Cookware Expert and User Reviews

Our AssessmentIn this review, editors compare seven 12-inch stainless-steel skillets with gently sloping sides. ConsumerSearch has a separate report on 12-inch skillets, but we included this review because all the cookware sets we've found include at least one skillet. Most of the pans have one or more layers of aluminum sandwiched between layers of stainless steel. Two less expensive pans have disk bottoms, which are aluminum plates attached to the bottom of a solid stainless-steel pan. Each pan is evaluated on several cooking tasks. Testers also melt lead solder in the pans to see how quickly they heat up. Hot skillets are plunged into ice water to see if they warp and banged against concrete to gauge durability. Testers prefer pans with at least 10 inches of cooking surface and low sides.

Our AssessmentIn this review, editors test eight saucepans made from fully clad stainless steel (i.e., stainless steel layered with more conductive metals like aluminum or copper). Each pan is used to saute onions, steam rice pilaf and prepare pastry cream. Price turns out to have no significant link to performance in these tasks; in fact, editors declare themselves "stunned" at how little difference there is among the pans in terms of performance. Their ratings ultimately rely on differences in weight and design. They name their trusty All-Clad saucepan as the top performer, but two other saucepans are recommended, including one that costs only $70.

Our AssessmentThe editors of ConsumerReports.org include test results for 35 sets of cookware, including 19 nonstick sets. This review covers more cookware sets than those at Cook's Illustrated magazine, but it offers fewer details about each set. Editors give each cookware set scores for cooking evenness, ease of cleaning and handle design. Nonstick sets are also evaluated on the durability of their nonstick coating. Editors cook pancakes to measure cooking evenness, and emphasis is placed on the handles, which get three separate scores for safety, comfort and sturdiness. All but six cookware sets are rated either "very good" or "excellent" on cooking performance, so the overall score reflects the handle and ease of cleaning. Ten nonstick and three uncoated cookware sets are recommended, while three sets receive bottom scores for ease of cleaning.

Our AssessmentEditors say 12 quarts is the most useful size for a stockpot and pick nine pots this size for their review. They boil water, cook 2 pounds of pasta, prepare 24 ears of corn and make double batches of beef chili in each pot. They also evaluate how easy each pot is to handle, wash and stow away. Overall, testers prefer wider pots to tall and narrow ones. They also like easy-to-grip handles (either flat or round and thick) that extend at least 1.75 inches from the sides. Inexpensive, lightweight pots do fine with corn and pasta, but pots with heavier bottoms are better for chili. Testers "highly recommended" one stockpot and two others are "recommended."

Our AssessmentA saute pan is basically a skillet with a lid and straight, rather than flared, sides. They're useful for braising and pan-frying. In this review, editors test nine saute pans with a variety of tasks ranging from pan-searing strip steaks to cooking crepes. After putting the saute pans through their paces, editors recommend two, including one budget model. Design features they prefer include a larger cooking surface (close to 10 inches), long metal handles that stay cool (plastic handles can't be put in the oven) and a helper handle on the opposite side for lifting.

Our AssessmentAfter testing 25 lines of nonstick cookware and 10 lines of traditional cookware, the editors of Good Housekeeping identify their top picks in this slideshow. Four lines of nonstick cookware and four lines of traditional cookware are recommended. The slideshow provides a brief summary of each brand's pros and cons, but cookware lines are not directly compared to each other. Also, no details are provided about testing procedures.

Our AssessmentMore than 50 cookware sets are sold through Macy's.com, but only a few have a significant number of reviews. We found the most reviews for Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless cookware, which is sold in three different sets. Together, they receive more than 200 user reviews with an average rating of about 4.5 stars out of 5. We also found about 100 reviews for All-Clad Stainless cookware, sold in four different sets. This brand receives nearly perfect average ratings -- about 4.9 stars out of 5.

Our AssessmentBuzzillions.com aggregates consumer reviews from a variety of commercial retail sites, including the previously mentioned Macy's and Cooking.com sites, as well as smaller retailers such as Cookware Essentials. Reviews vary in detail and specificity. Still, most of the top ranking cookware sets featured on this site include more than 60 user reviews and provide useful insight into the positives and drawbacks of a particular cookware set.

Our AssessmentThe way user reviews on this site are counted is somewhat confusing. For example, the main page lists cookware sets as having literally thousands of ratings, but clicking on the product shows that it has been rated fewer than 100 times "by customers who purchased this item." It is not clear where the other ratings come from. Also, many of the buyers who rate a product do not actually write reviews, and the reviews that are posted tend heavily toward the positive. Nonetheless, there are a few cookware sets here that get 100 user reviews or more. As at Amazon.com, you can find more reviews for individual pieces of cookware rather than sets.

Our AssessmentWriter Melissa Clark identifies her picks for five types of cookware: Dutch ovens, roasting pans, pasta pots, saute pans and saucepans. However, she briefly mentions what she likes about each pick; she doesn't discuss her criteria or compare her picks to other cookware.

Our AssessmentLike many retailers, the online site of Williams-Sonoma features some user reviews of the more popular and -- in this case -- higher-end cookware sets. Calphalon's Unison Nonstick Slide & Sear 10-Piece Set receives the most reviews out of other available full cookware sets, and it receives 4 out of 5 stars from most users. Reviews are generally brief, but they can be a good source of information for those looking for feedback on one particular model or set.

Our AssessmentOne writer at Delish.com tests two eco-friendly nonstick pans, the Bialetti Aeternum saute pan and Earth Pan Hard Anodized SandFlow Nonstick by Faberware. The writer says that both pans worked as well as a traditional nonstick, but that the pans were used only over a one-month period. Plus, actual feedback on each model is brief, though she does note that the Bialetti Aeternum pan was preferred.