8 of the Very Best Cookware Sets

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Material:Mixed |Number of pieces:15 |Types:Ceramic nonstick frying pan, stainless-clad frying pan (both 10”); 8” stainless clad frying pan, 3 qt. stainless clad saucier with lid; 2 qt. stainless clad saucepan with lid; 4 qt. stainless clad saucepan with lid; 8 qt. stainless clad stock pot with lid; 12” carbon steel frying pan, 13” carbon steel wok, 5.5-quart Dutch oven

This is the largest cookware set Made In offers, with the best mix of items. One important note before I dive into specifics: It says it’s a 13-piece collection, but it includes a bonus Dutch oven, so it actually adds up to 15 pieces total.

Though I don’t own every single item here (namely the carbon steel), I have accumulated many of them over time, including several stainless steel and nonstick pots and pans. So to start: the stainless steel is supremely durable (I would liken the sturdy feel to All-Clad, the industry leader in that material for decades). The pieces are smartly designed, with comfortable-to-grip handles that pop out at a balanced angle, nice slopes at the bottom, and tight-fitting lids. They heat evenly and clean up perfectly. I also want to give an individual shoutout to their stainless-steel stock pot, a workhorse piece that replaced my old and rusty cheap one that preceded it. The eight-quart is their middle size and the one that comes in the bundle (you can also find it in six and 12 if youbuy separately). It’s big enough to handle a generous portion of stock or broth and more than a pound of pasta if I’m cooking for a crowd, but not so big that it feels cumbersome or hard to store.

The ceramic nonstick skillet is fantastic, too — so much so that I named it our best overall pick in that specific roundup. I’ve been using mine for many months now, and it’s still in great shape. And the Dutch oven, a smaller size of which has been in my own rotation for even longer, is as well made as my Staub. And there’s a 12-inch carbon-steel frying pan and wok. Cookbook authorLesley Téllezowns those pieces and calls them really sturdy. Your pans get blazing hot, and it cooks super evenly,” she says. “You get the same high-heat conduction as you would with cast iron, but because it’s not as thick, you have more control.”

Finally, I’ll say it’s worth perusing the other sets on offer, too. There’sone that has about half the number of pots and pans, as well as others that are made up of a single material, like thisslightly smaller all stainless-steel set, and an even smallerall nonstick collection, which I detail right below.

Material:Ceramic nonstick |Number of pieces:Five |Types:10-inch frying pan; 2-quart saucepan with lid; 3-quart saucier with lid

Made In’s ceramic nonstick frying pan is the best I’ve ever used — not to mention the best-looking. I’ve had mine for over a year now, designated mostly for eggs, and it’s still working quite well. That’s pretty impressive, as no version of conventional nonstick pan is meant to last forever. I also own the two-quart saucepan, and I use it multiple days a week for rice because it produces no sticking and is so easy to clean up. And while I haven’t tried the larger saucier, I’m sure it’s just as reliable.

On the same page, you can also select a larger seven-piece set (where you’ll get an eight-quart stockpot and the saucepan is four quarts). To be honest, I think the stockpot is unnecessary in such a finish, and therefore, I wouldn’t go with this one. You’ll also find a skillet-only set with all three sizes: eight-inch, ten-inch, and 12-inch.

[Editor’s note: This five-piece set is currently out of stock, but you can sign up for restock notifications on the product pagehere. In the meantime, thethree-pieceandseven-piecesets are still in stock (and are 20 percent off).]

Material:Cast iron |Number of pieces:Five |Types:10.5” round griddle, 8” skillet, 10.25” skillet, 5 qt. Dutch oven, one interchangeable lid

For a very reasonable price, this set from Lodge will get you two different-sized skillets, a flat circular griddle,anda Dutch oven. As I explained when I namedLodge’s skilletthe best overall in a more general roundup, cast iron can pretty much do it all: get really hot and retain that heat, and hold a nonstick surface if seasoned properly. You can sear, sauté, braise, fry, and bake with it. I turn to my Lodge skillet on a weekly basis (it lives on my stovetop) and Strategist senior writer Liza Corsillo has been using her collection (she has three different sizes) forover a decade— and even uses the backside of her 12-inch as a flat surface for making pizza because it gets hot enough to achieve a crisp crust (though I do think the dedicated griddle would be even better for the task if you go with this full set). She says she loves that the material is so durable she never has to worry about messing it up. Strategist deals editorSam Dalyhas owned one for three years, too, and says she especially loves that it can go in the oven, key for getting a really good crisp on roasted vegetables. She also says that caring for the pan is easier than she expected: She simply washes it with a bit of soap, completely dries it over the stove, and then dabs some neutral oil on it. (I’ve been using this exact same process on my Lodge for years, too, and it’s in great shape.)

The Dutch oven is good for things with more volume like soups, stews, and pastas. And Georgia Macon, executive pastry chef of Portland, Maine’sTwelveuses asimilarly shaped vesselin the exact same material from Lodge for baking bread. “It’s not enameled so it lasts even longer,” she says. “And it doesn’t chip ever.” As for the griddle, there’s nothing better for making pancakes, eggs, and bacon.

Material:Cast iron |Number of pieces:Five |Types:9” skillet, 1.75 qt. saucepan with lid, 5.5 qt. round Dutch oven with lid

If you want to get a bit fancier, Le Creuset makes an enameled cast-iron set. The material has all the heat retention ofcast iron, but a smooth surface that doesn’t require seasoning to maintain its nonstick quality. Recipe developer and cookbook authorJessie Sheehanand cookbook authorErin Gleesonsay this is a long-term investment of pieces that will never need to be replaced.

The collection includes a smallsaucepanand a skillet, the latter of which I’ve owned for several years. It’s one of my most-used pieces that lives on the stove, and I turn to it regularly to fry slices of bread in olive oil, quickly toast nuts when I don’t feel like turning on my oven, make baked eggs, crisp up chicken thighs, and more. The enamel coating works as well as the day I got it, and though the handle and outside color shows some discoloration, that’s just the look of a well-worn pan, inevitable with time and unaffecting of performance.

The set also includesLe Creuset’s signatureDutch oven, a workhorse of a pot that many experts love. Sheehan uses hers all the time, including for foods like bacon or hamburgers that tend to splatter (the high sides keep grease contained). Recipe developer and cookbook authorAlexis deBoschneksays it “cooks really evenly across the board, whether on the stove, in the oven, or even in a smoker.” She appreciates the tight-fitting lid and the fact that “the nonstick quality has lasted,” she says.

Material:Stainless steel |Number of pieces:Eight |Types:12” fry pan with lid, 1.5 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 qt. sauté pan with lid

If you’re looking to invest in new stainless steel, All-Clad is as classic as it gets — the industry standard used in the majority of restaurant kitchens. I own its fry and saucepan and love them both. The pieces are rigorously built, which you can tell from details like the tight-fitting lids, the securely hinged handles, and the elegant slopes of the sides. They’re all made with an aluminum core sandwiched between stainless steel, so they heat supremely evenly.

Joy the Bakercreator Joy Wilson says the skillets “give food great color and even caramelization and still deglaze perfectly, without any gunk sticking to the bottom.” And beyond great performance, food writer and editorMatt Rodbardlikes having what he calls an “iconic piece of culinary gear” in his house. “If you look through most cookbooks in the last 20 years, you’ll spot the handle,” he says. Both experts note how well All-Clad cleans up, too. I wash by hand most of the time, though sticking stainless steel in the dishwasher doesn’t hurt it. And when discoloration happens, all three of us turn toBar Keepers Friend, which leaves the material sparkling.

Material:Stainless steel |Number of pieces:Seven |Types:10” fry pan, 1.5 qt. saucepan with lid, 3 qt. saucepan with lid, 8 qt. stock pot with lid

I just recently started using Cuisinart’s MultiCladfry panand smaller saucepan, which are part of this set. I was instantly — and have been consistently — impressed. For less than half the price of the very similar All-Clad collection above, the performance is fantastic. Both have the same makeup: stainless steel sandwiched around an aluminum core, which heats supremely evenly. The pieces feel well-built with sturdy handles and tight-fitting lids. They’re durable, and they clean up beautifully, too — so much so that senior editorHilary Reid, who also owns some of these pots and pans, says hers look as good as new after five years of use.

Material:Copper |Number of pieces:Seven |Types:10” fry pan, 2 qt. saucepan with lid, 3.5 qt. sauté pan with lid, 6.5 qt. sauté pan with lid

Copper pots and pans are always expensive, so if you’re going to splurge, industry-favorite Mauviel is the way to go. Daniel Cutler, co-owner and chef ofRonanin Los Angeles, received his set as a wedding gift, but “if I had unlimited money, I would only use these pans,” he says. That’s because copper conducts and retains heat, and cools down quickly; it’s the same principle as stainless steel, but even more exacting. And if you take good care of your pieces, they’ll last a lifetime (and then some)— keep them sparkling by polishing them withBar Keepers Friend, or let them develop a natural patina over time, as Cutler does. If you follow his lead, though, you need to “wash with hot soapy water and an abrasive sponge” as soon as you’re done cooking so food doesn’t stick.

Material:Carbon Steel |Number of pieces:Two |Types:Rectangular griddle, press

This set is a bit different from the collections of pots and pans above, but I find it to be an incredibly useful pair for maximizing surface area. A large flattop like this gives me more usable space than a skillet, while the accompanying press has matching right angles so I can smash and sear all the way to the edges — not possible in a round pan.

Not only can I fit more, laying bacon down from corner to corner and frying up to four pieces of toast or sandwiches at a time (even my ten-inch cast iron only fits two comfortably), but the sides are slightly raised so no grease ever floods onto the stove. The carbon-steel material is an excellent heat conductor that maintains high temperatures but is a bit more responsive to changes than cast iron (which takesagesto cool down), and lighter to boot.