Made In Cookware Stainless Steel Cookware Review

About Made In Cookware

Offering a large selection of meticulously crafted, chef-tested stainless steel, nonstick and carbon steel cookware—plus knives, plates, glasses and more, Made In makes it possible for everyday home cooks to enjoy the performance, versatility and durability of restaurant-quality kitchenware without the enormous price tag. The company’s stainless clad cookware sets receive especially high praise for their superior heating capabilities—they heat up quickly and evenly, making them enjoyable to cook with and easy to clean (no hot spots means no burn spots to scrub). Their ultra high cooking temperatures enable a wide range of culinary tasks, and their sturdy, five-layered construction ensures they’ll stand up to many years of frequent use.

What’s Included

Here’s what you get with each of the Made In stainless clad cookware sets:

6-Piece Set:

• 10″ Stainless Clad Frying Pan
• 10″ CeramiClad Non Stick Frying Pan
• 2 QT Stainless Clad Saucepan with Lid
• 8 QT Stainless Clad Stock Pot with Lid

10-Piece Set:

• 8″ Stainless Clad Frying Pan
• 10″ Stainless Clad Frying Pan
• 2 QT Stainless Clad Saucepan with Lid
• 4 QT Stainless Clad Saucepan with Lid
• 2 QT Stainless Clad Saucier with Lid
• 8 QT Stainless Clad Stock Pot with Lid
  

13-Piece Set:

• 8″ Stainless Clad Frying Pan
• 10″ Stainless Clad Frying Pan
• 10″ CeramiClad Non Stick Frying Pan
• 2 QT Stainless Clad Saucier with Lid
• 2 QT Stainless Clad Saucepan with Lid
• 4 QT Stainless Clad Saucepan with Lid
• 8 QT Stainless Clad Stock Pot with Lid
• 12″ Seasoned Carbon Steel Frying Pan
• 13″ Seasoned Carbon Steel Wok
• 2 oz can Carbon Steel Seasoning Wax

Materials & Construction

Made In’s stainless clad cookware is 5-ply, which means it’s comprised of five layers of metal. The cooking surface is made of highly durable 304 Stainless Steel; The second and fourth layers are pure aluminum and the third layer is an aluminum alloy. The stainless steel provides durability, enhanced circulation and a consistent, non-reactive cooking surface while the aluminum ensures fast and even heat distribution. Together, this makes for a sturdy, all-purpose piece of cookware that performs exceptionally well and is built to last.

The cookware features ergonomic stay cool handles, which make it easy to move it about the kitchen without ever having to worry about burning your hands in the process, and rolled rims for spill-free pouring.

Pricing

Made In is on a mission to make restaurant-quality cookware accessible to everyone—and their pricing is a reflection of that commitment. Despite their high quality materials and premium 5-ply construction, the Made In cookware is surprisingly affordable compared to other similar products on the market today. There are several different sets to choose from and, for those on a budget, the smaller sets are a great option. They include all the essential pieces to cover basic cooking needs at a very reasonable price.

Not only that, the company is known to offer discounts throughout the year, which can reduce the cost fairly significantly. For instance, the baseline price of the 13-piece set is around $1,400, but at the time of this review, it was reduced to less than $1,200; the 10-piece set typically retails for a little less than $1,000, but is currently on sale for less than $800; and the 6-piece set is typically around $675, but is reduced to less than $560. Keep an eye on the official company website to take advantage of one of the brand’s many promotions.

Performance

Here’s a look at how the Made In Stainless Steel Cookware Set performs across a few key areas:

Heating

This cookware is known for its superior heating capabilities. Its aluminum core and stainless steel base work together to enable fast and even heating, ensuring your food is cooked perfectly every time.

Durability

The pans feature 5-ply construction, which means they are comprised of five bonded layers of metal (3-ply is more typical of less premium brands). This layered construction gives way to ultra durable, ultra sturdy cookware that will stand up to years of frequent use.

Versatility

While the six-piece set is a great starter set for home chefs, if versatility is important to you, the 10- and 13-piece sets are probably your best bet. The 10-piece set includes an assortment of the brand’s award-winning Stainless Clad Cookware, and the 13-piece set includes pieces from each of the company’s Stainless Clad, Non Stick and Carbon Steel collections. It’s a comprehensive set that includes frying pans, sauce pans, stockpots and woks, and is designed to cover every possible culinary need.

Warranty & Return Policy

The stainless clad cookware comes with a lifetime warranty, which provides peace of mind if you’re nervous about purchasing products sight unseen. The warranty protects you from any defects that are a result of manufacturing. It does not cover things like changes in appearance, damage or staining that is a result of normal wear and tear, use of metal utensils or the use of the dishwasher. Warping or damage from prolonged use of high or excessive heat or exposure to thermal shock are also not covered.

For orders made in the contiguous U.S., the company offers hassle-free returns within 45 days of delivery.

Competition

Here’s a look at how the Made In stainless clad set compares to another popular pick on the cookware market:

Made In’ Stainless Clad 10-Piece Set vs. All-Clad’s Everyday Stainless Clad 10-Piece Set

Like Made In, All-Clad is a well-known kitchenware company that offers an expansive selection of cookware, bakeware, tableware and more. Like Made In, All-Clad’s product portfolio includes a wide variety of cookware sets to suit every need, budget and cooking style. Both companies are especially renowned for their stainless clad sets, which dish out superior cooking performance, excellent heating ability, versatility and durability. Here’s a look at some of the differences between the brands’ popular 10-piece stainless clad cookware sets:

• Pricing: In general, Made In cookware tends to be a bit less expensive than All-Clad’s. At the time of this review, Made In’s 10-piece stainless clad set is priced at $560; All-Clad’s 10-piece set is on sale for $750 (down from more than $1,000). The difference gets even more significant if you cash in on one of Made In’s many generous promotions.
• Temperature tolerance: Made In’s pans are oven-safe up to 800 degrees; All-Clad’s are safe up to 600 degrees.
• Sizing: Made In’s set comes with an eight quart stock pot, which is great for cooking soups, pastas and large meals for families. All-Clad’s comparable set includes a six quart saucepan, which many customers have lamented is too small to be useful. 
• User-Friendly Features: Made In’s cookware is designed with stay cool handles; many All-Clad customers complain that the handles of their pans get hot quickly. This means you risk burning yourself if you don’t remember to use a dish towel or oven mitt when it’s time to move them.
• Materials: Some of the Made In stainless cookware sets come with a nonstick pan that features a nontoxic, ceramic coating, which is great for cooking eggs and more delicate proteins. While All-Clad also offers a mixed cookware set that includes a nonstick pan, that pan contains the chemical PTFE (Teflon), which many consumers try to avoid for health and safety reasons.
• Aesthetics: The Made In stainless clad cookware has a sleek, stylish brushed exterior, which gives off a more modern look than the polished, shiny look of the standard All-Clad cookware (All-Clad does offer a brushed option, but at a much higher price point). Brushed stainless steel isn’t just sleek and stylish, it also hides fingerprints and smudges better than the alternative.

Ultimately, both brands have a lot to offer, and the better option is really a matter of personal preference. But we definitely appreciate that Made In offers similarly high performing, restaurant-tested cookware at a more affordable price point.