dutch oven. This scratch-resistant, nonstick coating is backed by a trusted name in nonstick cookware, and the rugged, hard-anodized aluminum construction makes it a kitchen workhorse.
If you purchase a well-constructed set and treat your tools well, a cookware set should last you for several years, so it’s important to find one that meets your cooking needs. Just because you’re going with a nontoxic option, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the ease of nonstick life. Many brands are working ahead of the latest research to bring you nontoxic and nonstick cookware that make it possible to cook nearly anything with just a modest amount of oil.
But copper is super pricey and requires a lot of upkeep if you want to maintain its bright, shiny finish. Reviewers have awarded this 11-piece set 4.7 stars, with 85 of the 100 online reviews giving it perfect ratings. Most home cooks, especially gotham steel cookware sets those looking to cut down on oil use and scrub time, will opt for nonstick. Suzanne Vizethann, chef and owner of Atlanta’s Buttermilk Kitchen recommends them for easy-to-stick foods, including the eggs her restaurant turns out in volume.
Unlike other nonstick pans, these can withstand temps up to 850 degrees F on the stovetop or in the oven, so you can go ahead and fearlessly sear a sirloin in a frypan or glaze pork chops under the broiler. Testing has revealed that Blue Diamond heats evenly, so if you’re slinging pancakes you don’t have to keep moving them around in the pan to get them all done at the same time. Getting that many people on the internet to agree about anything is impressive, but this cookware set accomplished such a feat.
Below, seven top-rated gotham steel cookware sets from Bed Bath & Beyond that won the battle of the review section. The Ayesha Curry 11-Piece Hard-Anodized Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set gets equally high marks, though at a $129.99 price. The set — from celebrity cook and cookbook author Ayesha Curry’s line — features hard-anodized aluminum coated in a nonstick finish for controlled, fast cooking. Beyond that, though, it’s impressive that such an affordable set was made to be oven-safe; the cookware can withstand ovens as hot as 500 degrees. The diamond-infused finish also helps to ensure fast heating and easy cleanup, and its durable construction makes it scratch-resistant and dishwasher safe, too.
While sets are sold at a huge range of prices, you don’t have to spend top dollar to get a dependable one that you’ll find a pleasure to cook with. Before you shop it’s important to get a handle on what you like to cook and for how many people, as well as your tolerance for scrubbing and the size of your budget. “These days, there are heavy-duty nonstick pans that can transfer and carry heat like a stainless steel pan,” says chef Joe Asto. However, that’s not to say he has a set-in-stone preference. “Most pans can be nonstick as long as they’re hot enough and there is enough fat in the pan,” he says.