We Tried This Stainless Steel Cookware Set That’s Half the Price of All-Clad (And Were Pleasantly Surprised!)

For the past few years, Quince has built a name for itself by selling luxury-level goods at more approachable prices. Think cashmere sweaters, European linen, and 100% leather for a fraction of the price compared to traditional retailers. And while we don’t often recommend cookware sets, we knew we had to try Quince’s 5-ply stainless steel cookware set, priced 50% less than similar sets from best-tested brands like All-Clad and Made In.

Throughout a month of daily use, we put each piece in the set through our rigorous tests. We flipped omelets, seared pork chops, browned butter, whisked bechamel sauce, and more to see if this set could conduct heat evenly, maintain temperatures, and offer durability. While it’s not perfect (it stained a bit too easily) it surpassed our expectations. At $400, it’s a great option if you have a modest budget and want a full set of quality essentials. And besides, you can still grab each piece from the set independently if you just need to upgrade a single skillet or saucepan.

The Tests

• Omelet Test: We made an omelet with minimal oil to determine how the set’s 8-inch skillet would handle more delicate cooking.
• Brown Butter Test: We made browned butter in the 2-quart saucepan to evaluate its heat responsiveness.
• Boiled Pasta Test: We filled the stockpot with 72°F water and timed how long it took to get to 212°F. After cooking the pasta, we evaluated how easy it was to pour into a colander. 
• Mirepoix Test: To test the stockpot’s heat conduction and responsiveness, we caramelized chopped onions, celery, and carrots then deglazed the pot with broth to see how easy it was for the fond to release.
• Rice Test: We cooked rice in the 3-quart saucepan to evaluate the final quality of the rice and to see how well the lid trapped steam.
• Bechamel Test: We made bechamel sauce in the sauté pan to see how evenly it could conduct heat and determine ease of getting into the corners.
• Pork Chop Sear Test: We seared two pork chops on the 10-inch skillet to determine how well it could brown foods, and deglazed it with hot water to see how well it would release fattier and more charred fond.

What We Learned

It Comes With All the Essentials

For $400, the set comes with everything you’ll need to upgrade your essentials or build out your new kitchen. The set includes an 8-inch fry pan, a 10-inch fry pan, a 2-quart saucepan, a 3-quart saucepan, a 3-quart sauté pan, and an 8-quart stockpot. Plus, it comes with four lids, one each for the 2-quart saucepan, 3-quart saucepan, sauté pan, and stockpot.

The Skillets Browned and Seared to Perfection

When testing the skillets which start at $70 for the 8-inch pan, we used the small frying pan to make an omelet and seared two boneless pork chops on the 10-inch skillet. The 8-inch frying pan cooked the omelet evenly and was nearly nonstick when it came time to flip the omelet. The 10-inch skillet achieved even browning on both sides of the pork chops, and we were able to easily deglaze the pan afterwards.

The Saucepans Cooked Evenly

Starting at $90 with the 2-quart saucepan, the saucepans in this set both excelled at browning butter and cooking rice. The 2-quart saucepan browned butter evenly and it was easy to get into the corners to prevent buttery sediment from burning at the bottom. The flared lip also made it easy to pour the finished brown butter into a jar. 

When it came to making rice, the 3-quart saucepan cooked the rice to even fluffiness, thanks to the well-fitting lid that kept steam trapped inside the saucepan. It took just under 3 minutes to boil two cups of water, and the pan was easy to clean afterwards with just a bit of sticky rice residue that came off with a quick warm water soak.

It’s a Versatile Set 

Having the sauté pan and stockpot rounded off the entire set nicely. When making bechamel sauce, the sauté pan excelled at even heating, and it was easy to stir into the corners, resulting in a smooth sauce without any clumps. For a larger pan, the handle was comfortable to hold when pouring the sauce out, and in everyday cooking, it evenly cooked curries and stir-frys.

The 8-quart stockpot took 10 minutes to boil eight cups of water, and cooked the pasta evenly. When it came time to pour out the pasta into a colander, the handles were comfortable to hold onto and provided a good grip, especially for handling something heavy and piping hot. For the mirepoix test, the stockpot evenly caramelized the onions, carrots, and celery, then easily released the fond when we added broth to the cooked mixture.

The Verdict

Quince 5-Ply Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set

If your existing cookware is dinged up and battered, this is a set with all the essentials that’s a bit more affordable than similar sets out there. Made in Italy, this set performed well across all of our tests. The 8-inch skillet handled omelets beautifully and the sauté pan made an easy job of whipping up a smooth bechamel sauce. Thanks to its 5-ply construction, the set conducts heat evenly and is responsive to temperature changes. Thanks to the comfortable handles, the pieces were easy to maneuver over the stovetop, especially for smaller hands. The pots and pans also have flared lips, which makes pouring smooth and splash-free.

When we tested pieces from the set over extremely high heat, they were quick to stain compared to our existing top pick, the All-Clad D3 3-ply set. Scorched-on oil required some Bar Keeper’s Friend and a bit of elbow grease to remove. However, the stains released easily with BKF and as we continued using the pans on medium to medium-high heat, there were no staining problems after that.

Whereas similar sets from All-Clad and Made In cost hundreds more, this Quince set has all of the same pieces and offers comparable performance at the attractive price of $400. 

Key Specs:

• Number of pieces: 10
• What’s included: 8- and 10-inch fry pans, 2-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart sauté pan with lid, 8-quart stockpot with lid
• Materials and construction: 5-ply stainless steel and aluminum layers
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes, though it’s recommended to handwash for longevity
• Induction compatible: Yes
• Oven-safe: Yes, up to 500°F

FAQs

Where is Quince stainless steel cookware made?

All of Quince’s stainless steel cookware is made in Italy.

Is Quince stainless steel cookware dishwasher-safe?

The brand says you can put the cookware into your dishwasher every once in a while, but recommends hand washing for longevity.

Is Quince stainless steel cookware non-toxic?

Yes, Quince stainless steel cookware is non-toxic and is made from layers of aluminum and 18/10 stainless steel.

Is Quince stainless steel cookware compatible with induction cooktops?

Yes, Quince stainless steel cookware is induction-compatible.

Why We’re the Experts

• An Uong is a Commerce Writer for Serious Eats and Food & Wine.
• An has been testing kitchen equipment for years, and has been exclusively using the Quince stainless steel cookware set over the past month for every meal.