Economy at its Best: The Benefits of the Cook N Home 12-Piece Stainless Steel Set!
For the budget conscious (and let’s be honest, who isn’t these days) it can be really hard to find a truly good deal. A purchase that doesn’t just save money in the short term, but a product that is durable and will last.
We wanted to know, is the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set one such product?
If you’ve been considering the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set, one feature that has likely caught your eye is that it costs considerably less than many of its competitors; a real steal in a world that tells us we always need bigger, better, and more. So we decided to conduct our own review on this particular cookware set and share our results with you here.
To be completely honest, we were initially drawn in by how high the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set ranks and we couldn’t help but get a good feeling about the set as we saw that, clearly, other people just like us had been investing their own hard earned cash into buying this product.
Why the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set?
What also got our attention on this particular set was that despite the seriously inexpensive price tag this cookware set comes with hundreds of high and full star ratings. This is great compared to other cookare brands.
Wow.
So needless to say, we were really stunned and extremely excited to get into this review. But we were also skeptical; doesn’t a low price all but guarantee a defective product that needs to be replaced soon after purchase (sometimes before even being used once)? We literally had images of old tin pots and pans from pioneer days running through our minds when we saw the price tag.
Well, inexpensive doesn’t seem to equate to inferior in this case.
So what does the Cook N Home set have that stands it apart from its competitors? Can you really get a decent, sturdy, long lasting 12-piece, induction compatible, from stove top to oven ready, tempered glass lids and beautifully made cookware set for less than $70?
Alright, before we get too excited, let’s take a look at the surprising benefits and features that we discovered all wrapped up in the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set.
Budget friendly
There are several great features of this cookware set, which we’ll get into throughout this review article, but ultimately it all kicks off with its price point. These pots and pans are priced so economically that they are made affordable and accessible to many more people. We can’t help but be taken aback by the price, but what remains to be seen is if the cookware is worth your money. Will it stand up to the rigors of a modern kitchen?
What is in the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set?
The 12-piece stainless steel cookware set includes:
The set is made from a mirror polished (beautiful for hanging in the kitchen which maximizes space),18/0 stainless steel, capsulated bottom and an aluminum disc inside for even heat distribution.
Hang on; what is 18/0 stainless steel, you ask?
Great question! These numbers refer to the percentage of chromium and nickel used in the producing the stainless steel alloy used to make this cookware set. The first number is the percent of chromium in the alloy (chromium content is what give stainless its strength). The second number is the percent of nickel (nickel is what gives stainless steel its shine and rust-resistance). 18/10 is the optimal amount of chromium and nickel for stainless steel flatware and is regarded as the highest level of quality.
So this set gets a “thumbs up” on the durability scale. Check that one off the list.
Tips for getting the most out of your Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set
As mentioned, this set is suitable for cooking on all stove tops; electric, gas, and induction stoves.
Did you know that you can test to see if your cookware set can be used on an induction stove with an easy magnet test? If a magnet sticks to the bottom of your cookware then it is compatible with an induction stove!
Word of note, there is no nonstick coating (not such a bad thing when you consider the dangers of Teflon) so do use a little bit of healthy oil (such as beneficial and heart-healthy coconut oil) to prevent food from sticking to the bottom of your cookware. Simply preheat a little oil in the bottom of the pot or pan for a minute or two before adding your food. The oil does a double duty: first of all the heated oil will bring out the flavor of the food and the oil will also act as a barrier to help prevent food from burning or sticking to the surface of the cookware.
It is important, even with nonstick cookware, not to cook over a high heat (which is also dangerous, more likely to ruin your meal, and wastes electricity). Always cook on a medium heat unless you are boiling a pot of water or deep frying with hot oil (generally heating up a large amount of liquid) which will require a higher heat setting.
There is never a reason to put your pot on a full high heat; you’ll end up burning the food (and that’s operator error, nothing to do with whether you are cooking with a nonstick pan or not).
Also, never leave an empty pot or pan on a heat for a long time. The heat from your stove is designed to heat your cookware and then transfer that warmth to your food. Since the food in the pan constantly takes on the warmth from the pan, the pan doesn’t overheat (unless you have turned the heat up too high, which we cautioned against earlier).
But without food in the pan, you’re no longer heating up the food, you are now only heating up the pan and sooner or later the intense heat focused solely on the cookware will warp the bottom of the pan.
Handles
The stainless handles are riveted to the body of the pots to provide long lasting durability; they are strong and hold up well. As the handles are stainless steel (making for a gorgeous seamless look) they do have a tendency to heat up while cooking (especially the short pot handles) so do be careful and use an oven mitt, glove, or kitchen cloth while cooking.
A common complaint with most cookware (from the least costly to the most expensive) is that the surface often scratches when using metallic utensils, making the pots look old before their time.
We really suggest discarding metal utensils and replacing with wood, silicone, or plastic instead, which will prolong the attractiveness of your new set.
Lids
The lids on the Cook N Home 12-Piece stainless steel set are made from clear tempered (or toughened) glass which allows you to see your food while cooking. The lids are designed to fit super snugglyon a ledge just inside the pots and pans which helps them to seal in, and retain, as much heat as possible, so cooking time is faster (plus faster cooking times means that you save on electricity or gas).
Can the Cook N Home pots and pans be used in the oven?
There are many dishes that start off on the stovetop and then move onto the oven (think slow roasts, stews, and casseroles). This means dirtying (and as a result, needing to wash) an extra set of cookware or finding a set that can easily go from stovetop to oven.
So to get back to the question at hand, can the Cook N Home cookware set be used in the oven as well as on the stove top?
According to the manufacturer, the answer to this question is yes! This cookware set can go into the oven at a recommended temperature of not more than 350 degrees Fahrenheit; however, the glass lids are limited to a slightly “cooler” 270 degrees Fahrenheit. Although, according to the manufacturer, the pans would not be damaged if used at a higher oven temperature (up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit for the pots and 350 degrees Fahrenheit for the tempered glass lids), they would likely become discolored, probably in a rainbow type fashion.
So while the manufacturer has stated the cookware can withstand the higher temperatures, we are a little reluctant to make that recommendation, and again it circles right back to the price point. Getting a great deal on a good cookware set is hard to come by. Let’s face it; we don’t often really expect a great long lasting product that doesn’t cost a lot. However, it’s only a great deal if it’s durable and can be used for a long time to come (it’s not a great deal if it needs to be replaced soon) so we tend to err on the side of caution and only use the cookware set at the (lower) recommended temperatures.
Just a quick note (which should be in flashing red letters) as stated earlier, the handles of this cookware set are made of stainless steel. As we have all learned at school, metal is an excellent conductor of heat, which means that the handles of your pots and pans will heat up during cooking process, even more so in the oven. Please use appropriate protection on your hands before removing cookware from inside a hot oven!
Where is the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set made?
This set is manufactured in China, which allows for a considerable cost saving benefit to be passed along to the consumer.
The Bottom Line
This is lightweight, but when compared to “cheap” sets, the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set is heavier than expected; it does not seem to be cheaply made, nor does it come across as being inexpensive. Although the bottoms are heavy and durable to help evenly distribute heat, they are very smooth and there should be no worry of them scratching a flat glass stove tops.
After our thorough review we certainly believe that the Cook N Home 12-piece stainless steel set has ranked highly on Amazon for a good reason!
This is a wonderful budget-friendly set that makes a great gift for a starter kitchen.
There is enough variety in the pots and pans that come with this set that even if this is your only cookware set, you will still have all the essential items needed to be able to whip up a fancy meal! From breakfast to dinner; try your hand at eggs, soup, and sauces on the stove top, or roast meats and vegetables in the oven.
As an added bonus, the pots stack nicely together so perfect for smaller storage areas where space is of the essence!
Happy cooking!
