Best Cookware Sets in Canada

Thanks to the years we’ve spent in the home industry, we know exactly what makes a kitchen product stand out. Every set on our list has been thoroughly vetted to help fellow Canadians find cookware that will enhance the quality of their lives and their food.

When choosing the best cookware sets in Canada, we considered several key factors to ensure each set is ideal for your sautéing, frying, and simmering needs.

• Material. The best pots and pans in Canada come in a wide array of materials. Each material has its pros and cons. We chose only cookware sets whose construction ensures the material’s advantages outweigh its disadvantages.
• Budget. Quality cookware can undoubtedly cost a pretty penny. Our mission was to find high-performance pots and pans that won’t break the bank. The costlier entries on our list also feature more set pieces, ensuring you get excellent value for the money.
• Ease of Use. We considered how easy these cookware sets are to use and clean. The latter will be crucial for Canadians who can’t stand scrubbing. Dishwasher-safe sets are the easiest to clean, so we included plenty of these options on our list.
• Variety of Pieces. Besides the number of set pieces, discussing their variety is essential. For this reason, we ensured each set we chose as one of the best cookware sets in Canada could cover all the basic cooking needs. We’ve noted if the set pieces are accessories, such as turners and slotted spoons, and lids that go with pots and pans.

Why Should Canadians Buy Cookware Sets?

When buying cookware, you can choose to curate your collection piece by piece. If you aren’t an experienced chef, this will be incredibly time-consuming, as researching the best pots and pans in Canada takes quite some time.

Brands typically offer substantial discounts for their sets versus individual pieces. Therefore, buying separate pots and pans will likely cost significantly more than purchasing a set.

If you buy a cookware set in one fell swoop, you’ll also benefit from consistency in the elements’ appearance and performance. The former is vital for Canadians fond of aesthetically pleasing kitchens, while the latter can be helpful for new cooks. They will spend less time adjusting from pan to pan since all the set elements come from the same manufacturer and series. Even experienced cooks will benefit from quickly learning how the set behaves on the stove, meaning how it heats up and responds to temperature changes.

How to Choose the Best Cookware Sets for Canadians

When choosing the best cookware sets in Canada, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The option you should choose depends heavily on your personal preferences, including your cooking style and priorities. While you shop for a cookware set, keep the following features and options in mind. 

Material

The cookware material is arguably the most important consideration when shopping for a cookware set in Canada. The material typically determines the price of the cookware set, its ease of use, durability, and maintenance needs. The most commonly used cookware materials include:

• Copper
• Aluminum
• Stainless steel
• Cast iron

Copper cookware is the most responsive to heat, meaning your food will stop cooking immediately after you remove it from the heat source. Copper pots and pans heat the most evenly. However, copper cookware is usually pretty pricey. Plus, if you want to keep its bright and shiny finish, get ready for some serious upkeep.

As for aluminum, it also distributes heat well. Most aluminum pots and pans have an enamel or non-stick finish to prevent the metal from leaching into your food and to also make the cookware easier to clean. If you want to ensure your aluminum pans never interact with your food, consider getting hard-anodized cookware elements. These products have undergone an electrochemical process to make them stronger, darker, and more resistant.

Canadian cooks prioritizing durability and beauty will typically go for stainless steel pots and pans. Unfortunately, stainless steel doesn’t excel at conducting heat on its own. The best stainless steel cookware sets available in Canada will have an aluminum core or a layer of aluminum in the bottom, ensuring even heating. In terms of price, stainless steel is on the pricier side. Also, grease splatters might give you a hard time when cleaning these pots and pans.

Cast iron cookware is the go-to choice for many Canadians since it’s durable, inexpensive, and non-stick. It retains heat better than any other cookware material. But this cookware also requires a decent amount of maintenance to prevent it from rusting. Furthermore, cast iron pots and pans are hefty, and aren’t compatible with all food types, such as highly acidic foods like tomatoes.

Handle Construction

The handle is the only cookware element you’ll hold while cooking so it should be comfortable and allow you proper control over the pan. Handles can be the first element to wear out, rendering your cookware unusable.

Silicone sleeves on handles allow them to stay cooler to the touch, making cooking easier and more comfortable. However, don’t forget to check the manual before placing cookware with these handles in the oven.

Regarding the attachment type, look for welded handles. Unlike their screwed-on and riveted counterparts, these handles don’t have tiny spaces that are challenging to clean. Welded handles are more firmly attached and more durable. They don’t have elements inside the pan that can come into contact with your food.

Coating

Nonstick cookware is prized for preventing a mess while cooking and making cleaning easier after you’re done. Unfortunately, the nonstick coating wears out rather quickly, losing its stick-resistant properties and potentially posing a health hazard.

Nonstick cookware that shows signs of wear can release carcinogenic compounds and dangerous fumes during cooking. This occurs when you preheat a nonstick pan or use it over extremely high heat. To minimize the risk, consider buying cookware with a ceramic nonstick coating that can be safely used at higher heat.

Set Elements

Cookware sets available in Canada come in various sizes and contain different elements. Before purchasing a cookware set, determine what elements are essential to you. This usually depends on your cooking style, the number of people you cook for, and your favourite foods to prepare.

A decent cookware set should include 20- and 25-centimetre skillets and a covered 30-centimetre skillet or sauté pan. These larger pans are highly versatile and can be used for frying, stir-frying, and making one-pot dishes.

Next, the set should include a few smaller fry pans for crepes and eggs and a couple of saucepans for reheating and simmering. A large stockpot should be the mainstay of the best cookware sets in Canada. You can use this pot for soup, stew, or pasta water. Plus, it can sometimes double as a Dutch oven.

Since stockpots are customarily used for boiling water, their material won’t affect their performance. When reviewing set elements in more detail, pay attention to those used for frying. The construction, material, and heat distribution and retention will make or break a good frying pan, skillet, or sauté pan.

Stove Type

The best cookware sets in Canada can be used on any cooking surface. However, this isn’t the case for all cookware sets. Some sets are safe to use or perform best on specific stoves and ranges.

For example, copper, aluminum, cast iron, and stainless steel cookware are ideal for gas stoves.

If you have an electric stove, you can also choose stainless steel or go for ceramics. Electric stoves work best with cookware elements with a durable finish and good heat distribution properties.

A glass stovetop calls for heavy-bottomed cookware. In addition, the elements should be flat and have smooth bottoms to avoid damaging the glass.

An induction stove requires magnetic materials, such as cast iron. You should never use aluminum cookware on an induction burner unless there’s a layer of stainless steel in the base.

Dishwasher and Oven Safety

If you own a dishwasher, you’ll probably want to buy a dishwasher-safe cookware set. This way, you’ll save time and energy after cooking. Cookware made with a hard-anodized metal coating can withstand dishwashers the best. Other coating types will likely fade with repeated washing.

Oven safety is another highly beneficial feature. It allows you to move your cookware from your stovetop to the oven, thus allowing you to prepare a greater range of dishes or keep food warm. Avoid using a cookware set that is not rated for use in your oven in this manner. The handle materials can be damaged, and they can even melt in higher temperatures.

Maintenance

The better you take care of your cookware set, the longer it will last. The exact cleaning process will depend on the material you choose. In general, we recommend hand washing your pots and pans instead of using the dishwasher. Dishwashers typically use harsher detergents that can scratch your cookware set elements and speed up their deterioration. Even washing the elements by hand, you should avoid using harsh detergents. Instead, stick to warm water and milder cleaning solutions.

If you want to purchase cookware that fits into your current cleaning routine, here’s what to keep in mind:

• If you soak pots and pans after cooking, avoid using nonstick cookware and uncoated cast iron pots and pans.
• Canadians who prefer the convenience of a dishwasher should go for stainless steel elements designated as dishwasher safe.
• If you clean as you go, nonstick cookware will be your best friend since it only requires a quick rinse and dry using a dishcloth.