The Best Stainless Steel Cookware Sets in Canada of 2023

The Cuisinart MCP-12N Multiclad Pro Stainless Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set offers incredible performance at a great value. We had no complaints with the medium-sized sauté pan (which not only comfortably fit four chicken thighs but also seared each one to perfection). The large stockpot is well-sized for making soup, cooking pasta, or blanching vegetables—and is dishwasher-safe for an added bonus.

In addition to their performance and high quality, these pans are easy to use. The triple-ply construction gives the pans the benefit of heat conductivity, but the anodized aluminum core ensures that they’re not too heavy to handle. The set includes everything you need to cook a meal: two saucepans (1.5- and 3-quart), an 8-quart stockpot, a medium-sized 3.5-quart sauté pan, two skillets (8- and 10-inch), and a steamer insert—all with comfortable handles and a design that creates a nice balance when holding the pan.

While we know every shopper can’t justify the price, Hestan’s NanoBond is an exceptional line of cookware, and is worth the money if you have it. It’s gorgeous to look at and feels good in the hand, and you get the kind of performance you’d expect at this price—even heating, steady simmering, and no burning at the bottom or in the corners. Thousands of layers of titanium-based nanolayers are bonded to the stainless-steel surfaces of NanoBond cookware, which the brand claims makes it 400% stronger than traditional stainless steel and therefore resistant to staining and scratching. These pieces can even take heat up to 1050°F (565°C)!

While there are lots of good cookware sets out there, this line offers just about every performance plus and ease of use you could ever want. The 10-piece set includes 8.5- and 11-inch skillets, 1.5- and 3-quart saucepans, a 3.5-quart sauté pan, and an 8-quart stockpot.

Hestan ProBond is great-looking and high-performing cookware, competitively priced with stainless steel sets from All-Clad. While not as exceptionally durable as Hestan’s NanoBond line, the ProBond pieces are similarly well constructed, with even heating, flush rivets, and a good weight.

The 10-piece set includes 8.5- and 11-inch skillets, 1.5- and 3-quart saucepans, a 3.5-quart sauté pan, and an 8-quart stockpot—a good assortment of basics that definitely make for a better buy than collecting individual pieces. You have the option of supplementing your set with ProBond nonstick skillets but will have to look to another brand for a Dutch oven.

All-Clad is well known for making top-of-the-line (and expensive) cookware. This 10-piece All-Clad stainless steel set is no exception. While there’s no denying the superior heat distribution and overall performance of these five-ply, bonded stainless steel pans, there were a few things that caused them to fall down in the ranks. First, the very hefty price tag is hard to swallow, especially considering that the heavy material makes it harder to flip vegetables or pour out the contents with ease. The straight, stainless steel handle design doesn’t help in that regard, throwing off the balance and causing you to really feel the weight of each pan.

That being said, if you’re willing to dish out the coin (or have a wedding registry in your future), these pots and pans will last a lifetime. The set comes with two saucepots (1.5- and 3-quart), an 8-quart stockpot, a medium-sized 3-quart sauté pan, and two skillets (8- and 10-inch).

If you regularly make large amounts of soup or stock, you may want to consider the Tramontina 12-piece, tri-ply set. It comes with a 12-quart stockpot—that’s overkill for boiling pasta or blanching vegetables, but perfect for larger batch recipes. The wide handles were comfortable to hold, and the tri-ply construction provided even heating, from browning chicken breasts to cooking sauces without scorching.

You’ll get some larger pots and pans with this set for a great price (if you’re looking for small 1-quart saucepans, this isn’t the one for you). The roomier pans are nice, giving you more space to cook in larger quantities while still fitting on a standard rangetop. You’ll find two saucepots (3- and 5-quart), two stockpots (5- and 12-quart), a large 5-quart sauté pan, and two skillets (10- and 12-inch) in the set.