I’ve already discussed why I believe higher prices are often worth it. To elaborate on the sharpness of the tapered rims, it’s not like they’ll cut you like a cuisinart soup maker knife. But it’s worth being careful not to roughly scrape your skin against them. ✓ The brilliantly designed tapered rims give drip-free pouring from pots.
The strength of a given set’s surface adhesion is particularly apparent when making sauces like marinara, which becomes savory and flavorful when the adhesion is just right. Through every test we threw at it, the Cuisinart cuisinart pots and pans set Stainless-steel Cookware Set delivered. We were impressed by how roomy the sauté pan and stockpot were when it came to cooking for crowds, and the handles were comfortable to hold without getting too hot.
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 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.
Our testing team, led by our Kitchen & Cooking editor, who is also a professional chef, assessed this cookware set by putting each piece through a variety of tests. This versatile cookware set includes all of the home cooking staples—with some added bonuses. And while chef-approved brands like HexClad and Hestan may be fantastic, they come at high costs that can be unrealistic for the average home cook. Designed from the inside out for today’s lifestyles, our Non-Stick Hard Anodized Cookware combines uncompromising superior cooking performance with a professional look. Cuisinart Non-Stick Hard Anodized Cookware exterior is harder than stainless steel for durability and professional performance.
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.
However, it’s worth noting that they’re likely going to be a more expensive design. While cooking a frittata, the eggs took a bit of coaxing with the spatula to get them out of the pan without sticking. Overall, the handle stayed cool to the touch during the cooking process and there was no warping when the pan cooled off in the ice bath afterward. This caused the frittata to stick to the pan a bit while scallops quickly caramelized and left discoloration and marks on the pan. Testers found that they got similar results when they cooked a frittata as well, noting that there was little sticking and that the pan offers a nice, even sear. After cooking, they noted that the pans could be easily cleaner and had little discoloration.
I’ve checked out several cookware sets and I rarely see a manufacturer claim oven safety above 440 F. The Multiclad Pro set’s upper-temperature limit in the oven stretches a full 110 degrees higher than that, which is impressive. The construction is of an aluminum core bonded to a stainless steel interior and brushed with a stainless exterior. The result is a set of pans and pots that retain their new look while delivering excellent durability over repeated use.