Let us help you choose the perfect cookware for your home. From cooper and cast iron to stainless steel, our tips will show you the ideal construction for your cooking style.
Food for Thought
- Register for individual pieces as well as sets to give your guests a range of prices from which to choose.
- Select materials and finishes that reflect your cooking style. Stainless steel requires less care than infused-anodized aluminum; both are good choices for everyday cooking. If you prefer low-fat cooking, choose pieces with nonstick interiors. Copper cookware is the best conductor of heat and is attractive for serving.
- Choose the right material for the task. For example, enameled cast iron is great for slow cooking and braising, while hard-anodized, stainless and copper cookware are good choices for searing meats and making pan sauces.
- Keep care in mind. Stainless steel requires the least maintenance and can go in the dishwasher.
Materials & Care
Copper: The most responsive of all cookware materials, copper heats and cools quickly for maximum control. It creates an impressive presentation at the table, and most pieces feature a stick-resistant, nonreactive stainless-steel interior. Copper is oven safe, can be hand washed, and requires occasional polishing to maintain its gleaming exteriors.
Infused-Anodized Aluminum: This material is highly temperature-responsive, conducting heat quickly and evenly. Its nonreactive cooking surfaces resist sticking yet allow excellent browning and caramelization. It is durable and easy to clean, safe to use in the oven. Hand wash.
Stainless Steel: Attractive and easy to care for, stainless steel cookware features a pure aluminum core or base for rapid, uniform heating. Its cooking surfaces resist sticking and won't react with acidic ingredients. Stainless steel is oven and dishwasher safe.
Enameled Cast Iron: Cast iron conducts heat slowly, and it distributes and maintains heat exceptionally well. Porcelain-enamel interiors are stick-resistant, nonreactive and require no seasoning. Porcelain-enamel exteriors resist chips, crack and scratches. The material is oven and dishwasher safe.
When choosing cookware, start with the essentials. Our cookware sets include pieces most commonly used in the kitchen, from saute pan to stockpot. You can complement your set with pieces designed for specific cooking techniques.
This all-purpose pan is designed for cooking vegetables, rice, pasta sauces, cereals and soups.
With a rounded lid and long handle, this thick-rimmed pan is ideal for sauteing, browning, stir-frying and braising.
This pan's gently curved sides and flat bottom facilitate frying and searing. Nonstick pan releases delicate foods easily; traditional pan is ideal for browning and deglazing.
This vessel has a snug-fitting lid to promote slow cooking in the oven. It simplifies making hearty meat dishes and stews for a crowd.
This versatile stockpot comes with a pasta drainer and vegetable steamer. It can handle a multitude of tasks, from steaming to simmering to boiling.
This pot's high sides and wide cooking surface allow liquid to bubble up through food for flavorful soups and stocks; a thick base prevents burning.
This heavy-gauge rectangular pan, available in both small and large sizes, is used for roasting meats and vegetables. Add a nonstick metal rack for poultry and roasts.
This family-sized griddle is ideal for everything from pancakes, eggs and breakfast meats to grilled sandwiches.
For quickly grilling meat, poultry, seafood and vegetables over high heat, turn to this pan. Ridges separate foods from fatty drippings.
Perforated at the bottom, this pan fits into saucepans to steam fresh vegetables and fish fillets.
Use a stovetop or electric kettle to quickly heat water to a rolling boil, ideal for steeping tea.
For the Well Equipped Kitchen
Depending on your interests as a couple, you may want to register for specialty cookware items. Lovers of international cuisines may want a tagine or wok; entertainers may enjoy a fondue pot. More suggestions: