For the casual home cook, few pieces of cookware are as mysterious or intimidating as stainless steel pots and pans. Depending on where you shop they can be either wildly expensive or suspiciously cheap, and non-stick cookware just seems easier for many people.
However, stainless steel cookware can give you much better and more consistent results with your cooking than non-stick depending on the dish. Plus if you treat it right—and buy the right stuff—it will last a lifetime. With just a little bit of practical know-how, and an eye for quality and construction, you'll be buying and using stainless steel cookware for decades to come.
Construction Is Key
One of the biggest hurdles to overcome is simply figuring out whether a product is made well. This breaks down into three essential categories: the cladding, the material and the handle.
For the best quality, look for cookware that's "fully clad," a type of construction made famous by All-Clad.
"In general, cookware is about retention and distribution," says Omar Rada, co-founder of the cookware manufacturer Misen. Fully clad cookware was born out of the understanding that different metals conduct heat differently. For the best results you want a cooking surface that heats evenly and retains heat well. You know how some of your pots and pans get really hot in some spots but stay cool in others? That's because of poor heat conduction, which makes getting an even sear on your steak more difficult.
Fully clad cookware avoids this problem by taking different materials and sandwiching them together in alternating layers. Make a pot out of aluminum and you'll end up with a vessel that heats quickly and evenly, but has poor heat retention, is flimsy and is prone to ugly discoloration. Conversely, stainless steel is extremely durable, retains heat well and looks nice, but conducts heat poorly. By layering different metals, fully-clad cookware blends together the best characteristics of different materials for an improved cooking surface. Less expensive cookware is often "bottom clad," meaning there's a disc of aluminum in the base of the cookware but not in the sides. This is still a big step up from no cladding at all, but fully clad is better.
Built to Last
Chef Bruce Mattel, senior associate dean of culinary arts at the Culinary Institute of America, says, "I prefer riveted handles as opposed to spot welded. If you bang those pans around enough a handle will come off." He also prefers cookware with stainless steel handles, which are suitable for being put inside the oven.
If a piece of stainless steel cookware seems light or flimsy there's a good chance it's low quality. Examine the handles: Are they firmly attached with visible rivets? Does the bottom of the pan feel solid and sturdy? If you put the pan on a flat surface does it sit still and not wobble? If the answer is no to any of these questions, you aren't looking at a well-constructed pan. Mattel also says that it's good to look for cookware that isn't overly ornate. Grease will get into nooks and crannies, making it harder to keep clean.
Easy to Use
Perhaps the biggest barrier for most people is that stainless steel cookware seems hard to use. "As a maker of cookware, I didn't fully appreciate that myself until I started putting our products into people's hands and realizing how uncomfortable they were," says Rada.
One issue that beginner cooks might encounter is foods sticking to the pan. "Seasoning, which is commonly associated with cast iron skillets, is actually a process which can be applied to any pan," says Rada. "You can even make a stainless steel pan almost perfectly non-stick, which helps with easy cleanup."
As Rada explains, "Preheat your pan for a few minutes at medium-high heat and get a fat, generally a high smoke point oil, and swish it around the pan until it starts to smoke. Dump the oil out and take a paper towel and rub it around the pan. Once you're done you should have a glossy mirror finish which, if you've done it perfectly, you should be able to see your reflection in. It should be pretty darn non-stick and the cleanup should be a breeze."
It's Pricey, but Worth It
There's (almost) no getting around it: stainless steel cookware can be pricey. All-Clad, often considered to be the gold standard, is one of the most expensive brands available. Same goes for the French brand Mauviel, which is historically known for its copper cookware but also makes fantastic stainless steel pieces. A single piece of cookware from either company could easily cost upwards of a hundred dollars, making it expensive to outfit a kitchen.
For those in search of something more affordable, there are some less expensive brands making excellent products, such as Misen. Rada says the company has kept prices down by existing in the direct-to-consumer space. Tramontina's products are also noticeably less expensive and can be found at stores like Costco and Walmart.
But If you're looking for a real bargain, savvy shoppers should keep an eye out for sales at "off-price" department stores like Marshalls, T.J.Maxx, and HomeGoods. You can sometimes find heavily discount stainless steel cookware, especially leading up to and immediately after the winter holidays.
If you asked us to build a kitchen setup from scratch, we can say for certain that stainless steel would be at the top of our list. Wonderfully versatile, long-lasting, and relatively low-maintenance, a great piece of stainless steel cookware is well worth the investment. But with the sheer number of stainless steel products—and huge range of prices—on offer, how do you choose?
Allow us to be your stainless steel guides. As producers of Award-Winning Stainless Clad Cookware, we know what makes for quality construction. From the types of metals used, to why a fully-clad pan is the best choice, here’s how to shop for your new stainless steel cookware.
At its very best, stainless steel cookware is a joy to cook with—not only is it a great conductor of heat, but it’s highly durable and long-lasting as well.
Not all stainless steel is created equal. Stainless steel cookware made from 18/10 Stainless Steel—the highest grade—is particularly strong and durable, due to the higher percentage of chromium mixed in.
Stainless steel—especially high-grade stainless steel—is a non-reactive material, meaning that it’s more resistant to corrosion and rust than other types of metals.
This also means that your cookware won’t react with acidic ingredients like tomatoes or wine, which can produce metallic flavors in cast iron, carbon steel, or other reactive cookware materials.
Cleaning stainless steel is fairly straightforward. Unlike materials like carbon steel or unfinished cast iron, you won’t need to worry about stripping the seasoning or scratching the coating (though you can scratch the finish). And you can pretty much always restore it to its original shiny finish, no matter how grimy or burnt-looking it is.
While stainless steel is not a great conductor of heat on its own, stainless steel that’s “cladded,” or layered with more conductive metals like aluminum, conducts heat extremely well. This cladding also helps with heat retention and distribution, so your pan won’t develop hot spots or cook your food unevenly.
Here are a few key indicators of quality that can help you when shopping for stainless steel cookware.
As we touched on earlier, stainless steel comes in a range of different grades. The highest, 18/10, indicates a higher ratio of chromium to nickel, which not only makes for a more durable pan, but one that’s oven-safe as well—a huge reason why stainless is so commonly found in restaurant kitchens. Stainless steel also comes in other grades, such as 18/8.
Most high-quality stainless cookware is also induction-compatible. Make sure to look for the phrase “induction-compatible” on the packaging, or for the induction symbol, which looks like a coil of wire.
You’ll typically see stainless pots and pans described as “3-Ply” or “5-Ply.” The “ply” of a pan means that the steel has been layered with more conductive metals like aluminum—for example, our Stainless Clad pans are cladded with pure aluminum, aluminum alloy, and 18/10 stainless steel. The number associated with ply indicates how many layers have been cladded together—in our case, it’s 5.
For the most part, 5-ply makes for a more durable piece of cookware that’s both more resistant to warping and dents and does a better job of distributing heat.
A stainless steel pot or pan should have a sturdy, comfortable handle, as well as a “helper handle” for larger sauciers and saute pans. Because stainless cookware often sits on the stove for extended periods, handles and lids can get dangerously hot—that’s why we added a Stay Cool Handle™ to our Stainless Clad Frying Pan for an extra layer of safety.
Now you know what goes into a quality piece of stainless cookware, here’s how to shore up all that information with your budget and cooking needs.
Stainless steel is compatible with a wide range of cooking methods: use it to sear, stir-fry, braise, or even grill. For that reason, you don’t have to be a seasoned cook to justify buying one—plus, a great piece of stainless cookware can help level up your home cooking game.
That being said, you should absolutely invest in stainless steel if you do a lot of searing or other high heat cooking, which is where stainless steel excels.
A high-quality stainless steel pan should always have these basic traits.
Stainless steel cookware tends toward the pricier side compared to other materials—especially for high-quality options. For a stainless clad frying pan or pot that’ll last you decades (if not a lifetime), you can expect to pay upwards of $100, and at least $200 for something like a stock pot.
If budget is a big concern, you can get a decent-quality stainless steel frying pan for about $50. You may not get quite the same level of polish, performance, or permanence, but you’ll still get to enjoy the great heat retention and durability of stainless steel.
Maintaining stainless steel cookware isn’t nearly as tricky as you might think, especially if this is your first time cooking with this material. Here’s everything you need to know about proper care, cleaning, and storage to keep your stainless steel in tip-top shape.
One of the great things about stainless steel cookware is that it’s fairly easy to keep clean. While more prone to sticking than materials like non stick or carbon steel, stainless steel pots and pans don’t have a coating or layers of seasoning to worry about—so you can get a little more rough with them (though you probably won’t need to for everyday messes).
Here’s our guide to cleaning stainless steel cookware, depending on the degree of mess. You can also read up on how to prevent (and fix) the common rainbow stains cosmetic issue—aka heat tint.
Since stainless steel is both rust- and corrosion-resistant, you don’t have to worry as much about storage. Just make sure to place a dish towel, trivet, or cloth napkin between your pans if you plan on stacking on them, in order to prevent scratches. After each wash, make sure to dry your pan thoroughly with a microfiber cloth to prevent water spots.
Even something as durable as stainless steel has its pitfalls. While these tend to be mainly aesthetic issues, such as stains, scratches, and heat tint, they’re also easy to avoid.
First off: Try to avoid abrasive cleaning products (such as bleach-based cleaners), steel wool, and harsh brushes when cleaning your pot or pan, as these can scratch the finish.
Second, always make sure to hand wash your pan. Even if your pan is labeled as dishwasher-safe, the harsh detergents can cause scratches and discoloration, as well as damage the aluminum layers in your pan—particularly if those layers are slightly exposed, like in our Stainless Clad cookware.
Thirdly, always make sure to salt your pan after heating it: Adding salt to a cold pan, or to water before it’s boiling, can lead to tiny divots in your pan known as pitting. While these don’t affect your pan’s performance, they can’t be removed. Read up on how to avoid pitting in our dedicated guide.
A good stainless steel pan will never let you down. And because we’ve seen everything this durable, versatile cookware can do—from searing a perfect steak to simmering chicken stock—we want to make sure you’re buying the right one.
Each piece of our Stainless Clad cookware is built from professional-grade materials, making for a restaurant-level cooking experience every time.