Made In Cookware Review: Is it Worth The Hype?

Made In produces diverse cookware that can be used in different cooking styles by anyone. This company claims a lot of benefits that could possibly justify the price of its pots and pans. But, how does it truly compare to some of our favored cookware brands?

In this Made In review, I will cover in detail the pros and cons of this brand, its unique technologies, the type of cookware construction it relies on, and much more to see whether or not it is worth the money.

Quick Summary

What is Made In

Made In was founded in 2016 by Jake Kalick and Chip Malt. It is a United-stated based company that works with several factories within Europe where it crafts most of its cookware, mainly in France and Italy.

Made In aims to create different types of cookware that can deliver promising performance using various materials such as nonstick, stainless steel, copper, and carbon steel to meet the demands and expectations of both home cooks and professional chefs.

Pros of Made In Cookware

• Amazing Induction compatibility. Putting aside the copper cookware, Made In succeeded in crafting numerous cookware that can deliver superior performance on any heat source including induction cooktops.
• Safe nonstick coating. Similar to several cookware brands, Made In does not disclose any sort of information about the nature of its nonstick layer which makes me a bit concerned about the quality and longevity of the coating. Regardless, it is PFOA-free and safe to cook with.
• Great heat tolerance. This brand produces pots and pans that can easily secure outstanding heat tolerance. For instance, the five-ply stainless clad cookware can endure up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, while the carbon steel pans can reach up to 1200 degrees.

Cons of Made In Cookware

• Extra maintenance work. Carbon steel pans require extra care and maintenance work. The natural coating generated from patina and seasoning can easily be stripped if not properly taken care of.
• Fewer nonstick layers. Well-known brands use their unique systems to coat nonstick cookware with at least three high-quality nonstick layers to secure smooth surfaces with great durability. However, in Made In’s case, It uses its “Made Slick” technology to coat its pans with only two layers which are in my humble opinion, not enough.
• Limited warranty time. This company offers a lifetime warranty for all its cookware except the nonstick collection which comes with just one year warranty. Undeniably, the nonstick coatings will degrade over time however, high-quality cookware is expected to last for around 5 years without losing its qualities.
• Poor customer service. Made In’s customer service is not quite good compared to popular brands such as Demeyere and All-Clad. Especially, when you try to use the warranty to get a refund or a replacement for your cookware that has some sort of defects.

What Makes Made In a Top Brand?

Reliable Cookware Construction

Made In relies on different construction methods using various materials (copper; stainless steel; nonstick; and carbon steel) to produce its collections. Among all the methods, there are two in particular that made this brand earn its fame: carbon steel and the 5-ply constructions.

This brand managed to create hybrid pans that combine the features of cast iron, stainless steel, and nonstick through its carbon steel construction. The produced cookware has superior heat control ability allowing the pan to heat up and cool down rapidly despite the heat setting.

This type of cookware is designed with superb heat tolerance to ensure that every piece can withstand higher temperature degrees with ease.

As for the 5-ply construction, which is basically a combination of several layers of different materials. Made In depends greatly on it to craft its high-end stainless steel cookware.

It starts with layers of aluminum that are considered the core of the cookware which serves to improve both durability and heat conductivity. Then, a high-grade ferritic 430 that’s used as the base to give the cookware the compatibility it needs to work perfectly on induction and electric coil stoves without losing any of its qualities. Lastly, there is a layer of 304, 18/10 stainless steel which is applied to the interior to make sure the surface has a high corrosion and rust resistance for safe and healthy cooking.

RELATED: Best Cookware for Electric Coil Stoves

Balanced Design

Made In tries to balance its cookware between stunning design and high performance. It designs most of its pots and pans to be a bit shallower with inclined edges, lower sidewalls, and smaller surfaces compared to other brands.

The shallow design serves to reduce some of the weight acquired from the five-ply construction making every pan a bit easier to handle for the average person. While the inclined edges help you slide and pour your cooking off the pan or even toss them around effortlessly.

Similar to most induction cookware, Made In adds a magnetic base to its pans and pots to make sure every cookware is induction compatible.

This design has many upsides that could facilitate your cooking chores. However, there is one big flaw in it that I wish Made In would consider improving, and that is the small surface.  The lower sidewalls make the surface looks smaller than it should be.

The surface does not accommodate for a large amount of food, and It is not evenly polished which causes the oil sometimes to run to the end of the sides.

Different Types of Surfaces

Made In crafts different types of surfaces depending on the cookware model. It features stainless steel, nonstick, and carbon steel interiors.

For the stainless steel collection, this brand crafts brushed 304, 18/10 surfaces that can ensure superior rust and corrosion resistance for safe, healthy cooking. However, since the interior is still pure stainless steel, cleaning can be sometimes annoying and time-consuming.

For the nonstick collection, Made In does not provide any information related to the pretreatment and the nature of their nonstick coating. Nevertheless, this brand coats the surfaces with just two layers of all-American PTFE coating that’s PFOA-free using its Made Slick technology. Overall, the coating is FDA certified and 65 compliant which makes it completely safe to cook with.

For carbon steel pans, this brand relies on the natural nonstick layer that can be obtained through seasoning and fat. With proper care, you can expect great smooth quality from this natural coating within roughly 4 or 6 weeks of daily use. However, the coating can easily be stripped if not handled the right way.

Here are the seven things that you must avoid to preserve the quality of your seasoned layer:

1. Do not use metal utensils.
2. Do not use a dishwasher.
3. Do not cook acidic foods.
4. Do not cook in high heat.
5. Do not leave them in water.
6. Dry your pans immediately after every cleaning.
7. Always reseason your pan after every use.

Handles

Made In creates oversized handles with a flat shape design and too much curve that forces you to raise your elbow to pick up the cookware. the flat shape makes the cookware feel heavier while the length makes it a bit uncomfortable for people with shorter hands.

I’m not quite satisfied with the way this brand crafts the handles. It doesn’t add any great stay-cool features, it simply counts on one open area at the end of the handles to help disperse the heat. Unfortunately, the longer the cookware remains on the stove the warmer the handle will get.

Wide Collections

This brand crafts numerous pots and pans that are categorized in five different collections: stainless clad, nonstick, cast iron, copper, and carbon steel.

Every collection holds individual pieces as well as cookware sets in different sizes which makes it easier for you to find the right cookware for your needs.

For the individual pieces, there is:

• Stainless Steel Saute Pan
• Stainless Steel Frying Pan
• Stainless Steel Saucepan
• Stainless Steel Rondeau
• Stainless Steel Saucier
• Stainless Steel Stock Pot
• Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
• Carbon Steel Frying Pan
• Carbon Steel Grill Pan
• Carbon Steel Wok
• Carbon Steel Roasting Pan
• Carbon Steel Paella Pan
• Nonstick Frying Pan
• Nonstick Saucepan
• Nonstick Saute Pan
• Copper Rondeau
• Copper Saucepan
• Copper Saucier

As for the cookware sets, this brand offers:

• 3-Piece Carbon Steel Set
• 6-Piece Starter Cookware Set
• 6-Piece Copper Set
• 7-Piece Nonstick Set
• 11-Piece Sous Chef Set
• 14-Piece Executive Chef Set

Price

Made In carries a heftier price tag than most brands that prefer to offer a variety of inexpensive cookware. For a better understanding of the cost, here are some examples of Made In’s individual pieces and cookware sets prices:

1. 10-inch Carbon Steel Pan: $79
2. 10-inch In Stainless Steel Frying Pan: $85
3. 10-inch Nonstick Frying Pan: $99
4. 12.5-inch Carbon Steel Wok: $99
5. 4 QT Nonstick Saucepan with Lid: $119
6. 4 QT Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid: $129
7. Carbon Steel Roasting Pan with Rack: $139
8. 3.5 QT Stainless Steel Saute Pan: $139
9. 3.5 QT Nonstick Saute Pan: $149
10. The Starter 6-Piece Cookware Set: $389
11. The Sous Chef 11-Piece Cookware Set: $659
12. The Executive Chef 14-Piece Cookware Set: $899

Made In Alternatives

Made In started to compete with renowned brands in different markets in order to build a name for its brand and to earn the trust of every cook. There are several companies that produce the same types of cookware as Made In without adding any extra features which makes it a bit difficult to choose between them. That being said, there are three brands in particular that either offers outstanding cookware that could last for a lifetime or deliver the same quality and features as Made In but at a lower price.

All-Clad

When it comes to the stainless steel category, there isn’t a situation where I would choose Made In over All-Clad. This brand offers fully bonded cookware that can deliver superior heat performance for a lifetime. Here is a detailed Made In vs All-Clad comparison where I have covered the nitty-gritty of these two brands.

Misen

Similar to Made In, Misen uses different materials to produce various cookware that can deliver the performance you need without breaking the bank. The majority of its cookware is under $100, however, they are replaceable over time. Read this full comparison between Misen and Made In for more information about their pros & cons and their unique features.

Viking

Viking is one of few underrated cookware brands that aims to perfect the quality of its products to satisfy the needs of professional chefs. You can expect unmatched performance with great durability from Viking cookware.

Made In Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Made In cookware made?

Made In crafts its cookware in both United States and Europe (France and Italy). For instance, carbon steel and nonstick pans are crafted in different factories in Italy and France. While stainless steel cookware’s production is divided between the United States and Italy.

Where to buy Made In cookware?

You can buy Made In pots and pans directly from their website (madeincookware.com) or simply on Amazon (like this cookware).

Is Made In cookware toxic?

Made In pots and pans are free from any harmful chemicals, they are produced without lead to comply with the federal regulation. The nonstick pans on the other hand feature a PTFE coating free from PFOA which makes them one of the best non-toxic cookware that you can use.

Made In Stainless Steel Cookware Comparison

Made In Cookware Review: The Final Verdict

Made In is a great cookware brand that produces diverse cookware that can deliver the performance you need to cook almost any recipe. However, considering the overall price of every piece, there are other options that will provide you with the same quality if not better at a lower price.