After Years of Testing, We Found the Best Induction Cookware Sets

Best Overall

Tramontina Tri-Ply Clad 10-Piece Set

Orig. $510 $306 at Amazon $239 at Walmart $330 at Wayfair

We've put this Tramontina cookware line through our testing process three times, and it continues to impress us. When making béchamel sauce and browning butter, we found the saucepans quickly reacted to lowered heat and allowed for them to gradually come together. Our mirepoix easily cooked without burning, and when we placed the dry pan over high heat, it seared steak and scallops to perfection. The amazing performance, plus its outstanding durability and design are why we love this cookware for induction.

The pieces are made from 18/10 stainless steel with an aluminum core that allows for the magnetism necessary for induction. Another design feature is the handles. They're riveted for durability, and are ergonomic—they'll consistently be comfortable throughout any long day of cooking. And don't worry about intense cleaning afterward. We overcooked rice, and it peeled right off when we hand-washed the pot. You could also put these in the dishwasher.

However, there are a couple of drawbacks. A few tests found the weight of the pots to be very centered, and you also need a dedicated storage space for the complete set. The set doesn't include a nonstick skillet, either, which you may find your kitchen needs to complement the set.

Material: Stainless steel | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher Safe: Yes, but hand washing is recommended | Number of Pieces: 10 | Warranty: Lifetime

Best Starter Set

Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 12 Piece Stainless Cookware Set

$300 at Amazon $259 at Walmart $300 at Target

While Cuisinart is typically recognized for its top-performing kitchen appliances, its collection of cookware doesn't disappoint either. This Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set is made from stainless steel with an induction-compatible aluminum core. The pans heat quickly and retain heat well, are great for searing and sauteing, and are oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit—so you can confidently finish a dish in the oven when needed.

We consistently experienced these pans browning food well and not having any hot spots, a testament to the even heating. Also worthy of note is that since they're so heat-conductive, you don't have to use full heat to get excellent results. Medium-high heat was enough to get water boiling fairly quickly, and there can be some burning if the heat is too high. High sides prevented splatters—though we found it difficult to see into the pan because of them—and the curved edges let you effortlessly move food around. The entire set is well-balanced, with evenly distributed weight and comfortable angled handles.

While the pans are dishwasher safe, they're also a cinch to clean by hand since food remnants release fairly easily, especially if you add a little liquid to the warm pan. Since the pans, lids, and handles are all made of stainless steel, they will heat up a bit when in use, so be sure to use a potholder when touching handles during cooking.

Material: Stainless steel with aluminum core | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 12 | Warranty: Limited lifetime

Best Ceramic

Caraway Nonstick Ceramic Cookware Set

$395 at Amazon View on Carawayhome.com $395 at The Container Store

While there are many ceramic cookware sets on the market, newcomer Caraway offers some of the best performance out there. Each piece in its cookware set is made from ceramic-coated aluminum that is free of PTFE, cadmium, and lead and features securely riveted stainless steel handles for secure transport on and off the stove. The pans are safe to use in the oven, able to withstand up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit, and are touted as being "cooktop agnostic," which means they'll work just fine with induction stoves.

We've put this set to the test three times now. We love how well the pans conduct heat, and not a single bit of food sticks to them whether you're frying an egg or searing a steak. During our tests, these heated up evenly when simmering pasta sauce, producing even bubbling and no splatters. We also really appreciate the well-thought-out design, such as how the lid for the frying pan also fits the Dutch oven.

One of the only qualms we've had so far with Caraway is the handles; they tend to get hot when the pans are on the stove for a while, and the screws came loose when we did a drop test. The other pain point is that the straighter sides make pouring and sliding food onto a plate a bit challenging. There was also a wish for another smaller frying pan, but these are definitely not dealbreakers when it comes to this top-performing set. With its durable construction and easy maintenance, we can't recommend it enough.

Material: Ceramic-coated aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 550 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher Safe: Hand-wash recommended | Number of Pieces: 8 (including organizer) | Warranty: Limited one-year

Best Budget

T-fal Professional Nonstick Pots and Pans

$149 at Amazon $247 at Walmart

This induction-safe, nonstick cookware set won’t break the budget, and it includes plenty of useful pieces, like a steamer insert that will come in handy for fish, vegetables, or even Chinese steamed buns. The pieces have a nonstick interior with a patented Thermo-Spot indicator that changes color when the pots are preheated and ready for food to be added.

That indicator came in handy when we tested the set. We found that it heats up fairly quickly and evenly, so you do need to pay attention to your pan and modify the heat once it comes to temperature. Not monitoring the pan can lead to scorched food, and too high heat will cause the nonstick coating to start smoking. While the set includes a 3-quart saucepan, there isn't a bigger one or a sauté pan. Additionally, it includes a small "one-egg wonder" frying pan that is not induction-compatible.

The pots are oven-safe for heat up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit, while the lids can handle temperatures up to 350 degrees, and all are dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning. The lids are made of tempered glass with generous, insulated handles.

Material: Aluminum with nonstick coating | Oven Safe Temperature: 400 degrees Fahrenheit without lids | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 12 | Warranty: Limited lifetime

Best with Copper

Anolon Nouvelle Stainless Cookware Set

Orig. $300 $270 at Amazon Orig. $300 $299 at Walmart $299 at Wayfair

This stylish set from Anolon looks attractive, with a graceful shape and a copper stripe along the bottom. It includes pieces you’ll actually use and no silly extras that increase the piece count. The bottom layer of the pots has a copper core and a stainless-steel cap for excellent performance on induction cooktops. The lids are stainless steel, so there’s no risk of breakage, and the very large handles offer a sure grip.

We found that the copper layer led to these pans heating thoroughly with no hot spots, giving scallops a nice crust and color, and cooked an omelet beautifully with just a little bit of sticking. We appreciate the angled sides of the pans, which make it easy to toss vegetables while cooking. Cleaning off any stuck food debris was surprisingly easy, and we didn't notice any discoloration from use.

Due to the thickness, these did take an extra minute or two to get to temperature any time we tested. One of the biggest issues with the set is the size—if you tend to batch cook or have to cook for a large number of people, you may find this set a bit small.

Material: Stainless steel with copper mid-layer | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10 | Warranty: Lifetime

Best Nonstick

OXO Ceramic Professional Non-Stick Cookware Set

$400 at Amazon $400 at Wayfair $400 at Home Depot

OXO is a highly trusted brand when it comes to home kitchen tools, so it makes sense that this cookware set performs beautifully for the everyday cook. It is constructed from hard-anodized aluminum and coated with a durable ceramic coating that stands up well to metal utensils. Brushed stainless steel handles are securely riveted in place, and the tempered glass lids also have stainless knobs and trim. All the pans are oven-safe to 600 degrees Fahrenheit without the lids, and to 425 degrees with the lids—although not every pot has a corresponding lid.

We like the even-keeled heating ability of these pans—they don't heat as quickly as thin aluminum or copper, but aren't slow to heat like cast iron and respond well to any adjustments in temperature setting. In our tests, they easily handled higher heat for stir-frying and sautéing, but also turned out lovely omelets and scrambled eggs on gentler heat settings. We also appreciate the excellent variety of sizes, allowing us to cook large and small quantities of pasta and soups, or whatever else struck our fancy. We noted the ergonomic shape of the handles, and like their weight, which helps to keep these pieces steady on the burner.

This set includes a 10-inch fry pan, 12-inch fry pan, 2.3-quart saucepan with lid, 3.3-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart sauté pan with lid, and 5.2-quart casserole with lid. All pieces are dishwasher safe, but thanks to the nonstick coating, are also incredibly easy to clean by hand.

Material: Hard anodized aluminum, stainless steel base | Oven Safe Temperature: 600 degrees Fahrenheit (425 degrees with lids) | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 10 | Warranty: Lifetime

Best High-End

All-Clad D5 Stainless Brushed 5-Ply Bonded Cookware Set

$900 at Amazon $900 at Wayfair $900 at Williams-Sonoma

This stainless steel cookware set from All-Clad is a top-of-the-line choice, and while it does come with a pretty steep price tag, we think it's absolutely worth the investment. The 5-ply construction gives these pieces heft so they won't budge on the stovetop, and they stand up well to heavy use. That does also mean the material is thick and takes an extra minute or two to get to temperature.

Our tests demonstrated that these pans indeed heated evenly, giving beautifully golden crusts to seared scallops and cooking a frittata to perfection with some minor sticking. We witnessed excellent heat conductivity but noted that the handles did get a bit hot when the pots were in use. Some felt those handles were a bit uncomfortable to hold due to the divot in the middle and the sheer weight of the pieces.

This set includes everything you really need: an 8-inch frying pan, a 10-inch frying pan, a 1.5-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart sauté pan with lid, and an 8-quart stockpot with lid. All of the pans are oven-safe up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit and can even go under the broiler.

Material: Tri-ply stainless steel with aluminum core | Oven Safe Temperature: 600 degrees Fahrenheit | Dishwasher Safe: No | Number of Pieces: 10 | Warranty: Limited lifetime

Best Fry Pans

All-Clad Hard Anodized Fry Pans

$70 at Amazon Orig. $110 $70 at Walmart Orig. $110 $70 at Sur La Table

Whether you're scrambling a couple of eggs for breakfast, sautéing some spinach for dinner, or browning ground beef for a casserole, it's important to have the right-sized frying pan for the job. We love that this hard-anodized set by All-Clad comes with two different sizes—8-inch and 10-inch—to tackle any cooking task and are oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. These pans stand up well against scratches that might typically happen with sharp utensils or stacking, and are incredibly easy to clean by hand or in the dishwasher. The high sides make it easy to use these for sauces and even soups and stews, but does also make flipping slightly difficult.

This set is versatile and perfect for cooking a variety of foods, from breakfast foods to dinner entrees. They looked new even after weeks of use. Their excellent nonstick performance, along with ease of cleaning, mean that they'll be used quite often in any kitchen. While they aren't the most inexpensive frying pans on the market, you'd be hard-pressed to find similar quality pans at a cheaper price point.

Material: Hard-anodized aluminum | Oven Safe Temperature: 500 degrees | Dishwasher Safe: Yes | Number of Pieces: 2 | Warranty: Limited lifetime