Wearever Cookware – A Detailed Review for 2023

Cooking delicious meals starts with having quality cookware in your kitchen. When it’s time to upgrade your pots and pans, you’ll find lots of options to choose from. One brand that delivers a good combination of value and performance is Wearever.

Wearever has been producing cookware in the USA since the 1940s. They offer a range of cookware materials to suit different cooking needs and budgets. In this extensive Wearever cookware review, we’ll cover all you need to know about their various product lines. You’ll learn about the construction quality, heating performance, ease of use and cleaning, durability, prices and more.

We’ll also see how Wearever cookware compares to competing brands. Let’s dive in!

Wearever Ceramic Cookware

Ceramic cookware has grown in popularity in recent years as a non-stick alternative to traditional Teflon or PTFE coated pans. Wearever offers a few ceramic coated cookware lines:

Ceramic Coating Overview

• The ceramic coating is derived from sand and made free of PTFE/PFOA
• Provides excellent non-stick properties while still being safe if ingested
• Naturally inert surface prevents food from sticking

Wearever Ceramic Cookware Lines

Wearever’s ceramic cookware is available in:

• Frying pans in 8″, 10″, 12″ sizes
• Saucepans with lids in 1qt, 1.5qt, 2qt, 3qt
• Stock pots with lids in 5qt, 6qt, 8qt
• Grill pans and skillets
• A selection of ceramic bakeware

Construction Quality

• Aluminum core encapsulated along the bottom for even heating
• Stainless steel base plate for stability and durability
• Ventilated tempered glass lids fit tightly to lock in heat and moisture
• Riveted silicone handles stay cool while cooking

Heating Performance

• Aluminum core gets hot quickly and distributes heat evenly
• No hot spots like with lower quality ceramic cookware

Ease of Use

• Excellent non-stick release for cooking eggs, fish, and other delicate foods
• Can use metal utensils without damaging the ceramic coating
• Easy to clean by hand or dishwasher safe

Durability

• Ceramic coating rated to last 8x longer than traditional non-stick coatings
• Naturally scratch-resistant surface
• Handles are firmly riveted for secure attachment
• Tempered glass lids resist breaking

Pricing

• MSRP from $40 for a 8″ fry pan up to $180 for an 8qt stock pot
• Frequently on sale prices 30-50% lower than MSRP

Pros and Cons

Pros

• Non-stick cooking without PTFE/PFOAs
• Heats evenly and quickly
• Easy cleanup
• Long lasting ceramic coating

Cons

• Prone to staining from highly pigmented foods
• Not as durable as stainless steel overall

Wearever Stainless Steel Cookware

For cooks who prefer traditional stainless steel, Wearever has several high quality lines available:

Stainless Steel Overview

• Made from steel alloyed with chromium and nickel
• Rust and corrosion resistant for durability
• Naturally non-reactive surface

Wearever Stainless Lines

• Wearever Accent – budget friendly 3-ply clad stainless
• Wearever Royal – commercial grade 5-ply stainless steel
• Wearever Element – disc-bottom stainless with aluminum core

Construction Quality

• Multi-ply and disc-bottom models have aluminum cores for even heating
• Brushed stainless exterior is easy to clean and polish
• Riveted stainless or cast steel handles for durability

Heating Performance

• Aluminum core models provide fast, even heating with no hot spots
• Suitable for all cooktops including induction

Ease of Use

• Not as non-stick as ceramic, but can be used with oil or non-stick sprays
• Dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
• Oven and broiler safe

Durability

• Lifetime warranty against defects
• Strong stainless steel exterior resists dents
• Tight-fitting lids seal in moisture and nutrients

Pricing

• MSRP from $70 for basic fry pans up to $300 for higher-end stock pots
• Often discounted 20-40% below MSRP at major retailers

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Classic stainless steel appeal
• Even heating performance
• Searing and browning of meats
• Lifetime durability

Cons:

• Not non-stick
• Can be prone to sticking without proper preheating

Wearever Aluminum Cookware

In addition to stainless steel, Wearever uses heavy-gauge aluminum to produce affordable basic cookware:

Aluminum Overview

• Affordable metal that heats quickly and evenly
• Lightweight compared to other metals

Wearever Aluminum Cookware

• Available in stock pots, sauce pots, frying pans, and more
• Suitable for electric, gas, glass top ranges
• Ventilated tempered glass lids

Construction Quality

• Heavy gauge aluminum up to 3mm thick
• Riveted stainless steel handles stay cool while cooking

Heating Performance

• Aluminum heats rapidly and evenly across the pan

Ease of Use

• Fairly stick resistant with oil or non-stick spray
• Easy to clean by hand or dishwasher

Durability

• Prone to warping or denting if overheated
• Lacquer exterior finish can chip over time

Pricing

• MSRP from $20 for basic fry pan up to $60 for large stock pots
• Routinely discounted 30-50% below MSRP

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Fast, even heating
• Very affordable pricing
• Lightweight

Cons:

• Less durable than stainless steel
• Can warp if overheated
• Sticks without ample oil/grease

Wearever Hard Anodized Cookware

Hard anodized aluminum is known for its durability and performance. Wearever offers a couple hard anodized lines:

Hard Anodized Aluminum Overview

• Aluminum is hardened through an electrochemical process
• Creates a dark, non-stick surface that’s highly durable
• Excellent heat conduction while being non-reactive

Wearever Hard Anodized Lines

• Wearever Ceramcor – ceramic coated hard anodized cookware
• Wearever Healthy Living – PTFE-free hard anodized

Construction Quality

• Hard anodized aluminum core up to 4mm thick
• Riveted cast stainless steel handles for durability
• Ventilated tempered glass lids

Heating Performance

• Hard anodized aluminum offers rapid, even heating

Ease of Use

• Ceramic and PTFE-free coatings provide non-stick cooking
• Easy to clean by hand or dishwasher-safe

Durability

• Extremely durable, scratch-resistant surface
• Hard anodized construction prevents warping
• Long-lasting ceramic or Whitford PTFE-free coatings

Pricing

• MSRP from $50 for fry pan up to $250 for large pots
• Can find on sale for 25-40% off MSRP

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Very durable and scratch-resistant
• Excellent non-stick properties
• Heats evenly and rapidly

Cons:

• Heavy compared to stainless steel
• Costs more than basic aluminum

Detailed Comparison of Wearever Cookware Lines

Now that we’ve covered Wearever’s main cookware lines individually, let’s compare them across some key criteria:

Construction Quality

• The stainless steel and hard anodized lines are the most durable constructions
• Aluminum is prone to denting and warping
• Ceramic has good aluminum cores but coatings can chip over time

Heating Performance

• The aluminum, hard anodized, and clad stainless all heat quickly and evenly
• Solid stainless steel tends to heat unevenly

Ease of Use

• Ceramic cookware is the easiest to use thanks to its non-stick surface
• Hard anodized is a close second for non-stick properties
• Stainless steel is prone to sticking without ample oil/grease

Durability

• Hard anodized offers the best durability and scratch resistance
• Stainless steel is also highly durable over many years
• Aluminum and ceramic have shorter lifespans overall

Style

• Stainless steel has a classic, professional aesthetic
• Hard anodized and ceramic offer more colorful, contemporary styling

Price

• Aluminum is the most budget friendly choice
• Hard anodized and ceramic have mid-range pricing
• Stainless steel is the most expensive

Wearever Cookware Compared to the Competition

We’ve seen how Wearever’s cookware lines stack up against each other, now let’s see how they compare to competing brands:

Ceramic Cookware

Wearever ceramic cookware offers similar performance to brands like GreenPan and Carote at a more budget-friendly price point. More premium ceramic lines from GreenLife and GreenPan Reserve outperform Wearever’s ceramic offerings in terms of durability and non-stick longevity.

Stainless Steel Cookware

Wearever stainless steel cookware provides good quality and value, but falls short of premium brands like All-Clad, Calphalon Tri-Ply and Cuisinart Multiclad Pro in terms of polished cooking performance, durability, and style. Wearever is comparable to mid-range lines from Tramontina and Cuisinart.

Aluminum Cookware

Wearever’s basic aluminum cookware gets the job done for very affordable prices. But it can’t match the performance of higher end aluminum brands like All-Clad HA1 or Calphalon Contemporary.

Hard Anodized Cookware

Wearever’s hard anodized cookware follows behind leading hard anodized brands like Calphalon Signature and Circulon Momentum in terms of construction quality, longevity, and ease of use. But it offers savings over the premium brands.

Wearever Cookware Pros and Cons

Pros of Wearever Cookware:

• Generally affordable pricing across all product lines
• Good variety of materials including ceramic, stainless, aluminum
• Classic styles and aesthetics fit most kitchen decors
• Very good durability from stainless steel and hard anodized lines
• Innovative use of ceramic non-stick coatings

Cons of Wearever Cookware:

• Quality not on par with high-end brands like All-Clad and Le Creuset
• Ceramic coatings unlikely to last the advertised 8x longer than Teflon
• Aluminum is reactive and can warp over time with improper use
• Minimal lifetime warranty compared to other brands

Wearever Cookware Rating

Overall, I give Wearever cookware a rating of 4 out of 5 stars.

Wearever delivers very good performance and value for the affordable to moderate price points. While it can’t match premium brands in quality and cooking performance, it outperforms other budget-friendly options.

The variety of materials available at reasonable prices makes Wearever a good choice for cooks that want quality cookware without breaking the bank. Their ceramic and hard anodized lines offer innovative options.

Conclusion and Recommendations

To summarize, Wearever cookware provides quality cooking performance across a range of product lines and materials. While not as polished as the top brands, Wearever excels at offering good value for money based on affordable pricing and frequent sales.

For most home cooks, I’d recommend considering Wearever’s hard anodized or stainless steel cookware first, as they offer the best blend of durability, cooking performance and reasonable prices. Their ceramic non-stick is also a good option for eggs and delicate foods. Avoid the basic aluminum line unless you need absolute rock bottom pricing.

Wearever cookware can be purchased directly from the Wearever site, as well as major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Kohl’s and Macy’s. Be sure to check for sales around major holidays for the best deals.

Overall, Wearever cookware will reliably meet the needs of most home kitchens. While not the flashiest, their affordable pricing and variety of material options make Wearever a cookware brand to consider.