What is the Healthiest Type of Cookware? Review of the Best Pots and Pans for a Healthy Meal

The key to good health is to learn how to cook your own food. To make healthy meals you need your own set of safe cookware sets. There are many types of cookware, but some of the materials used to make some of them are not conducive to certain types of dishes or ingredients.

With the prevalence of cooking shows on cable television, a lot of Americans are now asking – what is the healthiest type of cookware? I wish I could give you a straight answer that would satisfy the needs of most people.

The healthiest cookware in our opinion is one that will not add substances to your ingredients while it is cooking. The best type of cookware to use must enhance the dish you’re preparing through proper heat conduction.

Before we get to the reviews of the best cookware, it is essential we take a closer look at the different types of pots and pans, and the pros and cons of each material used to make them.

Most people asking what type of cookware is safest might lean towards the merit of using stainless steel cookware set, but there are others that can give you the ability to create marvelous meals and last many years with the right care.

The Types of Cookware

Keep in mind that some cookware materials are good at making certain dishes, and the best pots and pans should be the brand that enhances your cooking skills. It is better to look at your need for good cookware brands as an investment in your health, which guarantees you’ll be choosing wisely.

This is a comprehensive guide of the top cookware sets with the pros and cons of using each type during your meal preparation. After a brief introduction, we review one or two brands with value for the money. The most popular type of cookware sets are made from the following materials:

1 – Stainless Steel Cookware

Most chefs and people that love to cook appreciate the allure of stainless steel cookware set. Not only will a good brand compliment most modern kitchen decor, it is also true that pots and pans made from this material will assist is how fast and safe your food ingredients are cooked.

Most of the best stainless steel cookware sets will be able to induce rapid heating due to the responsive copper or aluminum hidden in the cores. Your investment in a cookware set that is made from stainless steel guarantees the surfaces of the pots and pans will be resistant to sticking, plus there will be no adverse reaction while cooking acidic ingredients.

Pros:

The way stainless steel cookware sets are made makes them suitable for use on induction cooking surfaces. The pots and pans made from this type of material are quite easy to keep clean, which means your stainless steel cookware can always look like new with just a few basic maintenance steps.

Most of the cookware sets made from stainless steel are safe to put in the dishwasher or oven. Some can even be used for broiling or in broiler machines.

Cons:

If you do not follow a basic cleaning routine, you might destroy the shiny look of your stainless steel cooking set. The uniform transfer of heat will be determined by the copper or aluminum embedded in the core of the stainless steel pots and pans, which means the cheaper brands are not good for cooking certain dishes.

Bottom Line:

If you prefer stainless steel material for your cookware set, it is far better to look for brands with copper or aluminum inner cores. While they cost more, you get better and uniform heat transfer, and they can retain their pristine look for many years to come. This is the type of cookware set that is usually passed from generation to generation with great appreciation.

The Best Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Despite all the good performance merits one can find in many stainless steel cookware reviews, the pots and pans from Cuisinart are just too good to pass up. A well-made stainless steel cookware set is more popular than any other type, for good reasons.

Most busy chefs and regular cooks would agree that stainless steel cookware is far easier to maintain and you can use the pots and pans to prepare just about any type of meal. When properly cared for, stainless steel pans and pots can maintain that shiny look for many years, and best of all, most are dishwasher safe.

1A – Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 12-Piece Cookware Set

If you look at your purchase of pots and pans as an investment in your health, the MultiClad Pro stainless cookware is one of the best brands one can buy at an affordable price. You see, stainless steel by itself does a poor job of retaining and uniformly spreading heat.

The Cuisinart cookware set uses the pure aluminum core to enhance the way heat is retained and distributed all around the cooking utensil. A touching feedback from a current user of the cookware set from Cuisinart gave praise to the way it made cooking a joyful experience again.

The pots and pans found in this cookware come with polished cooking surfaces, which will not discolor or disturb the natural flavors of your food ingredients.

It is quite annoying when your cooking pot or pan gets hot, which is not a problem with this set, as the handles are made from cool grip materials that will remain safe to touch despite the high temperature of the cooking surface.

All the pots and pans included in this set can be used in ovens up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. The tapered rims ensure the drip-free pouring off any liquids or food ingredients.

The covers are made from stainless steel and made to be tight fitting, which ensures all the natural flavors of your food ingredients will be sufficiently retained during the cooking process.

Not only can the entire cookware set be cleaned in a dishwasher, you get a lifetime warranty from the manufacturer against any factory defect, which is the most generous in the industry.

2 – Non-Stick Cookware

Despite some of the dangers about the chemical composition of the materials used to get the surface of a cooking utensil non-stick, consumers are still buying them by the millions all over the world.

Lately, there are brands with nonstick coating that is free of PFOA, which is the abbreviation for Perfluorooctanoic acid. It is sometimes called C8 and known as the synthetic version of fluorosurfactant and perfluorinated carboxylic.

This type of cookware became very popular because it requires very little oil for cooking, and can be used to prepare both non-fat and low-fat dishes. If you have issues frying eggs or pancakes this type of cookware will turn you into an expert due to its non-stick surface.

Pros:

This is the ideal cookware set for those that hate cleaning, for it doesn’t take much to keep one clean.

With the outcry over the potential dangers of Teflon materials used in coating the surfaces, manufacturers have substituted other safer materials to take its place.

Depending on the type of the materials used, non-stick cookware sets can be washed safely in the dishwasher, and can be used on just about any type of cooking surface, including an induction cooktop.

Cons:

Despite most of the non-stick cookware brands saying it is oven safe to a certain degree, we would advise against it. It quite easy to scratch the surface of a non-stick cooking pan or pot, especially if you’re using metal utensils. Should you believe the newer materials used to derive the non-stick surface is safe? Only time will tell!

Bottom Line:

If you want to know about the durability of a product, just pay attention to the sales data. It is also true that there are many brands still using the questionable surface coating materials because it is not completely banned.

More people are becoming more health conscious, and the recent trend towards the use of non-toxic materials is a good thing. Reviewed below is one of the best and safest nonstick cookware sets one can buy online with good performance metrics.

Best Safest Nonstick Cookware

With dozens of brands of nonstick cookware sets to choose from within the marketplace, it was difficult to settle on just one brand with the best non-stick cookware title.

You can find other reviews of nonstick cookware sets with many other brands, and the provided links in this article will take you to the product page where you can find other brands with durable features.

2A – T-fal E765SC Ultimate Hard Anodized 12-Piece Cookware Set

The name might be difficult to pronounce but many consumers are in love with some of the products made by this growing firm. Is the T-fal E765SC the best nonstick cookware set? Some of the current users certainly think so, and most are leaving glowing feedbacks about the merit of the product.

It is available for purchase in either a 12-piece, 14-piece or 17-piece set. The addition of Titanium makes it superbly scratch resistant. It is made oven safe up to 350-degree F and comes with glass lids, which makes it easier to see the progress of your cooking ingredients.

The handles of the pots and pans are strengthened with the addition of silicone materials and will stay cool even as the cooking surface heats up. You can use it on all types of cooking surfaces except for induction cooktop. The inclusion of a limited lifetime warranty makes the safe nonstick cookware from T-Fal worthy of your consideration.

3 – Stoneware Cookware

This type of cookware is not as common as the other two reviewed above due to the limitation of product offerings and high pricing. Stoneware cookware is usually made from ceramics and most will come with bright colors, which can be used to compliment your kitchen decor.

Pros:

Cookware made out of thick stoneware will retain heat longer, which means your cooked food will remain warm for longer periods of time before serving. Most will come with a glaze finish surface that is resistant to food ingredients sticking to it.

Most of the stoneware cooking pots and pans can be used in the oven up to 500-degrees, and most will be okay to use in the freezer and microwave.

Cons:

You have to follow the manufacturer’s recommendation, for all are not suitable for all types of cooking surfaces. Stoneware cookware sets are pricey, and that certainly keeps it out of the reach of many consumers.

Bottom Line:

This type of cooking pots and pans are not as popular as stainless steel or nonstick cookware, but there are legions of followers that love to prepare meals using this type. The type of materials used guarantees heat will be uniformly spread and retained within the cooking surface.

The Best Stoneware Cooking Set

It is hard to find stoneware pots and pans as a set. It is far common to find a skillet or large pot made out of stoneware than a complete set. We did find one with great feedbacks from most of the buyers and the price is also within reason, especially if you know and prefer value in your cookware set.

3A – Stoneline Nonstick Stone Cookware

You’ll not find any PFOA materials in this cookware set, and it is one of the best ways to enjoy natural stone cooking that is safe and capable of retaining the flavors of your ingredients. The manufacturer claims the surface is made from hard to scratch materials that is more durable than those used in nonstick cookware.

Since it is capable of resisting food ingredients from sticking to the surface, it is quite easy to keep the pots and pans found in this set clean. The Stoneline cookware was developed in Germany, and can be used on electric, gas, ceramic and induction cooktops.

4 – Aluminum Cookware

It is even more difficult to find cookware sets made out of aluminum. You definitely will find individual pots, pans, and skillet made out of aluminum for sale online. It is just as pricey as the stoneware cookware sets. For good reasons, elite restaurants love using aluminum cookware to prepare dishes.

Apart from purely aluminum cookware sets, keep in mind that most of the top stainless steel pots and pans use aluminum material at the core to ensure proper heat retention. Some have the ability to start resisting food ingredients from sticking to the cooking surface after several uses.

This type of cookware is ideal for high heat cooking or food preparation that calls for gentle simmering. Most will be safe to use in the oven up to certain degrees. Aluminum pans and pots are not suitable for use on most induction cooktops.

Pros:

It is probably the best cookware when it comes to uniformly generating heating to the cooking surface. The pots made out of aluminum is lighter than a stoneware pot.

Cons:

The cooking surface of your aluminum pots and pans will be stained after prolonged use, regardless of how diligent you keep it clean. It is just the nature of the material to absorb certain food ingredient colors. Some have said the discoloration found in the cooking surface can be transferred to your other meals, but that might depend on how well you can scrub after each use.

Bottom Line:

Aluminum cookware is certainly not for everyone due to availability and pricing. If you hate scrubbing and cleaning after each meal this might not be the best cookware to utilize when preparing your food recipes that call for stove top cooking. It is true that aluminum cookware sets are resistant to scratches and will last many years with the right maintenance.

Top Aluminum Cookware Set

It took several searches to find a durable aluminum cookware set with the value for the money. This is the preferred cooking pots and pans material by most of your top restaurants.

4A – Magnalite Classic 8-Piece Aluminum Cookware Set

The Magnalite 8-piece cookware set is made using hand-poured cast aluminum, which gives it better durability and longevity. The included lids in this set are heavier and will not rise up by itself regardless of the temperature of your food ingredients.

Not only will this help to keep the moisture and flavor inside the pot, the transfer of heat will be uniformly distributed throughout the cooking surface. It is safe to use in the oven up to 350-degrees and requires hand washing only. The 50-year limited warranty is also worthy of mention.

5 – Cast-Iron Cookware

This type of cookware is not as popular as the first two listed in this cookware reviews for obvious reasons. They can be expensive and usually very heavy to handle or carry. Cast iron cookware can be found in two kinds, uncoated and enameled.

A cast iron cookware with enamel coating is known to be slow in heating up, but very good at retaining heat for long periods of time. This type of cookware will not affect your food ingredients negatively. It is also capable of withstanding corrosion elements, which means you do not need to season the pots and pans.

An uncoated cast iron cookware is even more durable if you can find and afford one. Finding them as a set is rare, but you’ll be able to find different pieces to complete your entire cookware set. They can withstand temperatures most other cookware will simply disintegrate from.

Pros:

It is good at retaining heat and will keep your cooked food warm far longer than other cookware. Most are oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. Rarely do household throw away cast iron cookware, for they can command good money even in used condition.

Cons:

Probably not suitable for everyday cooking and to make all dishes. It is slow to heat up and quite heavy to carry from stovetop to oven.

Bottom Line:

Every home in America were home cooking is appreciated should at least have some type of cast iron cookware. While it is not for everyday use, the list of food dishes you can prepare with this type of cookware is quite extensive.

Good Cast Iron Cookware Brand

Try searching for cast iron cookware set and you’ll discover the offerings are not that many like other types. We did find a good brand but it only comes with 5 pieces, which is a good set to see how you like cooking with cast iron. A friend once told me, it is an acquired taste, and not suitable for everyone.

5A – Outdoor Gourmet 5 Piece Cast Iron Cookware Set

Among the 5 pieces are two skillets, a Dutch oven cast iron pot, one cast iron lid, and a cast iron griddle. It would not make a complete cookware set, but it is a good start for cooks or housewives looking for ways to try out the benefit of cooking with a cast iron pot.

Copper Cookware

Rarely would you find cookware made out of purely copper, but you would find many made with copper and infusion of other materials like stainless steel or tin. Copper cookware can be safely used on electric and gas cooktops, but not induction cooking surfaces.

Pros:

Probably the most stylish and durable of all the cookware reviewed. This type of cookware can be used to make just about any type of tasty food dishes. It can handle heat evenly, which guarantees uniform cooking of your food ingredients.

Cons:

The maintenance required to keep your copper cookware shining is quite high. It requires you hand wash the cookware and all are not suitable for dishwasher washing.

Bottom Line:

Copper infused cookware can be considered trophy cooking pots and pans for those with the means to afford a good brand. If you think the other types are pricey this type of cookware is even more out of reach of most Americans.

Good Copper Cookware Brand

6A – Lagostina Q554SA64 Martellata Stainless Steel Copper Cookware Set Review

If you’re fortunate and have the financial means to buy the best cookware, get the Lagostina Martellata copper set. The try-ply construction guarantees heat efficiency due to the embedded aluminum core and brushed stainless steel exterior.

This brand is compatible with most cooking surfaces except induction. And to top it all off, you get a limited lifetime warranty to cover any type of factory defect. Is this brand the best pots and pans? From all the cookware reviews we analyzed, certainly yes.

Other Cookware Sets

Another material used in making cookware sets are carbon steel and blue steel. You can find them in use in most high-end Chinese restaurants. Most can be used on any cooktop including induction types.

The required maintenance for this type of cookware is quite high, especially if you do not want the pots and pans to rust. All the brands we came across including this should never be put inside of a dishwasher