Stocking a kitchen with cookware properly can be quite an undertaking. After all, the kitchen can be the most crucial room in a home. Because of this, there is an overabundance of products to choose from, especially when it comes to the types of quality pots and pans.Lately, the most popular of these cookware sets seem to be affordable ceramic-coated nonstick pots and pans. You’ve probably noticed these advertised on TV and wall to wall in big box stores. Gotham Steel looks to rise above the rest here with a cookware set that provides all of that and more while remaining stylish and affordable.
Does Gotham Steel accomplish this task? We have decided to take a deep dive to find out for you. We will go over what makes this cookware set so special and if it’s right for you in this extensive Gotham Steel cookware review.
Gotham Steel sets out to accomplish a great deal with its cookware set offering. On the surface, they promise elegant, effective, and safe nonstick pans. However, when looking more into it, you can find much more than that, as Gotham Steel claims the cookware to be affordable, durable, and highly versatile with the three variants they offer.
We tested all of these claims, and more to get to the bottom of these claims are indeed as good as stated. Between all four Gotham Steel cookware sets, there are many differences to go through, but first, we will give an overall look at what Gotham Steel has to offer.
Nonstick Coating
All the Gotham Steel cookware sets offer one core feature, a nonstick ceramic coating that works better and lasts longer than the competition. In addition, their Ti-Cerama award-winning nonstick coating boasts that anything cooked in this cookware, the food slides right off without the need for oil or butter.
And it works! We found the coating to do an excellent job of keeping food and food residue from sticking to the cookware’s surface. The Gotham Steel pans genuinely deliver on their claims when it comes to their nonstick ceramic coating performance.
Other pans tend to weather over time, but some cookware sets manage to miss the mark right out of the box. Gotham Steel’s cookware sets deliver a ceramic nonstick surface that can last through many years of meals to come if taken care of properly.
The proper care of this cookware set is where things might get tricky. Gotham Steel claims no temperature is too hot, utensil too abrasive, or treatment too rough for their nonstick ceramic coated pots and pans. However, some other Gotham Steel pan reviews dispute this slightly, which leads to talking about the durability of these pots and pans.
Durability & Build Quality
The Gotham Steel cookware sets boast that you can put them through the wringer without running into any problems. For the most part, these claims are true!
Metal spatulas and whisks have virtually no negative impact on this cookware set’s nonstick ceramic coating and performance. Gotham Steels Ti-Cerama ceramic coating puts up with most cooking conditions, and when used responsibly, it stays intact.
Each piece of Gotham Steel cookware is lightweight because of its aluminum base. This design makes them easier to hold and use and guarantees that these pans heat up quickly and evenly. The nonstick ceramic coating aids the cookware in this as well.
When a cookware set is so light, it also tends to be flimsy and fragile, but the cookware sets manage to avoid this with a tough nonstick ceramic mix in their coating. As a result, they are durable and have the potential to last a very long time.
Gotham Steel misses where most cookware sets with ceramic nonstick coating aluminum pans miss, which is how they hold up to higher heat. When applying direct heat to the cookware, the pans tend to buckle at long uses on medium-high or above heats.
With this problem existing with so many similar cookware sets, it is becoming common knowledge to use them only on medium heat or lower. Because of this knowledge, Gotham Steel’s cookware sets can be forgiven a little more easily as it becomes a question of whether high heat cooking or nonstick performance is what you’re looking for.
Making up for this, Gotham Steel has created multiple nonstick cookware sets that are all dishwasher safe. This feature makes sure both cooking and cleaning up afterward are a breeze.
Another minor gripe would be about the lids included with the Gotham Steel cookware sets. They appear to have slightly different build quality, with many other reviewers and us finding that water and debris can quickly get stuck between the tempered glass layers and prove hard to get out.
While this doesn’t appear to happen to every pan, it wasn’t very reassuring nonetheless, so we saw the need to bring it up. Does this outweigh the other overwhelming benefits of Gotham Steel cookware sets? We don’t think so, but it is important to keep in mind when ordering a complete cookware set.
Affordability
When buying a cookware set, it is easy to see a price tag of over $100 and get a little turned off from it. When looking at the number of nonstick pots and pans included, it can become much easier to understand and justify.
With that being said, how does the affordability of Gotham Steels cookware sets compare to other ceramic cookware? Quite well when you take into account the sheer amount that you are getting for it. The price of Gotham Steels 20 piece original cookware set proves to be a great value when looking at the quality of what you’re getting.
The Gotham Steel Hammered Copper and Stackmaster cookware sets are respectively quite affordable when compared to alternatives as well. We will go more into that later on, but it’s worth noting here.
Overall, Gotham Steels cookware sets provide a great deal for those looking to populate an empty kitchen with useful and reliable nonstick pans for a reasonable price.
Handles
One thing that all pots and pans have in common is that they are going to have handles, lest you want third-degree burns every time you cook! Unfortunately, you still end up with these burns from poorly designed and constructed handles with some cookware sets.
These cookware sets have heat-safe handles that guarantee a safe cooking surface for you to hold while cooking away. It does work to which is a relief because we can’t even remember just how many times we have been burnt this way.
This grants the Gotham Steel cookware set significant points in our review and boosts how significantly these pans can be recommended.
Oven Safe
This feature is one that surprised us significantly while reviewing the Gotham Steel cookware set. It is common knowledge that ceramic-coated nonstick aluminum pans tend to be weak to intense heat levels, and there are not many heats more intense than oven heat.
It appears that this might only have to do with direct heat because the cookware set handles fine in the oven at most temperatures that you’ll be cooking at. While the handles start to heat up while put in the oven, that can be expected.
Since the pans are covered in the same ceramic nonstick coating as the bakeware, it is evident that Gotham Steel developed this coating with oven high temperature in mind. Our experience backs this up as we found that all the Gotham Steel cookware pieces held up in the oven and performed well while doing it!
The bakeware is a very decent addition to the cookware set as the nonstick ceramic coating is what we think is missing the most from bakeware nowadays. Gotham Steel gives the nonstick coating, but an unexpected benefit is how even the heat disperses through the bakeware. As a result, baked goods come out evenly cooked, sliding right off.
Safe from Harmful Chemicals
When using special non-metallic ceramic nonstick pans for cookware sets and pans, there is a good deal of concern for what makes it up and if it is safe or not. Many other cookware sets have a concerning amount of toxic materials, and the fact that Gotham Steel makes it a point to avoid them is much appreciated.
Pans are going to be touching and processing a majority of the food that you are eating. If there is the possibility that toxic chemicals could be transferring to your food from your cookware, the consequences could be terrible.
We are happy to review the Gotham Steel cookware set knowing this, but it puts us at ease while using it as well. Knowing that we aren’t introducing these chemicals to ourselves or the environment is a great relief.
Gotham Steel Original Cookware Collection
There is not much to say here that hasn’t been said already above about Gotham Steels Original Cookware Collection. This cookware set has all the benefits that Gotham Steel offers combined into one package. It has a specific set of strengths and performs them very well.
There is a good deal of variety offered among each cookware set, and so it is easy to find something no matter what type of nonstick pans you’re looking for. If you are new to cooking or are looking for a reliable set of cookware, the Original Cookware Collection is good option for everyday use.
Gotham Steel 20 Piece Cookware Set
- 8.5” Frying Pan
- 10.5” Frying Pan and Lid
- 9.5” Square Pan
- 1.5 QT Sauce Pan with Lid
- 4 Qt Pot with Lid
- 9.5” Deep Pan with Lid
- Steamer and Frying Basket
- Muffin Tray
- Square Bake Pan
- Cookie Tray
- Round Bake Pan
- Loaf Pan
Gotham Steel 10 Piece Cookware Set
- 8.5” Frying Pan
- 10.5” Frying Pan and Lid
- 2.5 QT and 1.5 QT Sauce Pans with Lids
- 5 QT Pot with Lid
- 9.5” Deep Pan with Lid
- XL Steamer Insert
Gotham Steel 5 Piece Cookware Set
- 8.5” Frying Pan
- 10.5” Frying Pan and glass lids
- 2 QT Sauce Pan with Lid
Gotham Steel Hammered Copper Collection
Look of Copper; Performance of Steel
The Gotham Steel Hammered Copper Collection of pots and pans serves a lot of the function of the original cookware set with one main difference. The copper exterior provides an elegant appearance for what is a relatively affordable cookware set.
If you are looking for the aesthetic of copper while still getting all of the performance and price of the Gotham Steel nonstick ceramic coated cookware, then this set is for you. While it doesn’t add much function, it does serve a pleasing aesthetic purpose.
Gotham Steel 15 Piece Cookware Set
- 8.5” Frying Pan
- 10.5” Frying Pan and Lid
- 1.5 QT Sauce Pan with Lid
- 2.5 QT Sauce Pan with Lid
- 5 Qt Stock Pot with Lid
- Steamer
- Muffin Tray
- Square Bake Pan
- Cookie Tray
- Round Bake Pan
- Loaf Pan
Gotham Steel 10 Piece Cookware Set
- 8.5” Frying Pan
- 10.5” Frying Pan and Lid
- 1.5 and 2.5 QT Sauce Pans with Lids
- 5 Qt Stock Pot with Lid
- Steamer
Gotham Steel Pro Hard-Anodized Collection
Professional Quality for Home Chefs
A hard-anodized aluminum coating is what sets this set apart from the other variants in the Gotham Steel cookware collection. It is designed to handle the intense settings of a professional kitchen or, more specifically, the intense levels of direct heat from open-flame gas burners.
While we don’t run a professional kitchen ourselves throughout testing for our review, we found that this cookware set held up a lot better to the heat. In addition, the hard-anodized coating adds a very good layer of protection to the pans and pairs well with the nonstick coating on the other side. the stainless steel handle also contributes to the quality of this product line.
Gotham Steel Pro Hard-Anodized 20 Piece set
- 8.5” Frying Pan
- 10.5” Frying Pan and Lid
- 9.5” Square Pan
- 1.5 QT Sauce Pan with Lid
- 4 Qt Pot with Lid
- 9.5” Deep Pan with Lid
- Steamer and Frying Basket
- Muffin Tray
- Square Bake Pan
- Cookie Tray
- Round Bake Pan
- Loaf Pan
Gotham Steel Pro Hard-Anodized 13 Piece set
- 8”, 10”, and 12.5” Frying Pans
- 1.5 QT, 2.5, and 3 QT Sauce Pans with Lids
- 3 QT Chef Pan with Lid
- 6 QT Stock Pot with Lid
Gotham Steel Pro Hard-Anodized 10 Piece set
- 8” and 10” Frying Pans
- 2.75 and 3.5 QT Sauce Pans with Lids
- 5 Qt Stock Pot with Lid
- Slotted Spatula and Spoon
Gotham Steel Stackmaster Collection
Compactiblity is vital when talking about what this cookware set provides when compared to the others. With pots and pans that neatly and easily stack on top of each other for more straightforward storage, the Gotham Steel Stackmaster Collection has a lot to offer those with limited cabinet space in their kitchens.
Gotham Steel Stackmaster 15 Piece Set
- 8” and 10” Frying Pans
- 2.75, 3.75, and 5 QT Sauce Pans with Lids
- 5 Qt Stock Pot with Lid
- 5 Piece Utensil Set
Gotham Steel Cookware Pros and Cons
Is Gotham Steel Cookware Worth It?
Like most things, it depends on who’s buying it. Unfortunately, despite a serious attempt by Gotham Steel, we found that the pans do not stand up to the intense demands of a professional kitchen as much as a home cooks kitchen.
That being said, they perform exceedingly well for an amateur chef set of pots and pans. If you are starting from scratch and looking to supply your kitchen with easy-to-use nonstick cookware, then one of the Gotham Steel cookware sets is sure to do the job.
If treated with care, these Gotham Steel cookware sets can last a very long time, and being so affordable adds to the value here. The home chef has many great options when looking at what nonstick pans Gotham Steel has to offer.
It is clear that when Gotham Steel was developing these cookware sets, they had the home chef in mind. Thus, the home chef would be treated very well if they went with one of Gotham Steel’s offers.
Gotham Steel FAQ
Are these pans made of ceramics?
Technically no. The Gotham Steel cookware sets are all forged aluminum with a ceramic-like nonstick coating applied to give it that slick nonstick function.
Is the nonstick coating Gotham Steel uses non-toxic?
The Gotham Steel Tri-Cerama nonstick coating is free of PTFE, PFOA, PFOS, and other toxic elements.
Are these compatible with induction?
None of the Gotham Steel Cookware sets are compatible with induction stovetops. Every other type is safe.
Is this cookware set dishwasher safe?
So far, we say yes! They come out of the dishwasher looking brand new.
Can I use metal utensils with these pans?
Yes! The ceramic nonstick coating is also scratch-resistant.
Wrapping it Up
After all is said and done, each one of Gotham Steel cookware sets offers a good amount to the home chef looking to stock their kitchen with stylish, functional, and pots and pans at a good value.
Even if some sets provide a little more value than the other, the true star is the Gotham Steel Tri-Cerame nonstick coating that performs well and keeps us using them long into the future.
During our testing we found all of these sets to be a great product. Which one you choose will entirely depend on how often you cook and your proce point.
2 Responses
Hi, How do i purchase the Gotham Hammered Copper 5 Piece Set Chef Cookware, Non Stick Pan, Deep Square Pan, Fry Basket, Steamer Rack,
Hi Olester! Thanks for reading our article. You can purchase by clicking on the buttons on the top of the article or the buttons below each review. Let us know of you have any questions. Thanks!