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We bought the Equal Parts cookware set so our reviewer could put it to the test in her kitchen. Read on for our full review of the product.
Cookware seems so basic, but there are a lot of pitfalls when buying a new set. Therefore, it was important to rigorously test the Equal Parts cookware set in the kitchen. Since it's a nonstick set, I bought it co-op's worth of eggs , lots of cheese for messy grilled cheese sandwiches, and the ingredients to make soup in the pot. With breakfast, lunch and dinner covered, I was ready for the test and to clean up afterwards.
Read on to see how this cookware set fared.
What's Included: Well thought out
The composition of this game is almost perfect. The smallest skillet, the 8-inch skillet is perfect for cooking individual portions, toasting spices, and other small tasks. I especially loved it for making a single egg, and it gave me enough room to flip the egg and cook the second side. It was a great size for an omelet that cooked evenly and flipped carefully from pan to plate, and was equally good for scrambled eggs .
The fir tree eats / Donna Currie
Basically a sauté pan, the Essential 10-Inch Skillet is ideal for sauces, deep frying, casseroles, and baking. It was a good size to make a pasta sauce and then add the pasta to finish cooking. It was also a great size and shape for braised chicken thighs in sauce. Although I don't normally use cookware for baking, this pan worked well for baking a few cookies and would make a great pan for a lot of sticky cinnamon rolls or sticky buns. I also used it to cook grilled cheese sandwiches. When the cheese was melted and attached to the pan, cleaning it up afterwards was a breeze.
Larger than those found in many small cookware sets, the generously sized 3 1/2-inch saucepan is family-sized, but not too large. It was perfect for the soup I made, and it's also the perfect size for oají dips for a family dinner, with leftovers. I used it to cook half a box of pasta that I added to the sauce in the Essential Pan. I was able to easily adjust the cooking temperature so I didn't have a boil, and I had a lot of room for the pasta. The pot was also perfect for steaming broccoli using my favorite steamer basket, and would be great for boiling potatoes for mashed potatoes or for potato salad .
Altogether, this set includes all the pans a cook will actually use, and there are no extras collecting dust in the pantry.
Lastly, the 8-quart stockpot is larger than those found in many sets, but is still easy to store. I used it to make soup stock and to boil a larger batch of pasta. The large size is also ideal for making large batches of chili or soup for a party or preparing large batches of food for the freezer. While a large pot may not be the most commonly used cookware in the kitchen, I believe it is essential as there are many times when a pot simply isn't big enough. I even used the pot for some sous vide cooking with my favorite sous vide device.
The two lids that come with this set are also noteworthy because each lid fits two different pieces of cookware. The smaller lid fits the saucepan and skillet, while the larger lid fits the stockpot and Essential Pan. I especially liked thatI could angle the lids when I wanted to vent the steam, and the lids stayed on place.
Altogether, this set includes all the pans a cook will actually use, and there are no extras collecting dust in the pantry. While cooks will eventually want to add a cast iron Dutch oven, wok, or some other specialty cookware, this set covers the basics handily.
The fir tree eats / Donna Currie
Design: functional and beautiful
Not only is the set well thought out, but the saucepans themselves are designed for serious use. The handles are very resistant and stay cool during cooking. They get hot or hot right next to the body of the pot when cooking for a long time, but the ends remain cool enough to lift or move the pots. Even the loop handles stay cool enough most of the time, though gloves are a good idea when the pot is full or has been cooking for a while.Button-top-style knobs on the lids are easy to grip even when wearing gloves, and the understated look is attractive.
Hanging holes at the ends of the long handles mean they can be hung from a hook, but the other nifty part about this set is how it's designed to stack compactly. With the Essential Pan at the bottom, the pot comes next, with the lid reversed. The frying pan comes next with the saucepan on top. It may take a deep rack to fit them all in at once, but easy stacking is so much better than pots that don't stack at all. To avoid marring surfaces, a kitchen towel or other soft material can be placed between pots, pans, and lids.
Because these pans heat up quickly, I often found myself turning the heat down rather than up.
For those who value color, this set is available in five: Black, Navy, Red, Light Blue, and Cream. With such varied options, one is sure to be a perfect fit for any kitchen decor. All cookware has a creamy white interior that blends well with the exterior, while the handles are stainless steel that look clean and sleek. The overall look is high-end and retains just a touch of fun.
Even the bottom of the pot has its own design: it sports the company logo, which looks like a wavy spiral doodle. While few people will see the bottom of the pots, it's a nice touch that brought a little smile to my face as I was washing them. That logo at the bottom would also look interesting if the pots were hanging on a pot rack or hook on the wall.
Materials / Heating capacity: aluminum heats up quickly
The pots and pans are made of heavy-gauge aluminum and have a ceramic nonstick interior and a colored exterior coating. The pot and lid handles are stainless steel. Although aluminum is a lightweight material, think about empty soda cans or disposable baking sheets—these pans are thick enough to be a bit heavy. They are not as heavy as cast iron cookware, but have enough weight for efficient cooking.
The fir tree eats / Donna Currie
Aluminum is a sensitive metal, which means it heats up and cools down quickly, but that's not the end of the story for these cookware. While the body of the pots is aluminum, a stainless steel base adds its own qualities to the cookware. Stainless steel steel retains heat better than aluminum, so it takes a little longer to heat up and cool down, and it heats more evenly. The two metals work together to create a pot that is less prone to hot spots, yet still reacts quickly enough when the heat is lowered or raised.
Thanks to the stainless steel base, this cookware is induction compatible, so it can be used on any type of stove. It is also oven safe to 450 degrees. That's not the maximum for most stovetops, but it's still high enough for just about any normal recipe. Higher heat will not ruin the cookware, but it may reduce the life of the nonstick coating .
Because these pans heat up quickly, I often found myself turning the heat down instead of up. The butter started to brown while I was beating the eggs to make an omelette due to the rapid heating. I quickly learned that butter melts easily at the lowest point, and eggs cook well over low heat, too. I was able to brown the food on medium heat, which is good, as high heat can degrade the nonstick surface. Other than boiling water, high heat should not be necessary with this cookware.
Cleaning: easy by hand
The interior of these pans is coated with a non-stick ceramic material that prevents the negatives associated with Teflon. It is hard, but not impervious to scratches, so metal utensils should not be used and hard scrapers or scouring pads should not be used. While the pans can be washed in a dishwasher, top rack is recommended and dishwashing is preferred. hands.
The fir tree eats / Donna Currie
Fortunately, the nonstick material makes these pots and pans a breeze to clean. When I cooked eggs, nothing would stick to the pan, so I just had to rinse and wipe off any loose bits and melted butter. No matter what I cook, I did little more than wipe and rinse, even when I deliberately set a pan aside overnight to let food dry. Not even a scourer is necessary, a sponge takes care of cleaning all the time.
While not part of my testing plans, I accidentally incinerated some innocent dumplings in the Essential Pan. There was smoke coming from under the lid and the bottom of the dumplings was black. Nothing was stuck to the bottom of the pan, though, and cleanup was just as easy as when you didn't make charcoal. The pan did not appear to have suffered any damage, which was a pleasant surprise.
Price: relatively expensive
Retailing for around $360, this certainly isn't the most expensive cookware on the market, but there are plenty of sets with more pieces for less. However, I really appreciate that this set doesn't include any extra utensils or pieces. That would get little use. Each piece in this game has a different essential function, and in my tests, they all worked well. If anyone is looking for ceramic cookware, I think this set is worth the price.
Equal Parts Cookware Set vs. GreenPan Lime Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set
Retailing around $250, the GreenPan Lima Ceramic Nonstick Cookware Set , which I also tried, is a lower cost ceramic nonstick cookware set option that includes more pieces than the equal parts set. . However, some of the pieces included are less desirable, such as the wooden utensils, and the pieces have smaller capacities. In general, I would prefer the Equal Parts set which includes fewer pieces of cookware, but all the pieces included are tools.
A great all-inclusive option for a ceramic nonstick cookware set.
From the bright colors to the inclusion of all the essential pieces to the easy-to-clean nonstick surface, the Equal Parts cookware set is sensible, durable, and desirable for any cook looking for ceramic nonstick cookware.
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