The 3 Best Cookware Sets of 2025, According to Our Testing | Reviews by Wirecutter

By Michael Sullivan

Michael Sullivan is a writer covering kitchen equipment and tableware. He has broken more than a hundred drinking glasses to find the most durable.

Whether you’re cooking a big holiday feast or just making a late-night batch of boxed mac and cheese, your cookware brings your grandest and humblest culinary endeavors to fruition. It’s arguably the most used equipment in your kitchen, which is why it’s important to invest in a quality set that’s durable and heats evenly.

Since 2017 we’ve researched over a hundred cookware sets and rigorously tested more than 20. The Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set is our top pick because it offers solid construction and comfortable design at a reasonable price. If well cared for, it will last for decades. Like all of the cookware recommended in this guide, the Tramontina set works on all cooktops, including induction.

Different big-box stores may carry exclusive variations of this set—cookware manufacturers often sell variants of the same set to different retailers to avoid competition among stores, such as Target and Walmart, that sell similar items. But we tried to cut through all of that confusion by testing the best version of each cookware set that we could find across multiple retailers.

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.

The pans in this top-of-the-line fully clad tri-ply set continue to impress us with their even heat distribution. Each piece of cookware is extremely durable and an ideal weight for holding.

This fully clad tri-ply set performed better than any other set we’ve tested under $250. We like that it includes larger skillets, but the pans are heavier and don’t have the proven longevity of our other picks.

We recommend only fully clad tri-ply sets, which have a layer of aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel and extended all the way to the rims.

Sets with fewer but larger pieces let you cook more food at once (versus filler sets with smaller pieces, which can slow you down in the kitchen).

We’ve been testing various pieces of cookware from our top-pick and upgrade-pick sets for over two years (and in some cases for more than a decade).

We sautéed chicken, made caramel, and simmered tomato sauce to test for warping, even heat distribution, and ease of handling.

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.

The pots and pans in the Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set heat evenly and are a comfortable weight, so they didn’t feel as cumbersome to lift as some others we tried. We also found their rounded, ergonomically shaped handles comfortable to hold. We’re confident that this durable cookware set will last for decades.

If you are unable to find the full set or would prefer to build your own smaller set, Tramontina also sells its cookware open stock, as individual pieces. To build a great 10-piece set (which includes six pieces of cookware and four lids), here are the pieces we’d get:

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. Or mix and match whatever pieces you want.

The pans in this top-of-the-line fully clad tri-ply set continue to impress us with their even heat distribution. Each piece of cookware is extremely durable and an ideal weight for holding.

For superior-quality cookware that lasts a lifetime, we recommend getting the All-Clad D3 Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Piece Set. The pros we talked to said the All-Clad tri-ply cookware is the best for both professional and home use because it’s so durable.

In our tests, the All-Clad pans heated evenly, were comfortable to hold, and tackled every cooking job without any hiccups. Though the largest skillet measures only 10 inches instead of 12, this set can outfit your kitchen with all the other pots and pans you’re ever likely to need.

And if you’re partial to keeping your cookware bright and shiny, note that All-Clad is one of the few that looked like new when we cleaned it—even after a decade of heavy use.

This fully clad tri-ply set performed better than any other set we’ve tested under $250. We like that it includes larger skillets, but the pans are heavier and don’t have the proven longevity of our other picks.

We were impressed by the quality of the Goldilocks Cookware Set Plus, especially for its low price. Its fully clad tri-ply stainless steel heats evenly across the surface of the pans. This set also includes almost all of the pot and pan sizes we prefer, including a 12-inch skillet—a rarity in most sets.

However, unlike the All-Clad and Tramontina sets, the Goldilocks set doesn’t include a 3- or 4-quart sauté pan with a lid (though a cast-iron skillet would work in lieu of it). And some of the pieces in this set are slightly heavier than the All-Clad and Tramontina pieces.

We also experienced some minor sticking while sautéing chicken in the skillets, but it was minimal. Overall, the Goldilocks set performed better than any other set we’ve tested in this price range.

I’m a senior staff writer at Wirecutter covering kitchen tools and equipment. I’ve reviewed all kinds of kitchen equipment, including skillets and cast-iron pans. Prior to joining Wirecutter in 2016, I spent 10 years working in various facets of the food and restaurant industry.

For this guide:

There are two main approaches to outfitting your kitchen with cookware: Buy a set, or build your own.

Both have pros and cons. On the one hand, it can be more practical to purchase specific pieces that suit your exact cooking needs. One big incentive for buying piece by piece is that most sets come with smaller pan sizes.

If you don’t want to spend a lot or don’t cook often, you may only need a few essential pieces of cookware: a skillet, a saucepan, and a stockpot.

But cookware costs more per piece when sold separately, so buying a set of cookware can be a convenient and affordable alternative to tracking down pots and pans one piece at a time.

Besides needing to outfit a new kitchen, you might want to buy a full cookware set if your nonstick cookware is wearing out. In that case, it’s worth upgrading to a stainless steel set because it lasts a lot longer—maybe even a lifetime. By contrast, nonstick cookware needs to be replaced every few years once the coating deteriorates. It also can’t be used over high heat or with metal utensils, which isn’t the case for stainless steel pans.

We searched for cookware that is durable and heats evenly yet is still lightweight enough to be comfortably held. Here’s a list of the most important qualities we sought when choosing which sets to test:

Durable tri-ply stainless steel: This type of cookware has an aluminum core sandwiched between layers of stainless steel. Fully clad tri-ply stainless steel is prized for its durability and even heat distribution (aluminum heats up quickly and distributes heat well; steel is very durable and holds heat nicely). It can be used at high temperatures (critical for getting a good sear on meats) and can last a lifetime.

We avoided a number of other materials: Nonstick cookware can’t be used over high heat (which degrades the coating) and eventually wears out regardless.

Aluminum and anodized aluminum aren’t induction-cooktop-compatible. Cast-iron cookware is heavy, reactive to acidic food, and more difficult to maintain—though it’s nice to have at least one versatile cast-iron skillet in your kitchen. And though copper is an excellent conductor of heat, it’s very expensive and more difficult to clean.

Optimal pot and pan sizes: To reduce the overall price of a set, most manufacturers include smaller pot and pan sizes. But smaller pan sizes require you to cook in batches and can slow you down in the kitchen. Here are the essential pot and pan sizes that an ideal set of cookware should have:

Comfortable weight: The ideal weight and balance of cookware is different for everyone. However, most of our testers preferred skillets that weighed between 2 and 3.5 pounds; these were still light enough to toss ingredients in a pan without placing too much torque on their wrists. We recommend looking at cookware sets in person before purchasing to get a feel for the weight and actual size of the pots and pans.

Comfortable handles: Stick handles that provide an easy grip and a comfortable angle allow you to quickly move saucepans around the stovetop using only one hand. All-Clad also makes saucepans and skillets with helper handles, which may be easier to maneuver for some people. We also looked for sets that included a hole on each handle for hanging.

For each set, we started by testing how well the large skillets retained heat. We did this by using an infrared thermometer to make a heat map of their cooking surface. We also dusted the surface of each large skillet with flour and placed the pan over a medium-high flame to see how evenly the flour browned. And we sautéed chicken pieces in the skillets to evaluate how uniformly the skin browned.

Using the large saucepan from each set, we prepared small batches of caramel to check for hot spots; then we simmered a large batch of tomato sauce in each stockpot to check for scorching. We also observed how easily we could pour liquids from each pot without dripping.

Additionally, we evaluated how easy the handles were to hold, especially when retrieving the pots and pans from a hot oven using a side towel or pot holders. We also took note of the individual weight and thickness of the pieces in each set.

By hand-washing the pots and pans, we got a sense of how easy they were to clean. And we looked at how well each set nested for convenient storage.

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 like the Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set for its even heat distribution, durable construction, and reasonable price. We found the wide handles on the pans and lids comfortable to hold. All of the pieces in this collection are induction-compatible and oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

This set comes with a lot of pieces. It includes seven pots and pans, with five corresponding lids: 8- and 10-inch skillets, a 6-quart deep sauté pan with a lid, 1½-, 2-, and 3-quart saucepans with lids, and an 8-quart stockpot with a lid.

We do wish this set included a 12-inch skillet instead of an 8-inch one. But the 6-quart deep sauté pan is 11.75 inches in diameter (and about 3.25 inches deep), so it comfortably fits a whole chicken cut up.

If you want to grow your set, you can buy the Tramontina Gourmet Tri-Ply Clad 12-Inch Fry Pan separately—it’s the runner-up in our guide to the best skillet. If you’re looking for a more affordable set of Tramontina cookware, Costco sells a similar one.

All of the pots and pans are sold open stock. If you don’t want the full set, you can put together your own version with just the pots and pans you need. (If we were to do this, we’d skip the 8-inch skillet and get the 12-inch size instead. And we’d skip either the 1½- or 2-quart saucepan—you probably need only one of these since they’re so close in size.)

We like the shape of the skillets. They’re 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.

All the pieces heat evenly. The Tramontina skillets produced perfectly brown chicken pieces with nice fond development. The 3-quart saucepan made perfect caramel without burning, though we had to swirl the pan more to distribute the heat evenly. And the stockpot didn’t scorch while simmering tomato sauce.

We’ve been using an older (now discontinued) version of this set since 2022, and all of the pots and pans continue to distribute heat evenly. The skillets have discolored after searing meat over high heat, but their performance remained the same.

The pieces in this set feel durable and weighty, yet comfortable to maneuver. They can definitely withstand the rigors of daily cooking. The handles on the stainless steel lids were big enough to grab onto, even when we used a side towel or pot holders.

We also found that the stick handles were comfortable to hold and the appropriate length. The higher angle of the handles provided more leverage when tossing vegetables, and it made the skillets easier to maneuver around the stovetop.

This Tramontina set comes with a lifetime warranty. It covers manufacturer defects only. If you encounter problems with this cookware under normal household use, contact Tramontina for a replacement.

The Tramontina skillets tarnished slightly. As with most of the sets we tested in this price range, the Tramontina skillets became discolored after normal use. Although we easily removed burned-on oil and food bits using a combination of baking soda and warm water, the pans retained a noticeable tint after cleaning. Because the discoloration in no way affects the cooking performance, we’re willing to forgive this minor drawback.

The pans in this top-of-the-line fully clad tri-ply set continue to impress us with their even heat distribution. Each piece of cookware is extremely durable and an ideal weight for holding.

You’ll likely never have to replace the All-Clad D3 Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Piece Set. It was hands down the best-quality cookware we tested in this price range. 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. This cookware set was one of the only ones that was spotlessly clean after washing—even when coated with burned-on oil. And although this set is much more expensive than our main pick, it’s worth the extra cost for its durability and proven longevity.

This set includes the essential pieces. It has 8- and 10-inch skillets, 2- and 3-quart saucepans with lids, a 3-quart sauté pan with a lid, and an 8-quart stockpot with a lid. The only drawback to this set is that it doesn’t include a 12-inch skillet. But this omission isn’t a dealbreaker, since you can always grow your collection by adding that piece down the road. (The All-Clad 12-inch skillet is the top pick in our guide to the best skillet.)

We like the shape and angle of the stick handles. The rounded bottom of the handles fits nicely in your hand, even when you’re holding a dish towel or pot holder. We also found the handles on the All-Clad lids easy to grab. If you prefer rounded handles, All-Clad also makes a set of fully clad tri-ply cookware with thicker, rounded handles; you can read about this set in The competition.

The skillets heat evenly. The chicken we sautéed in the All-Clad 10-inch skillet cooked evenly and turned out perfectly golden-brown with a crispy skin, about on a par with the chicken we made in the Tramontina skillet.

Several of our staff members have All-Clad cookware in their home kitchens (or have used it professionally), and continue to find that it heats evenly and clean up well, even after years of persistent use.

The saucepans didn’t scorch. When we prepared caramel, the dissolved sugar bubbled uniformly across the bottom of the All-Clad 3-quart saucepan. Also, because the All-Clad saucepan distributed heat so well, we didn’t have to swirl the sugar in the pan as frequently as we did in the other saucepans.

While simmering tomato sauce, there was no scorching in the stockpot, even with minimal stirring. We did notice that some tomato sauce dripped down the side of the stockpot while we poured it out, but there were no splatters on the counter.

The pieces clean up well. This was one of the only sets we tested that looked like new after we cleaned it. Of course, burned-on oil or grease can be more challenging to remove with just regular dish soap, but applying Bar Keepers Friend or a slurry of baking soda and warm water with a nonabrasive sponge (and a little elbow grease) gets the job done. The All-Clad skillets discolored slightly over heat, but significantly less than almost any other cookware we tested.

All-Clad offers a wide range of cookware outside the main set. This is handy if you want to grow your collection. Additionally, like with Tramontina, all of the All-Clad pieces are sold piecemeal if you’d rather pick and choose what you need in lieu of a full set. In our other cookware guides, we recommend several other All-Clad pieces, including the 12-inch skillet, the 2.5-quart saucier, and the flared roaster.

The All-Clad tri-ply set is made in the US. We’ve toured the All-Clad factory and can attest to the quality and high standards that go into making this cookware. If you’re curious, cookbook author David Lebovitz has a great recap of his own tour of the factory on his blog.

The pans come with a limited lifetime warranty that covers manufacturer defects only. Should you experience any problems with this set, contact All-Clad for repairs or replacements.

All-Clad doesn’t recommend washing its cookware in the dishwasher. Washing any stainless steel cookware by hand is always best, regardless of the brand or manufacturer’s claims. The harsh chemicals in some detergents and the prolonged exposure to those cleaners over the course of a dishwashing cycle can damage pans (particularly the aluminum in the bonded cookware).

Some people may find the shape of the handle uncomfortable to hold. If you fall into that camp, we suggest getting our top pick, the Tramontina set, since its pans have rounded handles. All-Clad also makes a set of fully clad tri-ply cookware with thicker, rounded handles, which you can read more about in The competition section.

This fully clad tri-ply set performed better than any other set we’ve tested under $250. We like that it includes larger skillets, but the pans are heavier and don’t have the proven longevity of our other picks.

The Goldilocks Cookware Set Plus is the best budget cookware we’ve tested, and it performed almost as well as our other picks. It heats evenly, cleans up well, and costs less than $250 at the time of publishing.

This set has fewer pieces than our other picks. It includes 10- and 12-inch skillets, 1½- and 3-quart saucepans with lids, and an 8-quart stockpot with a lid. The only recommended pan missing from this set would be a 3- or 4-quart skillet for shallow braising. However, this isn’t a dealbreaker since you could instead use a 12-inch cast-iron skillet.

Additionally, all of the pieces in this set are also sold open stock. If you’re looking for a smaller set of cookware, Goldilocks offers a seven-piece set. But for roughly $50 more, you’re better off getting the larger set.

The set performed well overall. When we sautéed chicken, it stuck slightly in the pan, but only a little. Rice didn’t stick to the bottom of the saucepans, and there was no scorching in the stockpot while we were cooking tomato sauce. We had to swirl the 3-quart saucepan a bit more when making caramel, but overall we still found it distributed heat evenly.

In general, it cooked on a par with the Tramontina and All-Clad sets we recommend. Goldilocks is a relatively new direct-order brand compared to our other picks, but the sets we’ve been testing since 2022 continue to perform well. Staff writer James Austin has owned this set since 2023 and says, “It’s been fantastic. No real bugaboos to note. They seem to be heating evenly and haven’t really picked up any dings or stains yet.” Family members of staffers who’ve owned this set for over two years also said the cookware is performing well, too.

The pot lid handles and stick handles are comfortable to hold. The slight dimple in the handles, similar to All-Clad’s handles, makes them easier to grasp. The stick handles on the Goldilocks set are also strikingly similar to those on the Cuisinart 77-7 Chef’s Classic Stainless 7-Piece Cookware Set (our former budget pick).

The pans take longer to heat up than our other picks. After 6 minutes over medium-high heat, the Goldilocks skillet reached an average of 179 degrees Fahrenheit, while the All-Clad skillet reached an average of 197 degrees. That said, the Goldilocks skillet did a slightly better job at retaining heat than our other picks.

The Goldilocks pot lids are noticeably lighter than those in the All-Clad set. All-Clad’s 8-quart stockpot lid weighs 1 pound 5.8 ounces, whereas the corresponding Goldilocks lid weighs 1 pound 0.5 ounce. The Goldilocks stockpot lid was very slightly warped and didn’t sit completely flat on the pot, which we don’t consider a dealbreaker considering its low price. Just keep in mind that the lids may dent easier if they take a tumble from your stove onto the floor.

But a few of the pans are a bit heavier than our other picks. For instance, the Goldilocks 10-inch skillet weighs 2 pounds 10.1 ounces, while the All-Clad 10-inch skillet weighs 2 pounds 2.2 ounces.

Goldilocks offers a lifetime warranty on its cookware. They also accept returns within 30 days of your purchase. (According to the website, Goldilocks will email you a label and cover the return shipping cost if you live in the contiguous 48 states, though we haven’t tested this ourselves.)

Shipping is only free for the contiguous 48 states. Goldilocks charges $45 to ship to Hawaii and Alaska and $35 to ship to Puerto Rico. But even with the added shipping cost, this set would still be less expensive than similar-quality cookware.

The cookware discolors slightly with use. The color of the Goldilocks cookware will become slightly tinted when cooking over high heat, similar to the Tramontina cookware we recommend, but they clean up nicely with Bar Keepers Friend.

Some lids are slightly uneven. The Goldilocks stockpot lid was slightly warped and didn’t sit completely flat on the pot, though this doesn’t affect its performance.

Though many manufacturers say their stainless steel cookware is dishwasher-safe, we recommend that you wash it by hand.

The harsh chemicals in some detergents—plus the prolonged exposure to those cleaners over the course of a dishwashing cycle—can cause damage to the pans (particularly the aluminum in tri-ply cookware). The same goes for nonstick cookware: Heat and harsh detergents break down the nonstick coating.

If you want a cookware set with lower-angled handles: The Made In 10-Piece Stainless Set did well in our tests. Though most of our testers found the stick handles on the skillets to be uncomfortably low, preferring the higher angle of the handles on our picks, you may prefer the handles on this set if you’re shorter. We prefer All-Clad’s set for the price, but this is still well-made cookware.

If you want a set of inexpensive Tramontina cookware: The Tramontina 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Set (sold exclusively at Costco) performed similarly to the Tramontina set we recommend, but it took longer to heat up and held onto heat slightly longer. The Costco handles are positioned higher, and they’re curved, which makes them less comfortable to maneuver. Unlike our pick, the Costco set lacks a large 6-quart deep sauté pan; it includes a smaller 3-quart deep sauté pan instead, which is less versatile. Overall, we still think our budget cookware set (the Goldilocks Cookware Set Plus) is a better value since it comes with a 12-inch skillet. However, if the Costco set is on sale, you may want to consider it.

This is not a comprehensive list of everything we’ve tested, just the models that are still available and meet our current criteria.

The Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set was our previous runner-up. However, after a new round of testing, we found the skillets warped over high heat. The bottom of the pans bowed so much that they wobbled on a flat surface. We tested multiple skillets to be sure this wasn’t a fluke, but all of them had the same results. Though the Cuisinart manual said to use the cookware only over low to medium heat (and most cookware manufacturers have the same recommendation), our picks haven’t warped like the Cuisinart set, even after years of cooking over high heat.

The Cuisinart 77-7 Chef’s Classic Stainless 7-Piece Cookware Set was our former budget pick. However, this set is prone to hot spots because it’s not fully clad. The single layer of stainless steel around the perimeter of the pan is too thin to evenly distribute heat and causes food to burn.

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 Henckels Clad Impulse set includes a 6-quart stock pot, which is smaller than the 8-quart ones we recommend. It also only includes 1- and 2-quart sauce pans, which are a bit small, so we’ve decided not to test it.

The Quince 5-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set is made of five-ply stainless steel, which falls outside the parameters we’ve set for this guide.

We like the sizing of the pieces included in the Heritage Steel Eater Series 8-Piece Core Set, but we’ve ruled out five-ply cookware, so we decided not to test it. It also comes with one less saucepan than the All-Clad set we recommend.

The Duxtop Whole Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Premium 10-Piece Cookware Set did poorly in our caramel test, as areas of the saucepan started to burn the sugar before the center had fully dissolved. This set also dripped the most when we poured liquids.

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.

After testing the Misen 3QT Saucier in our guide to the best small saucepan, we ruled out the cookware sets from Misen. Its five-ply construction made the pan slower to heat up, and its tubular handle was hard to hold onto. We’ve also watched Misen’s cookware go in and out of stock frequently.

The Great Jones Family Style set is unusual among the cookware sets we looked at in that it includes a nonstick pan and an enameled cast-iron Dutch oven. However, we decided not to test it for a few reasons. For one, when testing the Great Jones Saucy for our guide to the best small saucepan, we found the loop-shaped handles uncomfortable to hold. Also, the nonstick pan is only 8.5 inches, so it’s not as versatile as the 10-inch pans we recommend in our guide to nonstick skillets. And it has a ceramic coating, which we’ve found quickly loses its nonstick properties. The set’s only other skillet, a 10.25-inch skillet-sauté-pan hybrid, is also on the small side.

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 test.

All-Clad’s D3 Stainless Everyday 3-Ply Bonded Cookware (10 pc) is a tri-ply set similar to our All-Clad upgrade pick. It includes the same basic pieces, but all in slightly different sizes. The handles on these are slightly curved, which some may find more comfortable than the stick handles on our upgrade pick. The pans performed as well as our top pick, but we noticed a loose piece of metal in the handle of the 3-quart sauté pan, which caused it to rattle while sautéing vegetables (the representatives we spoke to at All-Clad said they’d never heard of this being an issue before). This may have been a one-off manufacturing error, but we’ll keep an eye on customer reviews to see if others experience a similar problem with the handle.

Since the skillets and stockpot in the All-Clad D3 Curated 10-Piece Set (sold exclusively at Crate & Barrel) are smaller than we recommend, we opted not to test this full set.

The Sardel Stainless Steel Set includes too few pieces for such a high price, so we opted not to test it.

The Le Creuset Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set is more expensive than our current picks and comes with one less skillet, so we didn’t test it.

The Liberty Tabletop 360 Cookware is one of the few manufacturers that makes its cookware in the US. However, it’s prohibitively expensive for most. Our recommended sets are a better deal, in both quality and price, so we’ve opted not to test this collection.

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.

The skillets in the Williams-Sonoma Signature Thermo-Clad Stainless-Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set have a very small cooking surface. The handles on this set are also very long, which we found awkward—especially on a crowded range. At 3 pounds 14.8 ounces, the Signature Thermo-Clad pan was a bit hefty for some of our testers.

We tested the Hestan 12.5″ Open Skillet to see if its NanoBond Technology made it less prone to discoloration than other cookware. The pan discolored slightly in our tests, but it was easy to clean with the Hestan brand stainless steel cleaner. However, because the skillet concentrated heat in the center of the pan, we opted not to try the full Hestan 10-Piece Set.

We also tested the Hestan 12.5″ Probond Forged Stainless Steel Skillet, but it discolored and warped the first time we used it. So we decided not to test the Professional Clad Stainless Steel 10-piece Ultimate Set. Also, this set costs a whopping $1,500.

The Hestan Thomas Keller Insignia 7-Piece Cookware Set has only two universal pot lids and is quite expensive, even when it’s on sale. We think most everyone would be happier with our recommended All-Clad set, which costs significantly less.

This article was edited by Marilyn Ong and Marguerite Preston.

Candy Argondizza, then vice president of culinary and pastry arts at International Culinary Center, email interview, July 27, 2016

Janet Crandall, private chef and cooking instructor in Los Angeles, email interview, July 29, 2016

Penny Rosema, then executive vice president of the Cookware Manufacturers Association, phone interviews, September 1, 2016

Hugh Rushing, former executive vice president of the Cookware Manufacturers Association, phone interview, February 3, 2020

Minsuk Kim, co-founder of Goldilocks, phone interview, February 7, 2022

Elvin Beach, associate professor of practice, Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Ohio State University, email interview, March 29, 2022

Michael Sullivan

Michael Sullivan has been a staff writer on the kitchen team at Wirecutter since 2016. Previously, he was an editor at the International Culinary Center in New York. He has worked in various facets of the food and restaurant industry for over a decade.

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