The Essential Guide to Stainless Steel Cookware, According to Professional Chefs

These days, cookware options are endless: ceramic, copper, nonstick, cast iron — they all have their positives and place in the kitchen. But the prized possession and frequently sought-after by professional chefs and serious home cooks alike is stainless steel. Known for its durability and high heat retention, it can achieve an excellent sear or perfect sauté. And it can last a lifetime.

What Is Stainless Steel?

Stainless steel is an alloy, or mixture, of several metals. The primary component is iron, prized for its strength and longevity, mixed with small amounts of other metals, mainly chromium and trace amounts of carbon, manganese, copper, and nickel. 

These metals are added to increase specific characteristics of the final product, like higher tensile strength, higher heat retention, increased or decreased magnetism, and more armor against corrosion. The exact ratio varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and usually depends on what the metal is intended for.

Why Cook with Stainless Steel?

For one, stainless steel is considered one of the safest materials for cookware. It’s non-porous, doesn’t contain a coating, and won’t react to things like high-acid foods. 

Stainless steel can also handle ultra-high heat that nonstick and other materials can’t handle. Not only can you easily sear a steak on a blistering hot stainless pan, you can go from the burner to the oven. Cast iron can do these things, but they’re notorious for delivering uneven heat, something stainless isn’t guilty of. 

It's also much lighter than cast iron, making it easier to maneuver as well as safer. In addition, it is an extremely durable material: The steel can take a beating and doesn’t require seasoning. Unlike nonstick, it isn’t prone to chipping, and unlike copper, it doesn’t require hyper-sensitive cleaning to maintain it easily. 

Rachel Klein of Miss Rachel’s Pantry, an all-vegan supper club-style fine dining restaurant in Philadelphia, often reaches for stainless steel cookware. “Stainless steel stands up to high heat cooking and requires very little maintenance,” she says.

What to Look For in Stainless Steel Cookware

All stainless steel cookware is made with food-grade stainless steel that requires a minimum of 16% chromium to ensure the highest corrosion resistance, upping the safety of the material. Within food-grade stainless steel, The NSF requires manufacturers to adhere to the guidelines of either 200, 300, or 400 series, though 200 and 300 make up the vast majority of stainless cookware. 

200 series stainless steel is the lowest grade and is usually found in cheaper, lower-quality cookware. It uses manganese, which reduces its corrosion resistance, and it’s also not induction-compatible as it’s not magnetic. 

300 series is the most common and includes the 304 and 316 series, from which most of the stainless steel cookware you’ve handled is made. These are also sometimes called 18/8 and 18/10, referring to the ratio of chromium to nickel. Functionally, these are effectively the same material. Their only difference is the small amounts of other metals added to the recipe that increase corrosion resistance. 316, or 18/10, is the highest grade with the most durability and corrosion resistance. Either type of the 300 series is an excellent choice for stainless steel cookware.

Meanwhile, other stainless steel cookware isn’t all steel. Some brands, like the chef-favorite All-Clad, have an aluminum core. This is because aluminum is a great conductor, and adding it to the layers of metal gives the steel more even heat distribution and retention. Copper is also a common material in the “core” of stainless cookware. Like aluminum, copper is a great conductor and helps the steel heat more evenly. If your budget allows for it, cookware with aluminum or copper cores is a great investment and makes stainless cookware all the more luxurious.

What Does 3- and 5-Ply Mean?

Both higher-quality steel and core materials can make cookware heavier. Higher-end cookware often uses 3-ply or 5-ply construction, meaning there are several layers of metal, which can also increase the weight of your cookware. When it comes to stainless steel, heavier generally means higher quality. Heavy steel means durable construction, more additives in the steel recipe to increase strength and corrosion resistance, more layers for better heat retention, and often a core increases weight as well. 

Depending on your preferences and strength, some cookware can be too heavy. When shopping, look for the weight in the product description and compare that to the weight of other cookware to get an idea.

Tips For Cooking on Stainless Steel 

Nonstick cookware makes cooking things like eggs stress-free since there’s no worry that there’ll be a big, stuck-on mess. But did you know that your stainless steel cookware is capable of the same feat? With the proper heat control and maintenance, your stainless pan can be just as slick as your nonstick cookware with a fraction of the high maintenance care required for nonstick cookware. Stainless steel is beloved by restaurant chefs for its ability to get ripping hot, but a pan that is too hot or cold can cause things like fish skin or eggs to adhere in a way that seems like they’re superglued to the pan. 

• Heat your pan over medium-high heat without oil. After about 3-5 minutes, depending on how your stove runs, you can test the pan to see if it’s ready to accept the oil and create a genuinely nonstick surface. Simply drop about a teaspoon of water into the pan. If the water bubbles, spatters, and quickly evaporates, it’s not quite ready. If the water beads up and dances around the pan in a formed droplet, it’s ready. Blot out the water, add your oil or fat, and you're ready to go once the oil begins to shimmer, but not smoke. 
• The food will tell you when it’s ready to be flipped, especially when it comes to things like achieving crispy chicken skin or a golden brown pancake. Chicken and fish skin contain water, which needs time to evaporate. If the skin seems bonded to the pan, give it a minute. If your pan is correctly heated up, it should begin to release itself when it’s ready, and a metal fish spatula can easily free it up the rest of the way without too much elbow grease. To hedge your bets, pat all meat dry before placing it in your pan; moisture causes things to stick, so the drier, the better. Of course, moisture is unavoidable in foods like an omelet. In that case, just take extra care in heating and lubricating the pan before cooking. 
• Let food — especially meat — sit out of the fridge for 20 minutes before preparing it for the pan. Temperature is also a factor. Cold food straight from the fridge can cause the metal to contract, which is not only bad for the cookware, but bad news for your dreams of crispy skin or an unstuck egg.

How To Clean And Maintain Stainless Steel Over Time

Though stainless steel cookware is lauded for its durability, it still needs some care to ensure longevity. Klein recommends gentle cleaning: “Even though it’s called “stainless steel,” you’ll want to treat your pans with care to keep the surface nice and prevent corrosion. Instead of leaving them to soak in the sink overnight, try to clean them right away with the least abrasive scrubber you have and a mild soap.” 

Even if the tag or box says it’s dishwasher-safe, the single easiest way to prolong the life of your pans is to handwash them. Always wait until they’re completely cooled; hot steel hates water, and scrub with a sponge's soft or scrubby side. Avoid steel wool, as it can scratch the metal. 

For really stuck-on messes, briefly soak the cookware to release any cooked-on food. If you’re dealing with a really stubborn mess, reach for Bar Keepers Friend, a strong, powdered solvent that will make quick work of nearly any mess, even tarnish and mineral deposits. Using Bar Keepers Friend semi-regularly will help maintain your cookware and keep it in good shape for years to come. 

Once your cookware is shiny and clean, give it a quick wipe down with a clean kitchen towel to soak up any leftover water, then set it out to dry the rest of the way before putting it away.

Stainless Steel Versus Carbon Steel 

Carbon steel pans are often referred to as a cross between a stainless steel and cast iron pan. Some stainless steel pans include carbon in their recipe, but carbon steel always has it, and in higher concentrations than you’d find in regular stainless steel. They borrow their material makeup from cast iron and share some of the needs of cast iron. They both require seasoning to maintain the surface and nether like acidic ingredients as these can erode the surface. Both pans can easily be made non-stick through seasoning. 

But unlike cast iron, carbon steel is light like stainless steel and shares its versatility. Unlike stainless steel, carbon steel isn’t corrosion-resistant, so extra care must be paid when cleaning and maintaining carbon steel cookware. While they share some similarities and differences, a well-stocked kitchen should include both types of cookware as they have strengths and weaknesses that complement one another. 

Stainless Steel Versus Hard Anodized 

Some stainless steel cookware is made with a core of aluminum due to aluminum’s great heat retention. In contrast, hard anodized cookware is made of mostly aluminum with a thin coating on the outside, usually ceramic or nonstick. While stainless sets can sometimes include aluminum encased in steel, hard anodized cookware is all aluminum with a small amount of other materials on the outside. 

Compared to fully aluminum cookware, anodized aluminum is more durable and usually heavier because of the additional coating. Compared to stainless steel, however, anodized pans are usually much lighter and, while the coating adds an extra layer of protection, is less durable since it can easily chip off. 

Stainless steel cookware is better suited for high-heat cooking, while anodized pans are much more nonstick and excel at more gentle cooking. They’re also unable to transition from the stove to the oven like stainless steel. Anodized aluminum is a much better conductor than stainless steel, so an anodized pan will provide even, consistent heat that takes a fraction of the time to heat up compared to stainless steel. Just like stainless steel and carbon steel cookware have their strengths and weaknesses, anodized does as well and has a spot in your kitchen to pick up where stainless steel leaves off.

Induction Compatibility 

Induction ranges use magnets to conduct the heat in the burners, so the cookware suitable for induction burners must be magnetic. Lucky for us, iron is the main ingredient in stainless steel and is known to be highly magnetic. This makes stainless steel cookware ideal for induction cooktops. 

One thing to note is that aluminum is not magnetic and, therefore, is not induction-compatible. Almost all stainless steel cookware that is aluminum clad has a layer of steel on the bottom, making it induction compatible. However, save yourself the potential headache, and before shelling out for a brand new set of aluminum-clad cookware to use on your induction cooktop, double-check that the bottoms of the pans are stainless-clad and have no exposed aluminum.

Stainless Steel Cookware We Love 

Tramontina Tri-Ply Clad 10-Piece Stainless Steel Set

$360 at Amazon $330 at Wayfair $338 at Home Depot

If you’re looking to overhaul your cookware and replace it with all-new stainless steel, we recommend this Tramontina set. It performed great in our tests, demonstrating unparalleled, consistent heat with stellar conductivity. We love how easy they are to clean and maintain. Little things that make a big impact are what sets this set apart, like the perfectly sloped interior corners, ideal for a wooden spoon, and the handles that stay cool even with high-heat cooking. 

Made In Stainless Clad Frying Pan

$119 at Amazon $119 at Walmart View on Madeincookware.com

The single perfect stainless steel skillet is undoubtedly this 10-inch frying pan from Made in. The sleek, ergonomic design instantly grabbed our eye. But don't worry; this pan is form and function. We loved the thoughtful features like the hole in the handle for hanging, sloped sides, and flared lip for seamless flipping and worry-free pouring. We didn’t have a single complaint about this pan. It met and exceeded our expectations. We were especially impressed by its durability; we put it through the wringer, and it came out nearly unscathed — this pan will last you for years to come.

Our Expertise

• Nick DeSimone wrote this piece. Nick has been a professional cook for nearly a decade, so they know a thing or two about cookware and has worked with stainless steel cookware extensively. In addition, Nick has spent the last few years writing for Allrecipes, Food & Wine, Eater, USA Today, Mashed, The Kitchn, and local Philidelphia publications.
• Nick also spoke with Rachel Klein of Miss Rachel’s Pantry, a fine dining restaurant in Philadelphia. Klein is a frequent user of stainless steel cookware in her professional life.