The 20 Best Cookware Brands for Every Type of Cook and Kitchen

• Pros: ceramic surface is very nonstick, thoughtful design elements and modern aesthetic
• Cons: fewer product options, stainless steel handles get hot
• Material: ceramic nonstick

Caraway launched into the cookware space in 2019 as a “healthier” nonstick option that marries form and function. With bright color options and smart design elements, it’s already become a millennial (and Instagram) favorite. In our own tests, we were impressed by the slick ceramic nonstick surface, the oven-friendly design, the lack of hotspots and the included modular storage solutions. But because it’s a newer, direct-to-consumer brand, you won’t find as many product options here. The cookware line includes essentials only: a 10.5-inch fry pan, 3-quart sauce pan, 4.5-quart sauté pan and 6.5-quart Dutch oven.

• Pros: choice of four styles (Nonstick Pro, Stainless Steel Mira, carbon steel and ceramic), affordable but high quality
• Cons: collection is mostly basics
• Material: nonstick

You might know OXO more for its kitchen gadgets than its cookware, but the brand applies the same considerate design to its pots and pans that it does to its corn peelers and iconic POP containers. All of OXO’s cookware has a similar aesthetic, but you have a few options to choose from: carbon steel, ceramic coated, Non-Stick Pro and Stainless Steel Mira, which features nonstick skillets. The cookware is accessibly priced, too, so it’s a great option for beginner cooks or someone outfitting their first kitchen. However, seasoned pros might feel limited by the somewhat small lineup—it’s mostly skillets unless you buy a whole set.

• Pros: professional quality at an affordable price, offers carbon steel pans
• Cons: carbon steel requires regular seasoning
• Material: carbon steel

Never heard of carbon steel? No worries: Like cast iron, it’s made from an alloy of iron and carbon, but contains slightly less carbon content, making it thin, smooth and lightweight. When seasoned properly, it can be as slippery as a nonstick pan, and it heats up lightning fast for searing and sautéing. Made In’s carbon steel line is versatile and affordable (but performs just as well as a higher priced, “premium” brand). The brand also offers stainless steel and nonstick pans, all in a variety of useful shapes and sizes.

• Pros: wide range of collections for diverse cooking needs, nonstick surface is nontoxic and scratch resistant
• Cons: some styles are quite expensive, nonstick is the only surface option
• Material: nonstick

GreenPan is basically the OG “nontoxic” nonstick cookware brand. Quick refresh: Teflon was the gold standard for nonstick cookware, until studies found that certain chemicals used in its manufacturing process are potentially toxic to our health and the environment over time. GreenPan’s nonstick surface is made from silicon-based Thermalon, which is scratch resistant and can withstand temperatures up to 850°F. There are plenty of open-stock styles to choose—from skillets to stockpots, quick-heating to ultra-durable—or you can opt for a full set. Prices range from $150 to $720 for multi-piece collections.

• Pros: stainless steel is durable, heat conductive and great for browning, classic design with plenty of styles to choose from
• Cons: on the expensive side, slightly heavy
• Material: stainless steel and nonstick

Upgrading your old cookware? Building a registry? Getting serious about searing? There’s All-Clad for that. While the 50-year-old company offers ceramic, nonstick and hard anodized cookware, it’s the stainless steel collection that keeps us coming back. It’s made from two layers of stainless steel bonded with aluminum for conductivity, durability and overall performance. The brand offers everything from tea kettles to massive 12-quart stockpots, and while it’s not the cheapest option on the market, consider it a lifetime investment.

• Pros: inexpensive, durable, versatile
• Cons: heavy, heats up slowly
• Material: cast iron

Everyone should have at least one cast iron skillet in their cookware collection, and Lodge is a no-brainer choice. It’s extremely affordable, available in a myriad of sizes and styles, and will last forever with proper seasoning and care. (FYI, the new models come pre-seasoned). Cast iron is ideal for getting a gorgeously brown, crusty sear on proteins, and it does double-duty for baking projects (hello, skillet cookie). However, it’s very heavy and takes a long time to heat up, so it’s not great for every task (like sautéing).

• Pros: beautiful, durable design, many options for color and size, great for braising and searing
• Cons: expensive, heavy
• Material: enameled cast iron

The glossy enamel! The jewel-like colors! The French je ne sais quoi! What we’re trying to say is, Le Creuset (founded in 1925) is a staple among cookware brands. It’s not all talk though—the pieces are as high-performing as they are good looking, and if you’re willing to spend a little (OK, a lot) cash, the investment will serve you well for years to come. There are size and shape options in addition to color, and the enameled cast iron is great for searing and braising. But keep in mind that these pieces are capital-H heavy.

• Pros: unique lid design is ideal for slow-cooking and braising, enameled cast iron retains heat
• Cons: expensive, heavy
• Material: enameled cast iron

TBH, whether you prefer Staub or Le Creuset is a personal preference—they’re both top performers. But we think Staub (also a French heirloom brand) has a slight edge for certain uses, thanks to the innovative design tweaks in its French ovens. The lid has a patterned, textured surface that continually returns moisture to the pot, ensuring that braised, slow-cooked dishes are moist and tender. Plus, the enameled cast iron retains and distributes heat evenly, and the interior is slightly textured for superior browning. It’s not available in quite as many colors, though, and is heavy and expensive like Le Creuset.

• Pros: mid-century modern aesthetic, enameled carbon steel is pretty and functional
• Cons: moderately expensive, lineup isn’t as expansive as other brands
• Material: enamelware

If you’re a sucker for retro design and Scandinavian style, Dansk is all but sure to win you over. The 1950s brand is known for its Kobenstyle casserole with a stout shape and lid that doubles as a trivet. The construction is enameled carbon steel, so it heats up quickly and evenly and is available in a rainbow of colors. Once a vintage find, it’s now easy to scoop up since being acquired by Food52.

• Pros: beloved by professionals; lightweight, oven-safe and heats evenly; combines nonstick abilities with stainless appearance
• Cons: can be expensive
• Material: nonstick

Many professional chefs will scoff at the mention of nonstick anything, but Scanpan is the rare exception. “I love and use Scanpan all the time,” the Institute of Culinary Education’s lead chef, Barbara Rich, tells us. That’s because the Danish cookware heats evenly, is relatively lightweight and is oven-safe up to 500°F. While the brand offers plenty of styles, we like that the CTX line combines the look of stainless steel with a food-safe ceramic interior for a slick surface that’s also nontoxic. You can also pick and choose pans as you please if you don’t want to commit to a whole set, but the cookware can get costly depending on the line you choose.

• Pros: hard-anodized aluminum is nonstick but durable
• Cons: heavier and more expensive than other nonstick brands
• Material: nonstick

Real talk: Many nonstick cookware brands aren’t all that durable. But Calphalon’s signature style, hard-anodized aluminum, is designed with durability in mind. It has a nonstick surface for easy cooking and cleanup, but the try-ply construction ensures it will hold up to regular use. The only downside to this is that the pieces are heavier and more expensive than other nonstick brands.

• Pros: extensive range of products, relatively affordable
• Cons: choices can be overwhelming
• Material: stainless steel and nonstick

Founded as a home appliance brand in 1971, Cuisinart made its name on the food processor. But its cookware line is just as useful for everyday kitchen tasks. With an extensive range of saucepans, skillets, stock pots and other essentials (all in a variety of finishes, all at reasonable prices), it strikes the ideal balance between high quality and useability (read: it’s not so expensive that you’ll only use it on special occasions).

• Pros: copper cookware is heat conductive and temperature sensitive, aesthetically pleasing design
• Cons: cost prohibitive
• Material: copper-coated steel

If money is truly no object and you can’t resist shiny new (kitchen) toys, behold Mauviel’s copper cookware. The French brand, hailing from Normandy and founded in 1830, is known for its premium products and eye-catching copper-coated steel offerings. But it’s not just for looks: The copper encourages heat conductivity and control while cooking. But this also means it’s extraordinarily expensive—it’s not a must-have, but a worthwhile luxury if you’re looking to treat yourself.

• Pros: affordable, nonstick
• Cons: less durable than other nonstick options
• Material: nonstick

Fun fact: T-fal was the first cookware company to introduce Teflon nonstick to home cooks (T-fal is a portmanteau for Teflon and aluminum). It’s still known for being an accessible, budget friendly option, making it ideal for new cooks. (Don’t worry: The nonstick coating is safe as long as it’s not heated beyond 500°F.) While it’s a smart choice for budding chefs or outfitting an apartment kitchen, we’ve found that the pieces aren’t as durable as other brands.

• Pros: heats up quickly and evenly
• Cons: smaller selection than other brands
• Material: copper core, aluminum and stainless steel outer

Copper cookware is notoriously expensive, but Material harnesses its properties while ensuring its pans remain affordable. The copper core cookware heats quickly and evenly on all types of stoves, but it’s much less fussy than traditional copper pots and pans. (Read: It won’t warp or scorch and it’s easy to clean.) The stainless steel outer looks professional in any kitchen, and there’s a nonstick pan if that’s your preference. The only drawback is that you’re limited to a sauté pan, sauce pot and nonstick skillet.

• Pros: good heat conduction and retention, durable, metal utensil safe
• Cons: expensive
• Material: hybrid stainless steel–nonstick

If you’ve ever been caught red-handed scraping at a non-stick pan with a metal spatula (yikes!), HexClad has your name all over it. The commercial-grade cookware is etched with a hexagonal pattern that is not only nonstick but scratch-resistant and metal-utensil safe. (During a demo in the PureWow office, a HexClad rep actually took an electric hand mixer and put it on high, grinding it into the pan. No marks, swear!) The line earns bonus points for being dishwasher safe and stovetop agnostic, but it is on the expensive side.

• Pros: large selection of cookware, nonstick is nontoxic
• Cons: options can be overwhelming
• Material: nonstick, hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel

Anolon was the first cookware brand to combine a nonstick surface with hard-anodized aluminum, creating cookware that’s as durable as it is slick. The sheer number of options the brand offers can be overwhelming, but the brand has a handy buying guide to help narrow down your choice. The cookware should stand up to daily use, but rest assured your purchase comes with a lifetime warranty.

• Pros: affordable, wide selection, trusted brand
• Cons: poor heat retention
• Material: aluminum, stainless steel, ceramic

Unlike the myriad direct-to-consumer cookware brands you see on Instagram, Farberware has been around for more than 120 years (which means you can trust it). The brand has a huge variety to choose from, including nonstick on aluminum, hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel and ceramic nonstick. It’s also well priced—you can get a full 15-piece set for just $150. Some reviewers note that certain pieces have poor heat retention, so getting a good sear can be tricky. (Also, be aware that the pots and pans with plastic handles can only withstand temperatures up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.)

• Pros: affordable, colorful, wide variety
• Cons: not as durable as other brands
• Material: hard-anodized aluminum, stainless steel, nonstick

Celebrity association aside, Rachael Ray cookware offers a unique combination of affordability, quality and style, making it ideal for a cook who’s just beginning to outfit their kitchen. (For example, a set might include a few lidded saucepans, a stockpot and skillets of various sizes.) We’d go for the hard-anodized aluminum over other finishes, since some reviewers complain that enamel pieces don’t hold up well over time.

• Pros: extremely durable, retains heat
• Cons: expensive, heavy
• Material: cast iron, carbon steel

Cast iron and carbon steel lovers will fall hard for Smithey’s selection of skillets, Dutch ovens and griddles, all of which are made to last a lifetime and look like vintage heirlooms. The pieces retain heat like a dream, and although they’re constructed of cast iron, the interior surfaces are smoother than other brands. When properly seasoned and cared for, they’re very slick. The only downside? They’re not cheap.