This is the ultimate guide to our tried and true, time-tested, and favorite pots for all your cooking needs.
A few years ago, we posted a really exhaustive guide to pots, covering every type and price range possible. We interviewed the experts and wrote up all their advice and guidance. We realize, though–it was too much! When there’s too many suggestions, it’s hard to choose.
So, we thought it was time for a new post, focusing only on the sets and individual pots that we love, that we’ve personally tested and can recommend.
After all, readers ask us “Which pots do you recommend?” over and over again.
So, now, in time for Yom Tov, this is our new ultimate guide to pots and pans, featuring only the items we love through our own collective experiences, all in one place.
When looking for a new set of pots, you might have read different reviews online for various sets. The truth is, though, you can’t compare the use that your pots will get compared to the average American household. We cook A LOT and we cook for large families and for guests, for Shabbos, for Yomim Tovim, day in and day out.
We’ve left our reader comments up from the previous version of this post as we feel that they have shared experiences that will also be helpful in helping you make a decision.
Best Budget Pot Sets Under $150
Pot sets in this range are not Tri-Ply, rather, only the base of the pot has aluminum encapsulated within the stainless steel, not the sides. That means that heat only travels to the food through the bottom rather than throughout. These pots are lighter in weight and less expensive, but still decent quality for the budget-minded consumer.
We have mixed feelings about Farberware. Sure, they’re the cookware our mothers used for years and years. They’re time-tested. And while they’re still the most solid option in the price range ($135 for a 15 piece set is a great deal, we can’t deny), the quality isn’t the same as it used to be–in our experience, the handles do get loose and/or broken over time. We do, however, think this is a great option for Pesach. With only a week or so of usage a year, they’ll be reliable for a good time to come. See more on our reader’s reviews and experiences in comments below. Also note that plastic handles aren’t oven safe. Find them at Kitchen Clique here and Amazon here.
These are probably the best value and most highly rated pots in this price range on the market. We like that there’s stainless steel handles and lids (other pot sets in this price range incorporate glass and plastic). The 7-Piece set is perfect for your dairy or for someone who doesn’t need/want to store so many pots. It has just the perfect pieces you need and nothing you don’t. Buy them at Kitchen Clique here or Amazon here.
The overall best value in pots. They’re solid, sturdy, and they distribute heat evenly. They’re a great lower cost alternative to All-Clad. Most of us own a set of these, after hearing the raving reviews from other team members. Definitely recommended for kallahs, since they’ll likely last a lifetime and aren’t as pricey as the higher end options. Note that Costco has a lower priced set of Tramontina with different pot sizes also available (it doesn’t have the giant saute pan that we love in this set). Buy them at Amazon here.
All Clad is simply the gold standard, own forever, never-need-to-buy-pots again in your lifetime set you’ll use and abuse and they’ll always stand by you, as well as the day they were new. This set is Tri-Ply, but you can get even more heat conduction and performance in the D5 Cookware Set, which is a set up in cost.
Another beautiful, high quality, last-forever set. Yes, Le Creuset might be known for their Dutch Ovens and enameled cookware but they make top quality stainless steel too and we love this set as well. If you’re a serious cook and you want top quality pots for dairy and not only meat, but you want two different brands to avoid confusion, this is perfect. Buy at Kitchen Clique here and Amazon here.
This pretty nonstick pan also comes with a lid, so it’s useful for more than the typical skillet. Plus, it cleans really easily. It’s a great value for the price.
Leah has been completely obsessed with this pan for over 11 years. She recommended it to Renee, who also loves it. Why is it worth it to buy a pricey skillet? Think evenly fried schnitzel, for one. Do you know when the oil is hotter on one side of the pan than the other and food doesn’t cook evenly? When some of it burns and some of it is raw? Because this pan is heavy Tri-Ply, the heat distributes evenly and quickly, and that means, yes, your food will be more reliable and consistent too! Good equipment matters!
Leah prefers buying inexpensive grill pans and replacing them as needed (grill pans do show their age quicker vs. other pans). And when it comes to well-priced grill pans, the OXO is a great one. It’s strong enough to do a great grilling job, but you won’t mind replacing it when the time comes.
This is the same grill pan as above, but in double the size. It goes over two burners. If you’re not a big outdoor griller, you’ll love this. Victoria loves being able to get tons of food grilled simultaneously–it’s great when you’re serving a crowd freshly grilled meat, when you want to throw on a variety of foods (hot dogs, hamburgers, steak, and chicken–whatever you want, it’s all ready), or when you need to have 18 chicken skewers ready to serve simultaneously. If you’re using just one burner, you can move the “ready” items to the other side to keep them warm without cooking further.
Ditch the tins when cooking meat. Read why here. But you don’t need an expensive roasting pan for great results. Granite Ware aka “those black speckled roasting pans” are the absolute best value in the kitchen. Leah also loves them for sourdough and all meats. They are very lightweight and take up very little space. Leah finds that they do the job as well as expensive Dutch ovens and Victoria agrees that they’re the best go-to for meat as well! Even though they’re inexpensive, they’ll last a lifetime. Note that there are many sizes, you might need a couple different ones.
Renee nabbed one in Home Goods and paid less but it’s really a fantastic pot, and it’s worth the hype! Her sourdough comes out amazing in it.
Tramontina 12 through 24 Quart Covered Stockpots * There comes a time every household simply needs that bigger pot for making big batches of soup. These are solid, good quality, great value, and will be all you need.
We love, love this stockpot! These come in lots of sizes (from pasta to soup), and we love them for a few reasons. First, you get the Le Creuset quality, no question. Second, the enamel on steel stockpots are much lower-priced than the coated cast iron, and they’re also lighter, so they’re easier to take in and out of the cabinet/drawer. Third, they’re so pretty! It’s so much fun to take it out. For under $100 and you get the joy of having something pretty sitting on your cooktop. Choose the color that matches your kitchen! One of uses this as her soup pot for meat (the 10 or even the 16 quart size is great for that) and another one of us uses the 8 quart as her #1 go-to pot for pasta (give the pasta a stir once you pour it in) and all things dairy. Buy it at Kitchen Clique here and on Amazon here.
If you already or are considering going for the All Clad D3 set, this will come with it. It’s also available on its own (note that open stock pots are costlier than a set). A couple of us own this All Clad stockpot and it’s amazing for cooking anything like a roast or a soup or anything really. A good pot lasts a lifetime. It’s serving a couple of us amazingly well for 20 years each!
FOR EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AND A PEEK BEHIND THE SCENES, MAKE SURE TO JOIN OUR WHATSAPP STATUS HERE. JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP AND WE’LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN A NEW POST IS UP!
Victoria Dwek
Victoria is the best-selling author of nine kosher cookbooks and a popular columnist for Ami Magazine. She always has the words for bringing everything that’s in our hearts onto the page.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Rivkasays
Hi! Thanks for all the info! Can you also include how to best wash them and to take care of them so that they last long? Or is it do whatever you want and if they are good quality they will last you long regardless of what you do it?
Thanks!
Curious what your take is on Farberware. Mine have been in use for 24 years, my moms have been in use for at least 40 years, all my siblings use them. They may not be gorgeous, but they’ve been chugging along doing a mighty good job whipping up dinners and yamim tovim for huge crowds with perfect results. (At a cheaper price point than comparable brands mentioned)
In my personal experiene, Farberware did not last long at all…handles falling off and all that. That’s probably because the older pots were made better than they are today. Farberware didn’t come up as a recommended pick when I interviewed both Peppermill and Kitchen Clique, and with my negative experience, they didn’t make the list. HOWEVER, I think it’s a good economical pick for Pesach because they’re only getting one week use.
I have a 13-qt Farberware. Since it’s only used for parve soup, it doesn’t get so much use, so the quality isn’t as important. It does the trick! I also have a 13-qt Tfal that I found on dan’s deals that I keep for fleishig when I need that huge pot which is not so often
I’ve had farberware for 25 years, and bought them for my daughter when she got married. The handles do occasionally fall off (very rare, but it can happen) but they’re easily screwed back on. At most, you need a screwdriver and 20 seconds.
I do huge amounts of cooking-we have large numbers of guests frequently, and host simchos for many people several times a year. They are my go- to pots; they cook really well, wash beautifully and are very economical. You get really good value for your money. I fully agree that you get what you pay for with pots, and it doesn’t pay to buy really cheap ones. But even with the amount and volume of cooking that our lifestyle entails, most people will never in need the higher end products you’re describing. No need to raise the bar when there are very solid economical options that work well. Sometimes, tried and true wins the day.
I have the farberware pots for Fleishige and milchige! Love them! They cook food the best. It’s true that the newer ones come off the handles much quicker. But let me tell you what I discovered. There is a glue called Gorilla glue that works magic for these. You make a tiny wet the handle and add a little glue then hold on to it for two minutes. And never will it fall off again. No heat or water will get it off! For me it’s worth gluing it once and having this great quality pots!
I have the farberware pots for Fleishige and milchige! Love them! They cook food the best. It’s true that the newer ones come off the handles much quicker. But let me tell you what I discovered. There is a glue called Gorilla glue that works magic for these. You make a tiny wet the handle and add a little glue then hold on to it for two minutes. And never will it fall off again. No heat or water will get it off! For me it’s worth gluing it once and having this great quality pots!
Curious what your thoughts are on Zwilling Henckels. I have a great set, but the bottom 1/3 of the outside of the pots are totally black. Any tips on how to clean?
I have the farberware pots for Fleishige and milchige! Love them! They cook food the best. It’s true that the newer ones come off the handles much quicker. But let me tell you what I discovered. There is a glue called Gorilla glue that works magic for these. You make a tiny wet the handle and add a little glue then hold on to it for two minutes. And never will it fall off again. No heat or water will get it off! For me it’s worth gluing it once and having this great quality pots!
Do they still sell kitchenaid pots? It’s been 18 years and they are truly amazing!! Haven’t had to look into a pot since. Had to replace the milchig set as the nonstick coating was ruined but the stainless steel is perfect. So curious if they still sell that. Would buy again for sure.
I love love love my Tramontina pots. I have the set from Amazon for meat, and the one from Costco for dairy. (They look different enough). Costco sometimes puts them on sale for 150. Also, it’s worth it to search Amazon for the 14 piece set- it comes in and out of stock. It comes with two additional pots (5 quart and 12 inch fry pan), and not always for so much more $. The individual pots are a lot more expensive.
I found the original series very informative and learned a lot from it but it’s nice to have your personal faves…
Thanks for always putting out such great content
For anyone that has a farberware pot that handle broke and can’t be fixed. remember they have a lifetime warranty. I filed a claim and they mailed me a new pot.
It could be that they’re amazing (they’re certainly pretty!) but we don’t have personal experience with them. Our previous pot series covered way more options, but it was overwhelming and we couldn’t give our personal takes on each option that was listed. That being said, if we ever try something new that we love, we can definitely add it here!
Thank you for a great post! I am looking to buy a 6-8 quart pareve pot mainly for soup. Would you recommend the le creuset enamel stock pot or would you recommend just buying a single All clad or Tromontina stainless steel pot? I would like a pot that sautes the vegetables nicely/
I have Korkmaz pots that have held up incredibly well for 17 years. The only issue I’ve had is a handle coming off because of high heat. If anyone has any info on how to reach the company for a new handle, I’d love to know!
For the black speckled pot for sourdough would
You recommend a loaf banneton over the standard round one? I would love to try this pot! Also it withstands 500 degree temps? Or do we adjust for sourdough?
Thanks
I treated myself to the le creuset 10qt enamel stockpot in the color olive. I have it for almost a year and I’m still obsessed with it! I use it every week for chicken soup! Due to the size I can leave it cooking for many hours till it’s golden and not worry bout running out of liquid! I’m also obsessed with the color!! Best choice of pot I ever made!
Hi! Thanks for all the info! Can you also include how to best wash them and to take care of them so that they last long? Or is it do whatever you want and if they are good quality they will last you long regardless of what you do it?
Thanks!
Yup, when they’re good quality, it doesn’t matter what you do!
My sil has all clad Potsdam’s said they don’t wash nicely…
All clad pots and said…
For a good shine and to wash off the grease without needing to scrub wash with barkeepers friend. I tried loads of products this worked amazing
Curious what your take is on Farberware. Mine have been in use for 24 years, my moms have been in use for at least 40 years, all my siblings use them. They may not be gorgeous, but they’ve been chugging along doing a mighty good job whipping up dinners and yamim tovim for huge crowds with perfect results. (At a cheaper price point than comparable brands mentioned)
Same here with farberware…. Why isn’t it mentioned as an option?
In my personal experiene, Farberware did not last long at all…handles falling off and all that. That’s probably because the older pots were made better than they are today. Farberware didn’t come up as a recommended pick when I interviewed both Peppermill and Kitchen Clique, and with my negative experience, they didn’t make the list. HOWEVER, I think it’s a good economical pick for Pesach because they’re only getting one week use.
Wow. I am truly astonished. In all my years I have never once had a handle fall off. And I use (abuse?!) my pots A LOT. They’re in perfect condition.
Farberware that your mother had was great. They cooked well and washed amazing. Their quality has gone down a lot over the years…
Any suggestions for an amazing pareve soup pot? Something that will last but won’t break the bank ????
I have a 13-qt Farberware. Since it’s only used for parve soup, it doesn’t get so much use, so the quality isn’t as important. It does the trick! I also have a 13-qt Tfal that I found on dan’s deals that I keep for fleishig when I need that huge pot which is not so often
I’ve had farberware for 25 years, and bought them for my daughter when she got married. The handles do occasionally fall off (very rare, but it can happen) but they’re easily screwed back on. At most, you need a screwdriver and 20 seconds.
I do huge amounts of cooking-we have large numbers of guests frequently, and host simchos for many people several times a year. They are my go- to pots; they cook really well, wash beautifully and are very economical. You get really good value for your money. I fully agree that you get what you pay for with pots, and it doesn’t pay to buy really cheap ones. But even with the amount and volume of cooking that our lifestyle entails, most people will never in need the higher end products you’re describing. No need to raise the bar when there are very solid economical options that work well. Sometimes, tried and true wins the day.
Agree!
I have the farberware pots for Fleishige and milchige! Love them! They cook food the best. It’s true that the newer ones come off the handles much quicker. But let me tell you what I discovered. There is a glue called Gorilla glue that works magic for these. You make a tiny wet the handle and add a little glue then hold on to it for two minutes. And never will it fall off again. No heat or water will get it off! For me it’s worth gluing it once and having this great quality pots!
I have the farberware pots for Fleishige and milchige! Love them! They cook food the best. It’s true that the newer ones come off the handles much quicker. But let me tell you what I discovered. There is a glue called Gorilla glue that works magic for these. You make a tiny wet the handle and add a little glue then hold on to it for two minutes. And never will it fall off again. No heat or water will get it off! For me it’s worth gluing it once and having this great quality pots!
Curious what your thoughts are on Zwilling Henckels. I have a great set, but the bottom 1/3 of the outside of the pots are totally black. Any tips on how to clean?
Do any of these pots work with an induction cooktop? What do you suggest for that?
Yes, many do. When clicking a link you would see this in the description of the item.
I have the farberware pots for Fleishige and milchige! Love them! They cook food the best. It’s true that the newer ones come off the handles much quicker. But let me tell you what I discovered. There is a glue called Gorilla glue that works magic for these. You make a tiny wet the handle and add a little glue then hold on to it for two minutes. And never will it fall off again. No heat or water will get it off! For me it’s worth gluing it once and having this great quality pots!
Do they still sell kitchenaid pots? It’s been 18 years and they are truly amazing!! Haven’t had to look into a pot since. Had to replace the milchig set as the nonstick coating was ruined but the stainless steel is perfect. So curious if they still sell that. Would buy again for sure.
What about calphalon pots? I have one pot from them and I love it. With my cuisinart pots, everything sticks to the bottom
for all faberware lovers, they have a lifetime warranty for all their pots. Just received 2 new pots!
dont count on a warranty! my handles are off, and they just denied my warranty.
I’m trying to decide between the le cruiser tri ply or hestan probond, which do u suggest I go with? Which set is aesthetically nicer?
Anyone ever tried kirkland stainless steel pot set?
I love love love my Tramontina pots. I have the set from Amazon for meat, and the one from Costco for dairy. (They look different enough). Costco sometimes puts them on sale for 150. Also, it’s worth it to search Amazon for the 14 piece set- it comes in and out of stock. It comes with two additional pots (5 quart and 12 inch fry pan), and not always for so much more $. The individual pots are a lot more expensive.
I found the original series very informative and learned a lot from it but it’s nice to have your personal faves…
Thanks for always putting out such great content
For anyone that has a farberware pot that handle broke and can’t be fixed. remember they have a lifetime warranty. I filed a claim and they mailed me a new pot.
That is good to know!
Ditto for farberware!! Best thing that handles on pots and covers DO NOT GET HOT. Don’t need to grab mittens or towel or get burned!
Yes, but on the flipside, if you need to put a pot in the oven, you have the cover the handles/knobs with foil or they’ll melt.
What about Caraway cookware?
It could be that they’re amazing (they’re certainly pretty!) but we don’t have personal experience with them. Our previous pot series covered way more options, but it was overwhelming and we couldn’t give our personal takes on each option that was listed. That being said, if we ever try something new that we love, we can definitely add it here!
Hi do you have Bundt pan recommendations?
We don’t have a specific bundt pan recommendation, but this post has a tip to ensure that your Bundt Cakes come out of the pan cleanly:
https://betweencarpools.com/this-heavenly-dairy-bundt-cake-will-become-a-family-favorite/
Thank you for a great post! I am looking to buy a 6-8 quart pareve pot mainly for soup. Would you recommend the le creuset enamel stock pot or would you recommend just buying a single All clad or Tromontina stainless steel pot? I would like a pot that sautes the vegetables nicely/
I have Korkmaz pots that have held up incredibly well for 17 years. The only issue I’ve had is a handle coming off because of high heat. If anyone has any info on how to reach the company for a new handle, I’d love to know!
For the black speckled pot for sourdough would
You recommend a loaf banneton over the standard round one? I would love to try this pot! Also it withstands 500 degree temps? Or do we adjust for sourdough?
Thanks
I treated myself to the le creuset 10qt enamel stockpot in the color olive. I have it for almost a year and I’m still obsessed with it! I use it every week for chicken soup! Due to the size I can leave it cooking for many hours till it’s golden and not worry bout running out of liquid! I’m also obsessed with the color!! Best choice of pot I ever made!