This roomy pan became our first choice for so many different reasons during the testing process that we just had to pick it as our all-round favourite. Whether it was a Saturday morning fry up with beautifully crispy bacon, nicely browned sausages and eggs that just slid off the pan, a mid-week meal of crispy-skinned chicken thighs, or a Friday night treat of perfectly cooked steaks, the Stellar did the job.

The 18/10 stainless steel construction, triple layered Teflon coating (free of potentially harmful PFOA chemicals) and thick ‘hot forged’ base delivered even heat and a premium feel beyond the price point. The silicon soft grip stay-cool handle felt good to hold and enabled safe transfer from hob to oven (the pan is safe up to 180C). At 7cm high, the pan has enough depth to make it suitable for paella or a ragu, too. The non-stick coating made the pan especially easy to clean by hand, but it can also go in the dishwasher. With a 10-year guarantee, we expect the Stellar to be our go-to pan for years to come.

If you’re looking for great value but don’t want to sacrifice on style, this 1950s-inspired pan set fits the bill. With their retro ribbed design, the 16cm, 18cm and 20cm saucepans and 20cm and 28cm frying pans looked great and performed beyond their relatively low price point. The ceramic non-stick coating worked like a dream, too. We particularly loved the 28cm frying pan, which produced beautifully crispy bacon and was the perfect size and shape for a family-sized chorizo frittata that just slid out of the pan onto the plate. We used the saucepans for everything from boiling potatoes (the tempered glass lids meant we could cover the pan to bring it up to temperature quickly, while keeping an eye on things to ensure it didn’t boil over), to making a spicy tomato sauce and found that they heated quickly and evenly and were responsive to changes in temperature.

On the downside, the pans are not oven-proof or dishwasher-proof, although, they were very easy to clean by hand. The pressed aluminium construction may not be quite as robust and durable as the other more expensive pans reviewed and the Bakelite handles, though nicely designed and comfortable to use, looked less than premium (we also found we needed to use a cloth to safely lift the lids as the lid handles became hot after a while). However, we thoroughly enjoyed cooking with this set, which met our everyday cooking needs with ease.

The non-stick coating of this smart-looking pan is so smooth and effective that it should probably come with a hazard warning, at least for the ingredients that slip and slide over its mirror-like surface. Green Pan is rightfully proud of what it calls its “thermolon infinity professional ceramic non-stick coating”, which is free from PFAS chemicals that are potentially harmful to the environment. It’s also scratch-resistant and extremely easy to clean.

At 5mm thick, the aluminium and stainless-steel constructed pan felt pleasingly weighty and robust, yet easy to handle and heated up evenly and efficiently. The 2.1l pan and glass lid are oven-safe up to 200C, making the pan perfect for starting a stew on the hob and finishing off in the oven. A pot in the shape of a giant cherry-red, beefsteak tomato might not sound like the most sensible addition to your kitchen but hear us out. Yes, it’s a head-turning piece of cookware that will look fabulous on your dinner table, but it’s practical, too. The cast iron construction is not only hard-wearing and scratch-resistant, it can be heated to high temperatures, too, which enabled us to achieve a great sear on some lamb for a curry. Once the snug-fitting lid was on (we loved the stalk-shaped handle) and the heat reduced, the cocotte retained an even all-round heat and sealed in the juices and aromas to produce a fantastic end result. We got even better results finishing off a stew in the oven (the cocotte is safe to use up to 260C) and the 2.5l capacity meant we could cook for a crowd.

Although the cocotte is dishwasher-safe, it does take up a lot of room, so we preferred to hand wash it, and it took little effort to get it looking pristine again. The only downside is the cocotte is so enjoyable to use that you may only ever cook stews, casseroles and braises, but a lifetime of delicious, easy-to-prepare and economical dishes doesn’t sound too bad to us. Bring some Italian style into your kitchen, with this eye-catching Art Deco-ish retro casserole. It’s not just about the good looks, though – this is a high-quality and useful piece of kitchen kit. Constructed from aluminium, the casserole feels light, but the multi-layered thickened base ensures fast and even heat distribution. The non-stick coating worked a treat and we hardly needed to add any oil when browning meat.

Heat resistant up to 250C, the casserole is perfect for its traditional use of slow-cooked stews and braises that you can start on the hob and finish in the oven (the easy-to-grip double handles make transferring the pan safe and simple). The rounded bowl design and roomy 4.6l capacity made it ideal for stir-frying, too, and we’d happily cook a risotto in it or use it to boil or blanch vegetables.