We Fried, Boiled, and Seared to Find the Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets

Our Top Pick

Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 12 Piece Stainless Cookware Set

$300 at Amazon $300 at Target $259 at Walmart

Many pots and pans heat unevenly, have poorly designed handles, or lack the durability needed for everyday cooking. But these are all areas where this Cuisinart set stands out! First, the tri-ply design means it heats up evenly, though you will need to monitor your heat since it can get too hot too quickly as we learned while testing. The higher sides, meanwhile, help keep everything inside your pot (instead of splattering all over your stove). 

The great design features don’t stop there. The handles are a comfortable height—far enough from the heat to stay cool—and have a well-placed grove for easy maneuvering. Even stirring was easy with this set, thanks to a nice curve on the interior. 

At about $20 per piece, this is a pretty great set of cookware. If it’s still out of your price range, I also recommend the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic cookware set below.

The Details: 12 pieces; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 550°F; induction-compatible

Best Budget

Calphalon Classic 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Orig. $240 $200 at Amazon $200 at Walmart $200 at Macy's

This Calphalon option proves you can get a comprehensive set of great inexpensive cookware. The 10-piece set comes with two frying pans, two saucepans, a saute pan, and a stockpot—basically everything you could need.

More importantly, this cookware thoroughly impressed Allstar Jenna Urben when she tested it. She put it to use making a full pasta dinner, complete with homemade meatballs, and loved how great the cookware was at maintaining heat. This meant excellently cooked sauce, and a quick rapid boil after adding pasta to the stockpot. Jenna also liked the comfortable handles and the measurement markings on the interior of the pots.

It's wonderful that this cookware maintains heat well despite not being fully clad. Instead, there's an aluminum disc bonded to the bottom, in between layers of stainless steel. Also important to note that while it's great for any stovetop, you need to be careful when placing the pans in the oven, as the pieces are only safe to 450°F.

The Details: 10 pieces; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 450°F; induction-compatible

Best Splurge

All-Clad D3 7-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

$500 at Amazon

If you’re going to splurge, why not go all out? The All-Clad d3 cookware line is truly some of the best, thanks to its unbelievable performance and durability. The performance is due to the three layers of material, which allow it to heat evenly and retain that heat. As for durability, we’ve tried to damage the d3 cookware multiple times now and it’s always passed those tests with flying colors (just don’t put them in the dishwasher).

Jenna liked the weight of the d3 cookware and felt the large sizes are great for families that cook often. The fry pan felt great in her hand and was easy to maneuver, and the set is composed of the classic pieces any household would need. If you'd also like a small saucepan and a small frying pan, I also highly recommend the 10-piece set that I have in my own kitchen.

Allstar Amanda Scarlati previously tested All-Clad's d5 cookware and enjoyed its exceptional performance, thanks to five layers of material. She also found its handles awkward and uncomfortable, but it's a minor inconvenience for stellar cookware.

The Details: 7 pieces; hand-wash recommended; oven-safe to 600°F; induction-compatible

Best Starter Set

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless Collection

$180 at Amazon View on Walmart View on Hsn.com

Your first set of cookware should have two things: an adequate number of pieces and an inexpensive price tag. This set has both, plus it's made from 18/10 stainless steel. I've recommended this Cuisinart set for years since it was my starter set and lasted in my very active kitchen for well over a decade.

Allstar Jennifer Levin tested the 10-piece set of Cuisinart Chef's Classic in her home kitchen, and loved how comfortable and easy to use this cookware is. She liked the weight of all the pieces—enough to be heavy-bottomed, but not too heavy—and found the handles easy to grip.

Though this line of cookware isn't fully clad, it has an aluminum disc within the bottom of the pan that heats fairly evenly if a bit quickly. Jen realized this while pan-frying shrimp in the 10-inch skillet, and the cooking surface got a little too hot. This wasn't a problem while making shrimp, but could mean a too-hot oil if you're not careful.

The Details: 10 pieces; hand-wash recommended; oven-safe to 500°F; induction-compatible

Most Stylish

Caraway Stainless Steel Cookware Set

$695 at Amazon $695 at Nordstrom $695 at Macy's

Recently, Caraway, one of our favorite ceramic cookware brands, released stainless steel cookware featuring the brand's trademark curves, cooking performance, and convenient storage. After we sent this to Jenna's house, she reported that this is an ideal set for anyone looking to upgrade their cookware. “I loved the cook of these pots and pans in my kitchen,” she says. “They seem well made, with ergonomics in mind.” 

The set is designed like the main ceramic option: a 10.5-inch fry pan, a 3-quart saucepan, a 4.5-quart sauté pan, and a 6.5-quart Dutch oven. It was enough cookware for Jenna to pull together a full pasta puttanesca meal, but for any complex, you'd need to have additional cookware available. She did love how evenly heated all the cookware was, thanks to its 5-ply construction, and that absolutely nothing stuck to the pans.

The Details: 7 pieces; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 550°F; induction-compatible

Best Assortment

Tramontina Tri-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Orig. $610 $315 at Amazon $400 at Walmart $308 at Wayfair

Larger cookware sets like to fudge the total amount of pieces with a pasta strainer (which we don’t mind since it’s useful) or set of kitchen utensils (which we do mind since they’re usually not useful). But this set gives you all the saucepans you could need, plus the standard fry pans, stockpot, and large saute pan. And it’s all at a somewhat reasonable price.

When Amanda used this cookware in her kitchen, she appreciated that the variety meant you could make a large meal out of the box. Tramontina’s craftsmanship meant quick and even heating with extra heavy-duty durability. But she noticed that her eggs stuck a bit to the fry pan and it didn't get as hot as needed for searing. For those tasks, you might need to buy a nonstick fry pan and/or a cast-iron skillet.

The Details: 12 pieces; dishwasher-safe; oven-safe to 500°F; induction-compatible