Consumer Reports' Highest-Rated Nonstick Cookware Set Is Much Cheaper Than Caraway And Calphalon

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Shopping for a new set of cookware can get pretty pricey surprisingly fast. Some of the best-known ceramic and hard-anodized collections can cost as much as $850, creating the illusion that top performance in your kitchen means a hefty investment. However, testing and product ratings from Consumer Reports suggest that may not be the case. Its highest-rated nonstick cookware set currently sells for less than half the price of some included big-name competitors, and it hails from a trusted retailer in the home-goods segment. That cookware is the Figmint 12-Piece Nonstick Ceramic Coated Aluminum Cookware Set, a Target-exclusive kitchenware line.

The Consumer Reports test included 46 cookware sets, with the Figmint collection currently selling for $180. That's a big difference from others in the same nonstick category. For example, Consumer Reports tested a 14-piece Caraway Ceramic-Coated Nonstick set starting at $445 and an 11-piece Calphalon Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick set starting at $378. Target introduced Figmint in 2023 as one of its own private-label brands, which includes not only cookware, but small appliances, products for food storage, dining gear, and other affordable kitchen essentials.  

Calphalon and Caraway certainly have their own strengths. In fact, when it comes to single frying pans, a Caraway ceramic-coated nonstick frying pan tops all others, according to Consumer Reports. But when purchasing an entire set, there's a strong case for considering the in-house Target brand without the premium price tag. Price alone wouldn't be enough to snag the top rating on a Consumer Reports test, as many factors comprise the total scores of products evaluated. Following are some details on how Figmint cookware earned that top-spot honor.

To earn its place as the highest-rated in Consumer Reports' rigorous testing, the Figmint 12-Piece Nonstick Ceramic Coated Aluminum Cookware Set received the highest possible marks for both cooking evenness and nonstick food release. To evaluate the release, testers cooked four eggs, one by one, in a frying pan, and watched to see if they slid free with no need for scraping. All four easily released in the Figmint pan. The cookware also earned very good assessments for nonstick durability, heating speed, steady simmering, and handles remaining cool during stovetop cooking. Its least impressive result was sturdiness of the handle, though it still received a respectable rating. 

The Figmint cookware collection includes 8-,10-, and 12-inch frying pans (one with a lid), 1.5- and 3-quart saucepans with lids, a 5-quart sauté pan with lid, and a 6-quart stockpot with lid. Handles and trims come with a Champagne gold-tone finish. The pieces work on gas, electric, and induction cooktops and withstand oven temps up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. As noted by Consumer Reports, they contain no potentially harmful PTFE coatings, which may relieve those concerned about chemicals in nonstick pans.