All-Clad vs. Made In (Cookware Comparison) - Prudent Reviews (2024)

Are you shopping for new cookware but can’t decide between All-Clad and Made In?

All-Clad is the well-established pioneer of bonded stainless steel cookware, while Made In is a direct-to-consumer start-up offering premium cookware at affordable prices.

So, which brand should you buy?

In this comparison of All-Clad vs. Made In, you’ll learn how their cookware differs in construction, design, performance, price, and more.

Use the links below to navigate the comparison:

• All-Clad vs. Made In: Key Takeaways
• Product Offerings
• Construction and Materials
• Design
• Heat Test Results
• Cooking Performance
• Where It’s Made
• Oven-Safe Temperatures
• Cooktop Compatibility
• Price
• Overview of All-Clad
• Overview of Made In
• Pros, Cons, and the Bottom Line

Product Offerings

One of the most significant differences between All-Clad and Made In is the number of products each brand offers.

All-Clad, being the cookware veteran of the two, offers several cookware collections. Each collection has unique materials, construction, design, and features. And, within each collection, All-Clad offers several curated sets along with individual pots and pans.

Here’s a quick overview of All-Clad’s most popular collections:

All-Clad D3: The D3 collection features 3-ply fully-clad construction with a polished steel exterior, aluminum core, and stainless steel cooking surface. It’s All-Clad’s best-selling collection due to its classic design, even heating, and relatively affordable price.

All-Clad D3 Everyday: The D3 Everyday collection has the same construction as D3 but with more ergonomic, contoured handles.

All-Clad D5: The D5 collection has 5-ply bonded construction with a thin a steel core sandwiched between two layers of aluminum. The steel core diffuses heat transfer, so these pans heat slower but more evenly.

All-Clad Copper Core: Copper Core is All-Clad’s premium 5-ply collection. The copper core enables unparalleled temperature control.

All-Clad HA1 Non-Stick: The HA1 non-stick collection features durable hard-anodized aluminum construction (4 mm thick), a triple-layer PTFE non-stick coating, and a steel induction plate.

All-Clad Essentials Non-Stick: The Essentials non-stick collection lacks the steel induction plate of HA1, so it’s not induction compatible, but it has redesigned easier-to-grip handles.

All-Clad G5 Graphite Core: G5 Graphite Core is All-Clad’s newest and fastest-heating collection. It features a highly conductive graphite core sandwiched between two layers of aluminum with steel outer layers. It’s the best lightweight cookware I’ve tested.

Made In keeps it simple. They offer five types of cookware: stainless steel, non-stick, carbon steel, copper, and enameled cast iron. Here’s a quick overview of each.

Made In Stainless Steel: Made In’s stainless steel cookware has 5-ply fully-clad construction with a triple-layer aluminum core between two durable layers of stainless steel. Its construction is similar to All-Clad D3.

Made In Non-Stick: The non-stick pans have the same construction and design as the stainless steel but with a multi-layer non-stick coating for easy food release.

Made In Carbon Steel: Carbon steel combines the best attributes of stainless steel and cast iron. It heats fast, retains heat well, and food won’t stick to a well-seasoning cooking surface. This cookware is made in France and built to withstand up to 1200F.

Made In Copper: This gorgeous cookware is 90% pure copper (exterior) and 10% stainless steel (interior). It’s made in France and conducts heat quickly and evenly. The one downside is that it’s incredibly expensive.

Made In Enameled Cast Iron: These colorful enameled cast iron Dutch ovens and skillets are chip-resistant with thick walls for unmatched heat retention and searing ability.

Construction and Materials

All-Clad and Made In both produce fully-clad stainless steel pots and pans. However, Made In only offers 5-ply construction, while the construction of All-Clad cookware varies by collection. With All-Clad, you can get 2-ply, 3-ply, 4-ply, and 5-ply cookware.

What does this all mean?

Premium multi-clad stainless steel cookware, like All-Clad and Made In, is made by bonding (or cladding) layers of different metals together. The term “ply” refers to the number of layers used to make the cookware.

Think of it like a hamburger. The top and bottom “bun” layers are stainless steel, while the “burger,” or core layer, is usually copper or aluminum.

All-Clad and Made In construct their cookware with bonded layers because it provides the best of both worlds; a steel exterior and cooking surface that’s ultra-durable, non-reactive, and induction-compatible, and an aluminum core that transfers heat fast and evenly.

Besides heat transfer, aluminum and copper also have excellent heat retention, so the pan stays hot when you slap a cold piece of meat on it.

Made In has the same 5-ply construction in each stainless steel pan, providing three layers of heavy-gauge aluminum sandwiched between two layers of premium stainless steel.

Made In’s thick triple-layer aluminum core transfers heat quickly and evenly, so you get consistent results every meal.

All-Clad offers more variety in terms of construction and material. For example, their best-selling D3 collection is considered 3-ply and is made of a single layer of aluminum sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel.

All-Clad’s 5-ply Copper Core collection is made of three different metals; two exterior layers of stainless steel, two internal layers of aluminum, and, finally, a copper core.

Copper is an excellent heat conductor, more so than aluminum. It’s great for getting a meal cooked quickly, and it gives you more control since it reacts faster to changes in temperature. The downsides—it heats up so fast that you can burn your food if you’re not paying attention, and it’s expensive (Copper Core is one of All-Clad’s most expensive collections).

The All-Clad collection that’s most similar to Made In in terms of construction is All-Clad D5 Brushed. Like Made In, All-Clad D5 Brushed cookware has five layers of steel and aluminum, but the layers differ. D5 cookware has a thin steel core layer surrounded by two layers of aluminum, followed by two exterior layers of steel.

All-Clad D5’s steel core diffuses the heat transfer, so it doesn’t heat up as fast as Made In, but it’s a bit more forgiving. So, with All-Clad D5, you’re less likely to burn your food if you get distracted while cooking.

Another All-Clad collection that is very similar to Made In is called D3. All-Clad D3 cookware has only three bonded layers (two fewer than Made In), but the order of materials is the same (steel exterior, aluminum core, steel interior).

Before moving on, I want to discuss carbon steel cookware. More home chefs are talking about carbon steel these days and for good reason. It’s kind of like non-stick meets cast iron in the way it performs. Made In has it, All-Clad doesn’t.

Carbon steel is a rustic workhorse that can withstand higher temperatures than stainless steel. Shiny and sleek? No. Effective? Yes. According to Made In, it’s been a staple in French kitchens for centuries, but home cooks in the U.S. are just starting to realize the benefits.

Carbon steel has the heat retention and seasoning of cast iron, cooking performance of stainless steel, and ease of non-stick. It’s less bulky than cast iron and uses no non-stick coating. Made In’s blue heat treatment seals the surface.

It’s the perfect type of cookware for meals that call for searing on the stove and finishing in the oven. I recently used a 12-inch Made In carbon steel pan to cook a chicken breast, and it came out absolutely delicious with the crispiest skin. Have a look:

You can read more about Made In carbon steel cookware in this in-depth review where I discuss its design, performance, pros, cons, and much more.

Design

At a glance, it might be challenging to spot the differences between All-Clad and Made In cookware. Both brands feature a gorgeous steel exterior, riveted handles, and steel lids.

But, when you take a closer look, you’ll notice some significant differences.

Let’s break it down.

Note: Since All-Clad has so many stainless steel collections, design elements vary. Still, there are several standard design elements across the brand to discuss.

Lids

Both brands have stainless steel lids, but All-Clad lids are not oven safe.

Handles on All-Clad lids are shaped like a trapezoid, while Made In lid handles are more squared with rounded edges with a dip in the center.

As you can see below, Made In’s lid handles have a much larger space to fit your hand. All-Clad’s smaller handles are more difficult to grip, especially if you’re wearing an oven mitt.

In addition to their standard steel lids, Made In offers two universal silicone lids to fit fry pans and all other pots that are oven safe up to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Handles

Both brands have long, double-riveted, stainless steel handles that are designed to stay cool on cooktops.

Made In handles are flat on the top and bend upward near the base of the pan. All-Clad handles are straight with a unique U-shape design on the top side, which provides an area to grip with your thumb (see images below). Made In handles are hollow so that the heat disperses over a greater surface area and doesn’t reach your hand.

Both brands engrave their logos into the base of the handles and on the helper handles of larger pans. Also, Made In engraves their logo on the lid handles of pots (All-Clad does this for select collections).

Shapes and Exterior Finish

In terms of fry pans, both brands feature flared sides and rims that make it easy to stir, rotate, turn, and flip food easily. The flared rims allow you to pour pan juices with less mess.

See Also

Cookware Made in the USA: A Complete Guide

Both brands have saucepans with enough height to prevent bubbling liquids from spilling and splashing.

All-Clad pots have slightly rounded bottoms and vary between conical or straight walls. Made In cookware bottoms are also rounded, but have straight walls.

All-Clad cookware comes in a variety of exterior finishes, including polished, brushed, copper, and hard-anodized (dark gray). The most popular All-Clad exterior is polished. As you can see in the photo below, the All-Clad polished finish is bright, shiny, and reflects almost like a mirror.

Made In cookware only comes in a brushed stainless steel finish, which looks modern and chic. Some people believe it hides scratches better than a polished finish. If you like the brushed look, you can get it with Made In or All-Clad. But, if you’re looking for the traditional shiny stainless steel look, you can only get it with All-Clad.

Besides brushed stainless steel, Made In also offers stunning cookware with a copper exterior. The copper not only looks elegant, but it also heats up faster and more evenly than any other materials due to its superior thermal conductivity.

Heat Test Results

Premium cookware, such as All-Clad and Made In, is engineered to heat up fast, distribute heat evenly across the cooking surface, and retain heat for long periods.

But you’re probably wondering, which brand heats up faster, distributes heat more evenly, and retains heat for longer?

To find out, I designed a simple test. I poured precisely 3 cups of cold water into a 12-inch All-Clad D3 pan and a 12-inch Made In pan. I placed both pans on the stove and turned the heat to high.

To accurately measure the impact of the pans only, I made sure the initial water temperature, the burner sizes, and the burner settings were the same for both brands.

Here are the results:

• The water in the Made In pan began boiling in 2 minutes and 33 seconds and hit a roaring boil at 3 minutes and 20 seconds. The water in the All-Clad pan took 3 minutes and 18 seconds to start boiling and 3 minutes and 42 seconds to come to a roaring boil. Although the difference was minimal, I’m not surprised that the Made In pan heats up faster because it has a triple-layer aluminum core, compared to All-Clad D3, which has a one-layer aluminum core.
• As you can see in the images below, the bubbles from the boiling water were distributed evenly across both pans, which indicates even heat distribution. When a pan distributes heat unevenly, the bubbles will but concentrate in the hot areas. Fortunately, this was not the case with either pan.

• Lastly, to test which has superior heat retention, I poured the boiling water out of both pans at the same time. I put both pans on the counter and let them sit for five minutes. When I placed my hand on each, it was evident that the Made In pan was significantly warmer than the All-Clad pan.

Heat retention depends on a variety of factors, including the type of materials and the thickness of those materials. In this case, the 5-ply Made In pan likely retained heat longer than All-Clad because it’s constructed with five bonded layers, compared to the tri-ply All-Clad D3 pan, which is constructed with only three.

Although my test results tell us that Made In cookware heats up faster and retains heat for longer than All-Clad, it’s important to note that I only tested one All-Clad collection (All-Clad D3). All-Clad makes over a dozen other collections, and I’d likely get different results with each.

Bottom line—All-Clad and Made In pans heat up fast, transfer the heat evenly, and have reliable heat retention. But, if you’re comparing Made In versus All-Clad D3, Made In heats up more quickly and retains heat longer.

Cooking Performance

How do the results of my heat test translate to the real world? Which brand is better for cooking actual food?

Well, despite the minor differences in heat properties that my test revealed, both brands perform exceptionally well in the kitchen.

After cooking with All-Clad for years, I recently picked up a set of Made In cookware, and, honestly, it’s difficult to tell them apart.

As you can see below, both provide an excellent sear on one of my favorite meats, pork chops.

Besides pork chops, I also tested All-Clad and Made In to see which brand cooked a better chicken breast (a favorite in my home).

To make the test fair, I cut a chicken breast into two equal pieces. I seasoned each with salt, pepper, and garlic powder. After adding the same amount of oil to each pan and turning the burners to the same temperature, I placed the chicken on each pan at the same time.

As you can see below, the chicken on the left, which I was cooking in the All-Clad pan, had a slightly lighter sear compared to the chicken I was cooking in the Made In pan on the right.

Based on the water test I talked about in the previous section and the darker initial sear on the chicken on the right, it’s clear that the Made In pan heats up faster than the All-Clad pan.

After about ten minutes, both chicken breasts were finished cooking. As you can see below, the chicken in the All-Clad pan caught up and finished with the same color as the chicken cooked in the Made In pan.

I cut both breasts to see which was juicier and gave each a try.

The result—there was no noticeable difference between the two in terms of taste and texture. Both were juicy, delicious, and cooked just right.

Lastly, here’s a side-by-side look at chicken cutlets cooked in All-Clad and Made In pans.

Where It’s Made

All-Clad sources its raw materials from United States suppliers and makes all of its cookware in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, as it has since 1971.

All-Clad’s sole sourcing and manufacturing in the U.S. drives up the price but ensures you’ll get consistent construction, durability, and performance.

Made In works with family-owned businesses in the United States, France, and Italy to source raw materials and manufacture its cookware.

Made In sources and manufactures its stainless steel and non-stick cookware in the U.S. and Italy.

They manufacture the carbon steel cookware in Theirs, France, in a factory that has been making carbon steel pans for nearly 300 years.

Oven-Safe Temperatures

All-Clad’s stainless steel collections are oven safe and broiler safe (excluding lids) up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit. Its non-stick cookware is oven-safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but they are NOT broiler-safe.

Made In’s stainless steel cookware (including the lids) is oven and broiler-safe up to 800 degrees, non-stick is safe up to 500, and carbon steel is safe up to 1200.

Most home chefs don’t have ovens that reach 800 degrees, never mind 1200. But, if your oven goes that high, it’s nice to know that Made In can handle the heat.

Cooktop Compatibility

Every piece of Made In cookware is suitable for all cooktops, including induction.

All-Clad cookware is compatible with all cooktops, except for Essentials, which won’t work on induction.

Induction cooking requires a magnetic base or exterior for a pot or pan to work properly. Heat is conducted through a magnetic field. A quick way to tell if a pan is induction-compatible is to perform the magnet test. If a magnet attaches firmly to a pan’s exterior, you’re good to go.

Price

One of the major differences between All-Clad and Made In cookware is the price.

In short, All-Clad is significantly more expensive than Made In, and there are a few reasons why.

• All-Clad cookware is sourced and produced exclusively in the U.S.
• Customers are willing to pay a premium for the prestige of the All-Clad brand.
• All-Clad is primarily sold through retailers, which increases the cost (retail markup).

Made In keeps prices low by cutting out the middlemen. Instead of selling through retailers like All-Clad, Made In sells direct to customers on their website and through its Amazon store.

To be clear, Made In is less expensive than All-Clad, but it’s not cheap. Compared to bonded-base cookware that’s made in China, it’s actually quite expensive.

But considering that Made In cookware is 5-ply, fully-clad, and made with premium materials, it’s an excellent value.

Click on the links below to compare the current prices of All-Clad and Made In’s most popular products. I listed All-Clad’s D5 collection since it’s most similar to Made In in materials, construction, and design.

Note: The All-Clad links take you to Amazon, and the Made In links take you to MadeInCookware.com.

• Made In 12-Inch Stainless Steel Frying Pan
• All-Clad D5 12-Inch Stainless Steel Frying Pan

• Made In 3.5-Quart Stainless Steel Saute Pan With Lid
• All-Clad D5 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saute Pan With Lid

• Made In 10-Piece Set
• All-Clad D5 10-Piece Set

Overview of All-Clad

The history of All-Clad goes back to 1971 when John Ulam, an expert metallurgist, founded the company in Canonsburg, PA.

Four years earlier, Ulam founded Clad Metals; a company focused on creating superior products by bonding different metals together.

Clad Metals served various industries, but its most prominent customer was the U.S. Mint, who relied on Ulam’s expertise to convert the nation’s silver coins to the less expensive bonded metals that make up today’s nickels, dimes, and quarters.

Eventually, Ulam had his “aha moment” when he realized that the bonding process that he perfected in other industries could make a significant impact on cookware.

In 1971, Ulam and his newly formed company, All-Clad Metalcrafters, were the first to produce cookware with non-reactive, corrosion-resistant steel on the outside, and a core layer of heat conductive aluminum on the inside.

This type of cookware that we now know as multi-clad, cladded, or fully-clad possesses extraordinary heat properties and can last a lifetime.

In the decades following All-Clad’s launch, almost every cookware manufacturer adopted All-Clad’s innovative bonding process.

But, despite the increased competition, All-Clad remains atop the mountain of high-end cookware brands.

So, what sets All-Clad apart?

• Every piece of All-Clad cookware is fully-clad, which means the heat conductive core metal (usually aluminum) extends throughout each pot and pan. Some brands cut costs by bonding an aluminum disc to the bottom of the pan, but All-Clad is not one of those brands.
• All-Clad cookware is made in the U.S. under strict manufacturing standards. If there’s an inkling of imperfection, the cookware doesn’t leave the factory.
• They use 18/10 stainless steel, which is a form of 304-grade stainless steel made specifically to meet All-Clad’s extremely high standards. All of their materials are sourced from U.S. suppliers.
• All-Clad stainless steel cookware is design-rich, offering over a dozen stunning collections that are beautiful as they are functional. You can choose from a range of construction styles, including (ply refers to the number of bonded layers) 2-ply, 3-ply, and 5-ply.

The biggest downside of All-Clad is its price. There’s no doubt about it, All-Clad cookware is expensive. The cost varies by collection (check out our handy price comparison chart), but you can easily spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars on a multi-piece set.

Although there are several cheaper alternatives, including Made In, All-Clad has proven its value over decades. Plus, when you consider the fact that it’ll last a lifetime, the total cost of ownership is relatively low.

Now that you know the basics about All-Clad, let’s take a look at Made In.

Overview of Made In

Meet Chip Malt and Jake Kalick, childhood friends who understand the brand loyalty to All-Clad and strive to make a similar connection with those who purchase Made In.

The selling point of their start-up cookware company is simple: premium cookware at a not-so-premium price.

Made In cookware is similar to All-Clad in materials, construction, and design, but you can get it for significantly less.

How is this possible?

Simply put, Made In sells their cookware directly to customers on their website (they recently started selling on Amazon, too). You won’t find Made In at fancy retailers like Williams Sonoma or Crate and Barrel. By cutting out these middlemen, who take a generous cut, Made In can offer a lower price to you.

To be clear, Made In cookware is not cheap, but it can be half the price (or less) of All-Clad, depending on which sets you’re comparing.

If you’re worried about the quality of materials and manufacturing process, fear not. Made In sources the raw materials and uses family-owned companies to manufacture the cookware in the U.S., France, and Italy.

Made In has only been producing cookware since 2016, but Jake has a family history in cookware that spans 100 years. While they’re still establishing their name in the industry, Made In cookware is already being used in Michelin-star restaurants.

Made In has four cookware options: fully-clad stainless steel, non-stick, copper, and carbon steel (I get into the details of these in a minute).

Similar to All-Clad, Made In stainless steel cookware is fully-clad. But, unlike All-Clad, which offers several collections with various core materials and construction, every Made In stainless steel piece is constructed with five bonded layers of steel and aluminum.

Besides cookware, Made In also manufactures kitchen tools and knives.

Pros, Cons, and the Bottom Line

Now that you know how All-Clad compares to Made In across all the key categories, it’s decision time.

But, before I give you my recommendation, let’s recap the pros and cons of each brand.

All-Clad Pros

• All-Clad has been manufacturing multi-clad cookware since 1971 and has proven its value.
• They source and manufacture all of their stainless steel cookware in the U.S.
• They offer a wide range of options, including over a dozen unique collections.
• Every stainless steel piece is oven and broiler-safe up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Their cookware lasts for decades (or longer), and they have thousands of customers that can prove it.

All-Clad Cons

• It’s one of the most expensive brands on the market.
• Most All-Clad collections are induction-compatible and dishwasher-safe, but a few are not.
• Customers complain that food sticks; however, this is a common complaint about stainless steel cookware in general.

Made In Pros

• Made In sources and manufactures its cookware in the U.S., Italy, and France.
• They partner with factories that have been producing premium cookware for over 100 years.
• Their 5-ply stainless steel cookware features a thick triple-layer aluminum core for superior heat conduction.
• They only offer one version of each type of cookware (stainless steel, carbon steel, non-stick), which makes the shopping experience less stressful and confusing.
• Their cookware is significantly less expensive than All-Clad because they sell directly to customers on their website.
• Their stainless steel cookware is oven-safe up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit, including the lids.
• Unlike All-Clad, Made In offers carbon steel pans, a material that delivers unique cooking performance.
• All of their stainless steel cookware is oven and broiler-safe, and induction-compatible.
• Their universal silicone lids are award-winning.

Made In Cons

• Made In has only been in business since 2016.
• Made In cookware is less expensive than All-Clad, but it’s not cheap.
• They don’t offer as many options as All-Clad; you can only get one type of stainless steel cookware (5-ply with an aluminum core).
• Although most customers have nothing but great things to say about Made In, the most common complaints are regarding back ordered items and long wait times to receive orders (this has since been resolved). The good news—there are hardly any complaints about the actual products.

Bottom line — if you’re looking for high-quality 5-ply stainless steel cookware, and you don’t mind taking a (low) risk on a relatively new brand, Made In is the way to go (check it out on MadeInCookware.com and Amazon).

Made In has truly made impressive strides in a very short time. Since launching, it has become a brand of choice in Michelin-star kitchens and is amassing a solid customer base that views the cookware favorably.

Plus, with Made In, you get virtually the same durability and performance at a much lower price.

If you’re more comfortable investing in a brand that’s proven its value over decades, go with All-Clad. Another reason to choose All-Clad is the options. If you prefer cookware with a copper core, copper exterior, or tri-ply construction, All-Clad has you covered.

Whichever brand you choose, I’m confident you won’t regret your decision.

If you’re ready to buy, or just want to learn more about each brand and read dozens of reviews, Made In is available on MadeInCookware.com and Amazon and All-Clad is available on Amazon or All-Clad.com.

Which brand are you leaning toward? Sound off in the comments!