For serious cooking lovers, durability is another top priority of yours (aside from functionality) when it comes to choosing pots and pans.
But which option is right for you when the market is so vast? Peace in mind, we’ve got your back! Here are the most durable pots and pans for everyone’s budget and style preference.
Here are the most durable pots and pans you can buy in 2024:
- Best For High Heat (Aluminum Pots and Pans): Ninja Foodi NeverStick C39800
- Best For Even Heat Distribution (Aluminum Pots and Pans): OXO Good Grips Pro Nonstick Dishwasher Safe
- Best For Fast Heat Distribution (Aluminum Pots and Pans): COOKLOVER Nonstick
- Best For Sauteing (Stainless Steel Pots and Pans): Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece
- Best For Arthritis Sufferers (Stainless Steel Pots and Pans): AVACRAFT 18/10 Stainless Steel Premium Multiclad
- Best For Low Heat (Stainless Steel Pots and Pans): Duxtop Professional Stainless Steel 18-Piece
- Best For Searing (Ceramic Pots and Pans): GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard-Anodized Induction Safe
- Scratch Resistant (Ceramic Pots and Pans): dealz frenzy 14-Piece Cookware Set
- Easy To Clean (Ceramic Pots and Pans): WaxonWare 4pc
9 Most Durable Pots And Pans | ||
---|---|---|
Best For High Heat | Ninja Foodi NeverStick C39800
| |
Best For Even Heat Distribution | OXO Good Grips Pro Nonstick Dishwasher Safe
| |
Best For Fast Heat Distribution | COOKLOVER Nonstick
| |
Best For Sauteing | Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece
| |
Best For Arthritis Sufferers | AVACRAFT 18/10 Stainless Steel Premium Multiclad
| |
Best For Low Heat | Duxtop Professional Stainless Steel 18-Piece
| |
Best For Searing | GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard-Anodized Induction Safe
| |
Scratch Resistant | dealz frenzy 14-Piece Cookware Set
| |
Easy To Clean | WaxonWare 4pc
|
Best For High Heat: Ninja Foodi NeverStick C39800
- Able to bear high heat up to 30,000 degrees F - NeverStick Technology
- Great moisture retention and splatter prevention - 13-mm-thick stainless steel rim tempered glass lids
- Long preheating time
The Ninja Foodi NeverStick C39800 is currently considered as the most durable cookware set at high-end range.
It stands out for adopting the NeverStick Technology, which is oven-safe up to 500 degrees F for the nonstick coating, handles, and lids and up to 30,000 degrees F for the rest. Meanwhile, traditional cookware pieces can bear just up to 900 degrees F.
That means these pots and pans will never flake, chip, scratch, or stick to food during cooking. The glass lid is guaranteed to seal moisture and prevent splatter excellently.
Ninja Foodi NeverStick C39800 Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 3-Quart Sauté Pan & 10 1/4-Inch Fry Pan share a lid 8-Quart Stock Pot 8-Quart Stock Pot with Glass Lid 3-Quart Sauté Pan with Glass Lid 2 1/2-Quart Saucepan with Glass Lid 1 1/2-Quart Saucepan with Glass Lid 12-Inch Fry Pan with Glass Lid 10 1/4-Inch Fry Pan 8-Inch Fry Pan |
Temperature Tolerance Range | Handles, lids, and nonstick coating: up to 500°F Cookware: 30,000°F |
Highlight Features | NeverStick Technology 13-mm-thick stainless steel rim tempered glass lids |
We were very impressed with the Ninja Foodi NeverStick C39800’s ability to cook at high heat with no chips, flakes, or scratches.
Best For Even Heat Distribution: OXO Good Grips Pro Nonstick Dishwasher Safe
- Even heat distribution – 3-layered German-engineered nonstick coating & anodized aluminum materials
- Efficient to stir – refined body design
- The handles could be better in heat-resistance
Our next pick is for those who want a premium cookware set with superbly even heat distribution – the OXO Good Grips Pro.
It distinguishes itself from the rest for the triple-layer nonstick coating that’s dedicatedly engineered in German. Along with the anodized aluminum materials, it distributes heat a lot more evenly than traditional pieces.
The refined body design is another special feature as it makes stirring more efficient.
OXO Good Grips Pro Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 6 Qt/5.7 L Stock Pots with Lids 3 Qt/2.8 L Stock Pots with Lids 3 Qt/2.8 L Sauté Pan with Lid 2 Qt/1.9 L Saucepans with Lid 1 Qt/0.9 L Saucepans with Lid 10-in/25 cm Frying Pans 8-in/20 cm Frying Pans |
Temperature Tolerance Range | up to 430°F/220°C |
Highlight Features | 3-layered German-engineered nonstick coating & anodized aluminum materials refined body design |
We are fans of the OXO Good Grips Pro Nonstick Dishwasher Safe for their excellent performance in even heat distribution
Best For Fast Heat Distribution: COOKLOVER Nonstick
- Fast heat distribution - extra-thick bottom
- No hot spots - 2mm thick reinforced die-cast aluminum body
- Affordable
- The rubber slips are pretty thin
- The handles feel loose
We believe that those people with a busy life will fall for this cookware set from COOKLOVER because of its superior fast-heating capability.
Thanks to the extra-thick bottom, these pots and pans heat up not only fast but also stably during cooking. Making them a better performer is the 2mm thick reinforced die-cast aluminum body – which helps prevent hot spots effectively.
For the price, this set of 15 pieces is truly unbeatable.
COOKLOVER Nonstick Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 9.5-in Stir Fry Pans 9.5-in Grill Pan with Ridges with lid 6.3-in Sauce Pan 7.9-in and 9.5-in Casseroles with lid Spoons, forks, spatulas Separate handles |
Temperature Tolerance Range | 220℃-280℃. |
Highlight Features | extra-thick bottom 2mm thick reinforced die-cast aluminum body |
The COOKLOVER Nonstick - Aluminum Pots and Pans was a top performer in our cookware tests for fast heat distribution.
Best For Sauteing: Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece
- Great for sautéing – including a sauté pan with cover
- Great handling - heavy-duty, extra-long handles
- Lid handles get hot
Like other stainless steel cookware sets in this list, the Calphalon Classic is backed by a lifetime warranty, which ensures its quality.
What we like the most about this option is the added sauté pan with a lid that most sets don’t include. The high flat sides make it one of our favorites plus it can cook soups or curries like a chef.
We also appreciate the markings on the interior of pots for easy measuring and the heavy-duty, extra-long handles for great, burnt-free handling.
Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 7-qt. dutch oven with cover 3-qt. saute pan with cover 2.5-qt. saucepan with cover 1.5-qt. saucepan with cover 8" fry pan, 10" fry pan |
Temperature Tolerance Range | up to 450 degrees F |
Highlight Features | including a sauté pan with cover heavy-duty, extra-long handles |
The Calphalon Classic Stainless Steel 10-Piece performed really well in our sautéing test.
Best For Arthritis Sufferers: AVACRAFT 18/10 Stainless Steel Premium Multiclad
- Perfect for arthritis people – lightweight design
- Easy and reliable handling – ergonomically designed, cool-to-touch handles
- Effortless to clean
- No complaint
The AVACRAFT 18/10 Stainless Steel Premium Multiclad is like the good news for those arthritis people who want a stainless steel cookware set that is good quality but not too heavy to lift. The whole set of ten pieces weighs 22.1 pounds.
The handles are ergonomically designed for easy and reliable handling plus they don’t get hot while cooking.
Like other picks in this category, these pots and pans are dishwasher-safe, so keep peace in mind the cleanup after cooking.
AVACRAFT 18/10 Stainless Steel Premium Multiclad Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | a 10-inch Frying Pan 8 inch Frying Pan 3.5 QT Saute Pan with Lid 6 QT Stockpot with Strainer Lid 1.5 QT Saucepan with Strainer Lid 2.5 QT Saucepans with Strainer Lid |
Temperature Tolerance Range | 400 degrees F |
Highlight Features | lightweight design ergonomically designed, cool-to-touch handles |
The AVACRAFT 18/10 Stainless Steel Premium Multiclad is one of the most lightweight yet durable cookware sets that we have found, which makes it perfect for arthritis people
Best For Low Heat: Duxtop Professional Stainless Steel 18-Piece
- Ideal for low heat
- Practical & useful – including spoon and spatula
- Some lids don’t fit tightly, causing rattle noise
This set of 18 pieces is perfect for newbies on a tight budget. It has every size pan that is used regularly. All of them are very lightweight and should be used over low to medium heat. All of the pots and pans distribute heat evenly and look nice after cooking.
The spatula and spoon accessories are a nice addition. We also love that the 3-quart pan can drain liquid out without requiring a separate colander, so fewer dishes to wash.
Duxtop Professional Stainless Steel 18-Piece Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 6.6-inch trivet 8-inch glass lid 9.5-inch steam basket 9.5-inch boiler basket 9.5-inch fry pan 8-inch fry pan 5.5-quart sauté pan with helper and lid 8.6-quart stockpot with lid 4.2-quart casserole with lid 3.1-quart saucepan with pour spout and double-sided strainers lid 1.6-quart saucepan with lid slotted spatula & solid spoon |
Temperature Tolerance Range | glass lid: up to 400°F cookware: up to 550°F |
Highlight Features | Ideal for low heat including spoon and spatula |
With the Duxtop Professional Stainless Steel 18-Piece, you can enjoy the best cooking experience at low heat with no issues.
Best For Searing: GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard-Anodized Induction Safe
- Flexible & universal – a wide range of pot and pan sizes
- Allowing you to sear fish or steaks nicely – The Valencia Pro's Magneto Induction Bases
- Healthy-safe – calcium, lead, PFOA, and PFAS free ceramic nonstick coating
- Expensive
- The lids could seal moisture better
We were blown away by the exceptionally even searing and browning of these pots and pans from GreenPan.
The Valencia Pro's Magneto Induction Bases were so good at withstanding high temperatures (up to 600 degrees F) that we could sear fish or steaks nicely in our tests.
The assortment of the fry pan and pot sizes are particularly outstanding in this set as they are ideal when you are cooking for an entire family or for one.
GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard-Anodized Induction Safe Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 3 pan protectors 11-inch grill pan with lid 3-quart sauté pan with lid 5-quart stockpot with lid 3-quart saucepans with lids 1.5-quart saucepans with lids 11-inch frying pans 9.5-inch frying pans 8-inch frying pans |
Temperature Tolerance Range | glass lids: up to 425°F cookware: up to 600°F |
Highlight Features | a wide range of pot and pan sizes The Valencia Pro's Magneto Induction Bases |
The GreenPan Valencia Pro Hard-Anodized Induction Safe scored high in our tests for searing.
Scratch Resistant: dealz frenzy 14-Piece Cookware Set
- Safety – the cool-to-touch handles with silicone cover
- Scratch-resistant - superior ceramic layers
- The large pan doesn’t come with a lid
The dealz frenzy 14-Piece Cookware Set is here to challenge the notion that ceramic nonstick cookware is flimsy.
The superior ceramic layers make them health-friendly, lightweight yet durable, and resistant to scratching. The cookware set is also induction-friendly.
We liked the silicone handles as they didn’t get hot when the pan was in use.
dealz frenzy 14-Piece Cookware Set Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 9.5-inch stainless steel steamer 8-inch Deep Fry basket 5-quart Frying pan with lid 7.7-inch Stainless steel steamer rack 5-quart stockpot with lid 3-quart saucepans with lids 1.5-quart saucepans with lids 11-inch fry pan 9.5-inch fry pan 8-inch fry pan |
Temperature Tolerance Range | up to 450°F |
Highlight Features | the cool-to-touch handles with silicone cover superior ceramic layers |
The dealz frenzy 14-Piece Cookware Set landed high scores in our tests for scratch resistance.
Easy To Clean: WaxonWare 4pc
- Stylish and refined-looking – grain pattern & cool-touch Bakelite handles
- Easy to clean - dishwasher-friendly design and nonstick surface
- The rubbery parts on the lids could be more quality
The WaxonWare 4pc becomes our favorite pick because they are not only able to do all cooking tasks but also easy to clean after.
With a dishwasher-friendly design and nonstick surface, cleaning after use is effortless whether you hand-wash or use the dishwasher.
The stylish, refined look of this cookware set is another plus.
WaxonWare 4pc Specifications | |
---|---|
What’s Included | 11" Saute Pan with Lid 5.25 Quart Dutch Oven 1.75 Quart Saucepan 11" Granite Frying pan |
Highlight Features | grain pattern & cool-touch Bakelite handles dishwasher-friendly design and nonstick surface |
In our tests, the WaxonWare 4pc won top scores for easy cleaning after cooking.
How To Choose The Most Durable Pot And Pan?
Material
There are a lot of cookware material options on the market, like clay, PTFE, carbon steel, copper, etc. But for durability, we find these three materials to be the best:
- Aluminum
- Stainless steel
- Ceramic
Each of them suits specific cooking technique as well as has certain drawbacks, please take a look at this comparison table for more information:
Pros | Cons | Best for | |
Aluminum | -Great heat conduction -Affordable -Lightweight & easy handling -Dishwasher and oven safe | -Imparting a metallic taste -Discoloring foods -Reacting to some acidic foods -Not for induction stovetops | -Arthritis people -Browning and boiling |
Stainless steel | -No reaction to alkaline or acidic foods -Oven, broiler, and dishwasher-safe -Not imparting metallic flavors -No food discoloration -Scratch- and pit-resistant -Highly anti-corrosion | -Tough to clean -Poor conduction of heat -Heavy -> probably not for weak hands or arthritis people | -Braising, searing, and browning |
Ceramic | -Fast heating -Even heat distribution -Working well on all stovetop types -Easy to clean -Nonstick -Safer and eco-friendlier than PTFE | -Not for cooking techniques that use high heat | Fish, pancakes, crepes, and eggs |
Handles
Check if the handle of pots and pans is sturdy and tight. They should weigh reasonably to the cookware’s body to be easy to lift or maneuver, especially when it’s filled with food.
Metal alloy handle is quite durable but remember to choose the cool-to-touch one to protect your hands from burns. Or, a metal handle with thick, quality rubbery grips is worth considering.
A solid wood handle is not a bad idea if the material is quality.
Which Brands Make The Most Durable Pot And Pan?
Ninja
Ninja is developed by SharkNinja Operating LLC, which is the leader in cleaning solutions and small household appliances. So, it’s not surprising that Ninja is also one of the most reliable brands in the housewares industry for highly functional, innovative products.
Greenpan
Greenpan is the pioneer in manufacturing eco-friendly ceramic nonstick cookware. They’re a trustworthy stop for those shoppers who are looking for non-toxic, durable, effortless-to-clean, and user-friendly pots and pans.
Calphalon
Calphalon is renowned for its quality and durable nonstick hard-anodized aluminum pots and pans that have been trusted by numerous home chefs for decades not only in America but also around the world.
FAQs
What kind of pots and pans lasts the longest?
Real, heavy-duty (1/16” to 1/18” thick) copper pots and pans are considered to last the longest.
Is stainless steel better than non-stick?
If you’re an experienced chef and have a gas stove, stainless steel is better than non-stick. But if you are a novice chef and have a gas or electric stove, non-stick is better.
Why does everything stick to my stainless steel pan?
Here are the reasons that food sticks to your stainless steel pan:
- The cookware isn’t cleaned properly beforehand
- You choose the wrong types of food
- The pan isn’t heated enough or heated too much
How long do stainless steel pots last?
If properly protected and maintained, stainless steel pots last 3-5 years.
What oil do you use to season my pots and pans?
While all cooking oils can be used to season pots and pans, canola oil and vegetable oil are considered to be the most effective, affordable, and have the highest smoke point.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you will have a better understanding of exactly what features suit your demand after reading this review list of the most durable pots and pans and finding the right one. Happy cooking and good luck!