Whether you’re putting together your first apartment kitchen or wanting to upgrade your mismatched pans to a more cohesive collection, a full set of cookware is a solid investment. It takes the guesswork out of picking out the pieces you need and is often a much better value than buying one piece at a time. Classic stainless steel is the material of choice for both amateur and professional cooks because of its durability, superior ability to brown meats, and oven-proof capabilities—you can go straight from stovetop to broiler. While stainless steel pans can require a little more elbow grease to remove stuck-on food, proper maintenance can keep them looking practically new for their entire lifespan.
To find the best stainless steel cookware sets, we’ve tested dozens of the top-rated options alongside each other to see how they really perform. During each test, we evaluated the design, durability, heating capabilities, versatility, and ease of cleaning for every pot. We also placed our favorites into our test and home kitchens to see how they held up over time.
Best Overall
Tramontina Tri-Ply Clad 10-Piece Set
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- Great performance when searing and browning
- Durable and well-built
- Affordable price
- Lifetime warranty
- Some might find pots unbalanced
- Pieces don’t stack together nicely
After testing this Tramontina set three times, it’s really proven to be an incredible set of cookware at a great price. Each piece is made of 18/10 stainless steel wrapped around an aluminum core, which means that it’ll heat evenly, each and every time. It’s also induction compatible, something we love to see.
During our tests, this warmed up thoroughly and uniformly when we needed subtle heat for eggs or scallops. It also seared steak beautifully, leaving a restaurant-worthy crust. That steak did leave behind a bit of fond that can off easily during our deglaze. When other food burned on a bit too much, a few swipes of steel wool got the surface back to shiny. We tested their durability by dropping piping-hot pieces into cold water and these never warped or cracked. The riveted handles were comfortable throughout the days of testing, though they did get warm when cooking over high heat.
The downsides are limited. It doesn’t stack easily together, and a few of us found the weight of the pots centered in the middle. This made them feel unbalanced, especially when moving them around the stove. With that in mind, this is still a welcome addition to any kitchen, and one that’s backed with a lifetime warranty.
Material: Stainless steel | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but hand washing is recommended | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10
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Best Budget
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel 7-Piece Cookware Set
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- Heats up quickly and evenly
- Great comprehensive set for beginners
- Stay-cool handles
- Not great for high heat
If you don’t have the budget for a high-end set of cookware, this collection will fit your budget while it looks good on your stove. The pans have a mirrored finish inside and out, an encapsulated base for even heat distribution, and can be used on all cooking surfaces.
Whenever we’ve tested this cookware line, the pans showed excellent heat distribution, and gave a really good sear with minimal sticking. We especially like how sturdy these pans are, and how well they held up when used for six months in one of our test kitchens. The riveted stainless steel handles stayed cool when cooking, making it easy to grab pots and pans without having to search for a potholder. There can be some sticking from time-to-time, like when we cooked rice, but they are easy to get back to like-new with a little extra elbow grease.
This set includes a 1.5-quart saucepan and 3-quart saucepan with lids, an 8-quart stockpot with cover, and a 10-inch skillet—all the basic pans you need in your kitchen. All you might need to add is an extra nonstick pan or a cast-iron Dutch oven to round out your collection.
Material: Stainless steel, encapsulated aluminum base | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 7
Best 5-Ply
All-Clad D5 Stainless Brushed 5-Ply Bonded Cookware Set
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- Very high-quality construction
- Extremely even cooking with no sticking
- Capacity etched onto pots and pans
- Will last you for decades
- On the heavy side
- Handles might be uncomfortable for some
If you’re ready to replace your inexpensive cookware with a high-end set that will make the neighbors jealous, this All-Clad set will be the crown jewel of your kitchen. But it’s not all looks—these pieces are also workhorses that are designed for heavy-duty use. This set includes everything you really need: two frying pans, two saucepans, a sauté pan, and a stockpot.
These are made with a 5-ply bonded construction that has alternating layers of stainless steel and conductive aluminum for warp-free strength and thorough heating. While testing, we consistently experienced excellent heat conductivity with beautiful crusts when searing, and very little sticking, even with eggs. The cooking surface has a starburst finish for stick resistance, and the pots have flared rims that make it easy to pour liquid from them. The ergonomic handles stay cool while cooking, though some might find them uncomfortable. Lids are made from stainless steel so you can’t see what’s cooking, but they’re unbreakable and you can use them in the oven along with the pots.
These are oven- and broiler-safe to 600 degrees and can be used on any cooking surface, including induction. Once you own this set, the one thing you might want to add is a nonstick skillet for cooking your morning eggs, but there isn’t much else that you’ll need for most of your cooking.
Material: Five-ply bonded stainless steel and aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 600 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: No | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10
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In late 2022, All-Clad settled a class action lawsuit. If you purchased any of All-Clad’s D3, D5, or LTD cookware between January 1, 2015, and July 29, 2022, you might be eligible for benefits from the settlement. We stand behind the D5 cookware, having retested it in January 2023.
Most Durable
Made In 10-Piece Stainless Set
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- Very well-balanced cookware
- Pans are oven-safe to higher temperatures than other brands
- Excellent assortment of pieces included
- Can have hot spots
- Doesn’t include a nonstick pan
Made In has become a customer favorite thanks to the durability of its products, and this set is no exception. The 5-ply stainless-steel cookware has all essential pans for anyone who loves to cook. We like that the pans displayed fairly even heating and browning when seared scallops and sautéing mirepoix, though we did notice some discernible variance in temperature across the pan when searing steak.
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. They also held up when used for six months in a test kitchen, one of the only sets still in consistent daily use with few complaints.
This set includes two frying pans, two saucepans, a saucier, and a stockpot. You might want to also pick up Made In’s 10-inch nonstick pan that’s perfect for frying eggs or whipping up pancakes. If you need more cookware, Made In also has a 13-piece set. All of the cookware is induction-compatible, oven-safe to 800 degrees, and has a lifetime warranty.
Material: Five-ply stainless steel | Oven Safe Temperature: 800 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10
Best Starter Set
Calphalon Classic 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set
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- Securely riveted handles
- Fill lines in pan are helpful
- Lids made from tempered glass
- Straining holes may cause quicker evaporation
- Walls feel thin
The impact-bonded base of this set by Calphalon provides fast, steady heating while the long handles are ergonomic and provide a secure grip, even when the pan is full of hot food. The handles are double-riveted so you can securely transport your pans to and from the stove. There are fill lines inside the pan, so you can add a precise amount of liquid or food without pulling out measuring cups. The covers have straining holes that line up with the pour spouts, so you can drain your noodles or vegetables without hunting for a colander.
During three rounds of testing, these pans repeatedly heated quickly and maintained their heat well enough to provide a nice sear. They also performed well when making an omelet without sticking at all. Handles stayed cool, except for the smaller saucepan, whose handle is a little shorter and therefore sits closer to your stove’s heat source—be sure to have a dish towel or potholder nearby to grab it if the handle gets too hot.
The cookware can be used in the oven or under the broiler, and the pans and glass lids are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. As long as you follow preheating instructions and keep heat low to medium, there should be no problems with food sticking.
Material: Stainless steel with impact-bonded aluminum base | Oven Safe Temperature: 450 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10
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Best High-End
Le Creuset Stainless Steel Cookware Set
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- Thorough cooking with no hot spots
- Very reactive to changes in temperature
- Extremely durable
- Only comes with a 10-inch fry pan
- No storage accessories
If you’re looking for quality cookware with a large number of pieces, this Le Creuset set is worth a close look. It includes the ones that are most useful—a frying pan, two saucepans, a sauté pan, and a stockpot—so it’s great for anyone. The pans have a full aluminum core, all the way up the sidewalls, for great heating properties with no hot spots. The exterior layer contains extremely durable titanium to guard against scorching.
All of this combined to provide very gradual heating when we put these to the test. The pots were also very reactive to changes in heat, so our mirepoix browned perfectly and our béchamel simmered evenly and consistently. It turned out one of the best batches of rice we made during our second test period. When we done, it was effortless to clean the cookware, even after searing steak.
While these performed exceptionally well, they are pricey. Some of us wished these came with a larger frying pan, and/or accessories for storage. Despite those caveats, this is one of the best cookware sets we’ve ever tested.
Material: Stainless steel with full aluminum core | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10
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Best with Copper
Anolon Nouvelle Stainless Cookware Set
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- Uniform heat distribution and control
- Great performance when searing food
- Oven safe to 500 degrees
- Elegant design
- Small saucepan is unsteady on large grates
This set ticks all of the important boxes—it includes cookware in sizes you’re likely to use, it’s made from stainless steel that won’t rust or stain or react with acidic foods like tomato sauce, and it has a very elegant tulip shape. It’s the multi-metal base that offers the best heat distribution, retention, and control.
The base has a layer of copper enclosed in aluminum and covered with stainless steel that makes it suitable for any cooktop, including induction. We discovered that while this cookware’s 5-layer design makes the pieces heavy and takes a bit of time to heat up, it also allows them to hold heat well and distribute it uniformly, with only a five degree difference between the edges and the center. The pans gave a nice sear to scallops and steak without any major sticking—a major plus. Additionally, any leftover fond stuck to the bottom of the pot—one of the few times anything’s stuck to these—easily came right off. Cooking omelettes in this set will be a little trickier, but still doable.
The set is oven-safe to 500 degrees and can be used under the broiler. For easy cleaning, all pieces are dishwasher safe; however, we recommend hand washing. Since the lids are stainless steel rather than glass, you can’t watch what you’re cooking, but it means the lids are also oven-safe and unbreakable.
Material: Stainless steel and aluminum with copper core | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Induction Ready: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10
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Final Verdict
The attractive Tramontina Tri-Ply Clad 10-Piece Stainless Steel Set is our top choice because of its amazing price, as well as its balance of quick heating and solid heat retention. If you’re looking for a set to last you a lifetime, we recommend the All-Clad d5 Brushed Stainless Steel 10-Piece Set.
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How We Tested
We’ve tested more than 40 different stainless steel cookware sets in our Lab’s dedicated test kitchen over the past two years. We gathered this data, along with feedback from home testers, and gave each set a rating. Our top picks have been put through their paces more than once, proving time and again why they deserve a spot on our list.
We Observed
- How evenly the pans heated: One of a pan’s most important functions, we watched for even heating and heat distribution as we sauteed mirepoix, made bechamel sauce, and browned butter on both gas and induction cooktops. In addition to visual assessment, we used an infrared thermometer to monitor for hot spots.
- The usefulness of the assortment: The sizes and shapes included in a set determine its real-life versatility in a home kitchen. We evaluated each pans capacity and silhouette, making sure our top-rated sets included pieces that could multitask and function across a variety of cooking applications.
- Comfort and maneuverability when handling: The ability to transport cookware on and off the stove, into the oven, and otherwise manipulate it during cooking is an important factor to consider. We considered balance, handle ergonomics, and overall control and comfort when it came to handling each set.
We Rated
- Overall performance: We tested these sets with a variety of cooking tasks, from searing scallops and making rice, to creating sauces and bringing liquid to a boil. The best sets excelled across the board, providing quick, even heating without scorching.
- Durability: We subjected out sets to thermal shock and impact testing, observing whether or not there was any warping or visible damage to the cookware.
- Ease of cleaning: Stainless steel is generally low maintenance, but may be a bit harder to clean when stuck on or burnt bits of food remain. While many of the sets we tested were dishwasher safe, those that could be easily cleaned with dish soap and warm water ranked at the top of our list.
About Our Testers
Our Lab team has spent collective decades working in professional kitchens, developing recipes, and testing kitchen gear.
What to Look for When Buying Stainless Steel Cookware
Included Pots and Pans
Stainless steel is great for all-purpose cooking—it can be used for braising and browning as well as creating sauces and soups. The non-reactive properties of stainless steel make it ideal for cooking sauces with acidic ingredients (think tomato sauce or meats stewed in wine). Many stainless steel pieces are oven-safe, allowing you to finish a dish under the broiler if needed. When purchasing a set of cookware, you’ll want to consider how many pieces you actually need, along with how much space to have to store them.
A large set offers variety in sizes and styles, but if you rarely cook for a crowd, you may not need a larger-capacity saute pan or stockpot that might come in a bigger set. Also consider the accessories included with a set, which are included in a set’s piece count, and decide if they are the material and type that you need. Pay attention to the material and sizes of the included lids—bear in mind that glass lids are usually less heat-proof than metal (particularly in the oven), but do allow you to visually monitor your cooking.
Below we break down the essential pieces.
Grade of Stainless Steel
Oftentimes, the grade of stainless steel is stamped on the cookware, with 18/10 being the most commonly used grade for good quality cookware. This fraction tells you the percentage of chromium and nickel in the alloy used—18/10 contains 18 percent chromium and 10 percent nickel and will resist rust while also retaining its shine and polish.
Weight
While the ideal thickness of a good pan is subjective to a cook’s preference, a quality stainless steel pot will have a certain heft in your hand. A weighty pot means that it won’t move around on the stove, and its weight also means it is more likely to distribute heat evenly and less likely to have “hot spots.” Heavier pans also stand up well to the rigors of daily use and are less susceptible to dents, warping, and dings than lighter, thinner pans.
Core and Construction
Look for a fully-clad pan with an aluminum or copper core. Good stainless steel cookware will have an aluminum or copper disc sandwiched between layers of stainless steel to aid in conducting heat. The full layers of stainless steel that make up the bottom and sides of the pot are called “cladding,” and the number of layers will be described by its “ply.” The most common is tri-ply, which describes two layers of stainless steel with an aluminum or copper core, but pans can also come in 5-ply or 7-ply (commonly referred to as “multi-clad”). Another quality feature is riveted stainless steel handles—they are more secure than spot-welded handles, which are more likely to come off with heavy use.
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Heating Capacity
Most stainless steel cookware is also oven-safe, but its heating capacity depends on the quality of the cookware. Less expensive, lighter pans may only be oven-safe to 350 degrees, and higher-quality, heavier pans can often withstand temperatures well above 500 degrees (including use under the broiler). Be sure to always check the manufacturer’s instructions to determine the maximum heating capacity of your cookware (and their lids) before use.
Warranty
Many major manufacturers offer a limited lifetime guarantee on stainless steel cookware as long as they are purchased from an authorized dealer. These guarantees protect against defects in material, construction, or workmanship but may exclude damage arising from improper use, thermal shocks, drops, or normal wear and tear. Before you buy, be sure to check on the manufacturer’s terms and warranty coverage to make sure it’s what you need.
Maintenance
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. It can also be used for several types of ranges, including gas or electric. It is a great choice for those looking for cookware for glass stoves. Though stainless steel is less reactive than some other types of cookware, it is not recommended that you store food (especially acidic foods) 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 (avoid abrasive pads like steel wool). To maintain the appearance of your stainless steel cookware, use white vinegar and water to remove stains or Bar Keepers Friend to restore shine.
FAQs
Is stainless steel cookware nonstick?
No, not unless it has an added nonstick coating on top of the stainless steel construction. You can reduce the “stick” of stainless steel by using oil while cooking, but a shiny stainless steel surface will not release as easily as a dedicated nonstick pan.
Do you need to season stainless steel cookware?
No. The beauty of stainless steel is that it’s relatively low maintenance compared to carbon steel or cast iron, both of which require seasoning and special upkeep.
How do you remove burnt food from stainless steel cookware?
The best way to remove burnt food is to add water to the pan, gently heat it on the stove, and use a stiff spatula to scrape away any food particles. If that doesn’t work, you can turn to more abrasive cleansers, like Bon Ami or Barkeepers Friend, in conjunction with a scrubber to aid in removing any stubborn burnt residue.
What is the difference between stainless steel and hard-anodized cookware?
While stainless steel is made from, well, steel, hard-anodized cookware is made of electrochemically treated aluminum that features an oxidized top layer that acts as a nonstick coating. While they are both very durable and available at an array of price points, the biggest difference is that stainless steel is non-reactive while hard-anodized aluminum could potentially react to acidic sauces and ingredients.
Can you use metal utensils on stainless steel cookware?
Yes, as stainless steel is fairly resistant to scratching. But if you want to prolong the life of your pans, avoid using sharp utensils whenever possible.
