The Best Affordable Pots and Pans, According to Our Very Best Tests

In our quest to bring you one step closer to perfect diner-style omelets, creamy risotto, and Creole-style red jambalaya, we’ve rounded up our favorite budget cookware picks that deliver year after year. From nonstick skillets to durable stainless steel saucepans, our tried and true recommendations will meet the needs of home cooks everywhere.

The best part? Affordability doesn’t mean sacrificing quality. Each product featured in our guide has undergone rigorous testing to ensure it meets our standards. We’ve evaluated factors including heat distribution, durability, and ease of cleaning so you can buy the very best.

The Best Budget Cast Iron Skillet

Lodge 10.25 Inch Cast Iron Pre-Seasoned Skillet

$25 at Amazon View on Walmart $25 at Target

A cast iron skillet is a reliable and durable piece of cookware, and one that we recommend everyone keep in their kitchen. While high-end options abound, our favorite skillets are eminently affordable: Our Lodge pick is priced under $30, and this Victoria cast iron skillet is also great option for a few dollars less.

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 pounds, 7 ounces
• Temperature range: Up to 650°F
• Comes pre-seasoned?: Yes
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: Nope, absolutely not

The Best Budget Sauté Pan

Misen 3-Quart Sauté Pan

$149 at Amazon View on Misen.com

Sauté pans fall somewhere in between a skillet and a Dutch oven; they are perfect for shallow frying meatballs or falafel, braising bone-in chicken pieces, and wilting that entire bag of spinach you have in your fridge. While this one is on the heavier side, it’s large, with a nearly 10-inch cooking surface, and heats up relatively quickly and evenly. In our tests, it browned and braised nearly as well as our more expensive favorites.  

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 pounds, 2 ounces (with the lid)
• Material: Stainless steel, aluminum
• Overall dimensions: 21 x 11 x 3 inches
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Temperature range: Up to 800°F
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Budget Small Saucepan

Duxtop 1.6 Quart Whole-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid

$42 $36 at Amazon

A great small saucepan should heat uniformly, pour smoothly, and be easy to clean. The most saucier-like one we tested (with a shallower depth and sloped sides) was perfect for stirring and whisking. It also features a rolled rim for dribble-less pours and a handle that stays cool even after boiling water or browning butter. 

Key Specs

• Capacity: 1.6 quarts
• Weight: 2 pounds, 4 ounces (with lid)
• Material: Stainless steel
• Lip-to-lip diameter: 6.75 inches
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Temperature range: Oven-safe up to 500°F
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe, but hand-washing is recommended

The Best Budget Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cuisinart Professional Series Cookware 11 Piece Set

$280 $232 at Amazon $280 at Wayfair $380 $280 at Kohls.com

For those who want a nice stainless steel cookware set for under $250, this is the one to get. It earned a top spot in our review, and the included pots cost around $30 a pop—an outstanding deal. While the pans performed very well, heating evenly, we especially liked the added-value pieces, like a steamer basket and a nonstick pan. The handles were comfortable and stayed cool to the touch, too.

Key Specs

• Material: Stainless steel
• Number of pieces: 11
• Temperature range: 500°F (lids 350°F)
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Budget Saucepan

Tramontina Covered 3-Quart Saucepan

$65 at Amazon $82 at Home Depot $109 $56 at Macy's

This isn’t the cheapest saucepan we tested, but the Tramontina performed really well for its price, outdoing pots that cost twice as much. Browned butter, perfectly cooked rice, silky pastry cream—this pan does it all, without any sticking or burnt-on bits. 

Key Specs

• Capacity: 3 quarts
• Weight: 3 pounds, 4 ounces (with lid)
• Diameter: 8 inches
• Temperature range: Up to 500° F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Budget Carbon Steel Pan

Vollrath 12.5 Inch French Style Carbon Steel Fry Pan

$53 at Amazon View on Webstaurant Store

If you haven’t considered buying a carbon steel skillet yet, now is the time. A favorite with restaurant chefs, Vollrath carbon steel pans perform just as well (if not better) than others at a fraction of the price. Of the 12 pans we tested, this was the lightest, and it heated up fast and was easy to lift, flip, and sauté with. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 2 pounds, 6 ounces  
• Diameter: 7.6 inches
• Temperature range: Up to 600°F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Budget Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

Crock-Pot Artisan 10-Inch Cast Iron Skillet

$45 $34 at Amazon $34 at Home Depot $41 at Wayfair

Think of enameled cast iron skillets as a cousin of uncoated cast iron; they’re both great for different reasons. Here, the enamel coating doesn’t require seasoning, provides rust protection, and is easy to clean. Renowned for its slow cooker, Crock-Pot shouldn’t be overlooked for its cookware. Lightweight and easy to maneuver, this skillet is a great value, combining affordability with performance. 

Key Specs

• Weight: 6 pounds, 5 ounces  
• Diameter: 10 inches
• Temperature range: Up to 500°F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Affordable Saucier

Great Jones Saucy

$145 at Amazon View on Greatjonesgoods.com

The Great Jones “Saucy” is more than just a pretty pot. If there’s pastry cream or risotto in your future, you probably need a saucier, and this one is a nicely priced option. From a purely aesthetic standpoint, Great Jones emerged as the belle of the ball in our testing, with performance to match—impressing us with its heat conduction and ease of stirring and cleaning. It's also the most competitively priced of the sauciers we tested, and a perfect fit for those who prioritize both form and function. We also recommend the Great Jones Little Saucy, which is the best mini saucier we tested.

Key Specs

• Capacity: 3 quarts
• Weight: 3 pounds, 0.5 ounce  
• Diameter: 8.5 inches
• Temperature range: Up to 500°F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

A Great Budget Nonstick SKillet

Tramontina Professional Fusion 10-Inch Nonstick Frying Pan

$60 $40 at Amazon View on Walmart $40 at Target

We don’t use nonstick skillets all that often, but if you’re going to have one, it should work well without breaking the bank. This Tramontina is well-priced, features a padded handle for comfort and stability, and delivers impressive results.

Key Specs

• Weight: 1 pound, 5 ounces
• Temperature range: Up to 400°F
• Induction-friendly?: No
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe; hand-washing recommended

The Best Budget Cast Iron Grill Pan

Victoria Cast Iron Square Grill Pan

$25 $16 at Amazon View on Walmart $38 $16 at Macy's

Love grilled veggies but don’t have the setup or time for an outdoor grill? It’s time to try a grill pan, and the Victoria is a top-performing pan at a great value. Among the 10 grill pans we tested, this one stood out for its lightweight build and seamless cooking process. Thanks to an efficient design, food glides easily off the grates, while still achieving nice, deep char marks.  

Key Specs

• Weight: 5 pounds
• Material: Cast iron
• Number of grates: 12
• Temperature range: Up to 650° F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: No

The Best Budget-Friendly Braiser

Crock Pot Artisan Enameled Cast Iron Braiser

$100 $56 at Amazon $69 at Home Depot $59 at Wayfair

Sporting generously sized looped handles and a cooking surface comparable to the Le Creuset (though on the smaller size for a 5-quart braiser), this is a great, low-cost option that comes in a handful of fun colors. While its durability isn’t on par with Le Creuset or Staub, its affordability makes it a great pick—it’s $235 less than the Le Creuset and $305 less than the Staub.

Key Specs

• Weight: 14 pounds, 12.5 ounces
• Dimensions: 15 x 12 x 5 inches
• Capacity: 5 quarts
• Temperature range: Up to 500° F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Care instructions: Hand-wash recommended

The Best Budget Stockpot

Vigor 12-Quart Aluminum Clad Stainless Steel Stockpot

View on Webstaurant Store

We recently tested stockpots, and this dependable pot was one of our favorites. Efficient and well designed, the pot includes very wide handles that are comfortable to hold, even with an oven mitt on. It's much lighter than most of the other winning stockpots we tested, but it didn't scorch vegetables at all.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 11.5 x 13.75 x 7.25 inches
• Capacity: 12 quarts
• Materials: 18-22 gauge stainless steel body with 4mm aluminum-clad bottom
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Budget Stainless Steel Skillet

Tramontina 12-Inch Stainless Steel Skillet

$70 $50 at Amazon $50 at Home Depot

This stainless steel skillet tested well across the board, effortlessly searing chicken breasts, sautéing vegetables, and deglazing with ease. The price seems to fluctuate a bit, but it’s usually under $50, making it a great choice for home cooks of all levels. 

Key Specs

• Oven-safe temperature: Up to 500°F
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: Yes

The Best Budget Dutch Oven

Lodge EC6D33 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

$100 at Amazon View on Walmart $130 at Home Depot

Priced at a fraction of the cost of the premium French brands, the Lodge Dutch Oven is an excellent value, emerging as a standout performer among the 18 Dutch ovens we tested. It's a roomy 6 quarts (plenty large enough for braising, making soup, and baking bread), browned foods nicely, and doesn't weigh too much.

Key Specs

• Dimensions: 13.5 x 7.3 inches
• Capacity: 6 quarts
• Weight: 12 pounds, 8 ounces
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Care instructions: Dishwasher-safe; hand-washing recommended

The Best Budget-Friendly Wok

Joyce Chen Carbon Steel Wok

$40 $27 at Amazon $70 at Macy's $33 at Wayfair

After a quick pre-seasoning, this wok proved itself to be a true kitchen workhorse. Compared to the other woks we tested, its nonstick properties are unparalleled—the only pan from our testing that produced unbroken, unstuck fried eggs. With its generous capacity, it quickly became our go-to pan for tossing bok choy and garlic fried rice, while also boiling water in under nine minutes—securing the second-fastest time of the 11 woks we tested. A thoughtfully designed wooden handle and a helper handle means no singed fingers, and peace of mind with every sauté and stir. 

Key Specs

• Diameter: 13.5 inches
• Weight: 3 pounds, 4.1 ounces
• Comes pre-seasoned?: No
• Induction-friendly?: Yes
• Dishwasher-safe: No

FAQs

What’s the best cookware for the money? 

We’re partial to cookware that does it all, and for us, that’s cast iron—few options rival the versatility and enduring appeal of a cast iron skillet. The more you use it, the better it gets, and Lodge’s affordable basic cast iron skillet has been one of our most recommended pieces of kitchenware for years and years. 

Why don’t nonstick pans last? 

Nonstick pans have their limitations. Yes, they can be convenient, but the reality is that their surfaces are not built to last forever; they will chip, scratch, and show other signs of wear and tear. This is exactly why we suggest buying cheaper nonstick cookware (and why our top pick is around just $50). If you’re using a nonstick pan often, you can expect to replace it every couple of years. You’ll know it’s time to say goodbye to the pan when it loses its nonstick qualities, the finish begins to flake off, or it becomes deeply scratched.

Where can you find cheap pots and pans?

Buying pots and pans second-hand is a great way to score a deal. We recommend sticking to stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel pans if you're buying used. And P.S.: Yes, you can restore rusty cast iron pans to a like-new state.

Why We’re the Experts

• Caroline Schnapp has written for Serious Eats since 2024.
• We’ve tested and published numerous reviews on pots and pans (including Dutch ovens, skillets and sauté pans).
• For this story, we referenced our extensive library of cookware reviews, choosing pots and pans that outperformed the competition, on a budget.