Now when you add cold food to this hot pan, the food saps energy from the pan. If, on the other hand, your pan is able to retain lots of energy (it has a high specific heat and a high mass), the temperature will remain high enough to sear. A more affordable option, this tramontina pans comes with large-sized pots and pans, perfect for when you need to feed a crowd. We especially like the flared edge for pouring and the riveted cast handles for holding. A core of heavy-gauge aluminum makes this cookware ideal for all stoves except induction burners.
The pros we talked to said the All-Clad tri-ply cookware is the best for both professional and home use because it’s so durable. In our tests, the All-Clad pans heated evenly, were comfortable to hold, and tackled every cooking job without any hiccups. Though the largest skillet measures only 10 inches instead of 12, this set will outfit your kitchen with all the other pots and pans you’re ever likely to need. And if you’re partial to keeping your cookware bright and shiny, note that in our tests this set was one of the few that looked like new when we cleaned it—even after years of testing.
Tramontina has been making home cookware products since 1911 and is a well known Brazilian brand, but you might not have heard of them if you’ve been sticking with the usual from the department store. Fortunately, both pans meet all five of these quality standards. I’ve used my All-Clad intensely for around eight years, and my Tramontina set even more intensely for the last year. Performance-wise, the Tramontina pan performed fairly identically to the All-Clad in our head-to-head tests. However, if price isn’t a barrier, you’ll certainly be happy with an All-Clad stainless-steel skillet. Item prices do not include fees for pickup, shipping or delivery (if applicable) unless noted in the item description.
We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. Michael Sullivan has been a staff writer on the kitchen team at Wirecutter since 2016. Previously, he was an editor at the International Culinary Center in New York.
Lids should fit well but somewhat loosely, with just enough wiggle room to allow steam to escape. Many, but not all, Tramontina cookware products are dishwasher safe and sourced from FDA approved materials. This deep cast iron skillet has a pouring spout, but you’re going to need both hands and strong focus because this pan is heavy at 12.58 lbs. The set is oven safe up to 350, but it isn’t designed for baking. Whether you want to steam, stir-fry, sauté, simmer, boil, brown, or sear, the Tramontina Tri-ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set has the pots and pans you would need.
The porcelain enamel exterior (in gray, red, naval, or sage) is functional and stylish. The smooth surface stayed unscratched after a couple of weeks of use and travel, especially since I avoided sliding the pans over my gas cooktop’s grates. The Tramontina Nesting Cookware Set pulls together a full range of pots and pans that fit like Russian dolls, one inside the other. It immediately caught my eye with its sleek, colorful pans and innovative single-stack design.