The set received one of the highest ratings overall and was one our testers wanted for their own kitchens. This Rachael Ray set performed well during testing, with testers noting that it cooked evenly and was easy to clean. Testers cuisinart soup maker didn’t love the blue silicone handle as well and preferred a set to have more than one skillet. They did appreciate the 1-quart saucepan, however, and felt that it was a good set for someone who just needs the cooking basics.
Plus, all pieces are oven-safe up to 500ºF, and they’re dishwasher safe. Given that this is a Thai food website, it’s always important to tie in the suitability of any products I review for cooking Thai recipes. The Cuisinart set is more of an all-rounder suitable for a broad range of recipes from several cuisines. ✓ Triple-ply construction leads to incredible durability; with good care, these pots and pans could last a lifetime.
Each saucepan features convenient measurement markings for ease of use. Cooking never feels like a chore with our easy-to-use and clean cookware sets. Whether you’re moving into your first home or simply looking to refresh your set of pots and pans, we have everything you need to complete your collection. Whether you’re moving into a new home or just tapping into your cooking skills, this 10-piece Calphalon set is the best stainless steel cookware set you should consider. Testers appreciated the set’s price point and liked that it offers even cooking and an easy clean-up. The quality construction, durability and longevity make this set—and all stainless steel sets, for that matter—a worthwhile investment.
Given that the recipe results we found with this cookware set were almost on par with the high-end brand that experts love, we love to recommend it for home cooks on a budget. It is, admittedly, slightly taller and narrower than other sets, and this feature is noticeable when you place the pot on a large burner. That said, I found there was still enough surface area at the bottom of the pot to make an excellent fond on the marinara, which is the true test of a good pot. If you have a large kitchen stove or want to batch-cook often, you may want just a hair more room.
After heating up one of the pans, testers cooked up several scallops and found they did not stick, had clean flipping, and were easy to remove from the pan. For the stockpot, I made marinara sauce with two 28-ounce cans of peeled tomatoes, onion and garlic to test both capacity and flavor. In the medium saucepan, I made long grain white rice to ensure it didn’t stick or clump, yielding separated cooked grains. To test the smaller saucepan’s ability to heat and cool, I reheated two portions of the marinara and made hard-boiled eggs to look for thoroughly cooked yellow yolks.
Each piece neatly nests together for easy storage and the lid organizer keeps all of the lids handy. Anyone investing in a full cookware set will want to know that the pans they’re purchasing cover all of their culinary needs—but this is particularly important to those on a budget. In other words, most cooks wouldn’t want to have to purchase additional pieces.
I have 15 years of experience in catering and creating custom cakes and desserts as a professionally trained baker. I graduated from the Institute of Culinary Education, and I have my master’s degree in food studies from New York University. In fact, Cuisinart is one of the most reputable brands for cookware in the cuisinart pots and pans set world. It’s difficult to overstate the importance of the contribution made to American cooking by Cuisinart founder, Carl G. Sontheimer, who passed away in 1998. However, my grandmother used to always say, “if you buy cheap, you buy twice,” and I tend to follow that mantra when it comes to cooking appliances.
Stainless steel pots and pans are a fantastic addition to your kitchen, whether you’re just starting to build out your kitchen, or upgrading to a gorgeous new set. In addition to having a gleaming finish, stainless steel cookware sets are highly durable and can last a long time with the right care. When you set out on a cookware set shopping expedition, it’s all but expected that you’ll be looking at higher price tags. That was certainly the case with most of the pan sets we tested in our larger review of stainless steel cookware. After all, finding an entire family of high-quality pots and pans without shelling out top dollar can be tricky indeed. That said, it’s not impossible—a fact we happily confirmed when we got our hands on Cuisinart’s Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Set.
Soaking them in hot water is essential to remove food stuck to the bottom. ❌ The tapered rims can be quite sharp so you have to be careful when handling the pots and pans. To make this list, she considered insights from product testers who rated each product based on design, durability, heating capabilities, and ease of cleaning. She also consulted Jason Santos, a chef, Will Gilson, chef and co-owner of Puritan & Company, and Mary Rodgers, head of marketing communications at Cuisinart. This set from Le Creuset performed well during testing but testers felt the price point was a bit too steep in comparison to other similar styles. Testers noted that it cooked scallops well and clean up was about average, though some scrubbing was required.