High-quality cookware helps you cook delicious dishes. It’s even better when the highest quality cookware is also dishwasher-safe. The best dishwasher safe pots and pans let you enjoy the fun part, cooking, and then let your dishwasher do the hard part, the cleanup after.
We’ll share our four favorites for the best sets of dishwasher safe pots and pans a little later in this article. But first, let’s take a look at everything you need to know to make great choices of the best dishwasher safe pots and pans.
Table of contents
- Saving Money on the Best Dishwasher Safe Pots and Pans
- Which Types of Cookware are Dishwasher Safe?
- Which Pots and Pans Do You Need?
- Five Great Choices for the Best Dishwasher Safe Pots and Pans
- Calphalon Classic Hard-Anodized Nonstick Pots and Pans, 10-Piece Cookware Set
- Cuisinart MCP-12N MultiClad Pro Triple Ply 12-Piece Cookware Set, PC, Silver
- GreenLife Soft Grip Healthy Ceramic Nonstick 16 Piece Cookware Pots and Pans Set, PFAS-Free, Dishwasher Safe, Turquoise
- All-Clad E785SB64 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware Set, Pots and Pans Set, 13 Piece, Black
- Scanpan HaptIQ 13 Piece Stainless Steel Nonstick Cookware Set
- Summary
Saving Money on the Best Dishwasher Safe Pots and Pans
You will nearly always save money when you buy a set of cookware for your kitchen, rather than buying the pieces individually. But there are other factors to consider in finding the best values for building your cookware collection, such as choosing the materials that best meet your needs, and cooking style.
As you may have discovered from buying dishwasher proof steak knives, a large set at a low price usually doesn’t denote quality. Expect to pay more for pots and pans that will become part of your home for a long time.
Which Types of Cookware are Dishwasher Safe?
Common materials for pots and pans include aluminum, cast iron, copper, and stainless steel. Each material impacts the price, and affects how you will use your cookware for years to come. The material used also determines whether or not the pots and pans are dishwasher safe.
Aluminum Pots and Pans (uncoated)
Aluminum is a great conductor of heat. Food will heat up faster in pots and pans made of aluminum than it will in pots and pans made of cast iron. If you want water to heat up and boil quickly, aluminum is excellent. Other advantage of aluminum pots and pans is that they are inexpensive and lightweight – which is definitely an advantage if you have a large pot.
There are a few downsides of (uncoated) aluminum pots and pans. The first is that they scratch and dent easily. Second, Aluminum reacts with acidic foods, and leaches into food. Acidic foods like lemon curd or spaghetti sauce will have a metallic taste if cooked in aluminum. Third, aluminum pots and pans are not dishwasher safe. Dishwasher detergent is alkaline, and will react with aluminum causing corrosion. This will result in pitting, and the formation different oxides and compounds that cause white or black stains on the aluminum. The corrosion residue may then transfer to your food. Yuk!
Are Aluminum Pans Dishwasher Safe?
No, aluminum pots and pans are not dishwasher safe.
Can you put aluminum pots in the dishwasher?
Do not put them in the dishwasher. Wash aluminum pots and pans by hand.
Anodized Aluminum
Anodized aluminum cookware is aluminum cookware that has been electrically treated in a controlled manner create a hard oxide surface. The process takes advantage of aluminum’s reactive nature by controlling the metal corrosion and oxidation, and turning it into something useful. Anodized aluminum is non-stick, and durable. It resists scratches, dents, and corrosion. Since the material underneath the coating is aluminum metal, the pots heat quickly, and they are lightweight.
Depending on the manufacturer and the product line, however, the cookware may or may not be dishwasher safe. For example, look at the photo below. While the pot is anodized, the handle rivet is not, and corroded when it went through the dishwasher.
Is Anodized Aluminum Dishwasher Safe?
Some anodized aluminum pans are dishwasher safe. Others are not.
Can you put Anodized Aluminum in the Dishwasher?
Refer to the manufacturer instructions for your particular set to find out if the piece can be put in the dishwasher. When in doubt, handwashing is always safe.
Cast Iron Pots and Pans
Cast iron gets hot slowly on the stove. Once your cast iron pot, pan, or skillet is hot, however, it will stay hot for a long time, even after you turn the burner off.
Cast iron doesn’t scratch or dent easily. It is so durable that it is often passed down from one generation to the next. And it is not especially expensive.
However, cast iron is highly reactive with acidic foods, like tomatoes. It can get rusty. Seasoning cast iron pots and pans by rubbing them with a thin coating of oil and then baking them on the middle rack of your oven at 375° will prevent rusting and pitting and give you a more non-stick surface.
Sometimes cast iron pots and pans have an enameled interior surface. This makes them easier to clean, but they will take longer to heat up.
Is Cast Iron Dishwasher Safe?
Cast iron that is untreated or seasoned is not dishwasher safe.
Some enameled cast iron is dishwasher safe.
Can you put Cast Iron in the Dishwasher?
Do not put untreated or seasoned cast iron in the dishwasher.
If the cast iron is fully enameled, then check with the manufacturer instructions. Hand washing is usually preferred.
Copper Pots and Pans
Copper is the preferred material for pots and pans by professional chefs. It is very responsive to changes of temperature on gas stoves. It heats quickly, and cools quickly when it is taken off the heat. It is about 75% more thermally conductive than aluminum.
The disadvantage of copper pots and pans is that they are very susceptible to dents and scratches, are expensive, and they react with foods. With very few exceptions (a bowl to whip egg whites, for example), you don’t want copper pots to come directly in contact with food because the copper can leach into the food at unsafe levels. Copper pots and pans are lined with a non reactive layer that contacts the food.
If the exterior of your pots and pans are copper, you need to polish them to keep them looking good. Avoid abrasives and hard scrubbing. Handwashing is required.
Stainless steels pots and pans are often enhanced with copper. You will often find a thin copper layer and the base of pots and pans, which improves their performance. The company All-Clad takes advantage of coppers’ thermal properties by cladding a copper core between two stainless steel layers in some of its sets.
Note that some inexpensive pot sets are copper-colored, have an ultra-thin copper coating, or have just enough copper incorporated into the metal to give the appearance that they are copper. If you read the fine print, you will find that these are not true copper pots and pans.
Is Copper Dishwasher Safe?
Copper is not dishwasher safe.
Can you put Copper in the Dishwasher?
Do not put copper pots and pans in the dishwasher. They must be washed by hand.
Some pots may be copper colored or have a coating over the copper. These types of pans may be able to washed in the dishwasher. Always follow the manufacturer’s use and care instructions.
Ceramic Pots and Pans
Cookware sets that are advertised as ceramic are coated in ceramic, not made from it. The pots and pans are made from aluminum, steel, or stainless steel, and then coated with a non-stick, silicon coating made with a sol-gel process.
These sets range are available in various price ranges. The advantage of these sets is that they are non-stick, non-reactive, and don’t contain PFOA‘s. The disadvantage is the coating wears away over time. The surfaces start out non-stick, but over time with repeated use and washings, become less so.
Is Ceramic cookware Dishwasher Safe?
Ceramic cookware is usually dishwasher safe, but that can vary by manufacturer. Follow the manufacturer’s use and care instructions for the best results.
Can you put Ceramic pots and pans in the Dishwasher?
Generally, you can put ceramics pots and pans in the dishwasher. However hand washing is often recommended to extend the life of the ceramic coating.
Stainless Steel Pots and Pans
Stainless steel pots and pans are beautiful. They look good in your kitchen.
Even better, stainless steel is resistant to dents, scratches, and discoloration. It does not react with acidic foods. All stainless steel pots and pans are dishwasher safe.
However, stainless steel takes a long time to heat. They need a core of aluminum or copper for efficient cooking of foods. The best stainless steel pots and pans will have a core that extends all the way across the bottom. A stainless steel pan that has just a bottom made from copper is less expensive but of lower quality.
Stainless steel pots and pans with aluminum or copper cores are very versatile and suitable for chefs of all skill levels.
Is Stainless Steel cookware Dishwasher Safe?
Yes, stainless steel cookware is dishwasher safe.
Can you put Stainless Steel pots and pans in the Dishwasher?
Stainless steel cookware can be put in the dishwasher. Always follow the manufacturer’s use and care instructions.
Which Pots and Pans Do You Need?
Once you have chosen the material for your pots and pans that works best for you, the next step is to decide which pots and pans you need.
If you don’t cook a lot, or you always cook the same thing, a very basic set would probably cover your cooking needs. If you love to cook, and you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, then a larger set with some specialty pots and pans would probably serve you well. If there are specific pots and pans you need that you cannot find in a set, you can always buy them separately.
Basic Cookware Set
You can cover basic cooking needs with the following collection of pots and pans.
- 10-inch skillet. This pan is large enough to cook breakfast (if you cook a lot of eggs, be sure to get a skillet with a non-stick coating) or to fry a few hamburgers. 12-inch skillet: the perfect size for large-skillet meals or multiple pieces of meat
- 3-quart sauté pan with lid: This is the pan you need for sautéing vegetables and chicken.
- 2-quart saucepan with lid: This pan is the right size for reheating soup.
- 3-quart saucepan with lid: This size is versatile for cooking sides, soups, and sauces.
- 4-quart saucepan with lid: This size is right for cooking vegetables and making large quantities of sauces.
- 8-quart stockpot with lid: This is the size you need for cooking pasta, soups, and stews.
Additional Pieces
Do you cook pot roast? Then you will need a 6-quart Dutch oven. In addition to cooking roasts, Dutch ovens are useful for cooking tender, delicious chicken.
Also helpful is a steamer insert with lid, for making healthy steamed veggies.
Scramble eggs or make grilled cheese sandwiches without a grilled cheese sandwich maker in an 8-inch skillet. Don’t forget the rimmed baking sheet for cookies, and a griddle for bacon, burgers, pancakes, hashed browns and more.
And if you cook Asian food, buy a wok.
Five Great Choices for the Best Dishwasher Safe Pots and Pans
Now for our four top choices for the best dishwasher safe pots and pans:
Calphalon Classic Hard-Anodized Nonstick Pots and Pans, 10-Piece Cookware Set
With 10 pieces every cook can use, this set will also add a distinctive and elegant look to your kitchen with its non-stick finish and brushed stainless steel handles.
Calphalon dishwasher-safe cookware boasts three layers of a nonstick finish that can endure oven temperatures up to 450° F (just don’t put it under the broiler) and endless hot water cycles in your dishwasher. These pots and pans can be used on any stovetop, including glass, ceramic, and halogen. We consider this affordable anodized aluminum set the best basic pots and pans anyone can have.
Cuisinart MCP-12N MultiClad Pro Triple Ply 12-Piece Cookware Set, PC, Silver
This set consists of multi-clad pots and pans. Never heard of multi-clad?
Multi-clad pots and pans are made from layers of different metals that give them a combination of fast heating and long-term durability. This Cuisinart set is made of 18/10 grade stainless steel layers sandwiched between high-quality aluminum. This combination of metals keeps the pots and pans light enough for easy handling but fast-heating enough for everyday cooking.
The polished stainless steel exterior and shiny triple-ply interior of each of these pots and pans, along with their matching, shiny aluminum handles, will give your kitchen a great look.
You can use this dishwasher safe stainless steel cookware on any stove, even an induction unit.
GreenLife Soft Grip Healthy Ceramic Nonstick 16 Piece Cookware Pots and Pans Set, PFAS-Free, Dishwasher Safe, Turquoise
Do you prefer quick cleanup? These ceramic-coated nonstick pots and pans can usually be wiped clean, or they stand up well despite repeated trips through the dishwasher.
The GreenLife soft grip handles distribute weight across the handle so it is easier to move a pan from the stovetop to the oven. The ceramic interiors really aren’t designed for oven use at temperatures over 350° F, but they will never chip, peel, or flake.
All-Clad E785SB64 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware Set, Pots and Pans Set, 13 Piece, Black
All-Clad Cookware isn’t cheap. But once you discover how easy they make cleaning burnt saucepans, you may never want to cook with anything else. The stainless steel bottom makes these pots and pans the ideal choice for induction cooking, and ensures that they will never warp or scratch.
Scanpan HaptIQ 13 Piece Stainless Steel Nonstick Cookware Set
We reviewed Scanpan and other non-stick cookware for their ability to withstand high temperature cooking. Scanpan sets are also dishwasher safe.
Summary
In this article we have reviewed the different materials that pots and pans are made from, and identified which ones are safe to clean in the dishwasher. We have also identified five stellar cookware sets that are dishwasher safe.
Last update on 2023-05-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
