Cooks Standard Multi-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Set, 10-Piece Pots and Pans with Lids

Like many other reviewers I decided to make the transition from teflon to stainless steel cookware for several reasons. I was tired of replacing cookware every 3 or 4 years, and I keep reading all these articles about the dangers of ingesting the teflon coating, so I knew I had to go back to my roots and go back to stainless. I researched so many things before I made a decision, and I knew I wanted all clad construction rather than just encapsulated bottoms, but most sets were way outside my budget. I came across three sets that caught my eye because of good reviews and being within my price range. I narrowed it down to this Cooks Standard set, Tramontina and Duxtop. Honestly, the reason I chose this one over the other two was because it came with the steamer insert which was a piece I really needed. The steamer is a piece I use almost daily so it was nice to find it included in a complete set rather than having to buy a separate piece. I have a small family and this set has all the pieces I really need,along with a few pieces of cast iron cookware I use to compliment this set. I have used every piece of this set so far except the larger frying pan, and I must say that I am over the moon. The pieces are really beautiful and sturdy. Cooking is even, constant, and quick. I was afraid I might burn a few things at first since I have been using non-stick cookware for over 20 years, but that never happened! Even when I cooked rice, it came out perfect and fluffy! Cleanup has been a breeze! A simple soak for 5 or 10 minutes and everything washes clean with ease. It's perfectly normal to see some rainbowing or water spots on stainless steel cookware, but as others have mentioned, a spot of barkeepers friend restores the original mirror shine with ease. Other reviewers have said this set is comparable to the ultra expensive allclad cookware. I have never owned any of those to be able to compare, but I can honestly say that this looks to be a quality set of cookware that could easily outlast me with proper care. And incidentally I saw this exact set on two other sites for double this price!! The joy of cooking has been renewed, and I will never look back at teflon again! UPDATE: 12/17/2013-Going on two years now since I have bought this set and I have to say it was one of the best purchases I have ever made. Thanks to the suggestions of other reviewers about Barkeeper's Friend and handwashing, my set still looks brand new! Obviously there are some small scratches here and there from normal use, but they are still super shiny with a great mirror finish. Some reviewers have complained about sticking, and the handles getting hot. I really haven't had a problem with food sticking any more than normal. I preheat my frying pans before I cook eggs or meat or other foods that tend to stick. As far as the handles getting hot, that is to be expected since they are steel and metal conducts heat. The trade off is worth it to me since you can put any piece on top of the stove as well as inside the oven, whereas with plastic or rubber handles you cannot put them inside the oven. It has just become second nature to me to keep the oven mitt handy while I am cooking for when I lift the lids or move the pots around. My favorite piece is still the steamer insert. I use it so much I am considering buying another one so I can steam more vegetables at one time! LOL. I recently had one of my cheaper pots with an encapsulated bottom actually come apart while I was using it! The bottom became detached and started spewing hot soup from the bottom. Another great reason to look for 3 ply or 5 ply construction. All in all, I highly recommend this cookware set. I look forward to many more years of use from this set.

I don't know if you are at the same stage I was: I wanted to avoid the potential perils of non-stick coatings and yet felt a little apprehensive about using Stainless Steel. There are some very negative reviews for similar products, along the lines that they don't cook anything "right" and a jackhammer is required as standard cleaning equipment. You'll be pleased to know that neither could be further from the truth in my experience using this set (the Cooks Standard Multi-Ply Clad Stainless-Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set). While I don't deny that a select few may have had a negative experience, I hope this review will put your concerns to rest. I am a first-time Stainless Steel user. I am not a prize-winning chef. I have recently switched to cooking whole-foods from scratch; and I mean recently. So I am not only behind on my cooking skills, but I've never used such high-quality equipment before (dollar-store plastic utensils, anyone?). The turning point came when I found little black bits of non-stick coating in my fresh batch of home-made refried beans. Very frustrating. I can't fault the coating because it was over seven years old. At the first sign of a scratch, non-stick cookware is supposed to be replaced. That's one reason why I was looking for a long-life, heavy duty cookware set with NO COATINGS TO SCRATCH. I read one study that said the fumes from non-stick coatings at high temperatures have killed birds in a lab. Nice. So I threw my "toxic" refried beans in the trash and let my hubby know I couldn't cook with the pot anymore. A week later he bought this set for me (at my recommendation)! I guess he likes my refried beans! If you want to use this set proficiently and aren't used to stainless steel, you'll have to adjust--not lower--your expectations. It stands to reason that if this cookware is designed differently and made of different materials than the set you are used to, it is going to behave differently. If you want to produce the same results that you're used to, you'll have to adjust your cooking methods. It's actually not hard to do at all. Read the manufacturer's instructions for cooking and cleaning. Watch a couple videos on the web about how to preheat a pan and how to determine it is at the right temperature for pan-frying, etc. It will only take you ten minutes of watching/reading but it will save you from potential disappointment. If others use these sets with no problems, you can too; you'll have to be willing to learn and do what they did. It is exciting to learn a new skill! This is the perfect set for that; because the inner core extends all the way to the top of each pan, they heat up evenly, making it difficult to burn food; a good thing for a novice to know! These pans look beautiful. The glass lids from my old set fit the pans perfectly, so now I have two sets of lids; I can use glass lids (from my old set) when I want to keep an eye on things, and stainless steel lids for oven cooking. I smile every time I pull these pans out of the drawer; they gleam at me every day! Who said diamonds are a girls' best friend? He/she obviously didn't cook! I've used all the pans in the two weeks I've had them. I've pan-fried battered fish, salmon, scrambled eggs, taco meat, burgers, home-made Italian sausage, hard-boiled eggs, home-made spaghetti sauce, and dosas with no issues. I've made cream-of-garlic soup, mashed potatoes, spaghetti, and chicken noodle soup in the stock pot. I've used the little pot with the steamer insert for broccoli, green beans, and baby carrots (it's so nice to have brightly colored vegetables that are hot and still a little crisp). They all work brilliantly! The pans have acquired some mild discoloration on the bottom (caused by use); I have a gas range so they are over an open flame. Bar Keeper's Friend is supposed to get that off so I'm not worried about it. I try to avoid commercial cleaners as much as I can: I have kept these pans otherwise spotless using a mild castile soap, baking soda for a mild discoloration caused by taco meat, and vinegar for a slight starch residue left by some rice. I haven't had any cleaning issues: I rinse the pans out with very hot water from the faucet as soon as I am finished with each and hand-wash them later with a dishrag and soap (the only thing I've had to scrub was a little residue from scrambled eggs: it came off with little effort). As for sticking: no problems! I make sure to preheat the pan using medium-low heat. I use the preheating time to chop my veggies and prepare side-dishes, so these pans have actually "trained" me to be a better-organized cook. Once the pan is very warm on the edge, I typically reduce the heat to low. That's the great thing about these pans: I used to cook meals on a 6/7 on my gas range with the cheap non-stick pans: now I cook them on a 2/3! Talk about energy savings! The food is fully cooked but more MOIST! Everything tastes better. I told my stepdaughter not to tell my husband that: he'll just have to think I am improving dramatically! The handles stay cool: the pans are weighty but not too heavy and are well-balanced. I love using them. I don't usually post reviews but I was looking forward to reviewing this product. I've recommended it to my family and friends. While there are higher-end stainless steel sets out there by other brands, they come with a $500-$1000 price tag. This set really is the best deal (at $163) out there with a much better quality than most cookware sets. I highly recommend this set: I don't think you'll be disappointed. It's a challenge to learn something new, but it has been a very rewarding experience.

A terrific set for those starting out their own kitchen and needing a quality set of cookware that covers all the basic cooking needs at an affordable price! My husband and I just got married and we needed a starter cookware set for our new kitchen, and after much research we decided to get the Cooks Standard Set to use temporarily for half a year with the intention of replacing them with All-Clad once the year-end Thanksgiving and Christmas sales hit. It has always been my dream to own All-Clad cookware when I finally have my own kitchen. Now, it is already year-end, with all the sales and discounts on the All-Clad, but I did not find any reason whatsoever to replace my Cooks Standard pieces. I did add two pieces from the All-Clad d5 line to complete my cookware collection (a saute pan and a 4-qt. sauce pot), and I daresay that while the All-Clad is more responsive and heats up faster, the performance of the Cooks Standard is not very far behind, comparable even. The handles of the Cooks Standard are way more comfortable, especially when lifting a steaming, hot, and heavy saucepan off the stove, a sturdy and comfortable handle does make a world of a difference. I grew up learning how to cook at my parents' home, and they had a nice set of stainless steel pots and pans, thus, I am partial to SS cookware all the way! No need to worry about nonstick flaking off, or enamel scratching off. Some tips I learned is that high heat is very rarely needed with stainless steel, lest you want to risk burning your food. Food rarely ever sticks as long as it is preheated first before adding oil. Overall, I am very happy with this cookware and would highly recommend, especially for new cooks or those starting out on their first kitchen, or even for those making the transition from nonstick to stainless steel without wanting to drop half a thousand bucks on high-end cookware brands. The pots and pans are responsive to heat, heat up evenly without any annoying hotspots, and clean up easily. Some people complained of staining/discoloration of the pans and unfortunately that happened to me as well for some pieces no matter how much I scrubbed, but I do not really mind because of how well the cookware works for its price point. Slight staining from everyday use does not bother me at all. The staining does not affect performance and that is what matters to me the most. Function over aesthetic.

I’ve owned this set for 5 years. I absolutely love it. Heavy duty, fantastic quality. A bit of a learning curve if you’ve never cooked on stainless steel, but well worth it! Easy to clean. Any stains come right out with Barkeepers Friend. My ONLY complaint, and I know I should have addressed it earlier but it wasn’t an issue until a recent move where I now cook on ceramic cooktop instead of gas grates. The deep sauté pan, my most used pan, is warped. The middle of the bottom bulges outward. It was never an issue using a gas stove. But now it doesn’t sit flat on my glass top electric stove, so the pan doesn’t heat evenly. It also spins around like a top. Overall I would rebuy this set 100 times. I just wish I’d addressed the issue of the sauté pan sooner. I need to purchase a new one but they’re more expensive individually.

I have only cooked with this set a couple of times, but so far I love it. Prior to now, I have always used Teflon exclusively with some cast iron thrown in on occasion. I was interested in using stainless steel for quite some time, but hesitant because of the price and the fear of ruining them with one round of scrambled eggs. However, the more that I looked into Teflon and the more my own cheap pans took a beating convinced me to really consider stainless as an option. I came across this set in a review on stainless cookware which compared it to the Cuisinart 12 piece and an All-Clad Tri-ply set(s). I felt that the price showed that the set was too good to be true, but the positive reviews convinced me to place it on my "Wish list," where it sat for the next few months as I slowly convinced myself to try it and researched how to cook with stainless steel. I finally took the plunge and purchased the set, and I am so glad that I did. The set came over-packaged, the boxed 12 piece set was inside of another 3 boxes with various paper and air packets in between layers. I really felt that this was overkill, but my cookware was not damaged by shipping in any shape or form so maybe I should just be grateful. Each piece was beautiful and washed up and dried with no spots or scratches from my novice hands. I put them up, donated my Teflon cookware to a local second hand shop and proceeded to eat out for a week and a half because I was so afraid to use them! Finally I broke down and made my food. I read and re-read how to properly heat the pan (as someone who would often turn the burner to high and then down to medium, this was important). I prepared all of my ingredients and got everything ready. I used water to test the pan, delighted at the little ball of water floating around the pan, and then dove into make tacos. As I cooked I was surprised that the ground turkey used was not sticking; not even a little bit. I took pride in my water using pre-heating the pan knowledge and kept going. The meal was wonderful, the pan heated evenly and cooked the meal in less time than my thin chipped Teflon pans had in the past (with no potential Teflon flakes). The meat slid out into the storage bowls after dinner was over and I set to washing it. Pleased with my new cooking prowess and determined to try eggs next. I hand-washed the pan with warm water and free and clear soap, and then spent 30 minutes freaking out when a blue discoloration appeared at the bottom on the dried pan. I scrubbed vigorously; yet gently, with Bon Ami thinking that I had ruined my brand new pans, which I knew were too good to be true and a Teflon lover like me could never handle. Then I stopped, breathed, and hit Google again. Bon Ami was working, but I couldn't see scrubbing everything with Bon Ami at every wash. I then realized that I still overheated the pan, and that a splash of vinegar in warm water would clear the discoloration right up. Sure enough it did, and I had a beautiful pan for my novice self again! My confidence was restored. I placed the pan back in the cabinet and finally forgave myself for throwing out all of my old pots and pans. I am very pleased with the set and feel that I will get many uses and wonderful meals out of it. They have forced me to be a more conscious and prepared cook, and to be mindful of the things I would ignore before (like how to preheat a darn pan). I may even try scrambled eggs next ;) I definitely recommend this set for the stainless steel novices like myself or even the long time users. Each piece is useful and I truly feel that this set covers all of the cookware that I need (aside from my cast iron dutch oven and skillet). The pans are weighted well, and heat beautifully. The handles stay cool due to the design (which you always hear, but rarely experience). Thanks to this set, I can pretend to know what I'm doing in the kitchen and enjoy doing it; without having to take out a second mortgage.

I have had two individual items from this series (the 12" fry pan and the 5-quart deep saute pan) for quite a while now and I absolutely love them. The 12" fry pan, in particular, is used very hard and has been an excellent and sturdy staple in my kitchen. I recently remodeled the kitchen and bought a GE Profile induction range, and while those two pans worked great, I needed pots that would work on my induction stove too. The quality of this set is excellent, exactly like the other pieces I already owned. If I had to complain, I would say that I would like for there to be a smaller sauce pan (in addition) and I would like the stock pot to be larger. You'll use the stock pot for spaghetti or pasta, but there is no way you'll use it for stock. On to the details. The pans themselves are nice and heavy and really well-balanced. They are about the same weight and thickness as All Clad 3-ply pans. They feel great in your hand and they heat evenly across the entire surface. The bottoms are flat and sit nicely and securely on the ceramic stove top. The lids fit well, but are a little lighter in material than I would have liked. With the pans themselves being so heavy, I find the lightweight character of the lids to be more noticeable. Still, they work fine, so it's more a perception thing. They really could have left that logo off of the lids. It's not a sticker and it doesn't come off, but you stop noticing after a while, so it's not a big deal. Using them on an induction stove top, the question of buzzing has to arise. There is another review of this set in which the author experienced loud buzzing. My experience is different and this is what I perceive. The loudest buzzing occurs when I put one of the empty skillets on, set on medium high heat. I would call that buzzing moderate. To give you a sense of how loud it is, we had a guest over the other night and were talking about the new induction range. Just as I put a skillet on to heat for a saute, I wanted her to hear the sound and I had to hush everyone so she could hear it in the eating area about 15 feet away. Then she could just hear it. I have also noticed that, when I do hear a buzzing like this, it goes away quickly as the pan heats. When I put a pan on that has water in it, or another liquid, there is only the faintest of buzzing sounds and I rarely even notice it unless I am listening for it. Another issue that a few reviewers mentioned is how the product looks after use. One must realize that they are buying cookware to use to prepare food under high-heat conditions. These pans are shiny and beautiful when you first open them, but no product, not even All Clad, will fail to show a difference with use. Oils and food will cook on, films will develop and be cooked on and cookware will stain on the inside and the outside. (Less so on the outside with induction, which doesn't generate heat directly.) If you want your pans to look nice, you need to take proper care of them. That means, if anything has cooked on like with a saute, soak them after they're cool, but before you wash them. Use Barkeeper's Friend regularly to remove the film on the inside and the dark discoloration on the outside. It will bring your pan back to being bright and beautiful (though, of course, you'll have marks where you've used metal utensils, and some color around hard-to-reach places like around rivets). If you want your pans to remain perfect, then don't use them. If you use them, these will last and look just as good over time as any other high-end stainless product. I gave a serious look at All Clad products before making this purchase, but I just could not bring myself to bring myself to pay that much for a product that seemed no better than this one. I think this is a great set to start with, and then you can branch out and buy some individual pieces to round out your collection. I am very comfortable recommending this cookware to anyone looking for solid, heavyweight, well-balanced, multiply stainless steel pots and pans.

I so wanted to like this cookware set as I did much research before buying a couple years ago. Over time I started to hate it. The frying pans seemed a nightmare and like others I replaced them with nonstick. Liked the sauce pans the best but found them a bit heavy and grew tired of constantly having to apply Barkeepers Friend due to the discoloration that comes with the SS surface. The stock pot finally put me over the edge. I never expected to see scratching and small dents on the brushed stainless steel outside and the last time I made soup in it food particles stuck to it so badly I had to wash it three or four times to get it clean along with using the BF. Then I ended up with a reddish blotch on the bottom that never did come out. I replaced this with the T-fal E918SC74 / E918SC64 Ultimate Hard Anodized Durable Nonstick Expert Interior Thermo-Spot Heat Indicator Anti-Warp Base Dishwasher Safe PFOA Free Oven Safe Cookware Set, 12-Piece, Gray and will never go back. I value easy handling and care and early on find that things like rice turn out noticeably better. Nonstick has improved since the Teflon scare and after absorbing info from various articles on the topic I now think we have less to fear from the nonstick coatings than many of us had once thought- you just need to care for the cookware properly and not use excessive heat. If in the market for new cookware I urge people to weigh the pros and cons of stainless steel versus nonstick. If the SS appeals to you this Cooks Standard set remains a good buy. Based on my experience just don't look at stainless as your only viable option.

My husband destroyed 3 sets of pots and pans in the first 3 years we were married. I was looking for something that was first of all durable and pretty much indestructible. I wanted something that was heavy and distributed heat well, was safe for our new glass top stove, oven safe, had a lid for every pan, and wasn't super expensive. It's a long list but this set absolutely fits the bill. One thing I noticed when looking for pans is once you take the lids off, a lot of pans are really light weight. I wanted something nice and solid. I was shocked when I opened these and felt how heavy the pots were WITHOUT the lids. I've owned them for almost 3 years now and use them daily and they are good as new. I do miss having non-stick pans, but with some research and a little practice I regularly cook eggs in the skillets and never have a problem with them sticking. The trick is to get the pan hot. Then get the fat( butter or oil) hot. Then add your eggs. I've rarely had an egg stick using this method. I NEVER put these in the dishwasher. They are dishwasher safe but it says right in the instructions that handwashing is recommended. That being said cleaning these pots and pans can be a little more involved. I always let them cool and then soak them for a few minutes and any stuck on food generally scrapes right off (do not put cold water in a hot pan!) Then wash with normal soap and water. After a while the stainless steal gets a little discolored. A little lemon juice or white vinegar (per the instructions) easily restores the shiny finish to it's original state. I do this once a month or as needed and they keep a magnificent shine. Oh, and I've dropped these multiple times. From the counter to the floor. The pots and the lids. No bending. No warping. No ill-fitting lids. I've used metal utensils in them.; they are unscathed. I've scorched food to a black layer of charcoal; they cleaned up completely. I even let my husband cook from time to time. If you're willing to read the instructions and take care of these pans they will last you for years for a third the price of similar sets elsewhere that in my opinion are of lesser quality. If you cook, need new pans, and don't want to spend $1000, buy these now.

I have been using these pans for about a month and I am very satisfied with them. Good quality, sturdy and nice design for an affordable product. I use Bar Keepers Friend to remove the rainbow effect and other stains on them and they look like new again (see picture) I like that one side of the pans is brushed (inner) and the other is polished. I recommend adding salt just until the water starts boiling to prevent pitting. I will update on its durability later.

Me encantó la batería de cocina, excelente calidad, es importante que cocines a fuego lento para que no se pegue la comida, los mangos no se calientan tanto los puedes agarrar sin problema; existen otras en el mercado que te muestran en tu casa pero el precio es una burla, yo revisé antes de comprar y estas para mi punto de vista fueron las mejores en relación precio-calidad.

Love this set of cookware!!! Pans are a nice weight. They have a good edge on them that keeps pouring neat and easy. Heat distributes evenly. Sizes are perfect. This is the nicest set of cookware I have ever owned. It’s not non-stick cookware. You cook with it at medium to low temperature. You also have to soak off anything that sticks, but the pans do clean up nicely. I am absolutely satisfied with this purchase and would recommend this set to anyone looking for stainless cookware. Excellent value for the money.

Excellent Quality at a great price

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