The 5 Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets To Level Up Your Kitchen

Forbes

26-03-2025

If you're looking to invest in a single cookware collection to cover the majority of your at-home cooking needs, stainless steel is a top choice. Beloved by home cooks and professional chefs alike, the material is known for its durability, versatility and even heat distribution, with the best stainless steel cookware sets providing the most essential pots and pans to any kitchen. Our favorite collection overall is the All-Clad D3 Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set for its premium construction, precise temperature control and ease of use, though we also like ones from Cuisinart, Hestan, Made In and Tramontina.
All-Clad's D3 Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set is the best collection we've tested.
Though other types of cookware have their place, stainless steel combines many of their best qualities into one. Compared to cast iron, it's lighter and lower maintenance but still capable of retaining high heat to achieve the perfect sear. When heated adequately and coated with oil (or another fat), its surface becomes almost as slick as that of a ceramic or nonstick pan—and you don't have to worry about the coating chipping off or wearing down after a few years. Its performance is simply superior, and it comes with easy maintenance and a straightforward cleaning process to boot. From a small hybrid set that includes a nonstick pan to a professional-grade collection for serious home cooks, here are the best stainless steel cookware sets to level up your kitchen.
Amazon
Included pieces: 8- and 10-inch frying pans, 2-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart sauté pan with lid, 3-quart soup pot with lid, 8-quart stockpot with lid | Material: 3-ply clad stainless steel | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe, hand-wash recommended | Oven safe: Up to 600 degrees
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Founded in Pennsylvania in the early 1970s, All-Clad is one of the most trusted brands in the stainless steel cookware space, as its Pennsylvania-made pots and pans have proven their practicality and durability across countless households for decades. Out of all its collections, we always come back to the D3 Stainless Everyday Cookware Set, which we believe to be the best pick for most home cooks.
The set is composed of two fry pans, a lidded saucepan, a lidded sauté pan, a lidded soup pot and a lidded stockpot, all of which feature a 3-ply construction. In layman's terms, each piece is made up of three layers of bonded metal: stainless steel on the bottom, an aluminum core and another layer of stainless steel, which together help the pots and pans withstand and retain high heat so well. Over the years, we've had multiple people rigorously test this set—myself included—and we continue to be impressed by its performance. While I've used the various pots and pans to make red sauce, salt and pepper tofu and shrimp scampi, I most frequently use the set—specifically, the 8-inch fry pan—to make a crispy fried egg, which always releases with no stickage.
A perfect fried egg prepared in All-Clad's 8-inch fry pan.
To maneuver the pieces on the stove (or into the oven, where they can withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees), the set has riveted handles that don't get as hot as the interior, though you'll likely want to use a pot holder or oven mitt to protect your hands. And when it comes time to scrub stuck-on food from the cookware's surface, a gentle sponge and dish spray should do the trick. While the set is technically dishwasher safe, it's best to wash the pans by hand to maximize their lifespan. After all, a premium, well-cared-for stainless steel set can last decades.
Amazon
Included pieces: 8- and 10-inch frying pans, 1.5- and 3-quart saucepans with lids, 3.5-quart sauté pan with lid, 8-quart stockpot with lid | Material: Stainless steel | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe | Oven safe: Up to 500 degrees
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Whether you're a beginner home cook looking to upgrade your cookware collection or you simply want something more affordable, the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set is a reliable, under-$200 option that's highly recommended by kitchen-gear expert Sharon Franke.
This set comes with most of the same pots and pans as the All-Clad collection above, though the pots are a bit narrower and have shorter handles. Due to this design, the set is easier to store overall, but the handles are slightly less comfortable to hold (and they don't protect your hands from the heat). The main difference between this set and the All-Clad one has to do with the pieces' constructions. Whereas the latter are fully clad, the pots and pans in this collection have solid disk bottoms of encapsulated aluminum, which makes them less expensive to produce and not quite as effective at retaining heat. That said, disk bottoms often work better on electric and induction stovetops, as they 'ensure that a pot or pan is making good contact with the surface for efficient and even heating,' says Franke. The pieces in this set are also more conductive, which means techniques like searing and sautéing require more oversight to prevent burning—but if you're the type of person who hates how long it takes to boil water, you'll love this quality.
Amazon
Included pieces: 8.5- and 11-inch frying pans, 1.5- and 3-quart saucepans with lids, 3.5-quart sauté pan with lid, 8-quart stockpot with lid | Material: 3-ply clad stainless steel | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe | Oven safe: Up to 600 degrees
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At the opposite end of the price spectrum sits this professional-grade set from Hestan, which is backed by beautiful, high-quality construction and versatility. It's the 'very best,' says Franke, elaborating: 'It heats quickly and very evenly. And because the cooking surfaces are polished, they are stick-resistant.' The only drawback is its high price, though it's worth the investment for experienced home cooks who are confident cooking with stainless steel. (And remember, a good stainless steel set can last decades.)
Each of the pieces are handcrafted in Italy and feature a tri-ply construction, lending the pots and pans their durability, even heat distribution and ability to handle temperatures up to 600 degrees. It's also worth noting the two skillets in this set are 8.5 and 11 inches, which are larger than the ones included in most collections. Lastly, while we recommend hand-washing most types of cookware, Hestan insists that you can run these pots and pans through the dishwasher without concern, as the flared rims—which are conducive to mess-free pouring—are fully sealed to protect against corrosion like pitting.
Amazon
Included pieces: 8- and 10-inch frying pans; 6-quart lidded deep sauté pan; 1.5-, 2- and 3-quart lidded saucepans; 8-quart lidded stockpot | Material: 3-ply clad stainless steel | Cleaning: Dishwasher safe | Oven safe: Up to 500 degrees
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Another brand that's trusted in the stainless steel space is Tramontina, a family-owned company founded in Brazil over a century ago. In particular, Franke recommends the brand's 12-piece collection, which is ideal for those looking for an extra-large, versatile set that's not prohibitively expensive.
Featuring a 3-ply clad construction, this set comes with the same types of pots and pans as the other picks on this list, plus an additional midsize saucepan (and lid). The handles, meanwhile, are thicker, riveted and designed to stay cool, making them easy to grip. But for some, moving these pans from the stove to the oven—where they can withstand up to 500 degrees—might be a little trickier. Whereas the 8-inch skillet in All-Clad's set weighs 1.5 pounds, the one in this collection weighs 2.6 pounds—in other words, the pieces are heavy-duty. That said, they're not overly heavy, plus that thicker construction boosts their ability to retain heat.
Made In
Included pieces: 10-inch frying pan, 10-inch nonstick ceramic frying pan, 6-quart lidded deep sauté pan, 2-quart lidded saucepan, 8-quart lidded stockpot | Material: 5-ply clad stainless steel, nonstick ceramic coating | Cleaning: Hand-wash recommended (and hand-wash only for the ceramic pan) | Oven safe: Up to 800 degrees for the stainless steel pieces (and up to 550 degrees for the ceramic pan)
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As versatile as stainless steel is, there are some things the cookware material just doesn't excel at—for example, slow-cooking scrambled eggs without any stickage at all. For more delicate tasks, you'd likely be better off with a nonstick pan like the one Made In includes in this 6-piece collection, which is the best option for home cooks seeking a hybrid collection.
While all the other fully clad pieces on this list feature a 3-ply construction, Made In's stainless steel pots and pots—which are made in the USA and Italy—have a 5-ply construction, meaning they have two additional layers of metal. This construction means the pans are slower to heat and slightly heavier, making them a little more difficult to maneuver with one hand, but 5-ply pieces tend to heat more evenly. (The stainless pots and pans can also withstand extremely high temperatures—up to 800 degrees.) As mentioned above, this set also comes with a 10-inch stainless clad frying pan that's coated in the brand's proprietary nonstick ceramic coating, which can handle up to 550 degrees.
And if you're looking for an even more comprehensive set, Made In also sells a 13-piece version that includes more skillets and saucepans, as well two carbon steel pieces: a frying pan and a wok. (We've tested out the latter, which is ideal for sautéing meats and vegetables at high heat.)
The home and kitchen team is composed of adept writers, editors and product testers who know the ins and outs of all kinds of cookware—stainless steel included.
To compile this list of the best stainless steel cookware sets, we identified the most popular sets from trusted cookware brands, consulted a veritable kitchen-gear expert and considered a variety of factors.
A beautiful collection of stainless steel pots and pans can serve as the backbone of a cookware collection. Here's what to keep in mind as you shop.
Stainless steel cookware sets come in endless configurations, though we think 10-piece collections with a mix of pots and pans are best for most home kitchens. 'Every home should have 8-, 9- and 12- skillets, a 2-quart saucepan, a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven and an 8-quart stockpot," says Franke. Additionally, a 12-inch sauté pan—which is essentially a deep skillet that can hold around 5 quarts—"is another very useful pan for one-dish dinners,' Franke adds. Our favorite sets cover most of these bases, though it's worth noting you might also want to purchase a cast-iron skillet, nonstick pan or wok separately, depending on what you like to cook.
The construction of a stainless steel pot or pan not only affects its weight and durability, but also its ability to conduct, distribute and retain heat. Many high-quality pieces are fully clad, which means that multiple layers of metal have been bonded together. Most often, you'll see either 3-ply (stainless, aluminum, stainless) or 5-ply (alternating layers of stainless and aluminum—five in total).
The latter tends to be heavier and more expensive, as more metal is involved, which can aid in even heat distribution, though the pieces are typically slower to heat. Just know that 5-ply isn't always better than 3-ply: "In theory, it should give more even heating, but in practical tests, 5-ply pans do not always give better results than 3-ply,' says Franke.
When considering a set, you might also want to take note of the weight of each piece, which can affect maneuverability. Also look at the design of the handles. While many are marketed as being cool-touch, most still warm up slightly during use; additionally, longer handles are typically better than shorter ones at protecting your hands from the heat.
The larger the set, the more storage space you need—it's as simple as that. While most of the picks we recommend are composed of six to seven pots and pans, many come in smaller versions if you don't have a lot of space to spare (or if you simply don't need so many pieces). Also note that all the sets on this list can be hung by their handles, if you have a pegboard or pot rail.