Cooking is undoubtedly one of life’s simple pleasures. Nothing beats the satisfaction of enjoying a delicious home cooked meal made with love, or seeing the enjoyment on your loved ones' faces as they savour the feast you’ve prepared. While a passion for cooking may improve your culinary skills, using the right cookware is the sure-fire way to bring your dishes to the next level in taste. Choosing quality cookware will not only make your food taste better but also make cooking a more enjoyable, rewarding experience and save you money by lasting longer.

Which cookware is ideal for me?

The ideal cookware can vary by taste, style, brand and budget. It's also important to be mindful if you have an induction stovetop that you have induction cookware to match. With so many cookware brands and options available with various combinations of materials, features, price points, and styles, there is much to consider when choosing the one that meets your needs. Your ideal cookware should cater to your cooking style and budget while complementing your kitchen aesthetics. To help you with this journey we have selected our top 8 cookware brands and why we love them to hopefully inspire you to find your cookware match made in heaven!

Top 8 Cookware Brands We Love

1. Le Creuset: Beautiful French Made Enamelled Cast Iron Cookware to Last a Lifetime

Le Creuset is perfect for the ever-fashionable host who loves to delight guests with fantastic feasts. The birthplace of the French oven, Le Creuset was founded in France in 1925.

Each Le Creuset cast iron cookware is cast from a sand mould, polished, coated in enamel, and examined carefully for the highest quality by 15 individuals before finally being approved for sale. Rest assured that Le Creuset does not cut corners when it comes to quality. Over the decades, the brand has consistently produced high-quality enamelled cast iron cookware with excellent cooking performance while being resistant to stains, easy to clean, and long lasting. Available in an array of vibrant colours, Le Creuset cookware is sure to complement any home aesthetics. It's easy to see why they are loved worldwide.

Besides their iconic enamelled cast iron range, Le Creuset has also expanded to include a wide selection of cookware to cater to different needs. The popular 3-ply stainless steel cookware is hardwearing, heats up quickly to make cooking a breeze; their stoneware cookware such as the rectangular bakeware makes perfectly-cooked lasagna.

Le Creuset's non-stick range has recently updated to be four-times stronger increasing their durability along with better food release that makes for effortless cleaning. Le Creuset's assortment of skillets, pans, and casseroles offers unlimited cooking options! Whether you’re an aspiring chef or new to cooking, Le Creuset is sure to impress for years to come and beyond.

Although Le Creuset cookware comes at a premium price, their superb craftsmanship, gorgeous aesthetic, and durability to last a lifetime make them a worthwhile investment. It's also very common for Le Creuset fans to get carried away in growing their collection of cookware and kitchenware by matching and pairing their colour options.

2. Scanpan: High Quality Non-Stick Cookware from Denmark

One of Europe’s leading kitchenware brands, Scanpan has been manufacturing the highest-quality Danish cookware for almost 50 years. Best known for their pressure cast aluminium cookware with PFOA-free non-stick coating, products from the brand are often rated as a “best buy.” Created with the utmost craftsmanship and the latest technology, each cookware from Scanpan offers even and efficient heat conduction, and is guaranteed not to warp. Scanpan has also adopted the use of recycled materials, with their non-stick cookware cast bodies being manufactured from 100% aluminium products.

The Classic range is a quality entry level non-stick cookware with the brand's Stratanium non-stick coating, one of the most resistant on the market while being environmentally friendly. For those who prefer something more, the Pro IQ and HaptIQ ranges are premium non-stick cookware with designer stainless steel detailing. The more durable and advanced Stratanium+ non-stick coating on these ranges is metal utensil safe and ideal for those seeking a set of pans that will truly last the distance.

Love stainless steel cookware? The Impact range is crafted from high-quality 18/10 stainless steel with unparalleled cooking performance, the ideal combination of durability and value. The Denmark-based company is serious about crafting cookware that will last you a lifetime; cook to your heart’s content in style without fuss with Scanpan!

3. Staub: High Performance Enamelled Cast Iron Cookware with an Innovative Basting Lid

Made in France, Staub specialises in stunning enamelled cast iron cookware with excellent cooking performance and even heat distribution. Staub cookware is rust-proof and easy to clean, and similar to Le Creuset, their cast iron also has an enamelled finish. However, unlike Le Creuset's light vitreous enamel cooking surface on their cast iron casseroles, Staub's cooking surfaces are porous with a matte black finish that makes them more suitable for braising. Over time, this surface will also absorb cooking oils to develop a non-stick patina.

Staub’s innovative heavy tight-fitting basting lid also sets them apart from other brands. Their lid seals in all the moisture and flavours and continuously bastes your food to perfection as it cooks. When browsing the Staub French oven range, you’ll also find beautiful ceramic bakeware and tableware perfect for oven to table cooking and entertaining guests in style. Staub’s wide range of signature dutch oven and cocotte cookware makes creating fantastic dishes effortless and stylish, and this is why it is the choice for professional French chefs.

4. Lodge: Versatile and Highly Durable Raw Cast Iron Cookware

Affordable, functional, and durable enough to last generations, Lodge cast iron is a must-have for any kitchen. Lodge has been making rustic cast iron and steel cookware since 1896. Crafted in the USA, Lodge’s raw cast iron skillets are more durable than enamelled cast iron cookware, even lasting generations with proper care. They are ideal for high heat cooking, even heat retention and distribution, making sautéing, searing, braising, simmering, baking, roasting, and frying a breeze. Suitable for use on all heat sources, including induction, grills, and campfires, Lodge provides you with the convenience of cooking without worrying about heat source suitability.

The brand pre-seasons their skillets in the manufacturing process, making it easy for their customers to cook without the hassle of seasoning it first. Lodge also makes skillets, grills, casseroles, and other cookware that is incredibly durable and easy to maintain, ideal for the contemporary kitchen. Concerned about the weight of cast iron cookware? Lodge's Blacklock range is 25% lighter than standard ranges without compromising quality and durability. Triple seasoned, this range is also thinner, which means it heats up faster and is easier to manoeuvre, perfect for cooking a feast with ease.

5. Woll: German Engineered Non-Stick Cookware for Professional Results

Made and developed in Germany, Woll has been producing professional quality cast aluminium cookware with superior cooking abilities since 1983. Every piece from Woll is handcrafted with traditional craftsmanship combined with innovative technology to ensure an outstanding cooking experience for every chef. The brand's revolutionary diamond non-stick coating has been developed to resist scratches and cuts, perfect to last many years of delicious cooking. Although Woll does not come cheap, the quality you get is worth every cent! The best part is, all Woll cookware comes with a Limited Lifetime Australian Warranty - a true testament to the German brand's superior quality and durability.

The Diamond Lite range features a diamond reinforced non-stick coating that is hard-wearing with superb non-stick performance. With a non-stick coating that can withstand high heat up to 400°C, the Diamond Lite range is also oven safe to 250°C (excluding detachable handles), surpassing most non-stick cookware on the market today. Woll cookware is also designed to make your cooking tasks effortless. Need cookware that allows you to sear your ingredients on the stove and finish cooking in the oven seamlessly? You'll love the innovative detachable handle range that will enable you to do just that! Woll lids also feature a built-in steam vent to provide optimal control as you create your food masterpieces!

6. Essteele: Italian Cookware with the Best Value for Money

Perpetually at the forefront of cookware design and innovation, Essteele has established itself as a world class brand, delivering premium Italian-made cookware to kitchens all over the world. Designed and manufactured in Milan, Italy, the brand creates highly functional cookware that exudes style. Each saucepan, skillet, sauteuse, frypan, and cookware set by Essteele can be used on all stovetop types including induction, and they come with a lifetime guarantee for peace of mind as you cook up a storm.

Looking for cookware with superb cooking performance? Essteele's stainless steel and non-stick cookware ranges will make cooking a joy! The Per Vita is a great stainless steel cookware option. Featuring a copper base for even heat distribution and a beautiful polished finish, this collection will add style to any kitchen.

From Essteele's non-stick cookware options look no further than the Per Salut range. The unique diamond-hard non-stick coating on the Per Salut is PFOA- and Nickel-free and great at heat conductivity with superior durability. What's more? The smart Thermotech™ handle indicator lets you know the perfect time to start cooking, allowing you to achieve fantastic cooking results even if you're an amateur in the kitchen! These features, paired with its affordable price, make the Per Salut one of the best value cookware options on the market.

7. Swiss Diamond: Revolutionary Non-Stick Cookware Reinforced with Diamonds

Established in 1974 in Sierre, Switzerland, Swiss Diamond is renowned for creating one of the best quality non-stick coatings on the market. Originally a scientific research company that focused on testing materials for cookware, the company eventually created it own cookware lines, developing a patented non-stick coating that features real diamond crystal reinforcement, hence the name.

After years of extensive research Swiss Diamond developed an exceptional non-stick coating that is PFOA free that leads in durability alongside the best offerings from other European cookware brands like Woll and Scanpan.

The Prestige Clad XD range is designed for superior heat conductivity and even heat distribution. Featuring a stylish five-layer high quality 18/10 stainless steel base complete with Swiss Diamond's patented non-stick coating, this cookware range is 25% harder wearing than comparable brands at the same price point.

Our pick is the XD Classic range that is their evolved range that has an increased non-stick life expectancy from their original line. This range is ideal for achieving professional culinary results without much of a fuss by featuring 20% more diamond crystals compared to their previous generation and has a 40% increase in food release, making it a healthy alternative requiring less oil when cooking and convenient for every day use with easy cleaning. While this range may be on the pricier side, many are willing to shell out for the XD Classic for its class-leading cooking performance and durability so you wont be needing to change them for many years.

8. De Buyer: French Made Cookware for Passionate Chefs

Founded in 1830, de Buyer has been creating and manufacturing the finest cookware with the vision of injecting new life and soul into food creations. For nearly 200 years, de Buyer has been painstakingly handcrafting their products in their factory in the Vosges region of France to produce cookware with the best quality, finest craftsmanship, and durability. de Buyer is also dedicated to making a positive impact on the environment by developing ethically sourced products that are durable enough to last generations, thus reducing waste. The brand is passionate about preserving French heritage and culinary traditions, seamlessly combining the latest technology with traditional French expertise and style. The result? Beautiful, exceptional quality cookware specially designed for creating French cuisine perfectly. 

When looking for the highest quality stainless steel cookware on the market, the Affinity range comes to mind. The three outer layers of stainless steel construction make heating up and cooling down the cookware ultra quick, saving nutrients, energy and time. This also provides precise control to the chef, ideal for creating delicate sauces, caramels, and creams. On the other hand, if you’re looking to sear and grill foods to perfection, the Mineral B range is the choice for you. Made using natural mineral materials, cookware in this range performs outstandingly well at high temperatures to quickly seal in vitamins and nutrients. Coated with a natural beeswax coating, the Mineral B range is designed to outlast, making it the first and natural choice for professional chefs and veteran home cooks alike.

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