The Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets for Your Kitchen

Our Favorite

Cookware sets typically include all the pieces needed to accomplish 90 percent of stovetop tasks. There is admittedly a slight learning curve to cooking with stainless steel cookware, and beginners may also want to consider carbon steel pans, as many have nonstick properties and are easy to clean. The Tramontina Gourmet 12-Piece Try-Ply Clad Cookware Set stood out for including ergonomic pans that felt sturdy and well built, thus earning the title of Best Overall. For everything you need at an excellent price point, including a handy steamer insert, the Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set stood out as the best choice for value.

Factors to Consider

Price

The price of a cookware set can determine your choice, though it doesn't always correlate with quality. Sets can range from inexpensive to investments. If you are on a budget, buy the best set you can afford. Variations on the more affordable end will have more to do with features like heavier or more durable pots, thick bottoms to help with heat conductivity, or better lids. Once you hit the upper third of the price scale, increases in pricing often correlate with luxury brand recognition or additional specialty pieces to the standard set. A good set of stainless steel cookware, properly maintained, can last a lifetime of constant use. It is generally worthwhile to make an initial investment rather than purchasing cheap versions that will likely need to be replaced.

Piece Count

Lids count as pieces, so an 11-piece set is not eleven pots and pans. Any basic set to get you started should include a stockpot, a large saucepan, a small saucepan, a skillet, and the proper sizes of lids to cover all or most of them. You may not need more, especially if you do not cook a lot or do not cook for a crowd. Think about the pieces included in a set you are considering, and ask yourself if they are all pieces you will use regularly. Sometimes, it is more cost-effective to buy a basic set and then fill it in with some individually purchased pieces tailored to your cooking.

Heat Conductivity

The best stainless cookware will have a thick bottom, often sandwiched with layers of copper or other materials that are good conductors of heat. This helps keep the heat even and consistent during cooking and helps to prevent hot spots or areas that are prone to burning. If the pans are a single thickness on the sides and bottom, you will encounter issues with food sticking and burning.

Storage

Pots and pans are some of the bulkiest items in your kitchen, and large sets of cookware can become overwhelming, especially in small apartments or an older home with limited cabinet space. If storage is an issue, look for cookware that is designed to stack or nest neatly inside itself, with consistent sizes so that lids can be shared between multiple pieces, as well as sets with removable handles.

The Tests

Our testers evaluated 28 sets of stainless steel cookware based on factors like heating capability, durability, and ease of cleaning. Their tests included searing scallops on the stove and baking frittatas in the oven, noting handle heat, sticking, and cleaning. To test cookware for durability, they plunged hot pans into ice water to look for warping and signs of distress. In addition to the quality of the cookware, testers also rated sets based on the pieces included in each as well the pots and pans would equip home cooks for several tasks.

What Didn't Make the List

Le Creuset Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set 10-Piece Set

This set performed generally well, producing beautifully seared scallops in tests. Cleaning it did require some elbow grease. Ultimately, we didn't include this set because it was not comprehensive (more skillet sizes would be appreciated) and the price point was steep for a smaller set.

Made In Starter Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Our testers remarked on the bend in the handle of the pan in this sturdy set, which helped the pan feel "really balanced and easy to hold." However, the set did not feel comprehensive and was notably difficult to clean after searing scallops.

Great Jones Family Style

This attractive set includes a gorgeous Dutch oven, and it cooked items evenly and well. It didn't make the list since it's a small set – you'd need to purchase a few more pieces – and it was not fingerprint proof.

Sardel Full Set

This is a 12-piece set with well-fitted lids for each of its pots and pans. There was moderate discoloration on the pans after removing them from the oven as well as wiggling of the handle, which shouldn't happen at this price point. Otherwise, the pans had a high-quality feel and were easy to clean.

Misen Stainless Steel 12-Piece Set

This set scored high marks for being able to withstand high heat and being easy to clean. It comes with almost more pieces than one might need, and it maintained a very even heat through the cooking process. Yet, handles conducted and maintained heat longer than others on this list and an entire pan changed color to almost a copper hue.

Cuisinart French Classic Tri-Ply Stainless-Steel 10-Piece Set

There was a very noticeable hot spot on a pan that could easily overcook food. Plunging the pan into ice water after being heated, the handle did wiggle, though overall there was no warping.

Calphalon Premier Stainless Steel Pots and Pans 11-Piece

These pans felt comfortable in the hand and had a nice weight to them, but they exhibited uneven heating while cooking as well as some discoloring after heating, which is not ideal for a set of this price point. Our testers also experienced some difficulty cleaning after searing some foods.

Food52 Essential Cookware Set

This impressively comprehensive set has everything you need to outfit a kitchen. There were some minor issues our testers took with how the pans performed: the heat was uneven during cooking processes and the handles were uncomfortable to maneuver.

Williams Sonoma Signature Thermo-Clad Stainless-Steel 10-Piece

This set contains generously sized pots and pans, ideal for a larger household or even a restaurant. We didn't include this set in our list because of the degree to which food stuck when searing scallops and flipping an omelet.

Pro Panel Q+A

Q: Can you use metal utensils on stainless steel cookware?

A: The restaurant chef's answer to this question is yes, as metal tongs are typically used on the line. In a restaurant kitchen, you tend to expect your pans to go through significant wear and tear. Metal utensils can scratch stainless steel cookware, so if you're looking to best preserve your stainless steel pans and avoid wear and tear, opt for wooden or silicone utensils at home.

Q: Can you use stainless steel cookware on induction cooktops?

A: Sometimes. Not all stainless steel pans will work on induction, only the ones that are made with magnetized iron or steel. It's easy to test if they are! Just stick a magnet to the bottom of the pot or pan. If it sticks, you're good to go. Stainless steel can be made with different metal compositions. Induction cooktops work by creating an electromagnetic field between their copper coils and the surface of your cookware. This magnetic field generates heat. If your cookware has a high nickel content, the nickel will block the magnetic field.

I frequently cook on induction for off-site catered events. I can't trust that pans provided at venues will work, so I always tote around the same Le Creuset Dutch Oven and Heritage Steel fry pans – their five-ply construction and heavy bottoms ensure evenly cooked foods, which I find especially important over induction burners, as they heat up very quickly. Cast iron will also work over induction.

Q: Is stainless steel cookware nonstick?

A: Yes and no. Food Consultant Jill Haas says it is all in the technique. "It can be relatively nonstick if used properly. Pans need to be preheated before adding food, and food can't be moved around until the food's surface has either undergone the Maillard reaction (browned) or proteins have coagulated. I feel this might be difficult for a novice or inexperienced cook. Thus, the need for non-stick cookware." A long-held belief is that for best results, heat the pan first, then add your fat, then your food. Looking for options that require less sticking? Peruse our picks for The 5 Best Nonstick Pans, According to Our Tests.

Q: Is stainless steel cookware safe?

A: "Stainless steel is the safest cookware available," says Shannon Sherwood, Senior Events Specialist at Michael's Catering in Chicago and a former cookware retailer. "There is no additional layer or coating, so there is nothing to chip, crack, hurt, or otherwise remove." Stainless steel does not absorb anything, does not react with anything, and is generally the most versatile cookware on the market. "Stainless steel is the surface of choice when it comes to food because it is non-porous. It is easy to clean and sanitize," says Public Health Officer Justin Herndon.

Q: How do you clean and care for stainless steel cookware?

A: As a large catering kitchen can go through as many pots and pans for one event as a small restaurant might in a week, Sherwood knows how to wash pots and pans effectively: "Non-abrasive sponge with Dawn for basic cleaning. For stuck-on food in stainless, use Bar Keepers Friend. There is nothing better," she says. Haas agrees: "Bar Keepers Friend is the best and is also good for scratched plates and 'milky' glassware."

Want the trick to keeping your stainless shiny? Buff the exterior of your pans in the direction of the steel with a small amount of olive oil and a soft cloth. They will shine like new! We also recommend Weiman's Stainless Steel Cleaner, which is equally effective on stainless steel appliances.

Our Expertise

Kiki Aranita is a food writer, chef, recipe developer, and sauce entrepreneur who owned and operated a food truck, restaurant, and catering business in Philadelphia before closing food service operations due to the pandemic. She has cooked over many different heat sources, from induction to commercial gas ranges to open fire (and purchased many types of pots and pans over the years to accommodate each surface). She regularly tests kitchen products for Food and Wine and has also done so for USA Today.