Why We Love the Tramontina Fry Pan for 2024 Reviews by Wirecutter
This set includes the same basic pieces as in our All-Clad pick, but all in slightly different size. This may have been a one-off manufacturing error, but we’ll keep an eye on customer reviews to see if others experience a similar problem with the handle. All-Clad offers a wide range of cookware outside the main set, so you can grow your collection. In our cookware guides, we recommend Tramontina online discount store several other All-Clad pieces, including the 12-inch skillet, the 8- and 10-inch nonstick skillets, the 2-quart saucier, and the flared roaster. We also liked that the pieces in this set felt weighty; they seem durable enough to withstand the rigors of daily cooking. The handles on the stainless steel lids were big enough to grab onto, even when we used a side towel or pot holders.
But we’ve been disappointed to find more and more sets—including the All-Clad and Tramontina ones we recommend—moving toward offering only 8- and 10-inch skillets. This is partly what made us excited about our new budget pick, the Goldilocks set, which is one of the only sets we’ve seen lately that includes both 10- and 12-inch pans. Many sets also have 6-quart stockpots; these are too small for making large batches of stock (8-quart or larger stockpots are best for preparing stocks, and they provide ample room for boiling pasta). The main incentive for buying piece by piece is that most sets come with smaller pan sizes.
That means you may encounter similar inconsistencies with the rims on our upgrade pick, since it’s made from the same tri-ply cookware as the Everyday line. The different finishes on the rims are distinguishable when next to each other, but this is mainly an aesthetic issue and shouldn’t affect the way the pans perform. We’ll continue to monitor customer reviews to see if there’s an increase of complaints regarding the rims on either cookware line. For now, if you prefer skillets with rounded handles, we’d recommend getting the Tramontina set. All-Clad’s D3 Stainless Everyday 3-Ply Bonded Cookware (10 pc) is a tri-ply set similar to our All-Clad pick. The handles on these are slightly curved, which some may find more comfortable than the stick handles on our upgrade pick.
It’s difficult to get a sense of each set just by looking at pictures online. The pots and pans in the Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Tri-Ply Clad Cookware Set heat evenly and are a comfortable weight, so they didn’t feel as cumbersome to lift as some others we tried. We also found their rounded, ergonomically shaped handles comfortable to hold. We’ve been recommending a version of this set for two years, and we’re confident that this durable cookware set will last. A covered saucepan is one of those kitchen essentials that ends up being way more useful than you first anticipated.
This fully clad tri-ply set performed better than any other set we’ve tested under $250. We like that it includes larger skillets, but the pans are heavier and don’t have the proven longevity of our other picks. However, most of our testers found the stick handles on the skillets to be uncomfortably low, preferring the higher angle of the handles on our picks. That said, if you’re shorter, you may actually prefer the lower handle angle. We opted not to test the Five Two Essential Cookware 11-Piece Complete Set because it comes with glass lids, and the stockpot is only 6 quarts.
The 10-inch skillet still browned chicken the same as the older model, too. Additionally, we evaluated how easy the handles were to hold, especially when retrieving the pots and pans from a hot oven using a side towel or pot holders. We also took note of the individual weight and thickness of the pieces in each set. To test for dripping, we observed how easily we could pour liquids from each pot. By hand-washing the pots and pans, we got a sense of how easy they were to clean.
The pans come with a limited lifetime warranty that covers manufacturer defects. Should you experience any problems with this set, contact All-Clad for repairs or replacements. We dismissed sets with plastic handles, since even those made to withstand high temperatures can deteriorate over time. Ideally, we wanted cookware that could safely withstand oven temperatures of at least 500 degrees Fahrenheit; that ruled out most cookware with plastic components. Several members of our staff have also seen plastic handles crack after they spent time in the dishwasher.
Of course, burned-on oil or grease can be more challenging to remove with just regular dish soap or a run through the dishwasher. But applying Bar Keepers Friend or a slurry of baking soda and warm water with a nonabrasive sponge (and a little elbow grease) gets the job done. The All-Clad skillets discolored slightly over heat, though significantly less than almost any other cookware we tested. All told, I’ve spent more than 140 hours researching and testing cookware sets for this guide. And as a senior staff writer at Wirecutter, I have written reviews for all kinds of kitchen equipment.
In addition to your main set, you can always purchase other essential pieces, such as a Dutch oven, a cast-iron skillet, and a nonstick pan. Ultimately, those pieces won’t see much use and will only clutter up your kitchen. Our experts agreed that you’re better off getting a set with fewer, better-quality pieces that you’ll reach for again and again. A good quality cookware can provide better cooking results, durability and health benefits.
A sponge does a much better job of getting into a pan’s nooks and crannies (especially where the handle meets the pan or around rivets). For difficult-to-remove items like burnt-on oil or lime deposits, a sponge and some Bar Keepers Friend usually do the trick. In the Wirecutter test kitchen, to remove burnt-on oil or discoloration we often use a slurry of baking soda and warm water, along with a sponge and a little elbow grease. For other cleaning options, refer to our blog post and video on the subject. All-Clad used to label its D3 line as dishwasher-safe, but it no longer does, after settling a class action lawsuit brought by plaintiffs who alleged that their cookware was damaged in the dishwasher.