Two exact examples
| Difference | All-Clad D3 Stainless 10-piece set | All-Clad HA1 Expert Nonstick 10-piece set |
|---|---|---|
| Construction | Stainless clad | Nonstick |
| Cooking surface | stainless steel | PTFE nonstick |
| Included shapes | Skillet; Skillet; Saucepan; Saucepan; Sauté pan; Stockpot | Skillet; Skillet; Saucepan; Saucepan; Sauté pan; Stockpot |
| Supplied lids | 4 | 4 |
| Pan oven limit | 600 °F | 500 °F |
| Empty total weight | 25.9 lb (entire set) | 21.52 lb (entire set) |
| Dishwasher | Hand wash only | Dishwasher safe; the maker recommends handwashing |
| Induction | Works on induction | Works on induction |
What each one is
Clad stainless steel is steel around an aluminum core, bare on the cooking surface. Hard-anodized cookware is aluminum whose surface has been hardened in an acid bath with an electric current, and most of it has a nonstick coating inside, usually PTFE. So this is really a choice between bare steel and a coated pan. All-Clad makes both: D3 stainless and HA1 hard-anodized nonstick.
All-Clad's D3 and HA1 side by side
D3 goes in the oven to 600°F, broiler included, and is hand wash only. HA1 goes to 500°F, with glass lids to 350°F, wants silicone, nylon or wooden tools, and may go in the dishwasher, though All-Clad suggests soap and a sponge to keep the nonstick working. Both work on induction; HA1 does it through a stainless steel base on its aluminum.
How they cook and last
Food sticks to stainless until the pan and the fat are properly hot, but that's also what browns meat and leaves the bits for a pan sauce, and with no coating to protect, stainless takes the heat a sear needs. A hard-anodized nonstick pan releases eggs and fish with little fat, but the coating wants moderate heat and wears with use; the anodized body outlasts it. Made In says stainless pots and pans last for decades, even with the bare minimum of care.
Which one to buy
Choose stainless for most of your pans: skillets for searing, saucepans, a sauté pan and a stockpot. Add one hard-anodized nonstick skillet for eggs, pancakes and fish, and expect to replace it when food starts to stick. The nonstick pan lasts longer when it never has to sear.
How these comparisons are made
Questions about this choice
Is hard-anodized better than stainless steel?
For eggs and easy cleanup, a hard-anodized nonstick pan is. For searing, high heat, metal utensils and a pan that lasts, stainless is. Most kitchens use both.
Can hard-anodized cookware go in the dishwasher?
It depends on the maker. All-Clad allows it for HA1 but suggests washing by hand to keep the nonstick working; other makers say hand wash only, so check the page for your pan.
Does hard-anodized cookware work on induction?
Only with a magnetic steel base, like All-Clad's HA1. Aluminum on its own isn't magnetic.