Knowing the landscape of the best cookware brands can be helpful because, let’s face it, the time has come to toss those pots, pans, knives, and skillets you’ve been using since your college days (it’s okay, we won’t tell anyone). Sure, they can get the job done, but are they really doing it that well? Lucky for us, cookware has come a long way in the past few years. In addition to big name brands ceaselessly creating reliable products, there are also a variety of dynamic start-ups making cookware cool and covetable again.
Using the best cookware you can afford makes all the difference when it comes to getting a crispier sear, more even high heat, fewer hot spots for even heating, and food that isn’t burned. Good sets of tools are the kind of thing we tend to take for granted when we have them, but one use of a meh cast-iron skillet or kitchen knife, and you’ll start to pay attention. Although there are a plethora of options, colors, and materials at your disposal, upgrading your cookware game in the kitchen doesn’t need to—and shouldn’t!—be an over-complicated or overwhelming endeavor, even if you’re not presiding over Eric Ripert’s latest test kitchen. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that the best cookware pieces are easy on the eyes, especially when storage space is limited, and your pots and pans take center stage in the kitchen. Here, we recommend some of the best cookware sets, highlight the best brands to know, and outline the quality cookware you can find at all price points.
Made In, another direct-to-consumer company, crafts pieces to last a lifetime, and they won’t set you back a pretty penny. The company focuses on sourcing materials from the best of the best: Their stainless steel pans are made in the U.S. and Italy, and their knives are forged at a fifth-generation family-run factory run France. Available either in kits or à la carte, Made In offers chef-trusted sauciers, stock pots, and pans that you’ll find in restaurant kitchens as often as you’ll find them in home kitchens. Plus, they launched tableware just last summer. This set includes a frying pan with a nonstick surface, a stainless-clad frying pan, a saucepan, and a stockpot. And although it’s called “The Starter Set,” one reviewer stated that using the pan made them feel like a “real chef.”
There’s a high chance that you’ve already seen the colorful Our Place cookware across your social feeds. The company—from Malala Fund cofounder Shiza Shahid—creates unique cookware rooted in the modern and multiethnic American kitchen. Among the dinnerware Our Place offers, you can find plates ($50 for a set of four), side bowls ($45 for a set of four), cups ($50 for a set of four), and the Always Pan ($145), which is a skillet, steamer, deep fryer, saucier, pot, and pan all in one. The nonstick cookware is nontoxic, and it has an aluminum body that makes for consistent heat distribution and efficient conductivity. Plus, the cookware comes in a variety of eye-catching colors—including blue salt, sage, and lavender—that transforms any item into a versatile piece of functional decor. Our Place invests in ethical factories that provide supportive environments and compensation to their teams so that the people who make the products have time, energy, and resources to connect with the people they love.
Material has a less-is-more philosophy when it comes to the kitchen and focuses on the essentials. The brand has identified and perfected the can’t-live-without-them tools that every home cook needs in their kitchen, and has focused all their efforts on getting them right. We especially love their cutting boards, made of recycled plastic, and The Trio of Knives, a versatile set that comes in a number of colors. It might be time to take a good, hard look at what’s hanging out next to your stove and give yourself a well-deserved upgrade. The copper cookware set consists of a sauce pot, sauté pan, and the coated pan—each made with a copper core as the name implies—for a discounted price. Even though the sauté pan and sauce pot just come in sleek silver, buyers can pick between a tan and deep green color for the coated pan.
Misen was born when cofounder Omar Rada set out to replace the one quality skillet he had in his arsenal after a friend lost it. The skillet had been a gift, and Omar was shocked by the sticker price, but he also had gotten accustomed to the benefits of cooking with it and was unwilling to downgrade. So he created Misen, applying the direct-to-consumer model and launching a line of high-quality skillets and pans that are obsessively engineered and designed with care. The release was an instant hit, so it followed up with a competitively priced chef’s knife (just $65!) that set Kickstarter ablaze with orders. Like Made In, Misen also has a five-ply steel Starter Cookware Set, which comes with a 10-inch pan, a sauté pan, and a saucier.
We were big fans of Great Jones when the modern cookware and bakeware brand launched in 2018 and that hasn’t changed. Great Jones is as Instagrammable as it is practical—its cheeky collaborations with Seth Rogen’s weed brand Houseplant, LA-based lifestyle brand Flamingo Estate, and chef Molly Baz all look fantastic in or out of the kitchen. The brand is probably best known for its colorful Dutch oven, which comes in shades like broccoli green and mustard yellow, and retails for $155. In enameled cast iron, the Dutch oven is super easy to clean, too, which makes the piece the hero product of the collection. Also check out the fully clad stainless steel Precious Metals set, an oven-friendly, induction-compatible, and dishwasher-safe group of four pieces that nest together and share two lids for efficient storage.
If you’re on the hunt for ceramic cookware that is free of toxic materials and full of color, Caraway is worth considering. The line is free of PTFEs and PFOAs—the chemicals found in traditional nonstick pans that have been linked to serious illnesses—and Caraway keeps things simple by offering just one set. The pieces are ceramic-coated (free of Teflon) and come in fun hues like perracotta (pink terracotta) and sage. The materials are also eco-friendly, as skillets with a ceramic coating release up to 60% less CO2 when produced compared to traditional nonstick coatings. Another bonus? Each piece of the nonstick cookware set has smart design elements that eliminate hot spots, resulting in excellent heat retention. Our favorite features: The handle does double duty as a spoon rest and the lids have a slim design for easy storage. The Cookware Set includes a fry pan, a 3-quart saucepan, a Dutch oven, and sauté pan, and is only $395.
The brand collaborated with Italian kitchen king Stanley Tucci—is there anything else you need to know? A co-sign and custom set designed by the Big Night star is enough for us to put our trust in Greenpan, but if you need more details, we’ve got them. The aluminum-core collection is made in Italy (where else?) and features plasma tech for durability, heavy-gauge 5mm construction, woven induction technology and excellent non-toxic ceramic nonstick. Move on from the aluminum collection and you’ll find a 3-ply stainless steel collection that will give All-Clad a run for its money. All of that is just the Tucci collection! Pick up anything from Greenpan and you’ll be equipped with some of the best overall cookware you can buy.
Milo is another cool cookware start-up known for its affordable Dutch ovens ($110 for a smaller version and $135 for a larger version) and skillet ($95). All of Milo’s products come in glossy enameled cast iron, which promises long-lasting heat (hello, brilliant braising) and easy-to-clean surfaces (it’s dishwasher safe!), and they all have a lifetime warranty. Plus, their productions can be used on gas or induction cooktops. There’s a range of colors you can choose from as well, like eucalyptus green and dijon yellow, which helps up the sophisticated look of each item. If you want to keep things simple, Milo is definitely one of the best cookware brands to consider—here for professional chefs and newcomers alike.
Cast-iron purists will be pleased to know that direct-to-consumer brand Field Company has taken on the traditional skillet, claiming to make a lighter and smoother-surfaced, hot-spot-free cast-iron pan designed for ultimate heat retention. Though they sell a few accessories like a seasoning oil and a leather handle cover, the brand recently expanded to include cookware sets, griddles, and a Dutch oven. Field Company’s goal is to develop high-performance products that can be passed on for generations.
San Francisco–based Proclamation Goods markets its cookware offering as the anti-set. The set includes a 12-inch coating-free skillet, offered in stainless steel or carbon, as well as a seven-quart stainless steel pot. The innovation lies in the hinge that locks the two pans together to form a Dutch oven, making it perfect for a cook working with limited space. The products come with a lifetime warranty, are dishwasher- and oven-safe, and the brand is part of the 1% for the Planet initiative.
Started in Pennsylvania more than 50 years ago, All-Clad cookware is a titan in the industry. While their stainless steel cookware sets are a great splurge on a handful of top picks, you can pick up nonstick skillets and nonstick fry pans perfect for fried eggs, enameled cast iron Dutch ovens ideal for your favorite beef stew or a roasting pan for Sunday’s roast chicken. The point is this: All-Clad cookware is popular for a reason, and that reason is how much of a reliable workhorse in the kitchen they are. The All-Clad D3 10-piece cookware set does come at a hefty price, but everything in it—including two different sized skillets, two different sized sauce pans, a sauté pan, and a stockpot—will help you level up from your sad cookware set from college, and keep you covered on the kitchen front for quite some time.
Le Creuset is another high end and recognizable brand name among connoisseurs in the kitchen and Gen Z alike, known for dependable products that always come in a variety of stunningly deep hues. The French brand has been in the market since 1925, and was one of the first companies to pioneer colorfully enameled cast iron (which can be bought in shades of blue and orange) that look just as good in the oven or on top of the stove as it does your table. But don’t let the pretty looks fool you—Le Creuset is still incredibly versatile and quality cookware, like this multipurpose saucepan with a lid that also functions as a skillet.
Having been in the business for over 120 years, Lodge is a staple in the cast-iron manufacturing game. With two different production foundries, Lodge is constantly manufacturing quality cookware items. One of the Tennessee-based company’s most popular and well-known products is, of course, its seasoned cast-iron skillet—which can be used for searing, sautéing, and any other cooking needs as soon as it comes out of the box—but Lodge boasts other items such as quality carbon steel cookware, a few enameled cast-iron items, and grilling tools. Their products can be purchased directly from the site or via other retailers like Williams Sonoma or Amazon. No matter where you buy Lodge cookware, though, you’re always getting great value.
Like All-Clad, Cuisinart is a cookware brand name you’ve likely seen in Walmart, on Wayfair, at Williams Sonoma, and in most kitchens. They make everything from carbon steel fry pans to cast-iron woks and high-speed blenders. They even make racks just for you to hang all your new cookware on. Available at countless retailers, they’re products are simple and sleek on the stovetop, but efficient when put to the test on any cooking surface. Select any of their skillets or fry pans (or any type of cookware), and you’re sure to be investing in a kitchen tool you’ll rely on for any manner of dishes.
Another testament to the fact that the French really know what they’re doing when it comes to cookware, Staub produces durable, hardy, and colorful enamel cast iron, much like Le Creuset. A tried-and-true brand that’s been around for 40 years, their items are oven- and dishwasher-safe (although hand washing is recommended), incredibly sturdy, and some have unique features to help improve your cooking. Their cherry cocotte is a cookware workhorse that is easily worth every penny. “Take care of it, and it will take care of you and all those short ribs you braise,” one reviewer promises.