Stainless Steel Cookware

Stainless steel cookware is best overall

For most uses, experts say stainless steel cookware is your best bet. Not only is it sturdy and nonreactive, but it's also dishwasher-safe and impervious to scrapes. You'll have to use fat to prevent foods from sticking, but the resulting "fond" (the little brown bits that stick to the pan bottom) can be used to create delicious pan sauces.

All-Clad Stainless (*Est. $570 for a 9-piece set) earns top marks in reviews. All-Clad is distinguished by its construction, which marries an aluminum core with a stainless steel exterior. Less expensive cookware, such as Emerilware Stainless (also made by All-Clad), has a tri-ply bottom layer of stainless steel, aluminum and copper, but All-Clad's own line has an aluminum core that extends up the sides of the pan. This is particularly important if you have a gas range, as the All-Clad pots and pans conduct the heat from flames that lick the sides of the pan. Stainless steel reflects light, making it easy to tell how quickly your fond is browning, and it cleans up easily in the sink or dishwasher. All-Clad pans have generous cooking surfaces, stay-cool handles and excellent maneuverability, say editors at Cook's Illustrated, among others.

Like All-Clad, Calphalon stainless steel pans have tri-ply construction (aluminum sandwiched between stainless steel). While Simply Calphalon (*Est. $200 for a 10-piece set) pans have aluminum cores on the bottom only, Calphalon Tri-Ply Stainless (*Est. $300 for an 8-piece set) and Contemporary Stainless (*Est. $500 for a 10-piece set) have aluminum running up the sides as well. These sets carry a lifetime warranty and are dishwasher-safe, at least in theory. The manufacturer recommends hand washing "to keep your cookware looking its best." Calphalon Stainless fares well in expert testing and tends to be less expensive than All-Clad.

Uncoated cookware with metal handles is oven safe to varying temperatures. Emerilware Stainless is oven safe up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, while All-Clad Stainless is also oven safe and broiler safe. Chefs say this is important if you like to brown or sear meats on the stovetop, then finish them in the oven. Some nonstick sets are oven safe as well, provided they don't have plastic handles. A few new cookware sets have oven-safe silicone handles that are safe to 350 degrees.

KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials (*Est. $145 for a 10-piece set) doesn't often appear in professional reviews, although it did fare well in one professional test. This dishwasher-safe cookware has a brushed-stainless exterior and silicone handles that are oven safe to 400 degrees. Although this cookware has a stainless steel-encased aluminum core, the aluminum is confined to the bottom of the pan, making its heat conduction inferior to that of All-Clad.

Like the KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials, the Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless line (*Est. $150 for a 10-piece set) features a bottom-only aluminum core encased in stainless steel. The hollow metal handles are riveted, and the larger pots include "helper" handles that assist in keeping the pot level. Testers praise the Chef's Classic stockpot for its easy-grip handles and spill-resistant design. Other reviews like the Cuisinart 4-quart saucepan for its sturdy feel and slow sautŽ speed. This cookware is oven safe up to 550 degrees -- a high temperature rating for mid-priced cookware. In reviews at Amazon.com, Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless is a favorite, with more than 220 owners contributing to its rating of 4.5 stars (out of five). We did find some sporadic reports that the 12-inch skillet included in the set can get too hot, leading to some scorching.

For about half the price, though, testers found Gourmet Standard's 12" Tri-Ply Skillet (*est. $70), to perform nearly as well as the All-Clad. Editors at Cook's Illustrated recommend it as a Best Buy due to its solid performance and good price. Unfortunately, immediately after the Cook's Illustrated report appeared, Gourmet Standard went out of business. While you might find this skillet in a store, be aware that customer support from the company won't be available.

You should be aware that stainless steel pans can develop brown spots and "rainbowing," a discoloration that comes from being heated to temperatures above 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook's Illustrated recommends Cameo, Bar Keeper's Friend or Chef's Stainless Steel Liquid Cleaner to keep your pans shiny. All-Clad recommends Bar Keeper's Friend, which can be found in most supermarkets. As for the brown spots from polymerized oil, chef David Burke recommends placing stainless steel pans in a 400-degree oven for two hours; steadying the pan with a potholder; and flaking off grease with a spatula.

Expensive copper pots and pans are prized by gourmets for their efficient heat conduction. Although copper heats up and cools down quickly, it also reacts with acidic foods, so it must be lined in tin or stainless steel. Tin requires maintenance, but stainless steel does not. All-Clad's Cop-R-Chef line (*Est. $650 for an 8-piece set) features an all-copper bottom, aluminum core and stainless steel interior. If you need a highly sensitive pan for a specific task, experts say you're better off buying an individual piece (known as "open stock") instead of a complete set.