Cookware Buying Guide
Cookware Confidence
Consumer Reports buys and independently tests five types of frying pans, along with stainless steel and nonstick cookware sets, Dutch ovens, and woks. Undecided about what you need in your kitchen? Here’s what to consider before you start shopping.
Sets vs. Open Stock
Take inventory of the pots and pans you own to determine which need to be replaced or which new pieces you’d like to add. Pots and pans sold individually—called open stock—are widely available. If you need to swap out only a scratched frying pan, open stock is a cost-saving option, and it’s the most common way cookware is sold.
If you decide that you want a new cookware set, make sure the pieces complement your cooking style so that you aren’t paying for and storing pans you’ll rarely use.
Consider What You Cook
This will influence your choice of pots and pans. For example, if you sear meat often, you’ll want a cast-iron skillet that facilitates even browning. Nonstick frying pans work well for scrambled eggs, pancakes, and delicate foods such as fish. And stainless is perfect for almost any food that needs searing or browning. To help you decide, read about the “Best Frying Pans for the Way You Cook.”
A stockpot is great for soups or boiling pasta, but if you like to cook stews or sauces low and slow, consider a Dutch oven. With its heavy bottom and high sides, it can brown, braise, boil, and bake bread, and move easily from the oven or stovetop to your table. In fact, you can cook almost anything in a versatile Dutch oven.
Match Your Cookware to Your Cooktop
Consider how your new cookware will pair with your cooktop. Flat-bottomed pans that don’t warp are essential for a smoothtop range. Cast iron, 3-ply or higher stainless steel, and hard anodized aluminum are more durable and less likely to warp than other materials. And if you want to cook with a wok, you’ll want a flat-bottomed model, too. Gas ranges are a little more forgiving, but you still want good contact between the bottom of the pan and the burner. Cookware with magnetic properties is a must for an induction cooktop. (Consider bringing along a magnet when you shop. If it sticks to the bottom, it will work with an induction range or cooktop.) Packaging and product descriptions may also indicate whether a piece of cookware or a set is induction-compatible. And in our cookware ratings, we note which pans are induction-compatible.
8 Reasons to Use a Dutch Oven
A great Dutch oven can bake, braise, simmer, and sear with excellent results. You might consider using one instead of a variety of expensive countertop appliances. Here's how.
The Parts of a Pan
Coating vs. Cladding: What’s the Difference?
“Hard anodized” basically means the soft surface of nearly pure aluminum has been altered to make it harder and more durable. It has nothing to do with the nonstick coating, which prevents food from sticking to the pan.
“Cladding” refers to the layers of metal fused together to create the cookware. So while the outer and inner layers of the pan may be stainless steel, the inner layer may be aluminum, copper, or another conductive or magnetic material. “Clad” can also mean a material was added to the bottom of a stainless steel pan, enhancing heat transfer.
Familiarize yourself with cookware terminology to make the best choice for your cooking style.
Illustration: Chris Philpot Illustration: Chris Philpot
Shopping Tips
High-quality cookware is at the heart of any serious cook’s kitchen. Having a variety of pots, pans, and casseroles, maybe even a few specialty items, is ideal. Will a $500 set of cookware be more convenient, or will it make your meals twice as tasty as a $250 set? Not necessarily. Here’s how to build the perfect culinary collection.
Choose Your Pieces
If you’re building a set of cookware from scratch, consider buying an assortment of skillets and pots, a stockpot, and lids suited to your cooking style and the number of people you cook for.
A set that contains more pieces might not be the smartest choice if you use only a few and the rest just take up space in your cabinet. Note that manufacturers may count utensils, lids, and even a cookbook as pieces of a set, so a higher number of pieces might not mean you’re getting more pots and pans.
Pick It Up
Many of us shop online, so take a look at the specs, or—better yet—handle the cookware at a retailer first. See how it feels in your hands. If it’s heavy, think how much heavier it will feel when it’s full of food. Make sure the handles are easy to grasp, the pot or pan is well-balanced, and the handle attachments are tight and sturdy. To find cookware that’s likely to last, check CR’s cookware ratings for the results of our handle sturdiness tests.
Also note that some handles may have very narrow edges that can be uncomfortable to hold, and grooves meant to fit fingers aren’t actually helpful for everyone, especially if you have small hands. Plus, some frying pan handles curve in ways that might be better for right-handed people, so keep an eye out for that if you’re left-handed.
Read the packaging to see whether the manufacturer says the cookware can be cleaned in a dishwasher, and even then, consider that you might be better off washing a nonstick pan by hand.
Consider the Lids
Glass lids let you see what’s going on inside the pot without lifting it off, which will let steam escape. But they add weight and can break.
Know that “Oven Safe” Is Relative
If the box says the cookware is oven-safe, be sure to check the specifics. At what temperature can this cookware safely be used? Some can be used in ovens set only as high as 400° F, and others can withstand higher heat, up to 600° F.
Cookware Types
Choose a cookware material that suits what you’re cooking. For example, sautéed foods turn out best in pans that transmit heat quickly. Braised foods need pans that retain heat over long periods. You shouldn’t cook white or tomato sauces in unlined cast-iron, copper, or aluminum cookware because the ingredients in those sauces can react with the metal.
Stainless Steel
Long-lasting, classic, uncoated stainless steel is a good choice for browning and braising. Often sold in sets, stainless cookware can be a kitchen workhorse.
Pros: It’s durable, easy to care for, and doesn’t react with foods. It provides rapid, uniform heating. It’s often magnetic and compatible with induction cooktops. And it can be dishwasher-, oven-, and broiler-safe (depending on the handle material).
Cons: Food can stick, and stainless steel can sometimes be tough to clean. If you choose uncoated, you might still consider a nonstick pan or two to avoid needing so much elbow grease when food sticks.
Nonstick
Nonstick cookware has a coating that prevents food from sticking. Good nonstick coatings are durable and release even delicate foods effortlessly, including eggs and pancakes.
Pros: Nonstick is generally easy to clean and requires less oil for cooking. Depending on the primary material—typically aluminum—most pieces are ideal for use on any type of cooktop, including induction. Many pieces are claimed to be oven-safe to 400° F or higher.
Cons: Concerns have been raised about chemicals in nonstick pans, particularly per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. According to a recent nationally representative Consumer Reports survey (PDF), while nonstick cookware is among the most popular, a majority of adults in the U.S. who cook or bake are at least somewhat concerned about cookware containing chemicals such as PTFE (Teflon), a type of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known as “forever chemicals”). Plus, you’ll want to avoid using metal utensils with these pans. And high heat in a dishwasher and harsh detergent can shorten their lifespan.
Enameled Cast Iron
Great for searing, sautéing, browning, and frying, these classic, often colorful pieces transition seamlessly from stovetop or oven to your dining table. Covered pieces, like Dutch ovens, are versatile enough to handle braising, stewing, slow cooking, and roasting meat.
Pros: These pieces heat slowly and evenly and retain heat well. Their durable coating doesn’t react with acidic ingredients. They’re generally dishwasher-safe, corrosion-resistant, and oven-safe to 500° F.
Cons: It’s heavy, and it gets even heavier when filled with food. Small handles on a Dutch oven can make transporting it from the stovetop to the oven a bit cumbersome. Plus, because cast iron conducts heat, handles can get very hot. Enamel can chip and make them unusable.
Uncoated Cast Iron
Seasoned cast iron is a great alternative to nonstick cooking surfaces. Lodge, America’s oldest family-owned cookware manufacturer, has referred to its cookware as “natural nonstick.” Cast iron is extremely durable and can be preheated to temperatures that will brown meat. Nonstick pans, on the other hand, shouldn’t be heated while empty to avoid damaging the coating. Cast iron will also withstand oven temperatures well above what’s considered safe for nonstick pans.
Pros: Cast iron is durable and classic. It can move easily from stovetop to oven, so you can sear a roast, for example, and then continue cooking it in the oven. Some uncoated cast-iron pans are available preseasoned.
Cons: Cast iron must be seasoned (rubbed and heated with multiple coats of oil) to avoid rusting. Cleaning it can be a challenge at first, but seasoning makes the task easier. (It must also be reseasoned with oil from time to time.) Cast iron isn’t dishwasher-safe and can rust if left wet or in a damp environment.
Carbon Steel and Blue Steel
These pans are favorites in professional kitchens because they’re extremely durable and efficient, and designed for high-performance cooking.
Pros: Carbon steel is ideal for use on any type of cooktop, including induction, and is a common material for woks, omelet pans, and crêpe pans. It wipes clean with paper towels. Carbon steel is lighter than cast iron and can be used in the same way.
Cons: These pans are often designed for a single purpose. They’re not dishwasher-safe and must be seasoned to avoid rusting. Hand-wash them only with mild soapy water and a soft brush or sponge.
Copper
Real copper cookware (not just copper-colored pieces) can be very pricey, but it provides quick and even cooking, and cools down quickly, providing maximum control. Look for heavy-gauge copper (1⁄16- to 1⁄8-inch thick) for the longest wear.
Pros: Ideal for everything from high-heat searing, sautéing, and frying to gently simmering delicate sauces. Offers nice kitchen-to-table presentation. Heavy models with iron or brass handles are safe for oven use.
Cons: They’re pricey and can dent easily. Copper is a reactive metal, but today’s pans are usually lined with a nonreactive metal, such as tin or stainless steel, making them safe to cook with. They’re usually not compatible with induction cooktops. The outside of a copper pan can take on a patina over time, and if you want to remove it, you’ll need a copper cleaner. Hand-wash only.
Woks
These pans are designed so you can toss and cook meat and veggies quickly on high heat. You can find woks made of cast iron or with a nonstick coating (which isn’t particularly suitable for high heat), but some cooks prefer carbon steel, which is lighter in weight and conducts heat well. If you love Asian cuisine, consider adding a wok to your collection. “Confessions of a First-Time Wok Buyer” will help you choose the right one.
Pros: With its high sides, a wok holds more than a skillet, and you can move the food around faster without it spilling over the sides. You can use a wok on any type of stove, and flat-bottom woks designed for residential ranges can give you good results.
Cons: Home ranges and cooktops can’t approach the level of heat at your local Chinese restaurant, where the cooks can dial up the temperature much higher. And like carbon-steel frying pans, carbon-steel woks can be a bit tricky to clean until they develop a patina from frequent use and occasional seasoning.
If you plan to do a lot of high-heat cooking, such as stir-frying, you’ll want to make sure you have a good range hood, too.
Cookware Brands to Know
Much of the cookware industry consists of large corporations that manufacture cookware sold under several brand names. For example, Meyer manufactures Anolon, Circulon, Farberware, and Rachael Ray cookware. Global Home Product brands Mirro, Regal, and WearEver were acquired by Groupe SEB, which also includes All-Clad and T-Fal. Plus, there are new and trendy names on the market. Use these profiles to compare cookware by brand.
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