Are You A Serial Pan-Ruiner? Try These Nonstick Cookware Sets

Fact: Clean-up is the worst part of cooking. Tough-to-remove grease and baked-on debris will keep you in the kitchen far longer than you want to be, and nobody wants to deal with all that scouring and scrubbing after you’ve just devoured a savory mushroom risotto or tantalizing custard. But what if we told you it didn't have to be this way? Leave all your preconceived notions at the door, because this is a judgment-free zone. (And no, we’re not talking about the fact that you burned your Mongolian Beef Ramen but were so hungry you ate them anyway.) Nonstick cookware may have gotten a bad rap, but just like Drew Barrymore in the ‘90s, it’s poised for a comeback. Whether you’re a seasoned home chef or are just starting out on your own, you should have at least one nonstick pan in your cabinet. Even professional chefs consider nonstick cookware to be a kitchen essential because of their ability to cook delicate foods—like a fluffy French omelet, tender buttermilk crepes, crunchy pan-fried tilapia, and plenty of indulgent stacks of pancakes—with no sticking, shredding, or burning. Unlike the cookware you grew up with, many modern nonstick sets of today are dishwasher-safe, as well as oven- and even metal utensil-safe! So as long as you take care of it properly, nonstick cookware can speed up your cooking and your clean-up processes. If you’re ready to fall back in love with nonstick, we’re here to be your matchmakers. From what makes a good nonstick pan to how to choose some nonstick cookware for yourself, we have the answers to all your burning questions, plus some recommendations for the best nonstick cookware sets for every lifestyle and budget.

Prefer to just test the waters of nonstick cooking? You can always start by adding a nonstick skillet to your arsenal to see if you like cooking the nonstick way. Or, you can go another route entirely and outfit your kitchen with a new stainless steel or ceramic cookware set instead.

Our top picks

• Best Nonstick Cookware Set: Calphalon Signature Hard-Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set
• Best Budget Nonstick Cookware Set: Rachael Ray Cucina Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware 12-Piece Set
• Best Splurge Nonstick Cookware Set: Zwilling Forté Nonstick Cookware Set
• Most Versatile Nonstick Cookware Set: Anolon Advanced Hard-Anodized Nonstick Cookware 11-Piece Set
• Easiest to Use Nonstick Cookware Set: Ninja Foodi NeverStick Premium 8-Piece Cookware Set
• Best Aluminum Nonstick Cookware Set: All-Clad NS1 Nonstick Induction 10-Piece Cookware Set
• Best Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set: GreenPan Revolution Ceramic Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set
• Best Metal Utensil-Safe Nonstick Cookware Set: HexClad Hybrid 7-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set

How we picked these products

To find the best nonstick cookware sets, we consulted our expert friends at the Good Housekeeping Institute, who have identified the most popular models on the market based on availability, reviews, and good brand reputations. Their team of on-staff experts—which includes all types: engineers! data analysts! registered dietitians!—rigorously put everyday products to the test (and then more and more tests) in their New York City-based labs to determine which ones you can trust. They put the most popular nonstick cookware to the test and evaluate each set based on ease of use, design, durability, heat distribution and retention, cleanability, oven safety, and performance—specifically, their browning, simmering, and boiling capabilities. We then reviewed their findings and determined that these are the best nonstick cookware sets you can buy in 2022.

Calphalon

Amazon

$383.00

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Have you been yearning to reach your pasta potential with inventive recipes like Crispy Skillet Tortellini? No matter how experimental you may want to get, the Calphalon Signature Hard-Anodized Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set is here to help you incorporate more flavor and variety into your mealtime routines. These sturdy, PFOA-free pots and pans feature a PTFE nonstick lining, stay-cool handles, and an anodized aluminum construction, which gives it some heft.

During testing, the Good Housekeeping Institute was “blown away by the pieces’ outstanding heat distribution, quick boiling and even searing” while they effectively scrambled eggs and sautéed veggies like brussels sprouts without the need for any extra butter or oil. In addition to offering great performance, the Calphalon Signature Cookware Set’s two frying pans, two covered saucepans, a covered sauté pan, and a covered stock pot are dishwasher-safe and oven-safe up to 500° (though unfortunately, they’re not induction-safe).

Rachael Ray

Amazon

$190.00

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If you’re looking to get the best bang for your buck, look no further than the Rachael Ray Cucina Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware. On top of being a great affordable option for most budget-conscious home cooks, this set also offers the most pieces out of all our recommendations. It comes with two saucepans, a stockpot, two frying pans, and a sauté pan—all of which are coated in a PFOA-free nonstick finish— as well as a slotted spoon, fish spatula, and multiple shatter-resistant glass lids.

Per the Good Housekeeping Institute, the Rachael Ray Cucina Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware “landed high scores in our tests for heat distribution and staining… [and] for easy release and browning.” Their Kitchen Tech Experts also noted that the set’s “silicone-covered stainless steel handles stay cool to the touch throughout cooking” and its pans “seared steaks to evenly-browned perfection.”

No matter which of the multiple color options you choose from, each set features dual-riveted, silicone-over-stainless-steel handles that stay cool to the touch even when you’re in the midst of a cooking frenzy. Plus, these pots and pans are dishwasher-safe, oven-safe to 400°, and suitable for all cooktops except induction.

Zwilling

Williams Sonoma

$750.00

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If skillet meals like Lemon-Herb Chicken and Potatoes aren't already your forté, they're guaranteed to be with this cold-forged aluminum set. The Forté Nonstick Cookware boasts not one, not two, but five layers of Zwilling’s patented, PFOA-free nonstick coating that lasts 60% longer than traditional nonstick finishes. This set comes with ten dishwasher- and metal utensil-safe pieces: two frying pans, two saucepans, a sauté pan (which features a helper handle), a stockpot, and four tempered glass lids.

“In our tests, they won top scores for cleaning and maintaining cool handles during cooking,” said the Good Housekeeping Institute. Testers also remarked that the pans offered “very even” heat distribution, though they had to shake the pan a bit to release their eggs at some points during testing.

We won’t lie, the Zwilling Forté Set’s price won’t leave you with some sticker shock, but if you want the best of the best (or compatibility with all cooktops—even induction—and oven safety up to 500°), this handcrafted set is well-worth the investment.

Anolon

Amazon

$300.00

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Nonstick cookware is the workhorse of the kitchen, but if you want a set that is great for cooking everything from a dumpling stir fry on your stovetop to a finishing off a chicken burrito bowl skillet meal under your broiler, the Teflon-free Anolon Advanced Hard-Anodized Nonstick Cookware is a worthy investment. In addition to featuring shatter-resistant glass lids, this set comes equipped with multiple pieces in multiple sizes for optimal versatility—namely, two saucepans, a stockpot, a sauté pan, a French skillet, and a deep skillet (which even comes with a helper handle).

The Good Housekeeping Institute’s lab panel found this “sleek” set’s “slick nonstick lining… distributed heat perfectly evenly, maintained a steady simmer, and scrambled eggs (made sans oil) with ease in our testing,” though they noted “sometimes the eggs needed an extra shove with the spatula to release.” Testers were also impressed with the dual-riveted, silicone-covered SureGrip handles, which offer a solid, comfortable grasp and stay cool during cooking.

Unfortunately, however, no cookware can truly do it all, and the Anolon Advanced Hard-Anodized Nonstick Set is no different—although oven-safe up to 400°, it’s neither dishwasher- nor induction-safe.

Ninja

Amazon

$270.00

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Know the painful feeling of your meals not exactly panning out the way you expected? Given their ability to pan-fry salmon or sauté zucchini, all nonstick cookware sets are generally very easy to use, but the Ninja Foodi NeverStick Premium 8-Piece Set takes the cake.

This cookware is designed with a textured nonstick coating that is formulated with Ninja’s NeverStick Technology to prevent scratches and chipping—even when you use metal utensils! Furthermore, this set is also dishwasher-safe (though throwing these pots and pans in your dishwasher can discolor their aluminum bases) and oven-safe up to 500°.

The Good Housekeeping Institute’s testers were “especially impressed with how evenly it distributed heat,” and noted that the Foodi NeverStick Premium Set “scored almost perfect scores for ease of use,” but “the one con is that the rim[s] of some pans scratched when other pans were placed on top of it.” But even if you’re low on storage space, this set is still one of the smallest options we recommend—you get two frying pans, a saucepan, a sauté pan, and a stock pot, as well as four durable tempered glass lids.

All-Clad

Williams Sonoma

$500.00

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Browning, braising, broiling, baking: Given all its capabilities, perhaps All-Clad should’ve named its NS1 Nonstick Induction Cookware line the “Best 1”. This set consists of two frying pans, two covered saucepans, a covered sauté pan, and a covered stockpot—all of which are oven-safe up to 500° and dishwasher-safe. Constructed of anodized aluminum, these pots and pans are designed with a PFOA-free bonded three-layer nonstick finish and a stainless-steel base to ensure compatibility with all cooktops, including induction ranges. Other thoughtful details include flared rims for precise, drip-free pouring and ergonomic, stay-cool stainless steel handles.

During the Good Housekeeping Institute's evaluations, testers found the NS1 Cookware “heated evenly and prevented food from sticking to its surface,” “easily released foods without fat/oil,” “didn’t scorch tomato sauce,” and “resisted stains.” In all, if you’re willing to shell out some serious bucks, you’ll be rewarded with a powerhouse of a cookware set that will keep you and your stomach happy for at least five years.

GreenPan

Williams Sonoma

$270.00

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Whether you prefer the look or peace of mind that comes with ceramic cookware, the GreenPan Revolution Ceramic Nonstick 10-Piece Set is a worthy investment with two frying pans, two covered saucepans, a covered sauté pan, and a covered casserole. Boasting an anodized aluminum construction and thoughtful details like stainless steel handles and clear glass lids, this durable cookware works well with gas, electric, or induction burners—it’s even oven-safe up to up to 600º!

As a top performer during the Good Housekeeping Institute’s lab panel, testers found the GreenPan Revolution Set heated up quickly and could handle whatever they threw at it, from steak and eggs to even pancakes. In fact, they even said it “aced our scorch test, which means, no need to stir soups or stews while they simmer.”

That said, ceramic cookware isn’t as long-lasting as traditional nonstick, and this cookware produced some smoke during performance tests. So, be sure to turn on that overhead vent or crack a window if you’re going to be cooking up a storm, and when you’re done, just (gently) toss your pots and pans in the dishwasher for easy clean-up.

HexClad

Amazon

$400.00

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Some hybrids, like Frankenstein's Monster and candy corn pizza, defy all laws of nature and shouldn’t exist. Others, like the Prius and the cronut, are total game-changers. The HexClad Hybrid 7-Piece Nonstick Cookware Set, which is aptly-named for its stainless steel and nonstick design, can be counted in the latter category.

This set doesn’t come with a stockpot, but it does include two covered frying pans, a covered saucepan, and a wok—all of which are PFOA-free, induction-safe, and oven-safe up to 500º. The HexClad Hybrid’s impressive scores for consistent heat distribution and retention can be attributed to its tri-ply construction, which includes an outer stainless steel layer with an aluminum core and a patented laser-etched hexagonal pattern for optimal durability and easy release.

Many of our other recommendations are metal utensil- and dishwasher-safe, but the scratch- and scuff-resistant HexClad Hybrid Set can even be cleaned using scouring pads and steel wool. However, this unique construction is almost too effective: The Good Housekeeping Institute warned of these pots and pans “Because they get hot quickly, you must keep a close eye on them to maintain [the proper temperature].”