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The Spruce Eats / Chloe Jeong
Glass stoves are an excellent aesthetic choice for modern kitchens, thanks to their sleek appearance and minimalist style. But the benefits go beyond looks. They're easy to clean in comparison to gas and electric stoves since they have no crevices for food particles to fall into. Due to its smooth, flat surface, it can also act as additional counter space when not being used for cooking.
But glass ranges do require more thoughtful choices when it comes to cookware. A pot with a textured bottom—like cast iron—could damage the surface, making it prone to cracking. To protect your cooking surface, you want to find substantial pieces with smooth, flat bottoms that will stay put and won't scratch the stove.
We've tested dozens of top cookware sets, evaluating their performance when it comes to heat distribution, maneuverability, design, and overall value. After all that testing, these are the best cookware sets for glass stoves.
Best Overall
Caraway Cookware Set
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Amazon
Retains heat well
Comes with a lid holder for storage
Comes in a variety of colors
Stainless handles can get hot
Drips a little when pouring
Caraway's buzz-worthy, Instagram-ready cookware set lives up to the hype. With its sleek design, available in an array of colors, it not only looks beautiful on the stovetop but performs extremely well. It features an aluminum core with a mineral-based ceramic coating, allowing for responsive, even heating and a nonstick surface. This cookware is free of PTFE (the main compound in Teflon), PFOA, lead, and cadmium. The stainless steel handles are riveted on for security, so you can promptly grip your pans to bring them on or off the stove.
Our tester called the nonstick coating "a dream", allowing for fuss-free sautéing, frying eggs, searing steaks, and simmering sauces. The pans also held and retained heat, even on low to medium settings, allowing her food to cook evenly and quickly. We got the same results when we tested it again. It was able to handle any task we threw at it, from searing steak to gently frying an egg.
This cookware calls itself "stovetop agnostic," making it suitable not just for electric glass ranges but for induction and gas stoves, too. The pans are oven safe up to 550 degrees, allowing you to finish dishes in the oven if needed. The set includes a 10.5-inch fry pan, 3-quart lidded saucepan, 4.5-quart lidded sauté pan, 6.5-quart Dutch oven, as well as a magnetic storage rack and canvas lid sleeve that you can hang inside a cabinet door. As with most nonstick cookware, hand washing is recommended in order to prolong the life of the ceramic interior.
Price at time of publish: $545
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Material: Ceramic-coated aluminum | Oven Safe Max: 550 degrees | Piece Count: 9 pieces including lids and extras | Accessories Included: Magnetic storage rack, lid sleeve
"Teflon may be considered the gold standard of nonstick, but this ceramic Caraway set outperforms every other pan we’ve tried by a mile." — Lindsay Boyers, Product Tester
Best Stainless Steel
Made In Cookware 10-Piece Cookware Set
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Amazon
Very well-balanced and durable cookware
Pro quality with excellent, even heating
Great for high heat
Expensive
No nonstick pan included
Made In is known for its professional-quality cookware designed with serious cooks in mind. This 10-piece set comes with six 5-ply stainless steel pieces and four lids, giving you all the basics to get started in the kitchen. Each pan features rolled rims to help you pour without spilling and securely riveted handles that stay cool even while in use.
We like how well these performed when searing scallops and steak, resulting in beautiful color and crust. The design here is especially useful in the kitchen. The bottom surface of the cookware are wide enough to allow for a lot of food—we never felt the pan was overcrowded. We don't recommend them for cooking eggs as they tend to stick to stainless steel, but that's where picking up Made In's nonstick pan comes in handy. These pans felt balanced in the hand and like they would last for a very long time, noting that they passed our durability tests (twice!) with flying colors.
The set includes an 8-inch and a 10-inch stainless frying pans, a 2-quart and. a 4-quart saucepans with lids, a 3-quart saucier with lid, and an 8-quart stockpot with lid. All pieces are dishwasher safe and have a lifetime warranty.
Price at time of publish: $749
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The Spruce Eats / Russell Kilgore
Material: Stainless steel | Oven Safe Max: 800 degrees | Piece Count: 10 pieces including lids | Accessories Included: None
"The feel was nice and balanced, and the oven to ice test confirmed it was sturdy and could potentially last a long time."
Best Budget
Calphalon Classic 10 Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set
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Amazon
Base is made for great performance
Features pouring spouts and straining lids
Fill lines in pan are helpful
Can permanently discolor
Takes up a lot of storage space
While this set isn’t super-cheap, it’s very affordable considering the number of pieces that are included. Made from stainless steel with a bonded aluminum base for high performance, each pot and pan has interior measuring marks so you can see how much water you’ve added or how much leftover soup needs to be put away. The integrated pouring spouts and straining lids that make it easy to drain the water from your pasta or strain the bones from homemade stock.
Both times we tested this set, it not only heated quickly, but also maintained its heat amazingly well. We whipped up an omelet with minimal sticking, and created a great sear on steak. When we did notice some sticking after cooking rice, a quick wash was all it took to get back to new. All the while, we could grab the handles without fear of burns or needing a mitt (just be a little cautious with the slightly short saucepan handle). An even better part of this set is everything can be used in the oven, up to 450 degrees.
The downsides are these haven't been the most durable of pans. When used in one of our test kitchens for six months, the surface discolored quickly and nothing we did could get back the sheen. It also never stacked just right, making them difficult to store.
Price at time of publish: $200
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The Spruce Eats /Russell Kilgore
Material: Stainless steel with bonded aluminum base | Oven Safe Max: 450 degrees | Piece Count: 10 pieces including lids | Accessories Included: None
“This set stuck in testers' minds as one of the best for its price. It’s lovely, cooks evenly, has glass lids, is extremely easy to clean, and feels really comfortable and balanced.”
Best Nonstick
Oxo Ceramic Professional Non-Stick 10-Piece Cookware Set
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Amazon
Excellent nonstick capabilities
Great assortment of sizes
Glass lids so you can see what's happening
Heat and oven safe to 425 degrees
Pricey
Oxo was already a highly trusted brand when it started dipping into cookware. Every time it launches a new line, it's not only beautifully designed, it performs exceptionally well. This new nonstick cookware set is everything the every day cook needs. Its hard-anodized aluminum is coated with a durable ceramic coating and yes, it really does stand up to utensils (we've tried!). The stainless steel knobs and trim are echoed in the the brushed stainless steel handles, which are securely riveted in place and so flush against the side, you won't get food stuck in a hard-to-clean place. And amazingly, the pans are safe in the oven up to 600 degrees, though the lids can only handle up to 425 degrees.
When our expert put these to the test at home, she raved about the heating ability of these pans. Whether she needed subtle heat for a soft scramble or cranked it up for her stir-fry and sautéing, this set could handle it. It was incredibly even, and, while it took a bit longer for the heat to disperse, the pan's responded well to any adjustments. Our reviewer noted that this would make the perfect "only cookware set" since it has an excellent variety of sizes, so you can cook for one or cook for a group.
Price at time of publish: $400
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The Spruce Eats / Donna Currie
Material: Hard anodized aluminum, stainless steel base | Oven Safe: 600 degrees (425 degrees with lids) | Piece Count: 10 pieces including lids | Accessories Included: None
Best Splurge
All-Clad D5 Stainless Brushed 5-Ply Bonded Cookware Set
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Williams-Sonoma
Hefty, premium quality construction
Even heating and distribution
Easy to clean
Very expensive
Might be too heavy for some
All-Clad's reputation for high-quality cookware is well deserved, and this professional-grade set is no exception. Made from multiple layers of stainless steel and aluminum, these pans heat evenly and have excellent heat distribution. The brushed stainless steel finish is resistant to fingerprints and water marks and provides a smooth cooking surface that also helps prevent sticking. The pans are heavy, which means they won't move around on the cooktop, and they are thick enough to prevent warping.
We've tested these in our Lab three times, and each and every time they heat evenly, with very little sticking and can create a great sear. The starburst finish on the cooking surface is for stick resistance, and the flared rims make it easy to pour from, whether that's sauce or soup. We found the contoured handles made them comfortable and easy to grip for some, but not for others. The long handles might also make them somewhat difficult to store.
This set includes all the most essential pans and then some: an 8-inch fry pan, 10-inch fry pan, 1.5-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart saucepan with lid, 3-quart sauté pan with lid, and 8-quart stockpot with lid. The flared edges make for easy pouring, and the pans are oven-safe up to 600 degrees. If you can splurge on a cookware set, this is a fantastic choice.
Price at time of publish: $900
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Material: Stainless steel | Oven Safe Max: 600 degrees | Piece Count: 10 pieces including lids | Accessories Included: None
"The heat conductivity is excellent; we browned ground beef and seared chicken sausages and salmon filets in record time."
Best With Copper Exterior
Lagostina Martellata Hammered Copper 10-Piece Cookware Set
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Amazon
Stylish design
Retains and distributes heat well
High-quality construction
On the pricier side
Requires special care
For those who appreciate aesthetically appealing cookware, this set from Lagostina is surprisingly affordable as far as copper cookware goes (though it is pricier than sets made from other materials). Made from a layer each of stainless steel and copper surrounding an aluminum core, this solidly-built set offers fantastic heat retention and distribution that allows you to sauté, sear, or simmer a variety of foods.
We found these pans to heat up quickly, cook very efficiently, and can be used on lower heat than typical stainless or aluminum pans. We appreciated how red sauce came to a smooth slow boil, and when we took temperature readings, the bottom was even with slightly cooler wall (as one should expect). One caveat from all the testing is that this cookware is not particularly nonstick—you may need a regular nonstick pan to cook items that tend to stick, like eggs.
This set includes an 8-inch skillet, a 10-inch skillet, a 2-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart saucepan with lid, a 3-quart deep sauté pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid—everything you'll need to cook up several courses at once. Our tester noted that the cookware does require special care for maximum performance and that following the instruction pamphlet will help you get used to cooking with these pans at first.
Price at time of publish: $500
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The Spruce Eats / Nick Kova
Material: Stainless steel with copper exterior | Oven Safe Max: 500 degrees | Piece Count: 10 pieces including lids
"That this pan heated up faster and cooked food more quickly than other pans we’ve used."
Our top pick is the Caraway Cookware Set because it's high-quality and looks good while doing it. We also highly recommend the Calphalon Classic 10-Piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set because of its excellent performance and value.
How We Tested
We've tested more than 50 top cookware sets over the past two years, paying attention to which are glass cooktop-friendly. We evaluated how well they responded to temperature changes, how they distribute and retain heat, how they performed when carrying out tasks like searing and simmering, maneuverability on the stove, and how easy they are to clean.We then collected the data—as well as insights from our home testers—and used it to determine ratings and placement on this list.
What to Look for in Cookware for Glass Stoves
Materials
As with any cookware purchase, the material of your pots and pans will affect its heating capacity, heat retention, oven safety, and type of maintenance needed. Regardless of what material your cookware is made of, it is imperative that they have smooth bottoms in order to prevent scratching the surface of your glass cooktop. Be cautious with raw cast iron pans as they tend to have less refined surfaces—if you're not sure if your cast iron pan is completely smooth, opt for an enameled version to be on the safe side.
Number of Pieces
The number of pieces you'll need in a set will depend on how often you cook and for how many people. If you're looking for a very basic set, you'll want at least one each of a saucepan, frying pan/skillet, and a stockpot or Dutch oven to get started. When picking out a complete set, remember that lids and other accessories (steamer baskets, utensils, etc.) often count towards the number of pieces included in your set. Keep in mind that cookware sets with a large number of pieces can be great to have, but make sure you have enough room to store it all.
"Moving from a gas range to a glass stovetop meant I needed to change certain cooking methods. For example, charring vegetables until blackened provides a smoky depth of flavor to salsas, and while I used to fire-roast vegetables in a comal (a flat griddle used throughout Latin America) or directly over a burner, now I use a skillet for dry pan roasting. Dry pan roasting also works well for toasting spices and seeds for salsas." — Michele Peterson, A Taste for Travel Blogger and Co-Author of Lonely Planet Food’s "Mexico: From the Source"
FAQs
How do you clean a glass stovetop?
Be sure your stove is completely turned off and cooled down before cleaning. You can use a commercial glass cooktop cleaner or an all-purpose cleaner with a degreaser to get your stovetop clean—simply apply the solution, let it sit for a minute, and then gently scrub the surface with a non-abrasive sponge. For stubborn stuck-on food or residue, you can use a non-abrasive scrubber to gently slough away any debris. Ideally, you'll want to wipe down your cooktop after every use so you won't have to do a full cleaning as often.
Is it ever okay to use cast iron on a glass stovetop?
Yes, with a few caveats. Be sure to clean the outside of the cast iron pan as any oil or residue might leave marks on your stovetop when heated. Because cast iron is heavy, you want to be gentle when setting it down on your cooktop, and never slide the pan across the surface as you don't want to risk scratching its surface.
Is there any way to remove scratches from a glass stovetop?
Yes, depending on the severity of the scratch and its location. Minor scratches may be able to be buffed out using a paste of two teaspoons of baking soda and one teaspoon of water (gently apply the wet paste with a soft cloth or sponge and lightly buff). There are also commercial scratch removers available, like NuFinish Scratch Doctor. However, if it is a crack or deep scratch over the heating element, you'll want to have it looked at by a professional.
How much weight can a glass stovetop hold?
This varies by manufacturer, but in general, the maximum load for a glass cooktop is about 45 to 50 pounds.
"[A glass-top stove] is so easy to clean. It's also easy to control low temperatures when simmering soups and sauces. I like how the residual heat of a glass cooktop stove keeps food warm for several minutes after it's turned off, too." — Michele Peterson, A Taste for Travel Blogger and Co-Author of Lonely Planet Food’s "Mexico: From the Source"
Why Trust The Spruce Eats?
The author of this piece, Donna Currie, is a seasoned food writer and product tester for The Spruce Eats. A self-professed "kitchen geek," she's written a number of our favorite roundups on a range of essential kitchen items, from the best Thanksgiving gadgets to the top seafood kitchen tools of the year.
This piece was edited by Bernadette Machard de Gramont, an LA-based writer who specializes in global food and wine content. She researches and tests a variety of cookware, bakeware, and wine tools, and interviews field experts for their insight.
This roundup was updated by Julie Laing, who has been a writer and editor for more than 25 years and published her first cookbook, "The Complete Guide to Pickling," in 2020. Many of the recipes on her Twice as Tasty blog were created on a glass-top stove. For this roundup, she interviewed Michele Peterson, A Taste for Travel blogger and co-author of Lonely Planet Food’s "Mexico: From the Source."
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