Here at Milk Street, we’re big proponents of cooking with cast iron because it heats evenly and retains that heat—which is why we designed our own pot for the ideal solution for soups and stews. Our Cast Iron Furusato is modeled after the traditional pot used for Japanese nabe (hot pot), but its durable cast-iron craftsmanship and stunning wooden lid carved from Japanese cedar make it a candidate for everyday use. Sturdy yet light enough to use often, it’s equipped with a swinging handle for easy maneuvering. Plus, unlike some furusato pots, this one is compatible with any stovetop, and it comes with a small silicone pot holder.

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Unlike nonstick pans that need to be replaced every year or two as their coating wears off, carbon-steel pans are designed for the long haul and actually become more nonstick over time. This durable egg pan from French company de Buyer's Mineral B line is thicker than other brands and can be used in the oven as well as on the stove. This compact pan is the perfect size for everyday use, when you want the benefits of carbon steel but don't want to deal with cleaning a large pan; it's also great for toasting small amounts of spices or blooming spices in fat to make infused oils. And with each use, the pan develops more of a protective surface coating that has nonstick properties.

This 5.5-quart Dutch oven from Milo by Kana is made from high-quality enameled cast iron that retains and redistributes heat for even cooking and can handle scraping, though the enameled finish will prevent burned-on foods to begin with. It also requires no pre-seasoning before first use and is easy to clean and dishwasher-safe.

Historic French company's Choc Intense line of nonstick pans use the latest generation of nonstick coating—designed to have a 50% longer lifetime than other models—so they release food easily and are a breeze to clean with a soft sponge. These Round Frypans also feature robust forged aluminum walls and induction-friendly stainless steel bottoms, so they are fast-heating and provide even heat distribution when sautéing and searing. The attractive matte black pans are weighty but not cumbersome, with sturdy triple-riveted stainless steel handles. De Buyer even includes a cloth bag with each pan to protect the nonstick surfaces during storage, so you can stack Choc Intense cookware without worrying about scratching the material.

• Dimensions: 8, 9.5, 11, or 12.5-inch diameters available
• Materials: Nonstick: Ultra-resistant and reinforced inner and outer black coating, guaranteed PFOA- and particles-free | Walls: 4-millimeter forged aluminum | Bottom: Induction-friendly AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel | Handle: Stainless steel
• Use: Suitable for all heat sources including induction. Oven-safe for 10 minutes at 445°F maximum. Do not use metal objects on cookware. Do not heat when empty or overheat. Avoid temperature shocks.
• Care: Hand-wash only, with a non-abrasive sponge.
• Place of Origin: France

Our kitchen team was, quite frankly, stunned by the Vermicular 10-inch skillet. Weighing in at 2.4 pounds, it is at least 50% thinner than other cast-iron skillets, making it the lightest skillet we’ve tried. Durably designed and nonreactive, it features a heat-resistant enameled surface and an oven-safe aluminum handle. The pan cooks more like stainless steel than cast iron thanks to its thinness, which makes it heat more quickly, but it offers the nonstick and cleaning advantages of enameled cast iron. And it still retains heat well and evenly like cast iron. It’s the perfect skillet for searing or stir-frying. The skillet also comes with a stainless steel lid with an attached cast-iron handle that’s designed to be stood upright to avoid touching a dirty counter. Use to sauté veggies, fry an egg, sear a steak or make the perfect crispy grilled cheese.

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This durable steak frypan from French company de Buyer's Mineral B line is thicker than other brands and can be used in the oven as well as on the stove. We like the neat, effective design of the triple-riveted handles, which are the perfect length for easy maneuvering. And with each use, the carbon steel develops more of a protective surface coating that has nonstick properties. De Buyer even coats its pieces with a layer of beeswax to resist rust and provide a foundation for seasoning the pan. Choose between a 9.5-inch diameter—the perfect size for one steak—or an 11-inch diameter pan to make steaks for two. Both are perfect for everything from scrambled eggs and seared steak to grilled cheese or stir-fry.

Crafted from carbon steel, our preferred wok cooking material, this pan features a long beech wood handle (which won’t overheat) as well as an ear handle for easy pouring and transport. Although it doesn’t have any sort of chemical coating, the pan’s glossy black interior undergoes a special nitriding process, which produces an iron nitride layer that increases durability and prevents rust. The inside is then polished to a shine and given a fish-scale uneven finish to promote air flow under food, both of which give the pan incredible nonstick properties straight for the box with a quick initial seasoning. So you don’t have to worry as much about building up a layer of seasoning straight away like you would with other carbon steel pans or cast iron.
Plus, its flat bottom ensures it’ll work with any cooking surface and the accompanying lid with an easy-to-grip wood knob makes it ideal for steaming as well.

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Our five-ply cookware has three layers of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of nonreactive stainless steel. The aluminum core heats evenly and retains that heat well, eliminating hot spots, while the magnetic stainless steel exterior makes this premium cookware ideal for any cooking surface, including induction cooktops. The skillet's heavy-duty construction also ensures that it won't warp over time, unlike thin metal pans that become raised in the center. And the rounded, oven-safe handle feels comfortable and well-balanced in the hand, even when handling a full pan of food; plus, the handle's hollow core is lightweight and stays cool during stovetop cooking. We use an 8-inch skillet for a wide range of kitchen tasks from toasting nuts and spices, to breakfast duty, to omelets, to smaller jobs such as steak for one.

Most cookware lines lack a small, convenient pot for minor tasks: This half-quart saucepan from Küchenprofi fills that gap. Use this small pot for quick stovetop tasks, like melting butter; it comes with one spout on each side, ideal for pouring heated sauce or broth, as well as an ergonomic, heat-proof handle that’ll keep your hand safe from burns. Clad-bottom pots are ideal saucepans: They have a layered base, usually comprised of a heat-conductive copper or aluminum center sandwiched inside an external stainless steel layer, which concentrates heat at the bottom of the pot for faster cooking. This one has high quality 18/8 stainless steel sides (complete with metric gradation marks through 500 millimeters) and a magnetic steel encapsulated base that’s compatible with induction, gas and electric stoves.

Field's cast-iron skillets work just as well as other brands but are so much more lightweight—the 10-inch model weighs just 4 pounds, at least 20% less than other models. The inside of the pans are also well burnished so they're smooth, not rough, for low-stick cooking, especially if you've seasoned your skillet properly. The Field skillets come pre-seasoned and are available in a range of sizes to suit the needs of any home cook. Choose between the No. 4, a compact 6-inch pan that's perfect for morning eggs and personal grilled cheese; the medium-sized 10-inch No. 8 or 12-inch No. 10; or the No. 12, a generous 14-inch skillet that is our favorite for big batches and campfire cooking. You can purchase the custom Field Company cast iron lids here.

Historic French company's Choc Intense line of nonstick pans use the latest generation of nonstick coating—designed to have a 50% longer lifetime than other models—so they release food easily and are a breeze to clean with a soft sponge. This deeper-bowled Rounded Sauté Pan also features robust forged aluminum walls and an induction-friendly stainless steel bottom for even heat distribution. It's especially useful for recipes that require gentle, steady heat to avoid scorching and benefit from the easy cleanup of nonstick, like making a custard or slowly cooking a sugary syrup. We also love it for cooking soft-scrambled eggs over low heat, as the high sides and smaller base keeps eggs together so they cook slower and more steadily. The attractive matte black pans are weighty but not cumbersome, with sturdy triple-riveted stainless steel handles. De Buyer even includes a cloth bag with each pan to protect the nonstick surfaces during storage, so you can stack Choc Intense cookware without worrying about scratching the material.

• Dimensions: Medium: 9.5 inches with 2.75-inch wall, Large: 11 inches with 3-inch wall
• Materials: Nonstick: Ultra-resistant and reinforced inner and outer black coating, guaranteed PFOA- and particles-free | Walls: 4-millimeter forged aluminum | Bottom: Induction-friendly AISI 430 ferritic stainless steel | Handle: Stainless steel
• Use: Suitable for all heat sources including induction. Oven-safe for 10 minutes at 445°F maximum. Do not use metal objects on cookware. Do not heat when empty or overheat. Avoid temperature shocks.
• Care: Hand-wash only, with a non-abrasive sponge.
• Place of Origin: France