Cooks Standard 10-Piece Multi-Ply Clad Stainless Steel Pots and Pans Set

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.

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.

If you are willing to use stainless cookware the way it requires, this is a superb cook-set at a great price. The finish is beautiful. The lids seal and the pans heat evenly. The handles are much more comfortable than All-Clad, but functionally the Cooks Standard pots and pans heat and cook the same at a much lower price. All the lids have a non-removable Cooks Standard label on them but it's simple and unobtrusive. You can use the cookware in the oven at 500 degrees or lower. The choice of pots and pans should cover most needs except for a wok, which is available separately. The large skillet/fryer is heavy and will require two hands to lift. The same is true of the stock pot. The steamer will fit with any of the pots in the set. The bases are wide and cover most flames or electric elements. Induction heating works great. If you try to use these the same way you would use Teflon or equivalent, you will have problems. How do you use the pots and pans properly? Season the pans. Look the process up on YouTube. The short version is heat the pans on med-high heat with a fair bit of high-temperature oil. When the oil begins to smoke but before you get a brown burn surface take the pans off the heat, use a paper towel or rag to cover all surfaces with oil then let cool. Wipe off excess oil after cooling. Be very careful when coating the hot pans with oil. It's easy to burn yourself. If you don't do this you will likely have food stick terribly. There is no plastic or silicone grip on any surface. You may need to use a pot holder when grabbing a handle or pot lid, though I generally don't. Be aware that triple layer steel is pretty heavy. Sets with aluminum bottoms added to the cookware might be better for some. Don't use the dishwasher for any pan you will fry with. That will strip the seasoning. Wash by hand with soap and water. You can soak the pans after they cool a bit to ease washing. When cooking, use a lower heat than you're used to. Let the pans warm up before putting anything in them but oil. For frying, you shouldn't need a heat higher than medium or one click cooler. It's okay to turn the pots up to high to boil liquids. Never use bleach on the cookware, that includes dishwasher soap with chlorine in it, as most have. The chlorine will pit the surface. That may be a tiny amount but the effects add up over time. The dishwasher is okay (with non-chlorine cleaner) for pots that only heat liquids, as you really don't need non-stick unless you sauté something. If food is burned on, you can usually loosen it by filling the pan with water and simmering it for a few minutes. If pans discolor there are three ways to get rid of the discoloration. I'll offer them in order of effectiveness. Soak the pans in warm water with a lot of vinegar or lemon juice. The acid will probably remove the color. Soak the pans in warm water with Oxyclean or or other oxygen cleaner. If the first two methods fail, scrub the pans or pots with Barkeeper's Friend. Boiling water in the pots and pans before you season them may help reduce discoloration as it removes any gunk that's on the inside of the cookware. All of these methods will probably remove the seasoning. Repeat that process to make the pans relatively non-stick. You can use stainless spatulas and spoons with stainless cookware but you will scratch the inside a bit. You can also use the sponges with a Scotchbright pad or equivalent on them. Again, that will scratch the surface. I expect my pots and pans to show a bit of wear, so I don't care. If you are not willing to take the extra care that stainless cookware requires you will probably be happier with some kind of non-stick.

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.

ترددت في شرائها بسبب التعليقات المسيئه في التقييم المنخفض ، لكن عندما اشتريتها تفاجئت بجودة المنتجات الاكثر من رائعة وهي ممتازة واكثر ما تتوقعت من ناحية اللمعة والثقل والتنظيف في غساله الصحون كل شيء فيها ممتاز في التعليقات المسيئة يقولون انها تصدئ او لاتنظف بسهولة او لاتتحمل غسالة الصحون او تحرق الاكل بالعكس تنظيفها سهل وتتحمل غسالة الصحون ولاتحرق الاكل ثقيله وجميله وذات جودة ممتازة

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.

Decidimos comprar esta batería en lugar de una T-fal que teníamos porque no queríamos teflon ni otro plástico en contacto con la comida. Dentro de todas las opciones que vimos, esta marca y este modelo en particular qué lo mas cercano que encontramos a calidad profesional sin que el precio fuera excesivo. Hay que aprender a cocinar en acero inoxidable porque definitivamente se pegan algunas cosas y todo se calienta mas rápido o se quema, pero teniendo todos los ingredientes a la mano y regulando el calor, funciona muy bien y sin preocupaciones por rayar el anti adherente o comértelo cuando se desgasta. Leí algunos comentario sobre manchas en las ollas y sartenes y si, son ciertos pero creo que es una característica del material y se quitan con mucha facilidad. Por fuera, si se manchan, es solo cosa de lavarlas con una fibra no abrasiva (para no rayar el acabado espejo) y por dentro con una fibra ligeramente abrasiva o de vez en cuando aplicando limpiador para acero (yo tengo uno en polvo) y dejarlo reposar unos minutos sin tallar. El accesorio para coce al vapor es excelente y además funciona como colador de muy buen tamaño. Probablemente es buena idea comprar el modelo que incluye en sartén profundo con tapa para tener una opción mas para freír.

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.