The best pan sets for your kitchen, tested by experts for non-stick and durability

Score: 92/100

These winning pans made cooking and cleaning easy. The effective non-stick coating meant we only had to wipe them down to clean, while they also stayed in top condition after a cycle in the dishwasher. They’re easy to stack too, making storage simple, and the handles were comfortable to use.

We would have liked the pans to be more responsive when we lowered the heat, as they took a while to cool down, and they were generally slow on induction hobs, but otherwise, they’re super durable and will make a wise investment.

Score: 91/100

With quick heat-up times and a reliable non-stick design, this pan set impressed, especially considering its affordable price tag.

Minced meat browned particularly evenly in the frying pan, and there was minimal food residue left in the pans after use. The full set can also go in the dishwasher for easy clean-up. Note, though, that this set is not suitable for induction hobs.

Score: 90/100

With Gordon Ramsay as the brand’s infamous chef partner, we were expecting big things from these Hexclad pans – and we weren’t disappointed.

From first impressions, it’s clear the set is high quality. Hexclad’s signature hexagonal steel ridges cover the pans, while the stainless-steel finishes are sleek, strong and durable. The hexagonal ridges aren’t just for show though; they house tiny ‘valleys’ and work together to boost searing power while creating a non-stick surface.

The non-stick lives up to its claims too, acing our sticky caramel test, although some food stuck when we used the pans in the oven. We’d have liked a spout to make pouring liquids and sauces easier too, but otherwise, this set excelled across the board, barely dropping a mark on our food performance tests. Of course, the pans are pricey but they’re dishwasher-friendly and come with a lifetime warranty, making them a worthy investment if your budget can stretch.

Score: 90/100

For anyone looking for an affordable set that can be used on induction hobs, try these robust pans. Suitable for all hob types, their handles and lids remained cool on test. The non-stick coating also impressed, with pans needing little more than a quick rinse after use.

Testers noted the particularly effective steam vents and secure lids (even at full boil), while meat browned beautifully and our white sauce reduced at a steady rate. In fact, only our pancake efforts were a tad disappointing, taking a little longer to brown than with some of the other sets we tested. Overall though, this set is excellent value for money.

Score: 90/100

Living up to the brand's stellar reputation, Le Creuset’s set is a quality investment. Cooking notoriously difficult caramel was effortless, as there was no sticking or burning on any hob type and it also rinsed off easily.

After completing all our tests, the pans were still in pristine condition. They’re heavy, though, and the metal handles and lids can get hot, so keep oven gloves close by. They're pricey, but as they come with a lifetime warranty, these may well be the only pans you ever need to buy...

Score: 88/100

Our Place has taken its Instagram-famous Perfect Pot 2.0 and Always Pan 2.0 and made them mini – ideal for singles, couples or those with limited storage space in their kitchens. Both are oven-safe and compatible with all stove tops, including induction hobs. They also boast Our Place’s signature aesthetically pleasing design and come in a range of chic, muted shades.

In our tests, they cooked mince and onions like pros, with Our Place’s special Thermakind™ non-stick ceramic coating ensuring there was no sticking or burning, and cleaning was effortless (note, they aren’t dishwasher-safe, so you’ll need to hand wash). We made some beautiful fried eggs, too. The slot in the handle for storing your spatula also came in handy for mess-free mixing.

The only hiccup came when we were cooking caramel as there was a tiny bit of sticking – but caramel is notoriously tricky. Our testers also found the handles’ square shape took some getting used to and they could sometimes get quite hot, so make sure to use your oven gloves if you’re lifting them. Otherwise, this is a versatile and stylish duo.

Score: 87/100

Designed with Scoville’s innovative Neverstick technology, which the brand claims is five times stronger than other non-sticks, these pans promise top-quality results. Drumroll, the results are in…

Scoring full marks on our pancake, caramel, mince, and fried eggs test, these pots and pans impressed. Heat distributed evenly across all hob types, and any food easily washed out with a soapy sponge.

Milk took a while to boil (over seven minutes on an induction hob) and the saucepans weren’t very responsive to changing temperatures, causing the pan to boil over on both ceramic and gas. They’re not the most comfortable to hold either (especially when full) but they’re durable, easy to stack or hang and great value.

Score: 87/100

These pans are green in more ways than one – they’re made with 75% recycled aluminium and are all recyclable. They also have a plant-based, non-stick coating that’s free from palm oil.

Eco-credentials aside, they were pleasing to cook with too – the non-stick coating meant food slid or poured out easily, leaving little to clean up afterwards. We’d suggest keeping them out of the dishwasher though, as there was some damage after a number of washes.

Score: 86/100

This five-piece set is slightly different to the others in our list, as it features one deep and one shallow casserole-style dish rather than a traditional handled saucepan. The pans stack inside one another neatly and the detachable handle on the frying pan ensures it’s compact for storage.

Across the board, the non-stick impressed our testers – even sticky caramel didn’t cling to the bottom of the casserole pot and our fried eggs easily slid out of the frying pan. However, the pots were slow to bring water to a boil, taking roughly seven minutes, and the vents in the lid weren’t effective at releasing steam, making it difficult to see when the water was bubbling. We also found the silicone pan handles became hot to the touch, so we recommend using an oven glove to be on the safe side.

Overall, though, these pans performed well in our tests, combining durability, easy cleaning and a smart, space-saving design.

Score: 86/100

This well-designed pan set was a hit with our testers. The lids include a built-in strainer for easily prepping your cooked rice and pasta while the spouts on the saucepans make transferring sauces a breeze. We had no issues with storage either, as this set is both stackable and easily hung.

Eggs and pancakes both cooked evenly without sticking, but a soapy sponge was needed to remove the residue from thick sauces like caramel. We recommend sticking with the hand washing too – our testers found the pans came out the dishwasher with slight scratches and a dullness around the rim.

Score: 85/100

The Always Pan 2.0 can be placed in an oven up to 230°C, making it even more versatile than the original Always Pan that sparked a waitlist of more than 50,000 people. And this new sturdier pot proved itself to be a reliable addition to the kitchen in our lab tests, cooking mince and onions well with only a little sticking when used on an induction hob; and coping impressively with sticky caramel – washing up required little scrubbing.

The Always Pan 2.0 comes with a steamer basket and colander, a wooden spatula (that can be slotted into the handle when not in use), a steam-release lid and two pouring cups. It’s also made with Our Place’s special non-stick technology. While it impressed in our lab tests, after a few months of using the pan, some of our testers noticed changes in the non-stick and scratches to the pan – something definitely worth bearing in mind if you’re planning to use it almost every day of the week.

All in all, it's a reliable pan that’s light, easy to use, and comes in a range of colours that would suit any kitchen aesthetic.

We’ve also tested the Always Pan Pro (80/100), a titanium and stainless-steel version of this one, which is designed to be more durable and is oven-safe up to 400°C, as well as the Our Place Titanium Pro Cookware Set (85/100), which includes the Titanium Always Pan Pro, a Mini Always Pan Pro, a Perfect Pot Pro, and a mini Perfect Pot Pro with lids, spatula and a spoon.

Score: 85/100

This set reached 180 degrees in one minute and 50 seconds, making it the ideal choice for those who want speedy meals. The heat was also evenly distributed, meaning our minced meat had an even colour on test, and its non-stick impressed too, making flipping a pancake effortless.

It took a long time to bring our milk to a simmer and, despite having steam vents, we also noticed steam escaping between the pot rim and the lid during our boiling test, which can make the saucepan lids rattle and heat up the handles.

Note, this set isn’t suitable for induction hobs.

Score: 83/100

For those after that sleek, stainless-steel look, this set offers a cheaper alternative to the Le Creuset above. On test, the frying pan scored highly for its non-stick skills, as both pancakes and fried eggs cooked beautifully and slid easily out of the pan. Frying mince and onions created some crispy remnants that needed extra scrubbing, but a little elbow grease did the trick.

It took four minutes to boil milk on both gas and induction hobs and the pans responded quickly by returning to a simmer within 15 seconds, which meant there was no boiling over. The pan’s spout made it easy to pour the milk out afterwards too.

Score: 82/100

GreenPan launched this large 11-piece set in collaboration with actor and foodie Stanley Tucci. And like Tucci, they’re suave and stylish. They’re also designed with versatility and quality in mind. Each pan is made with an aluminium body, and the ceramic non-stick coating contains layers of diamonds for boosting heat transfer and durability. Note, they are heavy, but in test, the non-stick proved effective, with milk boiling in just over three minutes on our gas hob – the fastest of the hob types tested.

Across our food tests, there was minimal sticking or burning, with pancakes coming out evenly browned and fried eggs sliding easily out the pan. Even cleaning out tricky caramel wasn’t difficult – just a quick soak and a wipe down was all that was needed.

You can pop the set in the dishwasher, but we noticed the coating chipped on its fifth cycle, so we recommend hand washing to prolong the quality. These are large pans, so they’ll take up a lot of space in your kitchen, but they look so good, you probably won’t mind.