Which HexClad set should you buy?

The thing nobody tells you

These two sets do not overlap. The 6-piece is three pots and their lids — no frying pan in it anywhere. The 7-piece is three fry pans and a wok — nothing you can boil pasta in. Comparing them like alternatives is the wrong frame.

So the question is not which set is better. It is which half of a kitchen are you missing.

Pick the 7-piece if

• You are furnishing a kitchen from scratch and own nothing decent
• You cook more on the stovetop surface than in liquid — eggs, steak, stir-fries
• You already own a stock pot you are happy with

Pick the 6-piece if

• You have pans you like and your pots are the weak link
• You cook a lot of grains, sauces, soup or pasta
• You batch cook, where the 8-quart does most of the work

Buying both

Together they come to $494.90 and give you a complete kitchen with no duplicates — three fry pans, a wok, two saucepans and a stock pot. That is the cheapest route to a full HexClad set-up we can offer, but it is a lot of money at once. There is no shame in buying the half you need now and the other half later.

If you only want one piece

Buy the 10″ frying pan. It is the pan most kitchens reach for by default, and if you end up disliking the hybrid surface you have found out for the price of one pan rather than seven. See the fry pans →