Calphalon Select 10-Piece Space-Saving Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Some pots and pans that stack for easy storage
Stainless steel, so there’s no coating that will rub off over time
If they get uggo, a little Barkeepers Friend will help
One of Wirecutter’s 2022 Gift Picks, for $280 (under “Cookware for a Tiny Kitchen”)
Are they available in Georgia red: Only if you’re making a tomato sauce in one

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Hey, did you resolve to get organized and cook more in 2025? Then boy oh boy do we have the sale for you! Because these stainless steel pots and pans STACK! Thus saving you space and allowing to keep your kitchen organized, even as you take on more and more ambitious culinary projects!

As we’ve discussed before, you gotta be careful not to mistake accruing gear for making advances towards your goals. At the same time, if you commit to walking 10,000 steps a day, but all you have for footwear is a pair of flip-flops you bought for $5 at the grocery store, how do you think that’s going to go? Our point is: you don’t need a bunch of new toys and gadgets to carry out your New Year’s Resolution, but you also want to set yourself up for success by having everything you need to do what you want to do.

With that being said, reading through the Amazon reviews of this cookware set (at least of the “Premier” version, you will see some people who definitely didn’t set themselves up for success. Like caroline vandedrinck:

Definitely these are not no-stick, everything sticks no matter how much oil.

Or JAMES COTTRELL, whose one-star review is simply a picture of a burnt pan.

What mistake did these people make? They assumed stainless steel pots and pans work just like ceramic-coated pots and pans or even nonstick pots and pans. And, as someone who has made the switch to stainless steel in the past few years, I can safely say, this is NOT the case.

Here are my two main pieces of advice:

You have to let the pan get hot for a few minutes before adding your fat (butter, oil, whatever you’re using). And then you need to let the fat come to temperature too.

And…

If you’re sautéing veggies, keep the temperature of the burner fairly low and stir frequently. If you’re searing meat, however, you can’t flip freely. Trust the protein. It will release (or, at worst, require a gentle nudge with a wooden spoon) if given time.

Now, me personally? I don’t mind if mine don’t look perfect. But if you want them to remain shiny and pristine, Amazon user Metatron suggests, “You can use Barkeepers Friend… it IS your BEST FRIEND when cleaning stainless steel.” And seriously, check out their review of these. It’s massive and full of great advice for using this cookware set.

Of course, if you’ve used these (or other stainless steel pots and pans) yourself, add your thoughts in the comments.

Otherwise, buy them and cook with them. Then stack them and store them away with ease!

Calphalon Select 10-Piece Space-Saving Stainless Steel Cookware Set

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