Abizoe Compact Cookware Set Review

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The Abizoe Compact Cookware Set treads the line between cookware for home and mobile kitchens. Its base is designed to work with all cooktops, even induction, and the company’s website says its pots are oven safe to a higher temperature than many other nonstick sets. The two saucepans and two fry pans nest together as readily as bowls thanks to the cookware’s key feature: a large removable handle. This combination makes the set worth considering for daily meals in a dorm, tiny house, or studio, or for camping, RVing, or cruising.

With its potential in so many varied settings, I took Abizoe’s compact cookware on the road and tested it in my 500-square-foot cabin’s kitchen, cooking omelets, sushi rice, sauces, and vegetables. Here’s what I found.

Design: Small capacity in a small space

The main attraction of Abizoe’s cookware is its tiny footprint: The fry pans, saucepans, two lids, and removable handle fit in a 12 x 12-inch space and stand less than 5.5 inches tall, but this comes at a cost. The fry pans and particularly the saucepans are on the small side, making them suitable for one person for daily meals at home or two people when traveling.

The removable handle gives the lids an odd, but functional shape with a large gap on one edge that leaves room for the handle to click in. The wide silicone rim supports the tempered-glass center, and the large silicone top knob stays cool enough to lift the lid safely.

The compact set comes with a five-piece silicone utensil collection that seems designed to boost the overall piece count. Do you really need five utensils for four pans? I didn’t—especially those that felt oversized. The slotted spatula was the smallest and most useful. I would swap all of the other utensils for a smaller silicone sauce spoon and a second removable handle.

Features: Handle locks on securely

When you unpack this set, keep the box. The instruction sheet is in Chinese with cursory drawings. The box gives basic information in English, including how to season the pans, connect and release the handle, and match pans to burner size. The box includes a small screwdriver to install the lid knobs, which screwed on in just a few seconds.

As a sailor, I found the removable handle comfortable to use because it works much like a locking winch handle: Press the lock switch with your thumb, click the release buttons, and remove. It worked with one hand, regardless of whether the pan was empty or full, or if the lid was on or off—something I did a lot because the set comes with just one handle.

The handle stayed in place when I lifted and poured from the pan, quelling backpacking memories of dropping pans in the dirt while trying to drain pasta. The lid’s handle gap was even small enough to drain off water after cooking penne.

Material: Smooth and functional nonstick

Abizoe’s pans have a nonstick interior and black enameled exterior, making them smooth inside and out. The aluminum core is capped with a base that lets you use the pan on an induction cooktop. On the inside, the nonstick coating readily released omelets, fried eggs, and steamed sushi rice. Abizoe’s website says the coating is free of PFOA and PTFE.

The removable handle is mostly harder plastic, but rubber where it connects to the pan, minimizing scratching. The sliding portion that locks and releases the handle is metal and looks thick enough to withstand regular use. A small metal plate protects the underside of the handle that rests closest to a burner’s heat. Unfortunately, the plastic rim around that metal plate was less durable. A couple of weeks into testing, it cracked and broke free. It’s hard to say if this was a one-off manufacturing flaw, but other reviews that I found online didn’t mention this problem.

The handle continued to work without that plastic rim—a situation you may have to accept if you run into a similar issue. My attempts to reach Abizoe via the contact form and U.S. phone number on its website received no response. Its handles are being sold separately by some online retailers if you want to buy a replacement—just don’t expect customer service directly from Abizoe.

Heating Capacity: Even cooking when frying or steaming

The pans’ size and construction make them heat easily, and the bottom is thick enough to evenly distribute heat. Omelets cooked evenly, fried eggs slid from the nonstick surface without any additional help, and sautéed vegetables and mushrooms left only the thinnest residue behind.

I was concerned that the lid gaps would let out so much steam that I’d end up with half-cooked, half-mushy steamed rice or boiled potatoes. Instead, both pots cooked small batches well, and covering the pot and lid with a clean tea towel let the rice rest to finish off the burner without sticking to the pan.

Cleaning: Dishwasher safe, but not recommended

The slick surface inside and out makes these pots a snap to clean and lets you wipe up spills on the fly. The removable hand also cleans easily. Unclip it from the pan and leave it open to get into its crevices. The silicone rim and knob on the lids want to collect every speck of dust around, but they wipe clean easily with a damp cloth.

The entire setup can be washed quickly with soap and a soft dishcloth. Although the set’s packaging says it’s dishwasher safe, I would recommend hand washing everything to keep it in good condition. Since the handle comes off, the pans rest comfortably in a drying rack.

Price: A good option for travel

This set costs around $90, making it more expensive than many camping cookware sets, but less expensive than most stackable collections. If you need a space-saving set for one to two people and tend to see cooking more as a chore than a joy, Abizoe’s set may give you everything you need at home. For travelers, the small pans feel sturdier than many cheaper camp sets and can tuck into an Airstream cupboard or sailboat galley. Don’t plan on adding this set to your backpack, though—the size is right, but the cookware and handle weigh more than 5 pounds.

Competition: Smallest size, smallest footprint

Abizoe’s compact cookware really is designed with tiny and mobile spaces and necessity, rather than enjoyment in the kitchen, in mind. If that fits your needs, the cost won’t set you back as much as larger sets. If you’re thinking, “I want more,” in capacity, pieces, or both, there are some other great options that stack to save space.

Tramontina Nesting Cookware Set: For a larger nonstick collection that includes some midsize pans you can still store in one stack, consider Tramontina’s attractive and functional set. You’ll pay a bit more for it, but you’ll be able to feed a couple more people.

Anolon SmartStack Cookware Set: If you want full-size pans that take up minimal space, check out the SmartStack line from Anolon. Its 11-piece nonstick set needs more room than Abizoe’s compact quartet of pans, but you’ll be able to feed as many people as you like.