Is Cookware Good Value For Money?

The cookware market is thriving at the moment and there are some amazing sets available. Brands like Cuisinart, Rachael Ray, Circulon and even Farberware have some great sets out there which won’t cost you a fortune either.

When you want to choose a cookware set though you need to think about what type you want before you go searching. There are lots of types but it pretty much boils down to only 3 main categories, the first one is stainless steel which is always popular and is very durable. The next category is non-stick sets which are typically made from aluminum which has been hard anodized, and then a special coating is applied to the inside to stop food sticking to it, they are really easy to clean but the coating is not that durable. Finally you have the heavy and robust cast iron sets which are great but require a lot of maintenance to get the most out of them.

Below we take a closer look at each category and which brand offers the best set for it:

Stainless steel: This is an easy one for me to pick, I think that Cuisinart have the stainless steel cookware market all sewn up as they offer fantastic prices along with the quality you need too. I’d probably go for the 12 piece Multiclad Pro set which gives you a really high quality set with a layer of aluminum sandwiched between the outer and inner layer of stainless steel to give excellent heat transference. If you don’t really care about getting good heat transfer and just want a decent set for a decent price then instead go for the basic range and you can get an amazing 12 piece set for a little over a hundred dollars.

Non Stick: I find this the hardest category to choose a brand for, just because there are a huge range of options in this category and they are all very similar in terms of both price and quality. All the sets in this category though tend to be a bit boring and bland, they are all black or grey with stainless steel accents, which is why the non-stick cookware set from Rachael Ray stood out. Their best selling set is dark grey but has lovely orange handles on it which really help to brighten up any kitchen. They are hard anodized aluminum with good solid handles on the lids and silicone on all the handles so you don’t burn yourself but can still put them straight from the stove right into the oven.

As this set is made purely of aluminum then it gives fantastic heat transference without any cold and hot spots, and because it has the non stick coating on the inside then they are actually a doddle to clean and get any burnt food off. You have to be careful what kind of utensils you use with a set like this though, a hard material like metal will chip the coating so you need to stick to either plastic or wood instead.

Cast Iron: If you value quality and don’t care about price then in this category I think Le Creuset are the clear winners. However buying a set from them is expensive so if you want cast iron cookware for a much more affordable price then I think Lodge Logic has to be the only choice. In fact you can get a perfectly good 5 piece set from Lodge for just shy of 70 dollars that will last you a lifetme if you look after it.