Whether you’re a beginner, an occasional cook, or a professional chef, there’s no denying the importance of having nonstick cookware in your kitchen. Not only are nonstick pans key to making the perfect eggs, pancakes, and even simmered sauces and seared meats, but they’re also easier to clean and less likely to get discolored than their stainless steel counterparts.
But with countless brands of nonstick cookware on the market, it’s difficult to know which ones you’ll likely be using serious elbow grease on to clean after a few uses—and which ones will actually stand the test of time. To help you decide, we tested the top nonstick cookware options and evaluated them based on temperature, performance, design, and ease of cleaning. When all was said and done, we put together this comprehensive list of the best nonstick cookware sets to help you decide.
Best Overall
Calphalon Signature Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set
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- Quick to heat
- Easy to clean
- Great temperature consistency and distribution
- On the pricey side
Calphalon invented hard-anodized aluminum cookware using a process adapted from the aerospace industry in the 1960s. This Ohio-based brand is still a leading producer of premium quality cookware, with mid-range price points that make it a popular and attainable brand for avid home cooks.
We’ve liked this set for years and, even though its pricey, it still holds up as one of the best. Like most nonstick cookware, this sturdy set is made of hard-anodized aluminum, which means it’s undergone a process that makes it extremely durable before the nonstick coating is applied. The 10-piece set comes with everything you’d need including an 8-quart stockpot and tempered glass lids.
Whether we tested this in the Lab or at home, we were impressed by how the pans in this set heat up quickly, distribute heat evenly and retain heat well. The pans are heavy-duty, have a nice weight and thickness, and are very easy to clean. We also noted a little bit of sticking around the rivets on some of the pans, but overall the set had great nonstick performance.
Metal, wood, nylon, and coated utensils are all safe for use with this sturdy cookware. Although all the cookware has extra-long stainless steel handles, the handles do get hot to the touch.
Material: Hard-anodized aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees Fahrenheit | Induction Safe: No | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | What’s Included: 10-inch and 12-inch fry pan, 2-quart and 3-quart saucepan with lids, 3-quart sauté pan with lid, 8-quart stock pan with lid
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Most Durable
Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick Pro Cookware Set
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- Beautiful minimalist aesthetic
- Great temperature distribution
- Useful sizes
- Very durable
- Heavy
This simple, durable, classic-looking set from Le Creuset offers great temperature consistency and very minimal sticking. The clean design features nice, thick material made from heavy-gauge, hard-anodized aluminum with a triple-reinforced, scratch-resistant nonstick coating. At first glance, you’d wonder why this is one of our top picks, seeing as it has slightly off sizes like an 11-inch skillet instead of a 10-inch or 12-inch. But this, combined with its durability, is precisely why we like it. An 11-inch pan is more versatile than either, the perfect Goldilocks middle, while the two pots are a great complement to a small collection of stainless-steel pots.
We like that this set performed well with even temperature distribution, thanks to that aluminum core. In some of our tests, there was a tiny bit of food sticking to the sides of the pan and rivets, whereas, in other tests, there was no sticking at all. We did notice a slight chemical smell when we took one of the pans out of a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven during the first round of testing, so be aware that that may happen upon first use. The handles warmed up during use but didn’t get too hot, and proved comfortable to hold. While the pieces are heavy enough to remain stable on the cooktop, those with limited strength or mobility issues may want to test them out to see if they’re manageable.
As we continued to use this set in our test kitchens, it has really proved it was worth the price tag. Every piece was used almost daily for everything from fried eggs to making the perfect caramel. After six months of extreme use, the pans have held up, looking as good as new.
Material: Hard-anodized forged aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees Fahrenheit (pans only) | Induction Safe: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | What’s Included: 8-inch and 11-inch skillet, 3-quart and 4.25-quart saucepan with lids
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Best Budget
Farberware Nonstick Cookware Set
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- Set also includes utensils
- Great temperature consistency
- Very nonstick
- Food gets stuck between rivets and pan
Although this Farberware set is inexpensive, it offers great temperature consistency, fantastic nonstick performance, and a good assortment of equipment. We noticed that omelets rolled out of the pans easily, sauces did not stick or scorch, and rice pilaf didn’t stick or burn at all. There was a noticeable smell coming off of the pans when they were heated for the first time, and if you’re looking for a Teflon-free option, this set is not the one for you.
The design of this set is balanced and lightweight; we noted that the pieces feel cheap, but a full set plus utensils and a baking sheet is a great value. The pieces are easy to clean aside from some food sticking between the rivets and the pans. The whole set is dishwasher-safe, but cleaning by hand is recommended.
Material: Silicone polyester-coated aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 350 degrees Fahrenheit (cookware); 450 degrees Fahrenheit (bakeware) | Induction Safe: No | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | What’s Included: 8-inch frying pan, 10-inch frying pan with lid, 1-quart and 2-quart saucepan with lids, 5-quart Dutch oven with lid, 9 x 13-inch cookie pan, 5 nylon kitchen utensils
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Best High End
Made In Non Stick Cookware Set
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- Excellent performance
- Solid 5-ply construction
- Very easy to clean
- Lids are almost too well-sealed
Designed with input from professional chefs, Made In has created this 7-piece nonstick set to withstand heavy use. What it lacks in piece count, it makes up for in durability and performance. These hefty pieces are crafted with 5-ply stainless steel and aluminum with a tough nonstick coating, and feature riveted handles for secure transport on and off the stove. Bonus: the included 8-quart stockpot is exclusive to this set and not available for individual purchase.
We really like how effectively these pans distributed heat, preventing hot spots and turning out evenly cooked eggs and uniformly browned onions. The saucepan and stockpot have wider bases than expected, giving you more surface area to cook and maintaining excellent contact with the burner. These pieces are definitely heavy, perhaps making them a challenging option for anyone with limited strength or mobility, but they’re also incredibly well-balanced and steady on the cooktop.
One thing we don’t love was the excessively tight seal of the lids, which might be great for certain applications (steaming, braising) but they also kept moisture and steam in when we didn’t necessarily want it to. That being said, it’s perhaps one of the top cookware sets we’ve tested and we think it’s a fantastic set to splurge on if you are looking for lasting, premium cookware.
Material: Stainless steel, aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees Fahrenheit | Induction Safe: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | What’s Included: 10-inch fry pan, 4-quart saucepan with lid, 4-quart saute pan with lid, 8-quart stockpot with lid
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Best Ceramic
Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set
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- Well-made and durable
- Beautiful design
- Very nonstick
- Hand-washing recommended
- Handles get hot
This beautiful set is made of an aluminum core with a mineral-based ceramic coating that’s free of PTFE/Teflon, PFOA, lead, and cadmium.12 We love the design of these pieces, which are sturdy and durable and come in a nice array of colors.
This set has been given perfect scores across the board by our Lab testers, our at-home testers, our long-term testers, and our own editors, cooking each dish without any burning, sticking, or scorching. We’ve found that although Teflon has been regarded as the best nonstick technology for years, these pans truly outperform Teflon and the ceramic coating retains heat beautifully. Unfortunately, the handles do tend to get hot during use, but that’s nothing an oven mitt or kitchen towel can’t fix.
These pans are dishwasher safe, but hand-washing is recommended. That being said, in all of our tests they have been easy to wash by hand. This set also comes with a lid holder, magnetic storage separators, and cork trivets. The price is mid-range (under $400), which is worth it for a 12-piece set that lends itself so well to everyday use.
Material: Aluminum core with ceramic nonstick coating | Teflon Free: Yes | Oven Safe Temperature: 550 degrees Fahrenheit | Induction Safe: Yes | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | What’s Included: 10.5-inch fry pan, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 4.5-quart sauté pan with lid, 6.5-quart Dutch oven with lid, canvas lid holder, magnetic pan racks
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Best Starter Set
Amazon Basics Nonstick Cookware Set
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- Cooks evenly
- Good for people with limited strength
- Generous number of pieces
- Small capacity
For those who are just starting out or simply don’t want to spend too much on cookware, this comprehensive set from Amazon Basics truly fits the bill. It includes 15 pieces: 8-inch and 10-inch fry pans, 1.5- and 2-quart saucepans with lids, 3- and 5-quart casserole pans with lids, and a 5-piece utensil set.
We were surprised at how evenly these pans distributed heat, turning out evenly cooked fried eggs and fluffy scrambled eggs. We don’t love the handles—they don’t feel as sturdy as other models we tested—but we like how lightweight and easy to maneuver these pans are. One thing to note before you buy is that these pans are on the smaller side when it comes to capacity, so they’re not great for larger households or for cooking big batches.
Though this set isn’t dishwasher safe, cleaning the pans by hand was generally easy, though we did have to take extra care around the handle rivets to clean any stuck debris. We think this value-priced set would be great for first apartments, vacation rental homes, RVs, and the like—plenty of bang for your buck while offering pretty decent overall performance.
Material: Aluminum with nonstick coating | Oven Safe: No | Induction Safe: No | Dishwasher Safe: No | What’s Included: 8-inch and 10-inch fry pans, 1.5- and 2-quart saucepans with lids, 3- and 5-quart casserole pans with lids, and 5-piece utensil set
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Final Verdict
Our top spot goes to the Calphalon Signature Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set, which all of our testers loved for its beautiful and durable design, ease of cleaning, and incredible performance. For an incredibly well-made, long-lasting set with even better temperature distribution, the Caraway Non-Toxic Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set is oven-safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit.
How We Tested Nonstick Cookware Sets
Over the past two years, we’ve tested over 40 nonstick cookware sets in our Lab. We initially tested 25 nonstick cookware sets side-by-side in and evaluated their temperature consistency and distribution, nonstick performance, design, and ease of cleaning. Our testers took note of whether or not there was any chemical smell when heating the pans, whether there was major temperature disparity across different spots in each pan, whether there was any sticking while making French omelets, whether there was any scorching or sticking when heating tomato sauce, whether there was any sticking or burning when making rice pilaf, and whether there was any difficulty with cleaning.
We also did an additional round of testing in 2023 with the sets on this list (plus a dozen other popular picks) to evaluate how they performed when cooking scrambled and fried eggs, rice, and sautéeing onions to see if our initial evaluation still held true. We also considered how comfortable these pans were to hold, how easy they are to maneuver, and how the separate pieces affect their overall value.
We also sent several nonstick cookware sets to our editors to test at home, as well as used many sets in our test kitchens to thoroughly test the durability of the nonstick coating.
We Observed
- Nonstick qualities of each piece: The most important factor for nonstick pans? The ability for foods to slide right off. We put the nonstick surfaces to the test with “high-stick” foods like eggs and rice. Those sets that released easily with minimal sticking earned the top spots on our list.
- Temperature consistency: Any piece of cookware worth its salt will deliver when it comes to temperature control and heat distribution. We used thermocouples to monitor the temperatures across the pan’s surface, noting any hot spots. We also observed how evenly we were able to cook a French omelet and rice pilaf to further assess the pan’s performance.
- Usefulness of the assortment: When it comes to sets, the sizes and shapes that are included will determine their usefulness in one’s household. We evaluated each set’s included pieces to see how versatile they were as a whole.
We Rated
- Durability: The surface of nonstick cookware can be notoriously delicate when it comes to scratches, so when a set was said to be compatible with metal utensils, we made sure to test that claim. Sets whose surfaces survived metal implements with no (or barely perceptible) damage earned the highest ratings.
- Design and Ease of Use: Beyond aesthetics, we rated these sets based on how easy they were to transport on and off the stove, and how balanced they felt in the hand. We also took into account handle ergonomics and how comfortable they were to maneuver when filled with food.
- Overall Performance: We made scrambled eggs, fried eggs, and French omelets to test the nonstick capabilities and heating capabilities of this cookware. We also simmered tomato sauce and made rice pilaf to check for hot spots and scorching. Sets that cooked evenly and released food without much effort earned 5 stars in this category.
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What to Look for When Buying Nonstick Pans
Material
Nonstick pans can be made out of many types of base material, which will help determine how well your pan conducts, maintains, and responds to heat. The lightest and most popular of these is aluminum, which conducts heat well and can be used on a variety of cooktops. Stainless steel is another popular choice—these pans tend to be heavier, with more substantial thickness making them less susceptible to dings and dents. Copper is another great option, as this metal has superior heat conductivity, and is also extremely responsive to changes in heat. As for the interior, the coating is mostly either polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE or Teflon) or ceramic, which we’ll discuss later.2
Number of Pieces
Depending on your cooking style and family size, the number of pieces you need will vary. The most utilized nonstick pan will likely be a skillet, so be sure to choose a set that has at least one. Another essential pan to have is a stockpot, which is great for cooking rice, sauces, and stews. More pieces will give you more versatility but will require more space to store.
Cooktop Compatibility
Most traditional and ceramic-coated nonstick cookware function just fine on gas, electric, and halogen cooktops—always check with the manufacturer’s instructions to be sure. The most common material used to make nonstick cookware is aluminum, which is not induction-friendly on its own. If you have an induction cooktop, look for one that has a stainless steel base that specifies it is compatible for use with this type of stove.
Heating Capacity
Nonstick cookware is generally safe for low and medium temperatures, though some of the more modern versions can stand higher heat. Traditional PTFE coatings are generally approved for use up to about 400 degrees Fahrenheit, ceramic coatings can typically withstand higher temperatures (over 500 degrees with some models), and hard-anodized cookware can fall somewhere between 400 to 500 degrees, depending on the manufacturer.1 If you often start foods on the stove and finish them in the oven, make sure to check what temperatures the cookware can withstand, so you won’t have to transfer from one pan to another to finish your cooking.
Price
Nonstick cookware is available at a wide variety of price points, the least expensive of which are lightweight aluminum pans with PTFE or ceramic coating.2 Since medium- and heavyweight pans require more material to construct, they will naturally be a little more expensive. Keep in mind that nonstick cookware generally wears out more quickly than stainless steel, copper, or enameled cast iron pieces and will need to be replaced at some point.
Warranty
Many manufacturers offer some type of limited warranty against defects in material, construction, or workmanship. This warranty typically will not cover damage from thermal shock, improper use, nonstick deterioration, damage from metal/sharp utensils, or damage caused by abrasive cleaners and scouring pads. Be sure to double-check the warranty provided by the vendor to ensure it is to your satisfaction.
Maintenance
There are some universal rules for nonstick cookware that will help you prolong its life. Always use the pans within the recommended heat range, as some nonstick coatings do not work well at higher temperatures. Ghee, butter, and oil are recommended for cooking, but nonstick sprays will leave a sticky buildup that can be difficult to remove and will affect the pan’s nonstick properties.
Protect your cookware’s finish by avoiding sharp or metal cooking utensils, which can cause scratches and gouges that can lead to eventual chipping or flaking. Should you notice that the coating on your nonstick cookware is beginning to crack, it is time to replace it. While some nonstick pans claim to be dishwasher safe, you’ll get more wear out of your cookware if you wash them by hand. Since the nonstick surface lets food debris come off easily, washing your pots and pans with a non-abrasive scrubber and mild dish soap is a simple and effective method to clean them.
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Types of Nonstick Cookware
Traditional nonstick
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon, is what serves as the coating for traditional nonstick cookware. Pans made with PTFE are easy to use and clean, but the coatings do wear away as you use them. The biggest concerns with PTFE mainly have to do with the breakdown of the coating, which begins to happen at 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Commonly linked to PTFE, PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) was used in the manufacture of traditional nonstick coatings.2 Since 2006, major companies have voluntarily worked towards eliminating PFOAs from products, though it can still be produced overseas.3
Ceramic
Ceramic nonstick cookware is coated in a material that is derived from silica, one of the components of beach sand. This is applied—either dipped or sprayed—to coat the interior surface of the pan, and then it is cured by high-firing in an oven. While most PTFE coatings need at least three coatings, ceramic coatings can require as little as just one layer, reducing the time and energy required to manufacture these types of pans. The drawback of ceramic is that it is more brittle than traditional nonstick coatings, making it more susceptible to developing surface cracks and losing its nonstick property faster.
Hard-anodized aluminum
While PTFE and ceramic coatings are coated onto other metals to make a nonstick layer, hard-anodized aluminum has a nonstick surface that is essentially “baked in.” It is made by electrochemically hardening soft aluminum to make it stronger than stainless steel, and an oxidized top layer that is also nonstick and tougher than traditional nonstick coatings. Hard-anodized aluminum stands up well to high heat, resists scratches, and doesn’t react with acidic foods, and because the nonstick surface is part of the actual pan (versus being bonded onto the metal), it is not prone to chipping or flaking.
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FAQs
What heat setting is best for nonstick pans on the stove?
Since nonstick coatings tend to break down at high temperatures, it’s advisable to keep your heat settings on medium to medium-low. You can always check with your manufacturer’s instructions for specific heating instructions.
Can nonstick pans go in the oven?
It depends on the pan. Many traditional nonstick pans have lower heat thresholds that aren’t ideal for putting into the oven, but there are definitely some pans that are built for oven use. Check the manufacturer’s specs to see if your nonstick pan can take the heat. If you aren’t sure and need to finish a dish in the oven, pick a carbon steel or cast-iron skillet instead.
Can nonstick pans go in the dishwasher?
Most of the time, they can, but the strong water pressure and dish detergents used in a dishwasher can cause your nonstick surface to wear down faster. To prolong the life of your nonstick cookware, hand-washing is recommended.
Do nonstick pans lose their nonstick capabilities?
Over time, the nonstick coating will inevitably wear away, causing food to stick. If you notice that your pan is sticking more than usual, it may be time to replace it.
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