What’s your favorite brand of BIFL cookware for induction?

I’m looking to upgrade my kitchen with industrial-quality pots and pans. After about a month of searching, I came to the conclusion that the most important requirements are:

  1. 3-ply (or 5-ply). Fully clad (not just the bottom disc).
  2. 18/8 or 18/10 stainless steel on the inside
  3. 18/0 (or 200- or 400-grade) magnetic stainless steel on the outside.
  4. Thick layers of metal (ideally >= 3mm of aluminum)
  5. Strong, serviceable rivets on handles (not welded)
  6. Handles on both sides of the pot (helper handle)
  7. Handles have a hole in them on the end (for hanging)
  8. Fits a 28 cm (or 11”) lid (easily replaceable standard size that’s interchangeable between metric and dumb units)
  9. Top rim should either have a pour spout or flared lip (for easier pouring)
  10. NSF certified

From what I’ve read, stainless steel isn’t a very good conductor (NIST says that aluminum transfers heat 16x better than stainless steel). But stainless steel is a better surface to cook-on, because it’s less reactive and won’t absorb flavours. So, 3-ply sandwiches a thick aluminum layer between two different types of stainless steel (nickle-free [eg 18/0 or 200- or 400-grade] on the outside, which – though less corrosion resistant – is important for it to work on an induction cooktop) and either 18/8 or 18/10 on the inside.

5-ply is also a thing, but my research suggests that it doesn’t really matter how many layers. What’s more important is the thickness of the material.

And that’s why I’m here. Because, confoundedly, the manufacturers of these pots don’t seem to even know how thick the layers of their 3-ply cookware is!

Ideally I’d just find the technical specifications of their cookware on their website, make a spreadsheet, and then buy the one with the thickest material (or close to the thickest, depending on my trade-off between quality vs weight & cost).

But I’ve called maybe a dozen manufacturers, and none seem to know the specifications of their own cookware :(

So, fediverse, I ask you: does anyone know what the thickness of the layers in these manufacturer’s 3-ply cookware is? Otherwise, what’s been your experience? How do you feel about these brands? Is there some other one (not listed) that you prefer?

  • Browne Thermalloy
  • All-Clad
  • Made-in
  • Tramontina
  • Cuisinart
  • Other?

Edit: I should be clear that I’m specifically asking about 3-ply or 5-ply stainless steel cookware. This is for a community house, so I need something that can be (ab)used by housemates who don’t know or care for the seasonings on the pans. And I don’t want cast iron, because it’s more likely to break the glass-topped induction cooktop.

  • Zier@fedia.io
    8·
    2 days ago

    Part of why you are having problems getting specs on cookware is because most companies just buy from factories. Most brands (in all industries) don’t actually design their own goods anymore. This is the reason you can go to Amazon and find the exact same item with 20 different brand names on it. Although I don’t have any recommendations for you, because quality can change from model to model, I would say, stop looking for a brand to follow and look for an item that fits your needs. Here is an interesting article on the mess this has created with “quality” brands. https://www.worseonpurpose.com/p/your-cookware-got-worse-on-purpose

    • Michael Altfield@slrpnk.netOPEnglish
      1·
      23 hours ago

      This article is great, thanks for sharing :)

      Here’s the conclusion at the end:

      What to buy instead

      The counter-list in this category runs deeper than any I’ve covered previously, because cookware is simple enough that stubborn, family-run businesses can still compete. The pattern in who survived is uniform: nobody outside the family has ever been owed a return.
      …

      Stainless and carbon steel

      • All-Clad: The bonded lines are still made in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, sharp-rim settlement and French owner notwithstanding.
      • Heritage Steel: Family-owned in Clarksville, Tennessee, building on old Vollrath tooling. The fully American clad alternative.
      • Tramontina: Family-controlled in Brazil. The honest value play; their clad line embarrasses pans at twice the price.
      • de Buyer: The carbon steel standard, still made in the Vosges. It belongs to Groupe SEB as of January 2025, so it’s one to watch over the next few years.
      • Matfer Bourgeat: The French commercial standard, family-held, and what a lot of commercial kitchens use.

      That said, Tramontina was one of the companies I contacted. They also said they didn’t know the thickness of the metal in their own cookware. Maybe I’d have a different experience if I called them in Brazil and spoke Portuguese :/

      I’m also shocked that the article doesn’t mention Browne Thermalloy. I think they’re one of the best cookware brands on the market, but I can’t find any third-party reviews on the Internet about them – except one small thread on reddit. Browne’s support couldn’t tell me the metal thickness in their 3-ply cookware, but they said they’d forward my request “to their marketing department” (not sure why not their “procurement” or “engineering” or “product” departments), and I haven’t heard back…

      • Zier@fedia.io
        1·
        20 hours ago

        You’re welcome. I will add, not related to pans. I bought a set of 2 serrated steak knives about 12+ years ago, they are Tramontina and the quality has been amazing. Still sharp, no rust, looks almost new still.