Getting started

To find the best cookware for your needs, first do an inventory of your present pots and pans to determine what you're missing. Individual pieces, or "open stock" are considerably more expensive. But if you only need to replace a scratched frying pan, it might be the way to go. Think, too, about what you like to cook, which will affect your choice of materials. If you fry a lot of meat, for example, you'll probably veer toward at least one uncoated pan.

Flat-bottomed pans are essential for a smoothtop range. (Nearly every set out there is flat-bottomed, but double-check with a straight edge.) If you have an induction cooktop, magnetic stainless steel is your best bet (bring along a magnet: if it sticks to the bottom, it'll work with an induction cooktop).

You'll want an assortment of skillets and pots, a stockpot, and lids. Manufacturers count a lid as a piece, and it might fit more than one piece of cookware in the set. Don't overbuy. A set that contains more pieces might not be the smartest choice if you use only a few pieces and the rest gather dust in your cabinet.

You might be tempted to buy online, but it's essential to handle the cookware at a retailer. See how it feels in your hand. If it's heavy, think how much heavier it will feel when it's full of food. Is the handle easy to grasp, and is the pot or pan well-balanced overall? Check that handle attachments are tight and sturdy. Read the packaging to see if the cookware can be cleaned in a dishwasher.

Types

Most cookware sets are made of either nonstick or uncoated materials, and the main product types (material products are made of) are aluminum, stainless steel and hard anodized. Some types of cookware are also made of cast iron and copper.

These are best for simple cleanup. They need less oil for cooking, which eliminates some fat from your diet. But they're more easily scratched than uncoated cookware, so avoid using metal utensils. Also, food doesn't brown as well in a nonstick pan.

This is your best choice if you do a lot of browning and braising. But this type of cookware is much tougher to clean. If you choose uncoated, you might still want a nonstick pan or two, and vice versa.

This is probably impractical for everyday cooking, but you might want a piece or two, such as a Dutch oven, which keeps food warm for a long time. But frying pans in this material that we tested cooked very unevenly. And because cast iron is uncoated, it takes extra elbow grease to clean.

A new development in nonstick cookware has been the introduction of a number of new "green" products from a number of brands, including Cuisinart, ScanPan, and Swiss Diamond. Some green claims are that the pans are made using more energy-efficient techniques that reduce carbon emissions and that the nonstick coatings are made without the use of petroleum.

Features

Will a $300 set of cookware, possibly bearing the name of a well-known chef, make your meals twice as tasty as a $150 set? Not according to our tests of nonstick and uncoated cookware. But there are some cookware features you should consider.

These let you see what's going on inside the pot without having to lift it off and letting steam escape. But they add weight and can break, which could be a problem in a household with young kids.

Calphalon One cookware uses "infused" anodized aluminum, in which the cookware's nonstick treatment "penetrates below the surface, into the pores" of the metal, according to the packaging. When we intentionally abraded the product's nonstick surfaces to simulate years of wear, the Calphalon held up quite well, but so did five other brands without the infusion technology.

Handles are typically made from tubular stainless steel, cast stainless steel, heat-resistant plastic, or wood. Metal handles enable you to go from stovetop to oven, so you have one less pan to clean. Solid metal handles are unwieldy but sturdy. Solid or hollow metal handles can get hot but can go from stovetop to broiler without damage. (Check the label first; some can warp or discolor when used that way.) Lightweight plastic handles won't get as hot as metal ones, but can't go in ovens above 350° F--and they occasionally break. While wood handles stay cool, they can't go in the oven or dishwasher. And they might deteriorate over time. Handles are either welded, screwed, or riveted onto cookware. Riveted handles are the strongest. Some sets have removable handles that are used with different pieces, but we've found that the handles might fit with some pieces better than others. A newer feature is handles sheathed in silicone rubber, which can take the oven's heat. The covered handles on one set we tested withstood temperatures of up to 400° F.

If you're the absent-minded type who leaves pots on the stove and then forgets about them, you might be interested in the results of our test in which we left an empty pot on the burner. In less than a half-hour, stainless-steel pots discolored and their rivets loosened.

The imprimatur of a celebrity chef is no guarantee of superior performance. Some TV-chef cookware did well in our tests; others were merely so-so.