Trying to pick the best cookware brands is a tough challenge. There are so many great cookware brands out there that it’s not about which one is the best, but which types of cookware brands are best in their class. After all, we can’t compare cast iron to stainless steel or ceramic to copper; the cooking properties of them just aren’t the same. So to help you navigate this wide range of best cookware brands, we are breaking it down.
We have created a list of the best quality cookware brands by their different types. Because as any great home chef knows, you need to have some of all of these in your cooking repertoire to make sure you are getting the best of your value.
✅ After reviewing all of the cookware brands, this is the one that we would buy based on all of its qualities.
Best Stainless Steel Cookware
What is not to love about stainless steel cookware. It looks amazing and is truly the sign of a well-stocked kitchen. We’ve covered the best stainless steel cookware in-depth throughout all of our best cookware reviews. This type of cookware is great for induction cooktops; their construction helps with heat distribution and avoids the dreaded hot spot. It also is great for cooking on medium heat, so you get a better cooking experience. Plus, the fact that you can use metal utensils and many sets have a lifetime warranty is just icing on the cake. Here are the brands that we love.
360 Cookware
A father and son success story, 360 Cookware is made in America. When many cookware businesses outsourced their manufacturing to other countries, it left many factory workers without jobs.
However, the Hurleys banded together with the displaced workers. They created jobs for the American economy and established an EPA-certified manufacturing facility to produce durable cookware. The company has remained committed to its mission to produce American-made cookware, with a customer focus all while minimizing their environmental impact.
You can learn more about them in our 360 cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
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Sardel
Sardel was founded by three brothers committed to designing affordable, approachable, and quality-made cookware. Their designs are classic and straightforward. Their mix of high-quality metals and materials lends to the cookware’s overall performance. They use Aluminum as a heat conductor and stainless steel as the durable and safest metal to interact with your food. By doing this through their 5 layers of metal Sardel optimizes heat distribution and retention, eliminating hot spots during cooking. Which makes for an amazing cooking experience
You can learn more about them in our Sardel cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
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All-Clad
All-Clad originates in the small town of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. Their founder, John Ulam, while cooking at home, would craft metal and make his own pots and pans out of stainless steel and aluminum layers. This lead to his very own company – All-Clad Metalcrafters. Today they make some of the best stainless steel cookware you can find. They also make copper cookware and other types as well, but where they are best known is their 5-ply stainless steel cookware.
You can learn more about them in our All-Clad cookware review.
Hestan Cookware
Stanley Cheng and his team are known for soliciting feedback from world-renowned chefs and incorporating the suggestions into their cookware designs. From making revolutionary strides in non-stick cookware back in the 1970s to the current Hestan Nanobond Cookware design, Hestan Cookware is made to elevate any cooking experience. Hestan cookware is as beautiful as it is reliable. Each of their individual pieces is a worthwhile addition to your collection. They have excellent heat retention and would fit into any homeowner’s kitchen.
You can learn more about them in our Hestan cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
Best Copper Cookware
We’ve covered the best ceramic cookware in-depth. Here are the brands that we love. But if you are looking for a quick list of the best copper cookware, here is all you need to know. Copper has excellent heating properties and allows you to cook at lower temperatures, plus it has antimicrobial properties. Some cookware has a copper core, while others are pure copper through and through. The reason for the difference is usually a lower cost resulting in a lower price for consumers.
But the best part of copper cookware is the way it looks in your kitchen, pure beauty.
Sertodo
I love the Sertodo Copper story. They are a small, owner-operated business that started when the founder Jonathan Beall. Solid handcrafted copperware out of his truck. Since then, they have grown and have master artisans crafting in shops located in Austin, Texas, and Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan.
I’ve had the chance to get up close and personal with this cookware company, and if you are looking to support an American cookware story, then Sertodo is a great way to do that.
This company focuses on the personal touch. When you buy a Sertodo product, you’ll get a thank you email from the owner. They are doing things the right way, and it shows with your whole experience with this company.
You can learn more about them in our Sertodo copper cookware review, or you can see their products here.
Mauviel
Mauviel Copper Cookware is like a beautiful work of art. It’s made in France, and the story that comes along with the history of this cookware is as unique and lovely as the cookware itself. Their pans are equipped with a thick copper outer surface and beautiful bronze shine. Because they have been around for nearly 200 years, when you think of copper, often you are thinking about Mauviel.
You can learn more about them in our Mauviel cookware review.
Amoretti Brothers
Born in Italy and making its way to Mexico as their main manufacturing headquarters, Amoretti Brothers Copper Cookware is a rather new brand on the market, but that does not stop them from having a huge range of cookware products and sets. In terms of looks, this Amoretti Brothers cookware is one of the best, rivaling even that of the fancy ‘best-dress award’ Mauviel 1830.
You can learn more about them in our Amoretti Brothers cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
Best Direct To Consumer Cookware (Best DTC Cookware)
Direct-to-consumer cookware is a great option for you if you are looking for high-quality cookware that cuts out the middle man. That way you get a premium quality set at a much better price than you would pay in-store. Here are our top direct-to-consumer cookware brands. Don’t overlook these brands; they offer some of the best cookware out there.
Abbio
Abbio cookware is professional-grade cookware made for the home chef. Their pots and pans are tri-ply (multiple layers of aluminum and stainless steel layered together). This makes for consistent heat distribution throughout their cookware. The Abbio cookware company has products that include nonstick skillets, a saute pan, a saucepan, a stockpot, and “The Set,” which includes all five cookware pieces. This is also one of our best pots and pans for gas stoves.
You can learn more about them in our Abbio cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
Made In Cookware
Another newcomer to the cookware market but don’t let their age fool you. Made In Cookware has shaken up the culinary world. They are one of the best cookware manufacturers in the US and are just getting started.
Made In Cookware offers a range of cookware sets made of high-quality stainless steel and 5-ply metal construction. They sell their product direct to consumers at half the price of their competitors, which is a great advantage to home chefs wanting the best quality at the best price. They easily would have been in the best direct-to-consumer cookware brands as well.
You can learn more about them in our Made In cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
Misen Cookware
If you have ever looked up cookware online, you have likely stumbled across Misen cookware and Misen Knives.
They started through a Kickstarter campaign back in 2015 for their Misen Chef Knife, and it was a viral sensation. Misen Cookware is an established name in the cookware industry known for its quality products and durability.
You can learn more about them in our Misen pans review, or you can visit their site directly.
Best Non-Stick Cookware
No matter if you are a new home cook, or Gordon Ramsey, having a good set of nonstick pans is an essential part of a cooking experience. Personally, I like to have a large stockpot (8-quart stockpot to be precise), along with a 3-quart saucepan and a frying pan to make sure I have all the essential pieces of a non-stick cookware set. They make cooking certain things (eggs are the first thing that comes to mind) a lot easier. Plus, they are often dishwasher safe, and clean-up is a breeze. One of the nicest things about nonstick cookware is the price range. Typically the pans are an affordable price, and adding one or two to your collection is very affordable.
Blue Diamond (aka Green Diamond)
We’ve been using our Diamond cookware for a year, and it has held up remarkably well compared to our past pans; there is no chipping on the cooking surface, and they are a nice option if you are looking for a good set of pans at a reasonable price. They have one main 10-piece cookware set. It is a nonstick cookware set and comes at a very attractive price.
Learn more about them in our Blue Diamond review.
Rachael Ray
Celebrity cookware is generally dismissed, but when a chef puts her name behind it, it’s a whole different story. Rachael Ray cookware is some of the nice-looking non-stick cookware out there. If you are looking for nonstick frying pans and other pieces of cookware, then this cookware is a nice addition to your kitchen.
Most cookware is oven safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and has a lifetime warranty on material and workmanship defects. The 10-piece set above, as with many of her cookware sets, has glass lids that are shatter-resistant so you can watch your food cook without releasing heat.
You can learn more about them in our Rachael Ray cookware review.
Anolon
Anolon primarily focuses on nonstick cookware. These cookware products have a hard-anodized aluminum exterior with a heavy bottom crafted using trademarked Precision Forge technology. Their nonstick cookware is PFOA-free but still includes PTFE (which is safe up to 500 degrees). This means you need to exercise proper care just like any other brand of non-stick cookware. All of their products have a lifetime warranty so you know they stand behind their products.
You can learn more about them in our Anolon cookware review, or you can shop their cookware here.
Best Ceramic Cookware
We’ve covered the best ceramic cookware in-depth. There is a range of ceramic cookware. Some are ceramic nonstick coating, while others are purely ceramic, and others are a mixture. Here are the brands that we love.
Caraway
Caraway could have easily been in our best direct-to-consumer cookware category as well. It sells its products online, and they are beautiful. Their sets offer storage (their canvas lid holder is a unique take on storage, as is their magnetic pan rack), and if you are looking for a set of ceramic cookware, Caraway is a great option.
You can read more about them in our Caraway cookware review, or click here to see all of their cookware.
Xtrema Cookware
Arguably the best ceramic cookware brand on the market, alongside the likes of Carraway, Xtrema offers a different style of ceramic pots and pans that are great if you are looking for a completely non-metal option.
You can shop Xtrema here, and if you want to know more, you can learn more about them in our Xtrema cookware review.
GreenPan
GreenPan is another healthy non-stick ceramic option. If you prefer a more conventional-looking set of pots and pans but like the idea of having ceramic cookware, GreenPan offers a nice combination of cookware.
You can read more about them in our GreenPan cookware review, or see more of their products here.
Best Cast Iron Brands
When you think of traditional cookware, a cast-iron skillet is a must. It’s an essential kitchen item for any great home chef. It is something that gets better the more you use it. The best cast iron brands are:
Lodge
Lodge makes a variety of cast-iron cookware and has been around for a very long time. If you are looking for the classic cast iron pan that your parents had, then a Lodge cast iron pan is likely what you’re thinking about. You can read more about them in our Lodge cast iron review.
Le Creuset
Le Creuset is the gold standard when it comes to cast iron cooking. Their dutch ovens are one of the most commonly asked items on wedding registries, and they come in a variety of colors and sizes. They make an enameled cast iron, so if you are looking for a more rugged style, you should consider Lodge or Stargazer. But if you are set Le Creuset, their reputation and look are hard to beat.
You can learn more about them in our Le Creuset review.
Stargazer
This is an easy one. Stargazer makes two sizes of cast iron pans, and they come in both seasoned and non-seasoned. This is another direct-to-consumer brand that offers a great quality cast iron pan for your kitchen.
You can learn more about them in our Stargazer cookware review, or you can visit their site directly.
Final Thoughts about the Best Cookware Brands
The truth is there are so many great cookware brands out there that coming up with this list was incredibly difficult. Though from our research and experience with these sets we can say that they are some of the best cookware brands out there.