Two exact examples
| Difference | HexClad Hybrid 12-piece set, TerraBond | Made In Stainless Clad 10-piece set |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Hybrid | Stainless clad |
| Cooking surface | TerraBond ceramic nonstick with stainless pattern | stainless steel |
| Included shapes | Skillet; Skillet; Skillet; Saucepan; Saucepan; Stockpot | Skillet; Skillet; Saucepan; Saucepan; Saucier; Stockpot |
| Supplied lids | 6 | 4 |
| Pan oven limit | 900 °F | 800 °F |
| Dishwasher | Dishwasher safe | Dishwasher safe; the maker recommends handwashing |
| Induction | Works on induction | Works on induction |
What you cook on
HexClad's hybrid pans have a hexagon pattern of raised stainless steel over a ceramic nonstick coating it calls TerraBond, on a three-layer body. Eggs and fish release more easily than from bare steel. Made In's Stainless Clad is five layers of bonded metal with bare stainless inside: food sticks until the pan is hot and the food has browned, and there's no coating to wear out.
Care and heat
The two are closer here than most pairs. Both allow metal utensils and the dishwasher; Made In suggests washing by hand. HexClad rates its pans to 900°F in the oven and its glass lids to 400°F, and asks you to season a new pan with a teaspoon of oil. Made In rates its stainless to 800°F and gives no separate lid figure. Both work on induction and carry a lifetime warranty: HexClad's covers manufacturing defects, Made In's covers its Stainless Clad line.
What the sets hold
HexClad's 12-piece set is six pans and six lids: 8-, 10- and 12-inch frying pans, 2- and 3-quart saucepans and an 8-quart stockpot. Made In's 10-piece set is six pans and four lids: 8- and 10-inch frying pans, 2- and 4-quart saucepans, a 3-quart saucier and an 8-quart stockpot. HexClad gives you a 12-inch pan for family meals; Made In gives you the rounded saucier for sauces and risotto.
Which one to buy
Choose HexClad if you cook a lot of eggs and fish and want a pan that forgives. Choose Made In if you sear, deglaze and make pan sauces and want plain steel that lasts for decades with basic care, crafted in Italy. A common middle way is a stainless set plus one nonstick pan for eggs.
How these comparisons are made
Questions about this choice
Is HexClad better than stainless steel?
Not better, different. HexClad releases food more easily than bare stainless and allows metal utensils, but it has a coating that can wear. Bare stainless like Made In's has nothing to wear off and browns food well.
Which one is easier to clean?
Both may go in the dishwasher. Food wipes off HexClad's coated surface more easily; stuck-on food in bare stainless lifts with a soak and a stainless cleaner, which Made In suggests for its pans.