The Best Cookware Sets to Add to Your Registry

Cookware is a key essential of domestic bliss. Sharing meals creates a shared experience, builds intimacy and memories. Plus cooking at home is often a more affordable option than eating at a restaurant, so the meals you take part in at home can help you to build other aspects of your future together as you save.

Making meals at home is a way to take part in family legacies through recipes that have been passed down, a way to bring comfort with tried and true favorites made exactly how you like and also a way to eat healthier. There are so many benefits related to cooking at home, so it’s important that you have the right foundation for your food which starts with the right pots and pans.

As you select items for your registry, it’s important to think of the practical and trend towards necessary, needed items, but a registry can also be a means of upgrading your current wares. It’s a great way of procuring the items of your dreams that may be out of reach due to budget, but will enhance your future as a gift from a guest.

So to help guide you to the most ideal cookware sets to include on your registry, we put together a list of both items and considerations.

Materials:

When selecting, consider durability and function as it fits into your life. Are you a fan of using the dishwasher due to your busy schedule? Perhaps the two of you will occupy a pre-war apartment where your dishes are hand-wash only and for the foreseeable future. If either is the case, you’ll want to select a set that fits within those parameters. If you know you’ll be handwashing, that gives a little allowance in the materials you can select.

Regardless of whether you have a dishwasher or not, if you have a habit of leaving dishes to soak for days before you rally to clean them, maybe you’ll gravitate towards stainless steel pans that you can scrub and scour to your heart's content. What kind of stove top are you using? What are your eating habits? And what kind of food are you most likely to prepare? That too can influence not only materials, but how many pieces are included in a collection.

Collection Size:

Will you only occasionally be cooking at home? If so, having a pared down collection may make sense. Same goes if you’ll be occupying a small space which may limit the size of your set. However, cooking is a hobby and/or passion, it makes sense to start out of the gates with a large collection that is large and versatile enough to assist you in whatever food you prepare whether that be baked goods, pasta dishes and deep fried delicacies. Maybe you don’t have a lot of time to cook, but you know you’re likely to at least cook all your breakfasts.

If that’s the case, look for a set that meets the needs of the food you’ll be preparing. When it comes to breakfast, whether it be pancakes, hashbrowns or sausage links, skillets tend to play an outsize role. However if you’re a fan of warm oats with fresh berries, a set that includes a saucepan for small patch oatmeal might make the most sense.

Beyond long lasting materials and collection size and inclusions, something fun to keep in mind is a set that may eventually become heirloom. All those aspects were criteria in our selections. Below are ten sets we recommend for your registry.

d3 Tri-Ply Cookware Set, 10 Piece

You can never go wrong with stainless steel. A tried and true material that holds up no matter how hard you fry and sear, you can scrub and scour these pans to your heart’s content after use since there’s no non-stick surface to be cautious of. This collection from All-Clad comes with two different sized frying pans, two different sizes of spacious sauce pans, a saute pan and a stockpot. These six separate pans (and their accompanying lids) allow for plenty of versatility not only in the various foods you’ll cook, but with consideration to purpose too. Whether you’re cooking for two or larger servings for guests or additional family members or preparing extra for leftovers/meal planning, the varying sizes will come in handy to meet your needs for the meal at hand.

Caraway Home Non-Toxic Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set

Perhaps you’ve seen this alluring cookware set pop up on your instagram feed. Caraway Home has quickly carved out a domain of their own online because the pans are just so dang pretty. But aside from being ridiculously photogenic, it’s also a stand up set to integrate into your kitchen to get the job done when it comes to cooking. The four-pan set includes lids with four different color options. These ceramic counted pans create an ideal non-toxic, non-stick situation when cooking.

Zola x GreenPan 8-Piece Cookware Set

This exclusive set is manufactured without PFAs, PFOA, lead of cadmium, which will create not only a safer cooking experience for you, but also for the environment at large. If you’re a fan of making eco-conscious purchases, this set will fit your needs and fill that desire. The ceramic coating creates a non-stick surface that won’t become harmful later on as it won’t release any chemicals through use of heat, nor through peeling over time. Plus these are dishwasher safe!

Le Creuset Signature 5-Piece Cookware Set

Le Creuset is not only an iconic leader and status symbol, but a time tested, reliable brand which is why it’s earned such accolades. This enameled cast iron will hold up for any cooking tasks and for decades to come. These pans embody the reality of cookware you can pass down, yet they remain thoroughly modern at the same time. The Dutch oven included in this set is great for baking and slips easily into the oven. Use the saucepan and skillet for simmering and frying up the breakfast of your dreams.

Cuisinart Tri-Ply Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set

Searching for something that’ll not only get the job done right, but look extra fancy on your stove and counter tops? Say no more! Perhaps you already have a copper color scheme going on in your house in terms of fixtures or other accessories. These would make a complimentary addition, but even if you don’t have a particular theme to your kitchen, these would still make a particularly stunning statement. And they’re stainless steel, so they’ll hold up for years and years to come!

Calphalon Premier Space Saving Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware Set, 8 Piece

Do you have a small kitchen, but still consider yourself an avid cooker? These pans stack, saving you space without compromise. With this set, you get five pans of varying widths of either 8 or 10 inches, plus three lids that all fit together and give you both room and options.

Calphalon Classic Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware Set, 10 Piece

With this set, you get a superior, dual-coat non-stick surface across all six pans, plus a quartet of glass lids with convenient steam vents. If you’re a fan of slow cooking or high heat, these will ensure that whatever you prepare lifts right off.

Anolon Classic Nouvelle Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set

The copper in this set is subtle; a ringed band on the bottom of each of the six included pans. In addition, the entire set features a brushed exterior to help conceal any potential scratches created through use over time. These pans and their accompanying four lids are all stainless steel and absolutely gleaming.

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless 14-Piece Cookware Essentials Set

These pans are made to hold up and feature stainless steel plus an aluminum inner core. With this set, you’re getting the best of both worlds: both stainless steel pans as well as a singular nonstick skillet. Nearly every pan in this set features a glass lid, allowing versatility for what and how you cook. There’s even a steamer insert that fits two of the pans, allowing for yet more options. This set corners the market when it comes to zing and variety to make sure all your needs are met to prepare whatever meal you desire.

GreenPan Venice Pro 7-Piece Cookware Set

This seven piece set includes four pans set in stainless steel, with evershine to keep each looking fresh over time. The five quart casserole pot stands out as a true asset for all the pasta dishes you’ll make ahead. In addition to having two spouts integrated into the design, its lid features straining vents, so that you can easily drain whatever noodles you make without any extra steps or strainers. While hand-washing is recommended, these are dishwasher safe meaning you can alternate based on your needs.