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Comparing cast-iron, enameled-cast-iron and stainless steel cookware
High-quality pots and pans can be pricey, so it’s important to choose a set that’s built to last. Whether you’re an occasional omelet maker or you love to go all-out with extravagant meals, every home cook needs a reliable set of skillets, stockpots, and saucepans.
Often, the most pressing question for home cooks shopping for new pots and pans is which cookware material is best? Cast iron, enameled cast iron, and stainless steel are all high-quality options trusted by professional chefs and avid home cooks. If you’re looking for the best, longest-lasting set of cookware to equip your kitchen (or give as a thoughtful gift), here’s what to look for, including signs of durability, ease of maintenance, and suitability for your culinary needs.
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In this article: Le Creuset cookware set, Lodge 6-Quart Enameled-Cast-Iron Dutch Oven and Viking Culinary 3-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set
Cast-iron cookware
Cast iron is a tried-and-true material for highly durable, heat-tolerant pots and pans. It’s made by fusing together iron, carbon and silicon. This cookware is uniformly heavy, long-lasting, and offers great heat retention. Cast iron is safe to use in the oven, on the grill, and even directly over an open flame if you’re camping.
The downside of cast iron is that it’s heavy, especially when full of food. The best cast-iron skillets, including our favorite from Lodge, have a long handle on one side and a shorter helper handle on the opposite side for a secure grip. Though not the sleekest or easiest to maneuver, these pots and pans are known for reaching very high temperatures, heating evenly, and maintaining their heat well. These features make cast iron a great choice for searing meat, stir-frying, and cooking up pancakes and other breakfast staples.
There’s a common misconception that cast-iron cookware is difficult to maintain, but if you invest in a high-quality preseasoned skillet or Dutch oven, they’re actually quite easy to clean. Every time you use a fat like olive oil to cook in a cast-iron pan, you’re building a layer of oil that creates a shiny, smooth nonstick finish on your cooking surface. After cooking, simply rinse your cast iron with warm water and use a bit of dish soap if there’s stuck-on food, dry it well, and you’re done.
Enameled-cast-iron cookware
Enameled-cast-iron pots and pans have the same black iron core as the Lodge skillet coated in a shiny nonstick layer. The enamel layer makes this cookware more nonstick—read: easier to clean. These pots and pans, such as this beautiful Le Creuset set, often come in a range of colors that can be a fun addition to your kitchen. They’re also oven-safe and some are even dishwasher-safe.
The drawback of enameled-cast-iron pots and pans is that the enamel coating may not last as long as the pan itself. Metal utensils, washing and regular wear and tear can cause the enamel to chip, which damages the integrity of the cookware and reduces its nonstick abilities. In addition, light-colored enamel can turn brown over time as it’s exposed to heat from your stove.
Stainless steel cookware
Stainless steel is a kitchen darling. From appliances to cookware, this gleaming silver metal is a favorite of home cooks and professional chefs alike. Not all stainless steel cookware is created equally, though. For the longest-lasting stainless, look for at least 3-ply. This refers to the number of layers of metal fused together to create the cooking surface. Lower-ply pots and pans are lighter and less expensive. They also heat faster and usually less evenly.
This 3-ply set of cookware from Viking Culinary, however, consistently heated evenly and quickly during testing. It seared chicken thighs beautifully without hot or cold spots and has riveted ergonomic handles that offer a sturdy grip. Most stainless steel cookware is oven-safe and dishwasher-safe and won’t scratch easily, but (despite its name) this material can be prone to staining from high heat exposure and can be harder to clean. Unless coated, it is not nonstick, so cooking with stainless steel may require more oil than other surfaces.
Best long-lasting cookware
Professional kitchens trust Le Creuset to produce some of the highest-quality and most durable pots and pans on the market. This five-piece set of heavy-duty enameled-cast-iron pans includes a 7.25-quart lidded round Dutch oven, a 3.5-quart lidded braiser, and a 10.25-inch skillet to cover dozens of culinary tasks.
Staub Cast-Iron Dutch Oven 5.5-qt Round Cocotte
If you’re looking for a single highly versatile and durable piece of enameled cookware, this round lidded Cocotte from the French brand Staub is built to last for several lifetimes. It has a timeless design and a nonstick interior that’s great for searing, braising, boiling and more.
This is the type of stunning, classic cookware that you can pass down for generations. This 5.5-quart Dutch oven comes in a range of beautiful colors and has a smooth and shiny nonstick interior that releases food easily.
Lodge 6-Quart Enameled-Cast-Iron Dutch Oven
For a more budget-friendly option, this enameled-cast-iron Dutch oven from Lodge heats evenly and maintains its heat well for uniform cooking. It comes in over a dozen colors to match any kitchen aesthetic and the spacious 6-quart capacity is great for larger households.
Viking Culinary 3-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Set
For stainless steel, you can’t go wrong with this gleaming five-piece set of pots and pans from Viking. The set includes a nimble frying pan, a 3-quart lidded saucepan, and a 5.25-quart lidded stock pot. Everything is oven-safe up to 600 degrees and compatible with all cooktops.
Lodge 10.25-Inch Cast-Iron Skillet
This reliable cast-iron skillet from American cookware brand Lodge comes pre-seasoned for easy maintenance. In fact, it develops its own nonstick patina over time the more it’s used, so it gets even better and easier to clean with age.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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