7 Cookware Brands Every Home Chef Should Know

Words by Bridie Newman and Grace Cain

How do particular pieces of everyday cookware accumulate an army of devoted followers? We live in a world where what you use is as important as what you conjure up – after all, if your cast iron casserole dishes and stainless-steel pans are well looked after, they should last decades. You could say these investment pieces are your LBD or crisp white shirt of the kitchen. Read on for the Harrods kitchenware buyers picks of the best in the business.

Best for Cast-Iron Cookware: Le Creuset

Nothing advertises your culinary credentials like a serious Le Creuset collection. In the 100 years since Belgian industrialists Armand Desaegher and Octave Aubecq developed their first enamelled cast-iron prototype in 1925, the brand has become associated with a particular gourmet lifestyle, where enjoying good food (and having the time and skills to cook it) is just one part of a blissfully luxurious existence. And the Le Creuset casserole dish, essentially the Birkin bag of the kitchen, is now available in a myriad of colours – including the new and Harrods-exclusive Olive green.

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Best for Stand Mixers: KitchenAid

Beloved for its durability, design and ease of use, the KitchenAid stand mixer is the definitive cult cookware classic. It’s the kind of tool people inherit from their grandmothers, and, in a fast-paced world, there is something very comforting in its trend-transcendent longevity. That said, this year’s colourway – Butter Yellow – feels perfectly du jour. You’ve no doubt seen it churn butter, shred chicken and whip matcha across your social feeds. That’s the beauty of this do-it-all workhorse – new generations of cooks continue to find new ways to use it, proving it’s as versatile as it is reliable.

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Best For Stainless Steel Pots and Pans: Hestan

The stainless-steel pan: trusted by professional chefs and home cooks alike, it’s the most reached-for item in the kitchen. More often than not, it’s a Hestan. For a restaurant-quality experience at home, turn to Hestan’s award-winning NanoBond® collection. The stainless-steel collection features a titanium coating that helps prevent sticking, combined with an aluminium layer for faster, even heating. It’s also incredibly easy to clean thanks to its titanium coating, meaning you can sear, sauté, simmer and braise to your heart’s content.

Hestan

NanoBond Saucepan with Lid (20cm)

£370.00

Hestan

NanoBond Skillet with Helper Handle (32cm)

£495.00

Hestan

NanoBond Soup Pot with Lid (20cm)

£370.00

Hestan

NanoBond Wok (36cm)

£525.00

Hestan

NanoBond Saucepan with Lid (16cm)

£300.00

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Best For Stylish Non-Stick Pans: Our Place

If you’ve not yet seen the pastel-hued Always Pan on your scrolls, let us enlighten you. As the bestselling piece from American brand Our Place, the Always Pan is a lightweight cast-aluminium construction designed to replace multiple other pieces of cookware. You can use this ergonomic wonder to braise, sear, steam, boil, sauté and serve all your favourite dishes. Plus, anything that Oprah Winfrey calls “a kitchen magician” is bound to achieve the status of a culinary icon.

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Best for Copper Cookware: Ruffoni

You may think copper pans are purely an aesthetic choice, but they’re highly functional, too. Copper is an excellent conductor of heat and responds to changes in heat quickly, and tin-lined copper is low-stick and caramelises food beautifully. This is something Ruffoni knows all too well. Each piece is crafted from a single sheet of copper at the Ruffoni family’s workshop in the Italian Alps, using specialist antique techniques to create special cookware you’ll want to put on display. Tin-lined and easy to clean, it’s perfect for cooking dishes like risotto that require gentle cooking and stirring.

Ruffoni

Historia Hammered Copper Saucepan with Lid (16cm)

£290.00

Ruffoni

Historia Stockpot With Lid (20cm)

£440.00

Ruffoni

Con Classe Frying Pan (26cm)

£285.00

Ruffoni

Con Classe Long-Handle Saute Pan (28cm)

£525.00

Ruffoni

Historia Hammered Copper Roasting Pan with Lid (36cm)

£575.00

Ruffoni

Historia Hammered Copper Frying Pan (28cm)

£245.00

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Best For Pasta Makers: Marcato

Italian company Marcato has been producing pasta machines since Otella Marcato started selling them from his bicycle in 1930. Founded on the belief that everyone should be able to make fresh pasta, the brand aims to make it easier for anyone to transform their kitchen into a little corner of Italy. And its most iconic model – the sleek Atlas 150 – can be paired with a vast array of attachments that allow you to make everything from fresh spaghetti to pappardelle to lasagne.

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Best for Space-Saving Kitchenware: Joseph Joseph

You might know Joseph Joseph for its ever-popular chopping boards, which are colour-coded to reduce cross-contamination of food; basically, a simple and effective creation that won’t fight with your kitchen décor. But it’s the brand’s space-saving designs including kitchen utensils, mixing bowls and storage containers that are the real game-changers. It’s first foray into cookware, the aptly named Space collection, has a sturdy folding handle that promises to save up to 50% more space than standard cookware – creating more room for that Anova Precision Cooker you’ve been eyeing up.

Joseph Joseph

Set of 6 Space Non-Stick Folding Handle Cookware

£615.00

Joseph Joseph

Set of 3 Non-Stick Nest Baking Trays

£55.00

Joseph Joseph

Elevate Carousel

£130.00

Joseph Joseph

Nest Prep&Store Bowls (Set of 4)

£84.95

Joseph Joseph

Set of 3 Space Non-Stick Saucepans

£295.00

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Frequently Asked Questions

The most popular, quality cookware brands include Le Creuset, Hestan, Ruffoni, Our Place, Fissler and ScanPan. As an expert in this world, our kitchenware buyer is always on the lookout for the best cookware innovations – all of which are curated in the Cookshop within the Home & Furniture department on the Third Floor. Here, our shop floor experts can guide you through the options to find the best products for your needs and preferences.

It’s down to personal preference and the options are endless: ceramic, copper, nonstick, cast iron. Each has a place in the kitchen but stainless-steel cookware is the most frequently sought-after by professional chefs. This is because stainless steel is durable, offers even heat distribution and won’t react with acidic foods or corrosion in the way other options can. It can also withstand high heat, dishwasher use and rough handling, making it perfect for a professional kitchen.

Put simply, they are made better. Their handles don't loosen, they're less likely to be damaged if dropped and they’re better balanced so they're easier to handle.

A well-seasoned, good quality cast iron pan would have a smooth and shiny surface, a deep, dark colour and a non-stick surface. To keep your cast iron in good condition, simply use the pan regularly because they get better with time. This is known as seasoning – a process which essentially creates a non-stick surface by baking oil onto the pan, improving it with use. When it does come to cleaning it, avoid harsh cleaning products or acidic options, instead using water and a mild soap. Once clean, apply a thin layer of oil with a cloth to keep it well-seasoned.

Yes, Our Place uses a toxin-free ceramic coating, mainly comprised of sand derivative and water, so you won't find harmful chemicals hiding in the non-stick coating.