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What are the best cookware sets under $300?

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3 Options Considered

3 Options ConsideredPriceWeightMaterial
Duxtop SSIB-17 Professional
35.4 lbsStainless steel 18/10
Scanpan Induction Plus 6 Piece Non-Stick
14 lbsSqueeze cast aluminum
Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro
26 lbsStainless steel 18/10 and 18/0?
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Duxtop SSIB-17 Professional

Monika
Francisco
Top Pro

Very good for cooks that need versatility

•••
This Duxtop set includes all the pieces that a home cook might need: 2 fry pans (8 and 10-inch), a sauté pan (5.5-quart) with a helper handle and a lid, 2 saucepans (1.6 and 2.5-quart) with lids, a casserole (4.2-quart) with a lid, a stockpot (8.6-quart) with a lid, a boiler basket, a steamer b...
Monika
Francisco
Top Pro

Extremely durable, lasts for a long time

•••
Made of high-quality 18/10 stainless steel, this set can withstand heavy everyday use. The cooking surface is resistant to scratches - the set even includes metal utensils. However, as with all stainless steel pans, using wooden or plastic utensils are recommended for increased longevity.
Monika
Top Pro

Cooking surface heats evenly

•••
Due to the encapsulated, impact-bonded, heavy-gauge aluminum base, every pot and pan in this set heats up quickly and evenly with no hot spots. Impact-bonded base means that the aluminum has been heated up to the melting point, then bonded to the bottom of the pan using very high pressure. This met...
Monika
Top Pro

Easy to measure water/sauce level in the pots

•••
The pots and pans in this set have measuring marks on the inside walls, so there is no need to use a measuring cup for liquid ingredients.
Monika
Top Pro

No need to lift the lids to check on food

•••
This set includes glass lids so there's no need to lift them to check on the food and lose heat or steam. The lids are also oven safe up to the 550° F, the same as the pots.
Monika
Top Con

Takes more effort to clean than non-stick cookware

•••
Stainless steel can discolor if overheated or have some stuck-on food after cooking. It takes more time and effort to clean than non-stick cookware. However, food can be removed by soaking the pan in water and scrubbing, while stains can be removed by using a cleanser.
Monika
Top Con

No lids for frying pans included

•••
This set does not include the lids for the frying pans. The lid from the stockpot fits the 10-inch pan enough to protect from the splatter, but it is not tightly fitted.
Monika
Top Con

Pots take longer to heat up than whole-clad cookware

•••
The pots are not whole-clad, the aluminum disc is attached to the base only. This means that the heat mainly comes from the bottom of the pot and does not transmit well through the walls.
See 6 more Pros & ConsSee 6 more Pros & Cons

Scanpan Induction Plus 6 Piece Non-Stick

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Francisco
Monika
Top Pro

Very good for use with induction stovetops

•••
The Scanpan Induction Plus cookware line is especially made for cooking on induction stovetops (though it can be used on a stovetop of any other kind). There are not a lot of other non-stick pans that are induction-ready, let alone made for this technology.
Francisco
Monika
Top Pro

Resistant to scratches

•••
Due to the hardened ceramic titanium coating, the cooking surface in these pans is much more resistant to scratches than traditional Teflon non-stick pans. The maker claims that metal utensils can be used on this surface without any problems; however, wooden or plastic utensils will assure extended...
Monika
Top Pro

Non-stick coating made without toxic PFOA

•••
Unlike most non-stick cookware, Scanpan Induction Plus series contains no potentially toxic PFOA or PFOS in the cooking surface coating. There are other PFOA-free cookware brands, but Scanpan claims to have eliminated this chemical from the manufacturing process altogether. PTFE (the polymer that...
Monika
Top Pro

Can handle high heat

•••
The pans in this set can handle up to 500° F (glass lids included) and are oven safe.
Monika
Top Pro

Dishwasher safe

•••
This set is dishwasher safe, though frequent cycles may make the coating less non-stick.
Monika
Top Con

A basic set, not a lot of pans

•••
For the quite high price of $299.95 this set includes only 6 pieces: 2 fry pans (8 and 10.25-inch), a saucepan (3.5-quart) with a lid and a Dutch oven (6.5-quart) with a lid. It is enough for basic cooking, but for a bigger meal you might need to get additional pieces.
Monika
Top Con

Should not be stacked, so can take up a lot of room

•••
These pans should not be stacked because the cooking surface might get scratched by the aluminum bottom. If stacking is necessary, a dishcloth or other kind of separator should be used.
See 5 more Pros & ConsSee 5 more Pros & Cons

Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro

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Monika
Francisco
Top Pro

Evenly heats the bottom and walls of the vessel

•••
This set is Tri-ply whole-clad: the aluminum is sandwiched between steel to increase heat transmission, and it goes all through the pan up to the edges. This lets the pan heat up quickly and cooks the food not only from the bottom up, but also through the walls.
Monika
Top Pro

Versatile set, covering most cooking needs

•••
The Cuisinart MCP-12N set includes 12 pieces for everyday use: 2 fry pans (8 and 10-inch), a sauté pan (3.5-quart) with a helper handle and a lid, 2 saucepans (1.5 and 3-quart) with lids, a stockpot (8-quart) with a lid, a steamer basket with a lid.
Monika
Top Pro

Drip-free pouring and sealed-in steam

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The pots and pans in this set have a flared lip, which serves two purposes. First, it makes pouring less messy and more precise.Second, the stainless steel lids fit inside the lip very tightly and seal in the steam when cooking.
Monika
Top Pro

Durable and long-lasting set

•••
The set can withstand heavy use - the cooking surface is made from high-quality stainless steel (grade 18/10) and is resistant to scratches and rust. However, as with all stainless steel pans, wooden or plastic utensils are recommended for increased longevity. The outside is a little bit less durab...
Monika
Top Con

No medium-sized pot

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The set does not include a medium-sized pot: there are a 3-quart saucepan and an 8-quart stockpot, but there is no pot in the 4.5-5.5-quart range.
Monika
Top Con

Takes more effort to clean than non-stick cookware

•••
Stainless steel can discolor if overheated or have some stuck-on food after cooking. It takes more time and effort to clean than non-stick cookware. However, food can be removed by soaking the pans in water and scrubbing and scrubbing, while stains can be removed by using a cleanser.
Monika
Top Con

Lid handles get hot easily

•••
The lids are made of stainless steel, so the heat transfers to the metal handles easily and they can become very hot. It is recommended to always lift the lids with an oven mitt or a dishcloth.
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4 Community Recommendations

Monika
Zack H
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