Lids count as pieces, so an 11-piece set is not eleven pots and pans. Any basic set to get you started should include a stockpot, a large saucepan, a small saucepan, a skillet, and the proper sizes of lids to cover all or most of them. You may not need more, especially if you do not cook a lot or do not cook for a crowd. Think about the pieces included in a set you are considering, and ask yourself if they are all pieces you will use regularly. Sometimes, it is more cost-effective to buy a basic set and then fill it in with some individually purchased pieces tailored to your cooking.

The best stainless cookware will have a thick bottom, often sandwiched with layers of copper or other materials that are good conductors of heat. This helps keep the heat even and consistent during cooking and helps to prevent hot spots or areas that are prone to burn. If the pans are a single thickness on the sides and bottom, you will encounter issues with food sticking and burning.

Whatever your heat source – gas, electric, or induction – matching your pans to your burner size is a reasonable consideration. A pan that’s smaller than your burner doesn’t present much of a heating issue, as it will still receive even heating. But the converse is not true; a pan larger than your burner will not receive even heating on the overhanging edges. 

Also, consider the number of people you’ll cook for and your cooking style. Bigger pans make quicker work when cooking for a larger group, but you may find that excessive when cooking solo. If you’ll frequently make large batches of soups or stocks, no matter how large or small the audience, you’ll want a larger stock pot and probably a larger saucepan. 

Pot and Pan Weight

Weight and balance were factors in our testing to determine whether the pans might present challenges for people with mobility or lifting issues. You certainly don’t want a set of pots and pans that are heavier than you can comfortably move, as that presents challenges and safety issues around hot food and burners. It’s also worth considering the handle length of the set. Cabinet or under-counter storage with long handles can be difficult if you don’t have room to accommodate them.

Heat Conductivity

As the introduction explains, cladding aids heat conductivity in an otherwise poor medium. As a rule of thumb, the more layers, the better the heat distribution throughout the pan; copper cookware is more conductive and that's why stainless has layers, or cladding, that often include copper. The heat distribution minimizes hot spots in the center of the pan under the burner and decreases opportunities for scorching or overcooking your food.

Care and Cleaning

Taking care of your stainless set is relatively easy. Don’t apply high, direct heat for long periods to avoid discoloration and potential warping. Never put a hot pan in the sink, or fill it with water, as this is one of the best ways to warp it. No seasoning is necessary with stainless pans, so you don’t need to subject yourself to the rituals of cast iron pan maintenance. 

Ideally, a good set of pots and pans will clean up with a sponge and hot, soapy water. If you need a little extra help to remove burnt-on, polymerized grease, stuck food, or remove stubborn stains, a gentle but helpful stainless steel cleaner is your best bet.

How We Tested Stainless Steel Cookware Sets

Our testing process began with lifting and holding the pots and pans, noting how they felt in our hands and whether weight or handle design might keep someone from using them comfortably. We then began sweating mirepoix in the pans, as if making a soup or stock, to rate how easily we could cook the vegetables without coloring them. Did the vegetables hide where the sides of the pan met the bottom? Did the vegetables brown or stick when cooking them?

Next, we cooked a classic bechamel sauce, making a roux and adding milk. We rated the pans on how easily we could incorporate all of the flour, their responsiveness to temperature changes from the burner, and how evenly the heat was distributed across the pans. We also observed how difficult or messy it was to pour the sauce from the pans. Next, we cooked a batch of plain rice, examining how much boilover occurred when placing lids on the pans, how evenly and thoroughly the rice cooked, and how much rice stuck to the bottom of the pans. Finally, we rated the pans on cleanup, noting if they required scraping or scrubbing beyond a sponge and soapy water.

Other Stainless Steel Cookware Sets We Tested

Strong Contenders

All-Clad D5 5-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set ($900 at Amazon)

We liked how lightweight the pots and pans in this set felt as we moved them around and how evenly this cookware heated. While some foods were quick to stick and burn, everything cleaned up easily. Nevertheless, we ruled the set overpriced for most cooks, especially those who feel comfortable with stainless steel and can troubleshoot issues like premature browning.

All-Clad D3 Tri-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set ($700 at Amazon)

Most of what we liked and disliked about the All-Clad D5 set applied to the D3 set, as well. Controlling the heat actually seemed easier with the D3. While cooks who lift pots and pans frequently would benefit from lightweight cookware, the price kept this set off our list. Plus, the handles were not very comfortable.

What Didn’t Make the List

All of the cookware sets we tested are popular. Compared to our winners, however, a handful seemed more mediocre in our tests. For example, we found the lower cost of the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set ($159 at Amazon) proportional to its performance. With the Calphalon Premier 11-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set ($295 at Amazon), issues with sticking and uneven cooking were met with a difficult cleanup. We liked the design of the OXO Tri-Ply Stainless Mira Series 10-Piece Set ($400 at Amazon), especially the smooth handles, but it fell short in our cooking tests.

Design kept other sets off our list. While the Misen 12-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set ($675 at Amazon) performed well, we found the pieces bulky, heavy, and uncomfortable to hold. The Anolon Nouvelle Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set ($300 at Amazon) retails at a fair price and heats evenly, but we preferred the more ergonomic designs of other stockpots and sauté pans.