Buying guide for best all-clad cookware
The best cooks know: great food starts with fresh ingredients and superior cookware. And some of the best cookware for the past few decades has been made by All-Clad Metalcrafters. This Pennsylvania company started out in 1967 making a variety of products – including dimes and quarters – and expanded into the bonded cookware industry a few years later.
Today, All-Clad manufactures everything from frying pans and stock pots to roasters and complete cooking sets that are used by serious cooks and professional chefs around the world. When you decide you’re ready to upgrade your cookware to All-Clad, you will find a wide variety of pots and pans to choose from with varying plies and prices.
Our buying guide has everything you need to know when shopping for All-Clad cookware. And while it’s difficult to pick favorites here, you’ll find our recommendations for the best All-Clad cookware products in the matrix above.
Key considerations
Construction
The majority of All-Clad cookware is made using layers of metal. These bonded – or cladded – layers provide durability via 18/10 stainless steel. The even heat distribution and cooking are thanks to pockets of aluminum or copper within the steel layers.
Types of cookware
All-Clad manufactures a variety of stainless steel and coated nonstick cookware. Some of the most common types include:
- Chef’s pans: These all-in-one pans are like large sauté pans that can be used to cook a wide variety of foods. All-Clad’s chef’s pans are either stainless steel or nonstick, and they usually include a lid. Chef’s pans are prized by professional cooks.
- Saucepans: Handy for making sauces, soups, and heating any liquid, saucepans come in a variety of sizes and are usually equipped with a lid. All-Clad’s saucepans offer a highly polished, stick-resistant surface.
- Roasters: All-Clad roasters ship in both stainless steel and nonstick. These large straight-sided pans feature racks for roasting meats and vegetables.
- Frying pans and sauté pans: All-Clad sells a variety of stainless steel and nonstick frying pans and sauté pans, which can be used for everything from sautéing meats and vegetables to making sauces. These All-Clad pans are sold singly or in pairs and frequently include lids.
- Stockpots and multi-pots: A must for stocks and soups, these high-capacity pots are also useful for cooking everything from pasta to seafood. All-Clad’s multi-pots generally include a perforated insert, steamer basket, and lid to greatly expand your cooking options.
Expert Tip
Occasionally All-Clad creates specific sizes, sets, and styles of pans for their special high-sales retailers. If you can’t find what you want at a department store, check a kitchen shop, or online retailer to see if there are other options that suit you.
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Cookware sets
Cookware sets are collections of pots and pans that will cover the majority of the cooking tasks you might perform in the kitchen. All-Clad sets are stainless steel or nonstick, and they are almost always more economical than picking up cookware a piece at a time. All-Clad cookware sets vary from five to 15 pieces, including lids.
Pot and pan size
Pot and pan sizes vary greatly across the various types of All-Clad cookware, and the best size largely depends on your needs. If you’re cooking for one, your cookware size requirements are going to be considerably different than if you’re cooking for a crowd. You should also note that larger pots and pans are heavier and more expensive. A large pot or pan will also be more difficult to store if space is an issue.
Expert Tip
The exterior of All-Clad stainless pans can scratch with repeated rubbing against other pans. Keep an eye on pan-on-pan touching in the dishwasher and cabinet to keep your pans in top condition.
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Features
Brushed vs. polished stainless steel
Some All-Clad cookware is made from stainless steel that is brushed, while other cookware is made from polished stainless steel. Brushed stainless steel has a duller, matte finish, while polished stainless steel offers a shiny surface that you can clearly see yourself in. Both cook the same, so your choice is largely personal preference.
Handles
Handles on All-Clad cookware remain cool to the touch when in use. The exception to this is if you use a pot or pan in the oven. Handles are secured with stainless steel rivets for strength and are comfortable to hold in your hand. Some All-Clad handles use a chef’s underhand grip, which may take some getting used to.
Lids
Some All-Clad pots and pans ship with lids, while others do not. Lids not only keep cooking food from splattering, but they also help speed up the cooking process. Some lids are metal, and some are glass. With the latter type, you can more easily keep an eye on what you’re cooking without constantly having to remove the lid from the pot or pan.
Expert Tip
Many lids are interchangeable between pans, so if your lid-storage solution feels crowded, check for duplicates and send any extras into deep storage.
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All-Clad cookware prices
As any cook who has priced this cookware can tell you, it’s not cheap. All-Clad cookware starts out under $100 and runs up to hundreds of dollars for full cookware sets. Prices largely depend on the number of pots and pans you’re buying, the quality of the bonded metal, and the size of the cookware.
Inexpensive
For under $100, you can find individual saucepans and frying/sauté pans, usually made from three-ply bonded metal. This cookware is typically smaller in size and may or may not ship with lids.
Mid-range
Most All-Clad cookware falls into the $150 to $300 range. These are usually three-ply or five-ply pots and pans, and size varies from medium to large. The majority of pots and pans in this range include lids.
Expensive
If you’re paying over $400, you’re probably buying an All-Clad cookware set. These sets can top $1,500 or more, depending on the number of pieces and the quality of the cookware.
Tips
- The two primary reasons why food may be sticking to your All-Clad pots and pans are that you are not using enough oil or butter to grease the pot or pan or there's too great a temperature difference between the hot pan and the cold food.
- If a recipe calls for adding salt during cooking, be sure that you bring the liquid to a boil first, then add the salt. Salt can cause pitting in the surface of cookware if added by itself.
- Don’t run cold water into hot All-Clad cookware as this can cause the metal to warp. Let hot pans cool down before adding any cooler liquids to them.
- If your All-Clad cookware becomes discolored or burned, try using Bar Keepers Friend. This cleaning product has a wide range of uses both indoors and out, and it can be a miracle worker when dealing with cookware issues.
- If you misplace your All-Clad cookware user’s manual or are searching for specific tips for a particular piece of cookware, the All-Clad website offers digital manuals, warranty information, and more for all their cookware products.
FAQ
Q. What is the difference between D3, D5, and Copper Core All-Clad cookware?
A. These are three of the most popular All-Clad stainless steel cookware collections. They differ in the number of bonded layers of metal and the types of metal used in their construction. D3 is three-ply cookware that’s made from two layers of stainless steel surrounding a layer of aluminum. This is the least expensive of the three collections and the most popular.
D5 is five-ply cookware with five alternating layers of steel and aluminum. This cookware is more durable than D3, but it’s also more expensive. Copper Core also uses five layers of metal, but the center layer is made of copper. While pricey, this five-ply All-Clad cookware is prized by professional chefs and serious home cooks.
Q. Can All-Clad cookware be used in the oven?
A. Yes. All-Clad stainless steel cookware is safe up to 600°F, while nonstick cookware is safe up to 500°F. The majority of All-Clad cookware can also be used under the broiler. Check your user’s manual to make sure.
Q. How should I clean All-Clad cookware?
A. All-Clad stainless steel cookware is generally dishwasher-safe, although hand-washing with soap and water is recommended. Dishwashers can pit the surface of stainless steel cookware, which can damage its appearance over time. All nonstick cookware should also be hand-washed. When hand-washing, don’t use steel wool. You should also avoid letting water sit in the cookware as this will spot it. All-Clad cookware should also be completely dry before being stored away.
