We test a lot of products in the Good Housekeeping Kitchen & Cooking Lab, but we test cookware more than any other type of product. There are so many different materials, finishes, and shapes that are constantly hitting the market, so we’re constantly evaluating to keep up with it all.
It’s also one of the most popular categories for our Good Housekeeping Kitchen Awards. This year we evaluated stainless steel, nonstick, ceramic nonstick, and hybrid nonstick pot and pan sets, as well as cast iron and carbon steel skillets. We test each product by performing a specific set of tasks: We assess each pan for heat distribution, searing ability, cleanup, and nonstick effectiveness where applicable. We also simmer sauce in the saucepans to assess how well the pans can hold heat, whether the handles get hot, and if they burn delicate foods. Lastly, we boil water in the stockpots to see how quickly they heat on both gas and induction cooktops.
And we don’t stop there—we send the cookware to consumer testers, who use them in their own kitchens and provide real-world feedback on performance, ease of use, and durability. These winners, including top-performing cookware sets and pans, rose to the top for impressing our culinary experts and home chefs alike.
Quarter sheet pans are half the size of the sheet pans you’re likely used to. They’re perfect for cooking for one to two people, and they’re easier to clean and maneuver in the sink. This one from Sur La Table is made from aluminized steel and has reinforced rims to help prevent warping.
TEST RESULTS: Testers said the ridged nonstick surface helped food release more easily. They also said the pan heated evenly and consistently and that it cleaned up nicely without scrubbing.
Sur La Table’s wok is made from carbon steel, an innovative material that stands out for being durable, feeling lightweight, heating well, and browning food excellently—all attributes ideal for wok cooking.
TEST RESULTS: It heated quickly and evenly in both our Kitchen Lab and the homes of consumer testers. Analysts highlighted how the flat bottom sat well on our Lab’s cooktops, and testers liked the smoky flavor they were able to achieve with it and how food didn’t stick to it once it was seasoned.
This Farberware cookware set consists of an impressively large assortment that includes a combination of stainless steel and nonstick pieces, making it versatile for all types of cooking and baking. The set comes with a frying pan, two saucepans, a stockpot, a nonstick skillet, a baking sheet, and cooking tools, all at a great price.
TEST RESULTS: The pan aced our nonstick tests, in which we “fry” eggs without oil then release them. The stockpot also impressed, boiling water quickly. One tester highlighted how the pan retained heat well when she was frying.
This small 7.5-inch cast iron pan from Field Company has unique curved sidewalls, making it ideal for flipping, stirring, and sautéing. It is machine-smoothed for a polished-looking finish and comes preseasoned.
TEST RESULTS: “I really, really liked this pan,” said one tester. “It’s a great size and daily driver.” It was used to cook different proteins, eggs, and pancakes and to reheat food. Consumers said it cooked evenly, which echoed what we found in our Kitchen Lab tests.
Buzzy brand Made In launched preseasoned cast-iron pans this year. This 12-inch version has a wide polished surface, comfortable-to-hold handles, and pointed pour spouts. Its large size makes it great for families.
TEST RESULTS: “This cast iron pan is beautiful,” said one tester. “It’s unlike anything I’ve seen before: coppery bronze and very high-end-looking. It’s also sturdy.” In our Lab tests, this pan seared steak nicely and produced evenly baked cornbread.
Yeti’s carbon steel pan has a wide surface and shallow flared edges that allow for better browning. It’s preseasoned and nitrided for rust resistance. It can be used both indoors and outdoors and has a handle that sits higher than the base of the pan and allows for better grabbing.
TEST RESULTS: This pan heated evenly in our tests, and the nonstick property worked well. Testers liked that it heated quickly, had good heft, and wasn’t too heavy. “It’s definitely worthy of a recommendation,” said one tester. “It is good quality and performs above expectations.”
This frying pan from Cristel has a five-layer construction with an aluminum core to help it heat quickly and evenly. It can brown, sauté, fry, simmer, and more, with sloped sides that help prevent splatters. It’s oven-safe up to 550ºF.
TEST RESULTS: “I love this pan,” said one tester. “It has become my new favorite.” She and others said they used it to sauté meat and various veggies as well as to cook sauce. They said it cleaned up easily and didn’t stain. It heated evenly and browned steak well in Kitchen Lab tests.
This nonstick stainless steel roasting pan and rack from HexClad, oven-safe up to 900°F, can be used for a range of tasks, from roasting chicken to baking casseroles or cornbread. The set also includes a smaller roasting pan and an oval one.
TEST RESULTS: “I love that these pans can be used for traditional roasting as well as baking focaccia,” said one tester. Another told us, “The food came out much better compared with that from other bakeware I’ve used before.” Our Kitchen Lab analyst used this pan to cook a crispy, evenly browned chicken.
Hybrid cookware, like this set from Oxo, combines the durability of stainless steel with the ease of use and cleaning of nonstick cookware. These pots and pans are made with tri-ply stainless steel with a strong, nonstick coating and feature a raised stainless steel etched pattern. They’re oven- and broiler-safe up to 850ºF.
TEST RESULTS: The items in the set performed exceptionally well in our cookware tests, deeply and evenly searing a steak and cooking up eggs that didn't stick. At-home testers said they cooked food quickly and evenly and that cleanup was easy.
Viking’s 10-piece cookware set, made of alternating layers of stainless steel (for durability and better browning) and aluminum (for fast, even heating), has a titanium-infused surface that helps make it nonstick.
TEST RESULTS: The frying pan got top scores in our heat distribution, steak browning, and egg-release tests, and the saucepan aced our simmering test. All the pieces cleaned up nicely too. Testers described them as “high quality” and commented positively on the heft of the pieces and how solid they felt.
