With so many cookware manufacturers, how do you settle on the right set for your kitchen? All-Clad might be the market leader in home cookware, but it costs a fortune, especially for the premium D5 collections. Who’s got $2599.99 to spend on a cookware set?
The good news is there are plenty of alternatives out there offering you the same quality as All-clad, at less than half the price. In this review, we look at our two top choices for All-Clad alternatives.
We examine the offerings from Made In Cookware vs HexClad to see which brand deserves a spot in your kitchen in 2021.
Who Owns Made In Cookware?
Made In Cookware is an American company with offices in Austin, TX. Jake Kalick founded the company in 2017 with his life-long buddy, Chip Malt. The co-founders set the goal of providing the industry with affordable, high-quality cookware.
Jake used his family’s century of expertise in servicing the kitchen supply industry to source top manufacturing partners in France and Italy. Made In produces stainless steel and carbon steel cookware on par with the D5 range from All-Clad, at a fraction of the price.
Who Owns HexClad Cookware?
Daniel Winer is the current CEO and President of HexClad Hybrid Cookware. He founded the company as a manufacturer of hybrid cookware combining the best materials with nonstick coatings to produce an excellent range of cookware offering high-performance cooking in the kitchen.
HexClad cookware is currently available through leading retailers like Costco and Walmart. It featured on Oprah’s Favorite Things for 2019, gaining an instant following across the US.
What Cookware Does Made In Manufacture?
Made in manufactures a range of stainless steel, carbon steel, and nonstick cookware. The company has items available as singles, or as cookware sets, with a full range to suit any cooking style or experience level.
Made In utilizes a 5-ply cladding method on its cookware, providing you the same quality you get with the leading D5 collection from All-Clad. You get premium materials, world-class design, and an affordable price point.
What Cookware Does HexClad Manufacture?
HexClad offers its range as single items or as cookware sets. The company has three cookware sets available on its site, and all of them feature the same design and materials.
All HexClad cookware features an innovative, patented coating and design technology for a durable, nonstick surface.
HexClad cookware comes with a tri-ply construction and fully-clad design for superior heat dispersion and control across the cooking surface.
With HexClad, you get the patented HexClad hexagonal design on the cooking surface. This design creates valleys and peaks on the pan. The valleys are the nonstick surface, and the ridges are stainless steel for the ultimate sear on your steak.
Made In Cookware vs HexClad – What’s the Difference?
HexClad cookware has a unique look to the base and cooking surface. You’ll notice small hexagons slightly raised into these surfaces, providing fast heating times and excellent cooking performance.
The valleys in the hexagon design form the nonstick surface for easy cooking and cleanup. The peaks feature stainless steel for that perfect sear on your steak while preventing the coating from peeling and flaking.
Made In Cookware comes with an endorsement from celebrity chefs like Tom Colicchio. It’s also in professional Michelin star kitchens across America. The company has a more comprehensive collection than HexClad, offering you a more traditional line up of stainless and carbon steel cookware.
The company does have a nonstick range, but we feel it doesn’t offer the same quality level as the HexClad models. That said, if you prefer cooking on traditional materials like cast-iron, carbon steel, or stainless, Made In is the better option.
What are the Pros and Cons of Made In Cookware?
Pros
- Comes with stainless, carbon steel, and nonstick ranges
- Professional-grade cookware trusted by 5-star Michelin chefs
- Celebrity chef endorsements
- 5-ply bonding method
- Hybrid material construction in the base
Cons
- Nonstick collection not as innovative as the HexClad range
- Carbon steel collection is not dishwasher safe
What are the Pros and Cons of HexClad Cookware?
Pros
- Excellent nonstick performance
- Hybrid design
- Somewhat affordable
- Compatible with magnetic stovetops
- Dishwasher safe
Cons
- Made in China
- Tri-ply cladding, not 5-ply like Made In
- Uses a PTFE coating (PFOA free)
- Slightly more expensive than the Made In collections
Made In Cookware vs HexClad – What’s the Price Difference?
If we compare the Made in 11-piece Sous Chef Set with the HexClad 13-piece Hybrid Cookware set, you get a few extra lids with the HexClad. However, we feel that it doesn’t justify the additional $100 on the price tag.
The HexClad range is more expensive on all items. It also only offers one style of cooking surface. The hybrid design is effective at providing a nonstick cooking surface. However, you might prefer searing your steak at a higher temperature provided by a carbon steel skillet instead.
Made In Cookware vs HexClad – The Verdict
We feel that Made In is the better choice for your next cookware set. We like the variety of cooking surfaces in the cookware range. The Sous Chef set giving you options for stainless, carbon steel, and nonstick cookware to suit various cooking requirements.
Made In is the more affordable option compared to HexClad, and we feel it offers better value. While HexClad does get an advantage for its dishwasher-safe range, we’re skeptical about those claims.
Cooking on any nonstick surface at high temperatures scares us. We’ve all heard the horror stories about PFOAs in PTFE coatings and how they harm our health.
No matter the PTFE coating, we think putting coated cookware in the dishwasher is a bad idea. The high washing temperatures and aggressive chemicals corrode the layer quickly.
While that might not be the case for HexClad, we would rather be d=safe than sorry. We prefer to go with the conventional cooking materials we trust. Made In cookware offers you professional Chef grade cookware endorsed by real chefs and celebrities.
With Made In, you get a 5-ply construction in all its cookware. That construction method is in line with the best cookware from the market leader, All-Clad. With the HexClad cookware sets, you get a tri-ply construction, making the Made In cookware the better performer in the kitchen.
Overall, we think the Made in 14-piece Executive Chef Set, the 11-piece Sous Chef Set, and the 6-piece starter set offers you the best value from the two brands.