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Good Value good looking Feb 01, 2026
At a third of the regular retail price, this set was an awesome deal. One of the biggest selling points for me was the number of pieces. Most sets I looked at were just too small and I would end up having to buy additional pieces.
It is a really nice looking set and they feel hearty. I am still trying to get used to the right temperature when cooking in them. If you have hard water it is difficult to keep them looking clean and spot free.
I looked for months before purchasing these and I was hesitant initially because I have not had the best luck with Cuisanart products, but I am very happy with this purchase and would recommend this set.
 Cheap for a reason Jan 31, 2026
I have always loved food and have been an avid cook for decades. I wanted to move up from the cheapo Farberware and other such "ordinary" tools to a better set and bought Cuisinart, because I didn't quite want to go as far up as AllClad with the $1,200 set.
I am sorry to say that I found out soon enough why these are as cheap as this.
First of all, these have the bonded bottoms where a separate heat conducting material is bonded to the bottom of the pot, then sandwiched in with another layer of stainless steel. The instructions that came in the package (and which you will not find in the item description) tells you that if you used anything beyond medium heat on the stove or heated them empty, the conducting layer (aluminum alloy) may melt and the second layer of stainless steel on the bottom may simply fall off. Great. So it may fall apart if I wanted to heat it up empty or just with oil to sear something quick.
Second, the steel is not quite stainless. The mirror finish on the outside held up well enough, but the steel on the inside -- the part that actually touches the food -- is of very low quality. I made a simple stock with a pot and it pitted on the bottom, with a few gray spots. No amount of scrubbing would get these out, whether with Barkeeper's Friend or with steel wool. Subsequent cooking has resulted in more and more spots of various colors with different foods, which can only mean that the steel is of very low quality, with pockets of impurities that will react with different ingredients in food.
I might have fixed this by seasoning the cookware, but remember? You can't heat these empty or the bottoms may fall off.
These are cheap for a reason. If you must have bonded construction and don't have the budget for an all AllClad or La Creuset kitchen, look to Sur la Table for a serviceable intermediate set at a good price. The fact that the steel in these things react with my food is really scary to me because I don't know what the impurities might be and whether or not they might be getting into my food.
Oh and Belgique does the same thing with the pitting. These are cheap for a reason -- because they have gone on to use really lousy materials. Don't fall for it.
 Cuisinart Chef's Classic cookware Jan 27, 2026
First rate!! Even cooking on the bottom; heats up fast; everything has its own lid.... Clean up easily.... I'm very pleased with my purchase.
Couldn't Be Better Jan 24, 2026
This cookware is absolutely fabulous. We have been using it for over a month and have no complaints. I researched different brands for months and looked in person at as many as possible. Some were really too heavy for me and many were obviously too lightweight to do a good job. I had shied away from stainless cookware for years because my mother had a name brand set with copper bottoms. Everything we ever cooked in the frying pans burned or stuck. I know now that they were just too lightweight to do a good job.
Cuisinart Chef's Classic cookware was very favorably mentioned in several of the reviews I read as being the best of the "mid-priced" brands. It has a very nice heft without being uncomfortable to hold. The handles on the pots stay relatively cool but the lid handles do get hot. Food has yet to stick although a crust does develop on the bottom of the pan with some things. It comes right off if the pan is deglazed or washed while still warm. Do NOT overheat this cookware (the major cause of food sticking)! I had to get used to starting the temperature on medium or medium-high on my electric stove. Also, use only wood or plastic cooking tools. Metal will definitely scratch it. Some discoloration developed on a couple of the pots but I got a can of Barkeeper's Friend (found in the grocery store with the cleansers) and it restored the pots and pans to their original beauty. I just use it when needed. It is non-scratch.
This set has everything I needed to replace my old non-stick cookware. The stock pot is great for cooking pasta and soups and is deep enough to prevent things from boiling over. The steamer insert is large enough to cook several big helping of vegetables. One great thing about this set is that no cooking tools are counted as part of the set as do some brands. All 17 pieces are actually pots, pans or lids. We looked at this set on Amazon for a couple of weeks and got it when the price dropped to under $200 (plus free shipping). Even the original price (about $250) for this large set of high quality cookware was excellent. I highly recommend this beautiful and functional cookware. Thanks, Cuisinart for a great set at a super value!
1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
The best money can buy. Jan 15, 2026
I bought these to replace some 6 year-old nonstick pots and pans which warped like....well, to make a long story short; this time, I am going Stainless-Steel! Although I would love to have an All-Clad set, but where else can you get a quality 17-Piece like this for more or less around $200 - and ships for FREE from amazon?
I have read many reviews (many negative ones) and this is my conclusion:
1.) Yes, 'Stainless-Steel' sticks! Not to mock this, but that's why 'Nonstick' cookware was invented - perhaps for the folks that do not know how to cook in stainless-steel. Easy remedy: return your set for a Nonstick set...if not, a little oil and lower your heat will do the trick. But, in addition to my stainless set, I will always have one nonstick skillet handy for my eggs (it's just much quicker and easier). But for searing and browning; there's no comparison to stainless-steel!
2.) Some complaint that the sides don't heat up compared to other brands: Yes they do, if you want to spend a little more $$ for the 'Multi-Clad' line. Also, unless you plan on cooking your food "on the sides", otherwise the encapsulated base heats evenly and works flawlessly for me.
3.) Stains, Marks and Colorful Swirls - If you use it to cook food, then expect the usual marks and normal wear - maybe even some tear. My solution for all of the above: 'BKF', OR unless you plan on displaying it for good.
The set:
There are TWO different 17-Piece sets available from the Chef's Classic line; the other one comes with a 2 qt. open 'Saucier' (and odd sizes for the rest) but I opted for this one because it is more versatile beginning with a 1.5 qt. Saucepan, then 2 and 3, a 12" Covered Skillet and for the Pasta Insert, etc, etc..
Again, for the money, they are as good as you can get. The product has a very solid feel to it and an even-weight distribution - light, yet heavy enough to do the task. Although I did find some minor flaws; like a few minor buffed-out scratches by the bottom edge between the encapsulated base on my 1.5 qt. The 'lips' on some of the larger pans (closer to the handles) seem to have bent down a bit; this produces a very small gap when the lid is covered, particularly on the 12" skillet where you can see an 'arch' effect with its lid on (the large lid is uneven on this one) and pressing it down once tends to reduce the effect. Though nothing significant, but it just appears to break that 'vacuum seal' and not so perfect tight-fit lid that was claimed by the mfg.
I have put all of them to a rigorous test for the '08 Christmas - '09 New Year's feast and they have performed very well. It cooks evenly on my old electric 'coil' stove top burner, although it could've been much better if I've had a gas range, this way I have more control of the cooking temperatures (very essential for heavy-bottomed cookwares).
Pros:
*Design - lip for spill-proof easy pouring.
*Good heat distribution (not great).
*Oven safe up to 450 degrees, that's high for a set priced like this.
*Handles: well balanced and stays cool no matter how long it's been on the burner.
*Most lids are interchangeable, especially for the 8" & 10" open skillets and they also fit other non Cuisinart that I have laying around.
*Nicely polished stainless-steel exterior and lids.
*Sturdy and well weighted/balanced.
*Well priced.
Cons:
*Workmanship and Quality Control (minor, this reduces one star).
*Slow to heat (especially the 9 qt Stockpot for cooking pasta compared to my other pot with the same amount of water).
*Pasta insert bottom sits a bit high (if sat lower, can prevent the use of more water so heat up time can be faster and to avoid boil-over spills).
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