The 5 Best Cookware Sets for Your Kitchen

Cookware sets come with the essential pots and pans you need to make meals in your kitchen. These sets typically include a few different sizes of frying pans, and some cooking pots. Often, the pots and pans all come with lids. Cookware sets are designed to be durable, so they will last for years to come. You can purchase cookware sets made from a variety of materials. Nonstick, stainless steel and cast iron are all popular choices. If you're ready to stock your kitchen with essentials, here are five of the best cookware sets on the market. These are all perfect for beginning or experienced cooks alike.

T-fal C530SC Signature Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Cookware Set, Nonstick Pots and Pans Set, Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator, 12 Piece

High Quality Nonstick Pots and Pans

If you hate scraping dried food out of your pans, you need a nonstick cookware set like this one.

Best Overall

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This cookware set includes all the kitchen essentials you need to get started cooking. This set includes two frying pans (7.75 inch and 11 inch), two sauce pans with lids (1 quart and 2 quart), a 5.5 quart dutch oven with a lid, and a 10.25 inch griddle. In addition to pots and pans, you also receive three different kitchen utensils, a spoon, ladle, and slotted spatula. Each of the pots and pans are designed to distribute heat evenly, and keep food from sticking. There’s a special thermo spot indicator so you know when your cookware is ready to use. The handles are comfortable to hold, and are coated so they won’t get hot. The lids are tempered glass so you can keep an eye on your meal while it simmers. You can even use these pans in a conventional oven, at temperatures up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Everything is dishwasher safe, to make cleaning up even simpler.

Pros

Nonstick pans
Great variety of cookware essentials
Thermo spot indicator tells you when the pan is hot

Cons

The pans aren’t big enough to cook food for larger families

Cook N Home 15-Piece Nonstick Stay Cool Handle Cookware Set

Everything You Need

Need to stock your cookware from scratch? This set has all the basics and more.

Most Complete Set

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If you’re looking for a complete cookware set that’ll give you almost everything you need in your kitchen, check out this set. You will get six different pots and pans, and five nylon utensils. The set includes two saucepans with lids (one and two quarts), a 3-quart casserole pan with a lid, a 5-quart Dutch oven with a lid, and two frying pans (8-inch and 10-inch). You also get a spatula, slotted spoon, spoon, ladle and a pasta fork. The thick gauge aluminum of the pots and pans ensures your food will heat evenly, without hot spots. The nonstick coating helps make cleanup easy, since you won’t have to sit and scrub stuck on food. You’ll be able to easily control the steam with the steam vents on the tempered glass lids.

Pros

Complete starter set
Nonstick for easy cleanup
Steam vents on the lids

Cons

The bottom of the pans can scratch the inside of another one if you stack them

Duxtop SSIB-17 Professional 17 Pieces Stainless Steel Induction Cookware Set, Impact-bonded Technology

Induction Friendly Cookware

Not all pans work for induction cooking. But, this cookware set does.

Best for Induction Burner

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Induction burners produce a magnetic field when they’re running, so you need special pots and pans to use on them. All of your cookware needs to contain a ferrous metal for induction cooking. That’s why stainless steel is a great choice. This set contains everything you need to get started cooking on your induction burner. The impact-bonded technology ensures a complete attachment to of the cooking base to the base of the pan. If you don’t have an induction burner, don’t worry. The pots and pans also work on conventional stovetops. The set includes 8-inch and 9-inch frying pans, 1.6-quart and 2.5-quart saucepans with lids, an 8.6-quart stock pot with a lid, a 4.2-quart casserole pan with a lid, a 5.5-quart saute pan with a helper and a lid, a 9.5-inch pasta basket and steam basket, and three kitchen tools. The handles are all comfortable, and have an anti-slippery finish to ensure a tight grip. You can put these pans in the oven, at temperatures up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. You can wash the pots and pans in the dishwasher for easy cleanup.

Pros

Induction friendly
Versatile set with steamer basket and other extras
Durable construction

Cons

Need to season the pans to prevent food from sticking

AmazonBasics 8-Piece Non-Stick Kitchen Cookware Set, Pots and Pans

BPA Free Non-Stick Coating

A budget friendly cookware set option to get your kitchen stocked without breaking the bank.

Best on a Budget

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Do you want to pick up some pots and pans without investing a lot of money? This starter set will give you all of the essentials. You get two frying pans (8-inch and 10-inch), two sauce pans (1.5-quart and 2-quart) and a 3-quart casserole pan. The sauce pans and casserole pan all come with vented glass lids. The spiral bottom on these pans helps ensure your food heats evenly. They’re perfect for gas, electric, and glass stovetops. The handles are comfortable to grasp, and they stay cool during the cooking process. The nonstick coating keeps food from adhering to the pan, and helps everything slide off easily. You will need to wash these pots and pans by hand, as they aren’t dishwasher safe.

Pros

Lower price point
Great variety of pots and pans
Vented glass lids so you can keep an eye on your food

Cons

Not dishwasher safe

GreenLife Soft Grip 16pc Ceramic Non-Stick Cookware Set

Beautiful Ceramic Cookware Set

Some cooks prefer to avoid Teflon pans. If you're looking for another option, give ceramic a try.

Best Ceramic Set

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Do you want to make sure no toxic chemicals leak out of the Teflon in your pots and pans? This cookware set is made from Thermolon ceramic, which is non-stick. It’s PFOA, PFAS, lead, and cadmium free. The bodies of the pans are reinforced with aluminum, which helps ensure better heat conduction. When you use these pans, the handles stay cool to the touch. They’re ergonomically designed for comfort. This set includes sixteen pieces. You get three frying pans (a mini 4-inch, a 7-inch, and a 9.5-inch), two covered saucepans (1-quart and 2-quart), a covered stockpot (5-quart), a covered saute pan (2.5-quart), a stainless steel steamer (7-inch), and four essential utensils. These pans are dishwasher safe, though for best results it’s recommended to hand wash them.

Pros

Beautiful color options
Stay cool handles
No Teflon coating

Cons

A little delicate, need to be handled gently to avoid chips

Frequently Asked Questions

Do the lids fit on the frying pans?

Most frying pans don’t come with lids. However, in many cookware sets, the lids from the saucepans will also fit the frying pans. This is helpful to avoid splattering food when you’re cooking. When you get your set, try setting one of the lids on a frying pan to see if it will work. You want to ensure it fits well, so you don’t have any gaps around the edges.

How do you season a pan?

Some pans (such as ceramic, cast iron, and stainless steel) need to be seasoned to help keep food from sticking. You will want to follow the specific directions that come with your cookware if possible. But, here is an overview of the process. Start with a clean pan that has been completely dried. Now, preheat the pan on medium-high heat. Next, add a small amount of oil to the pan, and carefully tilt it to help the oil cover the entire surface. Use a paper towel carefully to spread it around even more. Then, keep the pan heating until the oil starts to smoke. Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool. Then, use a paper towel to wipe out any leftover oil.

What does a non-stick coating do for a pan?

When you purchase a non-stick pan, it typically has been coated with a special material. This material keeps food from sticking to the pan. Unlike other pans, you don’t need to use oil when cooking. It’s a good option for low-fat cooking. However, the non-stick coating can be scratched if you use metal utensils. So always make sure you follow the directions that came with your cookware set, and use nylon or wood utensils to keep it intact.