Best Cookware Sets

Best Nonstick Cookware Sets

Nonstick cookware sets are easy to use, easy to clean and are good at preventing sticking and burning, thanks to a slick coating on the surface. The nonstick coating also allows you to use less oil when cooking, great for anyone who wants to cook healthier.

The best nonstick cookware sets are durable, scratch-resistant and free of harmful chemicals like PFOA. You’ll want to source a high-quality set that won’t chip and flake off into your food over time. If you prefer to cook without oil and want a quick and easy clean-up-process, a nonstick cookware set could be right for you.

The HexClad Hybrid Perfect Pots and Pans Set is a top-performer in this category. This 12-piece set was designed with a combination of nonstick, stainless steel and cast iron in one. They’re oven-safe, made with premium, durable materials and compatible with gas, electric and induction stove tops.

Best Ceramic Cookware Sets

Ceramic cookware is a natural alternative to nonstick coatings such as Teflon, and is known to be nontoxic and environmentally-friendly. This type of cookware is either 100 percent clay, or a metal base that’s coated in a ceramic outer layer. It’s naturally slick and therefore has a good nonstick quality. A consideration with ceramic cookware is that hand-washing is usually recommended, and you’ll need to refrain from using metal utensils in order to protect the lifespan of the ceramic coating.

Our top pick in this category is Our Place, with an aluminum body for fast, even heat distribution and a nonstick ceramic coating that’s free of potentially toxic “forever” chemicals like PFAS, PTFEs and PFOAs, and heavy metals like lead and cadmium. Their Home Cook Duo is a great starter set and includes their Perfect Pot and lid with built-in strainer, and their Always Pan 2.0 with steamer basket and steam-release lid. We love that this set is available in a wide variety of iconic colors or neutral tones and comes with nesting beechwood utensils. And because of the versatility of ceramic cookware, this set also falls into the nonstick and nontoxic cookware categories as well, covering all the bases for conscious home chefs.

Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets

Stainless steel cookware sets are a favorite among professional chefs due to their durability and excellent heat distribution. Stainless steel is versatile, too. It can be used on gas, electric and induction stovetops and is oven-safe. Things to consider with stainless steel is that it is not nonstick, it can be heavier than nonstick pans and since metal is such a good conductor of heat, the handles can get hot.

Our top pick in this category is the Imarku Stainless Steel Cookware Set, a 14-piece set with a three-layer, fully-clad steel design. Dishwasher-safe, oven-safe up to 500 degrees, and compatible with all stove types, this set is functional and versatile. It comes with a complete set of frying pans, sauce pans, sauté pans, stock pot and steamer insert—great for someone who cooks often or hosts holiday events. It also has a lifetime warranty, so it’s a great investment that will last for a long time to come.

Best Non Toxic Cookware Set

We’ve touched on nontoxic cookware a bit already, but what does that even mean? Nontoxic cookware is any cookware that’s made without the use of toxic chemicals like PFAS in the nonstick coatings. Your best choices for nontoxic cookware include stainless steel, cast iron, enameled cast iron, carbon steel and ceramic.

Our top pick for nontoxic cookware is Caraway. Featuring a nontoxic, nonstick ceramic coating free of “forever” chemicals and heavy metals, and a host of fun colors and classic neutrals, Caraway cookware is oven-safe up to 550 degrees and compatible with all cooktops. For those on the market for a full kitchen suite of cookware, we recommend their Cookware & Minis Set, and serious chefs will also want to consider their Squareware Set, complete with griddle pans, grill pan and roasting pan.

Best Affordable Cookware Sets

Quality doesn’t have to come with a hefty price tag. The best affordable cookware sets offer great performance without breaking the bank. When shopping on a budget, consider stainless steel, cast iron or ceramic cookware, and try to avoid any nonstick cookware that may have a low-quality coating that could chip off toxic chemicals into your food over time.

Our top pick in this category is the Reserve Ceramic Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set by GreenPan. This set comes with frying pans, sauce pans, a sauté pan, a stock pot and glass lids that let you keep an eye on everything—a complete set that’s great for anyone who needs a full cooking setup. It’s durable, nontoxic, oven-safe up to 600 degrees and works on every cooktop except induction. With more than 10 colors to choose from, this cookware set is sure to please every palette.

Best Cookware Set Brand by Stove Type

Best Cookware Set for Gas Stove

Many home cooks prefer cooking on gas for its even heat distribution and rapid heating capabilities. While it’s true you can use just about any type of cookware on a gas stove, it’s important to source a high-quality set that can stand up to the direct flame over time. 

Our top pick for gas stoves is the Stainless Set by Made In, a 10-piece complete cookware set made in Italy and featuring premium, five-ply stainless clad, stay-cool handles and a lifetime warranty. Made In also sells different configurations of their cookware, including smaller and larger sets, so you can choose the one that best fits your needs.

Best Cookware Set for Electric Stove

Depending on the type of electric stove you have, the heating could be faster and more efficient, or slower and inconsistent. Newer electric stoves do a good job at healing evenly, quickly and maintaining low temperatures well, and therefore perform well with all cookware types. However, with an older model that heats unevenly, you’ll want to look for a cookware material that conducts the heat as evenly and efficiently as possible, like stainless steel or carbon steel, to help balance the stove’s deficiencies.

Our top pick for electric stoves is the Cuisinart French Classic Tri-Ply Stainless Cookware 13-Piece Set. This set is made in France and comes with a lifetime warranty. It has everything you need for comprehensive cheffing, and can go from stovetop to oven and even broiler. With flat bottoms and high-quality, steel construction, this cookware will conduct heat evenly, even on older electric stoves.

Best Cookware Set for Glass Top Stove

Glass-top stoves fall into the category of electric stoves, and therefore follow the same guidelines as our Best Cookware Set for Electric Stove category. One additional consideration for glass-top stove cookware is smooth bottoms to prevent scratching.

The HexClad Complete Kitchen Bundle is perfect for this. With high-quality construction and technology that combines the best of stainless steel, nonstick and cast iron cookware, HexClad comes with a lifetime warranty and is oven-safe, dishwasher-safe and safe for use with metal utensils. If you’re looking for a smaller set, HexClad has lots of options available with cookware combinations to meet every chef’s needs.

Best High End Cookware Set

For those who take their cooking seriously, the best professional cookware set is essential. Stainless steel is a favorite among professional chefs because it doesn’t react with acidic foods, is highly durable and has excellent heat distribution. So, for the best high end cookware set, we’ll take a tip from the pros and go with stainless steel.

Our top pick in this category is the Cristel Castel’Pro Ultraply Collection. This is a complete eight-piece cookware set created with the guidance of Michelin-star chefs and designed for chefs and gourmets. Constructed with high-end 18/10 stainless steel, this set is compatible with gas, electric, induction, halogen and ceramic cooktop surfaces, is oven- and dishwasher-safe, features interior measurement markings in quarts and liters, and comes with a lifetime warranty.

FAQ

What is the best nonstick cookware set?

When choosing the best nonstick cookware set, you’ll want to look for durability, scratch-resistance and a nonstick coating that’s free of harmful chemicals like PFOA. Quality is important too, as you want a nonstick coating that will stand up to daily use without scratching or flaking off.

Several options stand out in this category for their quality, durability and performance:

1. HexClad Perfect Pots and Pans Set: A 12-piece set with a hybrid combination of nonstick, stainless steel and cast iron. Oven-safe, made with premium materials and compatible with all stove types.
2. Caraway Cookware and Minis Set: A 10-piece set of ceramic-coated cookware that is free of “forever” chemicals and heavy metals, compatible with all stove types, oven-safe and available in a range of color options.
3. GreenPan Reserve Ceramic Set: A 10-piece set of ceramic-coated cookware that’s compatible with all stove types except induction, is oven-safe, dishwasher-safe and comes with glass lids so you can keep an eye on your food while it cooks. Like Caraway, these are also available in a range of sleek and stylish colors. 
4. Our Place Home Cook Duo: A smaller starter set of ceramic-coated cookware, with one good-sized pot and pan, matching lids and nesting beechwood utensils. This set is for the home cook that’s good with just a few basics—and by basics, we mean high-quality construction, compatible with all cooktypes, nontoxic, oven-safe and available in a beautiful array of colors.

What is the best affordable cookware set?

Finding the best affordable cookware set involves balancing quality, durability and budget. Top material choices include stainless steel, cast iron and ceramic.

There are several budget-friendly cookware sets that stand out for their quality and performance:

1. Imarku Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Set: A 14-piece set that, at the time of writing, is priced at $360. Its fully-clad stainless steel construction is dishwasher-safe, oven-safe, compatible with all stove types and comes with a lifetime warranty.
2. GreenPan Reserve Ceramic Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set: A complete cookware set made with a high-quality, nontoxic ceramic coating that’s nonstick, oven-safe andcompatible with all stovetops except induction. It comes in a wide variety of colors and at the time this article was written, is priced at less than $400. 
3. Our Place Home Cook Duo: If you just need a couple of cookware pieces to get started with, this set is a great deal, priced at $250 at the time of writing. It’s made with an aluminum body for fast, even heat distribution and a nontoxic, nonstick ceramic coating for ease of use. Compatible with all stove types, oven-safe and available in a range of fun colors to suit any style.