Finding the best cookware sets is important for any kitchen, no matter how often or how well you cook. Narrowing it down and finding the set that’s just right for you can be a tricky thing – but today I’d like to give you some tips and pointers to help you along the way.
The first thing you have to decide is what type of material you prefer in a cookware set. There are really just a few different options that you have to choose from including:
- Stainless Steel (18/10 stainless usually)
- Copper
- Non-Stick Teflon
- Copper Bottom
- Enamel
Which of these different materials you choose is wholly a matter of personal preference and style. Some people swear by stainless steel while other people can’t stand it because you have to cook at lower temperatures and they’re much harder to keep clean because you have to clean them by hand. Other people absolutely love nonstick options such as Teflon while others believe think that it’s not a pure form of cooking.
It all just depends on you! If you truly do a lot of cooking and are concerned about how the food will taste on a very miniscule level then stainless steel is probably what you’re looking for. On the other hand, if you only cook occasionally and aren’t really looking for a gourmet experience then a nonstick option is probably better for you.
What Pieces Should Your Cookware Set Contain?
That’s a tough question, but at the very least your set should contain:
- 8 inch skillet
- 10 inch skillet
- 1 1/2 quart covered saucepan
- 3 quart covered saucepan
- 3 1/2 quart saute pan
- 8 quart covered stockpot
And that’s really just the bare minimum in my book. A 12-piece set will contain 3 covered saucepans, 2 covered saucepots, 2 nonstick aluminum skillets, 3 nesting bowls, 1 nonstick cooking sheet, and 1 cake pan at the least.
Again, it’s a matter of how much cooking you plan on doing and what different pieces you’re going to need. My friend makes eggs for breakfast every morning and that’s about the only thing he knows how to cook, so for him more would be overkill and completely useless.
What Popular Brands Are Available?
Luckily when it comes to purchasing whole sets, you have a lot more options than you might think. There are a lot of very high quality popular companies out there that will steer you right every time. These include:
- Revere
- All Clad
- Cuisinart
- T-Fal
- KitchenAid
- Farberware
- Calphalon
- Circulon
- Martha Stewart
- Rachael Ray
- And Others…
Prices range anywhere from $70-$90, up to around $150-$180, and then over $200 or more depending on the number of pieces you wish to purchase in your set and the quality of the material that goes into making them. If you’ve got less money to spend, I suggest that you focus on Revere and their Revereware line of sets, and if you’ve got a little more money to spend then I suggest you focus on All Clad.
Both of those companies are highly rated and heavily reviewed. You’re always going to find a 4 or 5 out of 5 stars for either of them and you can find them in almost any department store or any kitchenware web site online.
I hope you now have a better idea of the Best Cookware Sets that are available today. I hesitate to suggest one single set and designated it as the best because everybody cooks differently and have different needs in the kitchen. The best thing to do is get a hold of a set in the store and just touch it. See how it feels in your hands, the set that’s right for you will feel right when you hold it. Trust that instinct and you have nothing to worry about.
