The handles are polished stainless steel and riveted to the sides of the pan. The long cast stainless steel handle is contoured and designed to stay cool on cooktops. This was to test for caramelization and browning on the outside crust, with the remainder being juicy but thoroughly cooked throughout. It is, admittedly, slightly taller and narrower than other sets, and this feature is noticeable when you place the pot on a large burner.
Ruiz adds that stainless steel cookware is particularly good at transferring heat and can handle high temperatures, though not as high as cast iron. “If you want to cook a larger variety of recipes, stainless steel cookware is a preferable choice, as it can be used for frying, boiling, and oven sautéing, among many other things,” he says. This set features the brand’s Thermolon Minerals Pro coating, a safe, ceramic nonstick layer made without per- and polyfluorinated substances , perfluorooctanoic acid , cadmium, or lead. Each piece is durable, retains heat, and is scratch resistant, so you don’t need to worry about harming them with metal utensils. They are also easy to keep clean as they are nonstick and dishwasher-safe. While there are only three items in the GreenPan Valencia Pro Cookware set, they’re the main ones you need to cook anything from complex, multi-ingredient recipes to your basic fried eggs and pasta dishes.
Cook the main dish in a Cuisinart roasting pan, then while that’s in the oven, use Cuisinart bakeware, saucepans and a pressure cooker to work on the side dishes. Once the meal is ready, transfer each item from your Cuisinart cookware to holiday- appropriate serving dishes and enjoy. If you want long-lasting durability and ultimate cooking performance, then this 17-Piece set is the perfect choice for you. I appreciated the touches that they added to this set, like the measurement marks on the interiors of the pots and that it comes with a 12-inch covered skillet (my go-to pan). Cuisinart provided high-quality, great-value cookware set with this one. And, if you don’t need quite as many pieces, this set is also available in 7-, 11-, and 14-piece sets.
“I like serving dishes directly out of a cast iron, like a whole fish cooked in the cast iron on the grill, or a Dutch baby, or Cherry Clafoutis for dessert,” she says. For a less high-maintenance cast iron cookware set, Cayne suggests opting for one coated in enamel. The Cuisinart Multiclad Pro, 12-Piece and the Duxtop Tri-Ply Cookware Set, 10-Piece both have self-basting cuisinart griddler elite and tight-fitting lids. “Stainless steel is great for browning meats and poultry, making soups and stews, sautéing veggies, and roasting and braising in the oven,” says Chernoff. “It’s incredibly versatile cookware that can help with almost any recipe in the kitchen.” Stainless steel pans can also be used on induction cooktops, adding additional flexibility.
Invest in pot organizers and racks and, if you’re going for stainless steel, copper or cast iron, definitely have a bottle of Bar Keepers Friend on hand. For more information, see our cookware buying guide, which includes a primer on different types of cookware and the materials they’re made of. Below are the 10 best cookware sets from CR’s latest tests, both nonstick and stainless steel, listed alphabetically by type. CR members can jump to our cookware ratings for details and more options. In our tests, we evaluate heating evenness, speed of heating, sauté performance, nonstick durability, handle sturdiness, and more. To evaluate various pieces, we cook pancakes, fry eggs, boil water, and simmer tomato sauce.
Cuisinart® bakeware, baking tools and equipment allows you to bring the bakery home. Try your hand at homemade cupcakes, bundt cakes, mini pies, or mini loafs. Our bakeware is perfect for pleasing a crowd or spending quality time with your own little sous chef.
On top of that, the lids have tiny handles that we found difficult to grasp, and the set comes with only one skillet. The chicken we cooked in the Goldilocks 12-inch skillet wasn’t quite as evenly browned as the chicken we cooked in the All-Clad 12-inch skillet (which isn’t included in the All-Clad 10-piece set). We long-term tested an older version of this set for two years , and all of the pots and pans continued to distribute heat evenly. The skillets have become a bit more discolored after searing meat over high heat, but their performance remains the same. Buying a set of cookware can be a convenient and affordable alternative to tracking down pots and pans one piece at a time. I also spoke with several home cooks, including members of our own staff, who have used cookware sets for years.
And, if you’re looking to make a statement, the Hammered collection features an elegant textured steel exterior. Other collections, including the Hammered, Copper Tri-Ply, Chef’s Classic, Black Stainless, and Mica-Shine, offer a mix of textures, tones, and colors to switch up the aesthetic on your cooktop. While the PowerBond base is thick, the pan’s sides are thin (one-ply) and do not conduct heat as efficiently as the bottom . By the end, you’ll have all the facts necessary to decide if Cuisinart cookware belongs in your kitchen. ¹Based on the promotion prices as advertised in accordance with this flyer’s sale dates.
They are the #1 hard-anodized aluminum cookware brand in America because they were the first cookware brand to adopt hard-anodized aluminum from the aerospace industry. Like Cuisinart though, Calphalon designs and produces a variety of high-quality metal, stainless steel cookware lines. Both brands are highly rated and very popular, so ultimately, either choice would be an excellent option for you. The Advantage Nonstick line is easy to use and easy to clean and maintain. Its Aluminum core allows it to heat evenly and quickly, while the nonstick allows easy food release without excess oils or butter.