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I’ve got a bone to pick: I do not like all of these stainless steel pan instructional videos floating around the internet. You know the ones — some shaky-grinned host explains that the secret to avoiding food sticking to stainless steel is checking the pan’s temperature by observing how droplets of water react when placed on its surface. “It should BEAD and DANCE.” Cut to me staring dead-eyed at my pan, desperately trying to figure out what kind of movement means my water droplets are “beading” or “dancing.” It’s water, dude. Or, even worse, they’ll pull out an infrared kitchen thermometer and point it at the surface of the pan (“200 degrees, perfect!”). As if I’m going to grab an infrared thermometer (if I even owned one…) when I’m four martinis deep at midnight trying to cook for the boys??? I’m not a scientist. I’m just a guy, with a pan, looking to make-a-da-meatballs.
I’m here to tell you that using a stainless steel pan doesn’t have to be so intimidating. But I don’t blame you for being reluctant to take the plunge — all of this overly complicated instruction makes even me (someone who’s cooked in a professional kitchen for a couple years) feel like I’d have to be a certified heat-and-metal mathematician to use these pans successfully.
Not only is this type of discourse discouraging, but I also don’t think it’s that helpful for the casual, at-home cook — it’s an approach built on fear rather than confidence. The real secret for using stainless steel is simple, and it is as follows. Get the pan hot. Add oil. Get the oil hot. Add food. Is something sticking? Either wait for it to release itself, or splash in some water. Something about to burn? Either turn down the heat, or splash in some water. Do not be afraid. If the beading-water test helps you, use it — but know that it only tells you when the pan is hot enough, but not when it’s too hot. To reiterate: Do Not Be Afraid.
Whew. Ok. Now that I got that out, let’s talk about stainless steel options, baby. If you’re in the market to switch to stainless-steel cookware, you’ve probably done some exploration about which brands have the best reputations, and it’s likely that two particular makers have come up over and over again…
The two current Big Dogs of stainless steel are Made In and All-Clad, and both make excellent, high-end cookware that would be a blessed addition to any dedicated home cook’s arsenal. Both All-Clad and Made In sell their products individually or as sets, the latter being an attractive option for anyone trying to stock their whole kitchen with a majority of the cooking equipment they’ll ever need in a single purchase.
But, how do you decide between the two? Well, I’ll help you! As a home and professional cook and a longtime food writer, I’ve tested sauté pans, saucepans, and stock pots from both brands, and will fill you in on what sets them apart and what makes them stand out. Let us go then, you and I…
Stainless steel cookware: an overview
Before we dive into our options, let’s talk a bit about what stainless steel is, what it’s good for, and why you might want to purchase a whole set. You’ll notice the terms 3-ply and 5-ply flying around; as Made In explains, stainless steel itself is not a great conductor of heat, so it is usually sandwiched around a different metal that does conduct heat well; in the case of Made In and All-Clad, this “other metal” is aluminum (so their 3-ply pans are a layer of aluminum sandwiched between layers of stainless steel). If you’re looking for an upgrade pick, both companies also offer 5-ply pans, which provide gr conductivity and durability, a bit heavier than 3-ply, and come at a slightly higher price point. The most coveted are often the 5-ply pans made with a copper core — something to put on your gift wishlist.
There’s a lot to love about stainless steel cookware. Stainless steel pots and pans are the choice in most restaurant kitchens for their durability, heat conductivity and retention, and versatility. They can sustain high temperatures, making them great for searing pork chops or popping under the broiler (I even know people that put them over coals!). They’re durable, so you can kind of beat them up in a way that seems ill-advised for non-stick cookware (e.g. using metal kitchen utensils on them, stacking them, putting them in a hot oven). They’re also easy to care for — they don’t have a coating that could wear down with time or, worse yet, come off in your food (so you don’t have to worry about slowly poisoning yourself with mystery chemicals), they don’t have to be “seasoned” like cast iron, and they’re non-reactive, so you don’t have to worry about keeping them wet in the sink overnight or about cooking acidic ingredients in them.
If you haven’t used stainless steel pans before, they might take a little time to adjust to (they’re not quite as straightforward as non-stick), but once you get used to them, you’ll unlock a versatile and powerful tool for searing and stove-to-oven cooking that will last you many years of happy cooking. And, in case you’re struggling with your stainless steel cooking, I’ve also included some helpful tips and tricks at the very bottom of this article.
If your kitchen is only missing a specific piece of equipment, you might only want to buy an individual piece of cookware from these companies; but, if you’re looking to completely overhaul your setup, buying a whole set of pots and pans could be a great investment for your future cooking. And, it is a decent investment — these sets aren’t exactly cheap. So, before you buy a set, think about what kind of cooking you do most often, and which collection of cookware will best serve you. All-Clad and Made In’s seven- and six-piece sets (respectively) come with pretty different pot and pan options, so as you make this decision, it’s worth taking a beat to think about which pans you would get the most use out of. In the end, either option is great, and with a few more extraneous pots and pans (a nonstick, cast iron, maybe a Dutch oven), you can put together a set of cookware that will fit all your needs and last you decades.
So to summarize…
The benefits of stainless steel cookware
- It’s super durable
- It’s safe and sustainable
- It has great heat conductivity and retention
- It can endure high temperatures — great for searing, broiling, etc.
- It’s easy to care for, requiring no seasoning or special tools to clean
Now, without further ado, let’s dive into our two stainless steel heavyweight contenders.
Product: 6-piece stainless set
Made In is the new kid on the stainless steel block. You’ve probably seen the brand being hawked on Instagram by your favorite shaky-grinned host. That isn’t necessarily a bad thing — but to be honest, the influencer marketing was enough to make this cook and writer a bit skeptical. After trying their cookware, though, I do think they are the real deal.
While there are a few drawbacks I noted in the course of my testing, there are many positives that make Made In a compelling option for the casual, at-home cook.
Appearance-wise, the standard All-Clad pots and pans come with polished stainless steel. I find their design to be sleek and evocative of a restaurant kitchen, which I like. Practically, there have historically been some mixed feelings on All-Clad’s handles (with some finding them difficult to grip and others finding them very ergonomic), but it seems that the handles have recently been redesigned, and now land in a middle ground I think most people would be happy with. One thing to be aware of, however, is that the handle of All-Clad sauté pans can get hot pretty quickly, so it’s good practice to keep a kitchen towel handy to grip it with.
Functionally, these pots and pans feel lighter than their Made In counterparts, which makes moving things to and from the oven, or burner-to-burner, or quickly giving them a rinse in the sink a bit less taxing during a long and chaotic day of cooking. I’m sure it will vary from person to person, but All-Clad’s cookware just feels more comfortable to use, for me. Like Made In’s cookware, All-Clad pots and pans heat quickly and retain that heat well. There’s not much more you could ask for from stainless-steel cookware. It’s durable, versatile, and comfortable. The 5-ply seven-piece set runs about $800, but the 3-ply set performs well enough that most home cooks might not want to drop the extra money for the upgrade.
In terms of All-Clad’s larger sets (i.e. the D3 Stainless Everyday, 10 Piece Pots and Pans Cookware Set), one thing that stands out to me is All-Clad’s stock pot — it’s surprisingly small and shallow. With a six-quart capacity and squat body (not so dissimilar from my own body type…), this piece of equipment feels more like a braiser or a rondeau-type pot than something you’d make big batches of pasta or stock in. If you like to do either of those things, I think you’d feel a little disappointed if this was your only piece of equipment to accomplish the task — and this is the primary “big pot” offered in their collections. Price-wise, it seems like All-Clad sets are, on the whole, cheaper than Made-In; that, along with the legacy, ease of use, and durability make these a no-brainer for me. Notably, the 10-piece set is on sale for $649.99, only $115 more than the six-piece set, and has most of the pans you’d ever need (though maybe more than you’d want).
All-Clad stainless steel cookware
Pros:
- Classic, sleek, and restaurant quality
- Light, ergonomic, and durable
- Time-tested
- The 3-quart sauté pan included in their larger sets is a good in-between size for small braises, saucy stir fries, or curries.
- Cheaper than Made In
Cons:
- The sauté pan handle gets hotter quicker than the Made in handles.
- The “Stock Pot” is a bit too shallow and small for a big batch of stock
- The polished finish shows smudges and shmutz more readily than brushed
The brass tacks: All-Clad is time-tested and feels like it’s made for a restaurant kitchen. It’s light but durable, but also has to be treated with a bit of reverence and presence of mind — have a kitchen towel close by or risk a burnt fingertip or two. Having worked in kitchens before, it feels right for me.
Who is this set for?: Anyone who likes the sleek restaurant look and feel (fans of The Bear, maybe…) and doesn’t want to spend more money for a modern name and a brushed finish. These pots and pans are used in restaurants all around the world for a reason.
Tips for using and caring for your stainless steel cookware
- Heating up your pan: Wondering when it’s time to drop in your ingredients? Forget the water drop test. Preheat your pan dry over medium heat for a few minutes (I’m not a scientist, but I’m pretty sure the reason you do this is to allow the metal to expand and fill the teeny holes in the metal, thereby making it more non-sticky) before you start cooking. Then, especially if you’re searing, add a high smoking-point fat (oils like canola, grapeseed, avocado). If it quickly starts “shimmering” — a descriptor that baffled me for many years but just means it changes from being a smooth liquid to having a wavy, rippled texture — without smoking, your heat is in a good place. If it doesn’t shimmer, wait until it does, then start cooking. If you don’t want to use as much fat, you might want to consider a non-stick pan.
- What cooking oil is best to use on stainless steel? When cooking on your stainless steel, you can use olive oil, but be mindful of the lower smoking point. If it smokes, it’s going to affect the flavor, so it may be best to avoid olive oil if you’re searing a steak or doing other high-heat cooking.
- Does stainless steel cookware stick? Sometimes things will stick. When I worked at Chez Panisse and things were sticking or garlic was burning, I’d just add a little splash of water to cool things down and loosen things up. In the case of searing meat, sticking is often a good thing, as it leaves a flavorful fond on the bottom of the pan that can later be deglazed and form the base of a sauce; if your meat is sticking, be patient — once it’s sufficiently browned, it should release from the pan on its own.
- Don’t forget that the handles get hot… It should be obvious, but these pans get HOT. One time during service, I pulled one out of the oven and put it on the stove, forgot it was hot, and two minutes later, wrapped my bare hand around the handle; Tssssss. In about an hour I had a straight line of massive blisters from the base of my pointer finger almost down to my wrist. Don’t be a dumbass like me. Get some proper kitchen towels or handle covers.
- How to clean stainless steel: One advantage of these pans is that they are pretty easy to care for. They can take a lot of heat, can sit in the sink without rusting, and get a little scratched up and banged around without becoming unusable. Some things to avoid are putting a ripping hot pan into cold water, as there’s a potential for the shock to warp the pan a bit.
- What to use to clean your stainless steel pots and pans: I tend to avoid using super abrasive cleaning implements. A regular sponge should do the trick Over the course of testing, my All-Clad frying pan got mysteriously discolored (I think from heating it dry for too long), which took a lot of elbow grease to get out. If you have a stubborn stain, a cleaner like Bar Keeper’s Best Friend can be incredibly helpful. I would avoid putting these in the dishwasher — you can, but it’s best to hand wash.
So which is better, All-Clad or Made In?
In the end, both All-Clad and Made In make wonderful stainless-steel cookware. The decision comes down to what style you like, your price point, what feels comfortable, and what kind of cook you are.
Are you going to grab the hot All-Clad handle with your bare hand? Maybe you should get Made In. Do you want a nonstick pan? Made In could be a good way to cook two birds with one pot and pan set. Do you foresee yourself cooking smaller braises or bigger stir-frys? Might be nice to have All-Clad’s 3-Quart Sauté Pan. Does the hip newness and Instagram presence of Made-In attract or repulse you? Does the allure of the restaurant kitchen stainless steel feel cool? The brand’s history and reputation could also be a deciding factor for you.
Whichever you decide, you really can’t go wrong, and having a full, dynamic set of pots and pans is a wonderful gift for yourself or your loved ones, rather than cobbling together disparate pieces. No matter what, stop watching the shaky-grinned hosts explain the water beading test. Put your phone down, pay attention, and wait for your oil to shimmer. Do Not Be Afraid.
Shop for stainless steel cookware sets at All-Clad and Made In.
