A quality set of pots and pans is one of the best kitchen investments you can make. There are many different options on the market, from small sets of two to five pieces to larger ones with up to 13 pans and lids. Often, these are designed with various materials in mind — such as stainless steel, nonstick, carbon steel, and copper, among others. Some are compatible with multiple stovetops, too.
In our tests, we’ve seen Hestan cookware stand out from the crowd because of its superior craftsmanship and features that make it a chef-grade option. The Hestan ProBond Stainless Steel 10-Piece Set, for example, performs well across a range of tasks and has all the essentials you need to cook great meals at home. Its heavy-gauge aluminum base transfers heat evenly so that you don’t encounter hot spots, and it comes with a tight-fitting lid that keeps moisture in when cooking rice or sauteing veggies. It even made Jenny’s seared T-bone steak come out with a beautiful sear.
Other cookware sets that have impressed us include the All-Clad D3 Stainless Steel 7-Piece Cookware Set, which is built with premium materials and handles that stay cool. It also performed well in our test, demonstrating that its three layers of high-performance stainless steel conduct and retain heat well and that it’s durable enough to last for decades (but don’t put it in the oven). It’s a bit more expensive than some other options on the market but its build is superior and worth the investment.