If you want high-performance cookware that matches, your best option is a prepackaged set, often more affordable than buying each piece separately. Both Tramontina and Anolon offer several great lineups.
Generally speaking, Tramontina is more affordable, and Anolon has better offerings for those willing to make an investment.
Tramontina is a well-known name in home cooking, and its professional-grade nonstick frying pans are found in countless restaurant kitchens across the country. All Tramontina cookware is reasonably well-made, and it almost always offers a great value for the cost.
With that said, you’re less likely to find an ultra-high-end set of Tramontina cookware to match a newly renovated kitchen. That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with Tramontina. It just doesn’t cater to the premium crowd.
Stainless-steel cookware doesn’t get much more durable than this.
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This affordable set comes in four colors to match your kitchen decor.
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It’s not the most heavy-duty, but you’d be hard-pressed to find this many quality pieces at this price from another reliable manufacturer.
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While it contains strictly the basics, there’s almost nothing more affordable.
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Anolon may not be quite as much of a household name as Tramontina, but its cookware is every bit as good. In fact, it’s better if you’re willing to shell out for the high-end models. The premium stainless steel set, for example, looks and feels like a top-of-the-line set of cooking equipment. Other small touches, such as heat-resistant nonslip handles with ergonomic designs, make Anolon pots and pans a great investment.
This forged, hard-anodized nonstick set is as rugged and heavy-duty as they get.
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It’s a midrange set that sports the company’s most premium nonstick technology.
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Not only does it offer great performance, Anolon Nouvelle cookware boasts a polished steel finish and attractive copper accents.
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These top-of-the-line pans sport a novel nonstick surface that uses a mesh design to keep oil spread out evenly for a fast, even sear. It’s not available as a full-fledged set, so you’ll have to buy whichever pans you need.
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They’re both good choices with few downsides. For those on a tight or moderate budget, Tramontina offers a decent selection of entry-level and midrange cookware. If you want to invest in a set of ultra-rugged nonstick pots and pans with top-of-the-line surface technology, consider spending a little more and getting an Anolon set.
A. When used properly, nonstick pans are 100% safe for humans. Polytetrafluoroethylene (sometimes called Teflon) is inert when ingested, so even in the unlikely event some chips off and gets stuck in your food, you’re safe. For that matter, today’s nonstick surfaces are bonded so well that there’s little chance of that happening.
The only real danger of nonstick pans is to pet birds. Overheating a nonstick pan can release dangerous gasses that cause flu-like symptoms in humans, but tend to pass quickly. Birds, however, are sensitive to these fumes and can easily get sick and die. Bird owners should never use PTFE nonstick pans, but instead opt for stainless-steel or, if nonstick qualities are a must, ceramic nonstick cookware.
A. Many cookware sets claim to be dishwasher-safe, and everything might turn out fine if you take advantage of that. But it’s safer in the long run to wash expensive pans by hand, because it reduces the nonstick surface’s risk of getting scratched or chipped by another object. Hand-washing may not always be necessary, but should you accidentally burn or spill something in the pan, the dishwasher might not have the force to get it off.
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Chris Thomas writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
