HexClad Hybrid 14-Pc

Should you buy the HexClad Hybrid 14-Pc?

HexClad Hybrid 14-Pc is for the cook who wants to use metal utensils and high heat but does not want to give up an easier-release surface, and who accepts that this is a compromise between stainless and nonstick rather than the best of either. It ranks #6 of 10 in our Cookware Sets list, the last set above our buy line, at $700.20. Every pot and pan comes with a lid, which no stainless set here can say. If true nonstick matters more than durability, none of the coated sets below it score well enough to recommend.

Where it earns its score

• Complete lid coverage. All six vessels have lids, plus two silicone trivets, and Features scores 88.
• Satisfaction 94. Tied for the highest in the category; owners like the utensil freedom.
• Metal-utensil safe. The laser-etched stainless hexagons take spatulas and whisks that would ruin a coated pan.
• High oven rating. Pans are oven-safe to 900F, though the glass lids are limited to 400F.
• Lifetime warranty. Warranty scores 100, and it works on induction.

What to know first

• Value is the lowest factor at 58. Nearly $700 for a hybrid surface when the Tramontina stainless set costs $315.
• Not truly nonstick. Eggs still need oil, and the pans must be seasoned before first use.
• Heavy. The tri-ply plus etched surface makes these heavier than equivalent stainless pans.
• Check the coating generation. The brand states this TerraBond version is PFAS free; earlier generations used PTFE, so verify what you are buying.

Questions buyers ask