Developing new habits, even when it comes to something like saving money by eating more leftovers, is all about incremental changes. That's a lesson I've learned in the last few weeks with my adoption of Lakeland's inexpensive Freeze Pods (which will set you back £8 via Lakeland).

My problem with freezing leftovers has historically been with portion sizes. If I have a batchload of chilli, for example, I rarely have enough food containers to break it down into lunch and dinner sized portions and sometimes have to put the whole amount into one container. That makes it a real struggle to properly siphon off a share for a single person.

Enter: these nifty Freeze Pods, which not only provide the perfect lunch or dinner sized portion (depending if you use the 2 or 3 sectioned version) but are also ready to be used in your oven or even the best air fryer for reheating. Here are three reasons I'm telling everyone I know to buy a set.

1. They're easy to use

The thing that makes the use of these Freeze Pods so seamless is the silicone material. As with using a silicone ice cube tray over a plastic one, it so much easier to pop the contents of a singular pod out without disturbing the other two than it would be with a harder material.

The 3-segmented version contains space for 250 gram portions, which I've found ideal for lunches. I've been pairing leftover pasta with a side salad for a summertime lunch.

I've found the Freeze Pod with two sections is better suited to dinners, with the square size owing itself to full meals like a lasagne. Though the base is made of silicone, the pod has a hard plastic top, which means you can stack the two together neatly within your freezer.

2. They're cooking safe

These pods are microwave, oven and air fryer safe – music to my ears! While I love my microwaveable stainless steel food containers for food prep and storing leftovers in the fridge they can only be used in the microwave for 2 minutes at a time. So if you want to defrost something heavier, the Freeze Pod is a much better choice.

If you're serving lunch for two or three people, you could put the entire Freeze Pod into the microwave too. That means you only need to portion food out once in the entire cooking process and any time you can save on the washing up is a big win for me.

I'm not the only one who loves the versatility of these handy pods. On Lakeland's website you can find that both of these products currently have a 4.5 out of 5 star rating with customers praising the quality and value of each.

One reviewer nicely summed up why they work for them, saying 'Great sizing and even better for popping out blocks to wrap and stack in the freezer. The larger ones are perfect for individual lasagnes, cottage pies etc. The smaller ones are perfect for portions of rice, mash, beans and any other side you want to freeze. I absolutely love them.'

3. They're affordable

I've written before about my enthusiasm for Lego lunches, which rely on these modular-style freeze pods in order to create leftovers that are varied rather than boring.

Up until Lakeland released these Freeze Pods, the other alternatives on the market for this kind of food container were very pricey indeed. In the US the brand Souper Cubes (which you can buy in the UK via Amazon) is very popular, with its huge range of materials, sizes and colours and John Lewis has a range made in collaboration with chef Deliciously Ella too.

In my mind Lakeland's pods are your best bet if you prioritise affordability and quality, but I've listed some alternative shapes below in case they suit you better.

It might seem counterintuitive at first to splash out money on containers to help you meal prep, especially if your aim is to limit your spending on lunches and dinners, but I've found it's the right products that can make all the difference. Could you see the benefit of Freeze Pods for your kitchen?

Leaving a pan to soak is not something I enjoy. Not only does it extend washing up time but it makes my whole sink area unsightly and kind of gross, which is something I'm always trying to avoid.

So when I saw the chatter online about Fairy's Skip the Soak spray (£3.86 at Amazon) I was intrigued but also healthily skeptical. I've tried a whole host of cookware cleaning products that never quite cut the mustard, with my bank account suffering the consequence.

After giving this spray a whirl I have to say I'm a convert. Not only is it fabulous for saving you the mess of leaving baking trays and pans to soak, it also works on those awfully-hard-to-clean air fryer trays and on surfaces too, for a little added bonus. You can even use it before you pop things into the diswasher if you feel like they need a helping hand. Here's how I've used it to keep my sink area ship-shape all the time.

The way this spray works is simple: if you think that a pan or tray is about to cause you trouble when washing up or in the dishwasher, then scrape any excess food into the bin and spray this directly onto the surface.

It's important you don't rinse whatever you need to clean first as this spray won't work so well with water added into the mix. This is a mistake I made at first, but you really want this spray as concentrated as possible.

A few days after I picked this spray up I made the mistake of getting distracted while putting my treasured Le Creuset Round Cast Iron Casserole on the hob to pre-heat. A few minutes later and my pan was looking seriously worse for wear.

Luckily these burn marks are just cosmetic and the enamel surface wasn't affected, but I was still anxious to get them off once I'd finished cooking. I made my pasta as carefully as I could around the marks and left the pan to totally cool. This step, which requires a little patience, is essential with any pan to protect the surface and keep it working in your kitchen as effectively as possible.

Once cool, I liberally applied the spray to the areas I knew would cause me the most aggravation when scrubbing. Remember, you don't want to rinse before you apply – just get rid of any food you can scrape away.

I got on with my other cleaning tasks and returned to the burnt-on pan a few minutes later. In my impatience (before I had time to snap a picture!) I tried to scrape away the worst affected part with my sponge and was amazed to find it came right away with no effort at all.

So far, so impressed. I then proceeded to wash the pan as normal, armed with my trusty Scrub Mommy (£7.49 at Amazon)and found that those dark burnt on sections came off with very minimal effort.

There was a very small speck that still wouldn't budge even with a scrub, so I had to call in reinforcements which in my house is always (always!) my Magic Sponge (£3.99 for 10 via Amazon).

Once I knew that this spray actually worked, I set about tackling a task that I always seem to be just getting around to: deep cleaning my air fryer. I'm a strong believer in scrubbing my air fryer trays every time I use it, but the grime builds up so easily even if you miss one cleaning session.

It's for the purposes of research that I expose myself with evidence of the gross air fryer basket below.

While I was waiting for the spray to work its magic, I did notice the quite strong smell coming from the sink with the trays in it. So if you're sensitive to strong cleaning smells, it might be best to vacate the kitchen for a few minutes before rinsing the spray off.

After rinsing the first round of spray off, my air fryer tray was looking in much better shape. The worst areas, including the middle section and the parts around the rubber inserts, did still need some TLC with the Scrub Mommy but the bulk of the dried-on grime was banished. Next time around I'm going to leave the spray on for even longer to see if it can affect those worst-affected parts too.

If it's not already obvious, this reasonably priced spray is my new kitchen saviour and I'm plotting exactly what I can use it on next. After reading Amazon's reviews of it (where it has a 4.6/5 star rating from over 300 reviews to date), I've been inspired to try it out on my oven too. Can you see yourself getting use out of this spray for your cookware or air fryer?

It's said that a workman is only as good as his tools but sometimes there's no getting away from the sub-par equipment you have at hand. That's certainly the case in my new flat, where I've been cursed with an electric hob that seems to only have two modes: far too hot or not providing heat at all.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor tasked with the lucky job of testing cookware at home, this has proved a real challenge. The only pan that's saved the day? My HexClad frying pan, which is on sale right now at Amazon down from £129 to £109.65.

This pan has long been in our guide to the best frying pans, ever since our expert Home Economist and reviewer Helen McCue called cooking in it 'a joy' in her 5-star review. And now I've tried it for myself, I can see exactly why. Here's why this is a deal worth snapping up.

With a hob that's playing up, I've been in desperate need of a pan that distributes heat evenly and doesn't allow foods to stick – even when subjected to high heat.

As my cooktop essentially has to be on the highest setting to provide any heat, I am actually going against the recommended usage from HexClad. Their official advice is to only ever use medium-low to medium heat and to let the aluminium core of the pan do the heavy lifting.

Even in these trying circumstances I've found this pan to be so efficient at heating and resistant to allowing foods to stick. And even in situations where the heat is a little too high, there's no lasting damage to the honeycomb-embossed surface – everything comes right off during handwashing.

My understanding is that HexClad's tri-ply layers are the thing saving my bacon when it comes to my rubbish electric hob. Due to the construction of this pan, which consists of careful layering of stainless steel, aluminium and a non-stick (but PFA-free) coating, even though it's being blasted with too much heat it's capable of distributing it across the surface rather than creating hot spots.

Of course, having a pan with such a premium construction comes at a hefty price. Even with the Amazon discount applied, paying over £100 for a pan is a huge investment. But as the old adage goes: buy nice or buy twice. Between this pan and my ultimate favourite ever piece of cookware, Our Place's Titanium Pan, I've found that sometimes you have to pay a little more for a product that you'll use for years and years.

If you're a super savvy shopper, it might be worth holding out for Amazon's big shopping event of the year, Amazon Prime Day, to make a saving on cookware. I've listed my favourite cookware picks below which I'm hoping will be subject to some big discounts on the 23rd to the 26th of June.

If you're in the market to upgrade your cookware then HexClad is a brilliant brand to look into. And you can take it from me that it even works on a less than impressive hob, too!

It's always a good time to invest in cookware that works hard for your kitchen, but if you're on a budget then it's an even better time right now with the re-launch of Aldi's £14.99 Honeycomb Hex pans.

Available in stores now while stocks last, this range is back to make a bid for the best non-stick frying pan on a budget. I covered the debut of the Aldi tri-ply pans last year, which featured a frying pan and a saucepan, and looked remarkably similar to Gordon Ramsay's favourite HexClad's pans, most notably the exceptionally popular Hybrid Pan (£169 at HexClad).

I've been testing the HexClad bestseller recently, and I've been so impressed by it, so much so that it won the Ideal Home Kitchen Award for the Best Frying Pan. So, with the return of Aldi's affordable version, I thought I'd take a closer look at how the premium and budget pans stack up.

There are some similarities in the specifications between these two pans. Both are oven-safe, with HexClad's pan able to withstand heat up to 480ºC compared to Aldi's version, which can withstand heat up to 220ºC.

Both are also suitable for all hob types, including induction, and dishwasher-safe, which will be welcome news to anyone who loves a quick clean-up process after dinner.

While the detail on Aldi's 'honeycomb' patterned pans is a little sparse, there's plenty to learn about HexClad's TerraBond ceramic non-stick coating. It's a ceramic-based material which keeps food from sticking whilst also avoiding the use of PFOAs and uses those trademark hexagonal shapes in order to create a valley of ridges that food doesn't stick to when cooking.

The HexClad also features stay-cool handles and has great heat distribution across the bottom of the pan – something that I've definitely found in my recent day-to-day tests.

The other big bonus of both of these pans is the fact that they're safe to use with metal utensils without fear of the coating peeling off. If you can be a little haphazard with remembering to use wooden or silicone utensils, then this will save you worrying when cooking.

While the pan in Aldi's Honeycomb range unfortunately doesn't come with a lid, the saucepan does, and the two together would make a great pair for anyone getting into cooking. Like the pan, the saucepan is oven safe up to 220°C.

While I haven't been able to get my hands on Aldi's Honeycomb collection just yet, at £14.99, I'm sure it's going to be a hit with anyone who likes to peruse the middle aisle for cookware finds.

However, I can vouch for the exceptional quality of HexClad's products and their durability, despite the much higher pricetag. If you are a keen cook who wants a pan that is going to last, I've saved up for the Hexclad version. However, if you're just dipping your toe in, then you can't go wrong with taking a look at Aldi's alternative.

Alternatives

There's a new material on the block that the most organised food preppers are raving about: stainless steel. And IKEA's new 365+ food container collection, with prices from just £5, is absolutely worth your attention if you want to make the switch and get your fridge (and freezer!) looking a little more shipshape.

Last month I wrote about how changing from glass food storage to stainless steel had totally transformed my weekly food prep routine. The main benefits? The lightweight feel (perfect for work lunchboxes), the easy-to-clean surface and the fact that the material is very resistant to smells and oils – because after all, what's worse than a musty food container?

Now IKEA is taking the stainless steel trend by storm with its ultra affordable collection. Here's a closer look at the 365+ range and how it compares to the fabulous (though more expensive) Black + Blum versions I recently tried, which also have the added benefit of being microwave safe.

IKEA's 365+ collection already has thousands of five-star reviews from those who have made the switch to stainless steel, with customers noting that they love using them in their air fryer and being able to stack them for storage.

Plus, there's the added benefit of mix and matching across lid materials. For meals or foods that you plan on stacking in your fridge, the corresponding bamboo lid for the size container is a good choice, as it not only looks great but means you can cut down on plastic.

If you want to pop both your containers and lids through the dishwasher, as well as take your lunches to work, IKEA's selection of plastic lids will come in handy. Plus, if your main use for these containers is for freezing, plastic is much better suited to that process than bamboo.

As well as multi-functionality in terms of cooking and storing, I've discovered that stainless steel is such an easy material to clean. While I previously found that glass containers could hold onto bits of food and require soaking, stainless steel is much easier to get back squeaky clean with no scrubbing required.

And while we've all experienced the dreaded tomato-stained effect on plastic containers, stainless steel doesn't hold onto smells or oils in the same way. It's a less porous material and therefore much better for holding your foods.

For me, there is a big kicker with the IKEA range: the containers don't appear to be microwave safe. That means that if you do want to reheat your leftovers, you'll likely need to use your air fryer or oven, or transfer your food into another bowl.

I think that sounds like a lot of faff and for many, it might negate some of the benefits of switching to stainless steel from plastic. Alternatively, the ability to microwave leftovers in stainless steel was one of my favourite things about Black + Blum's range when I tried it. Though much more expensive, the brand's meal prep containers have plenty of features to make the extra spend worth it including microwave compatibility and vacuum-seal lids.

Whether you need a microwave-safe version or not, I can promise you that making the switch to stainless steel is very much worth it if you're a keen meal prepper. Would you consider making the change to make day to day cooking and storing easier?

Lego lunches are the new food prep trend taking over the most organised corners of the internet and the buyers over at Aldi must have heard all about it given their launch of a £3.99 Portion Perfect Meal Kit, in stores from this Sunday (the 24th of May).

If you're about to start climbing into the loft to retrieve your old Lego then hold fire, as while this trend takes inspiration from the iconic mini bricks, it's actually a sturdy perfectly-portioned food container you'll need to take part, as well as one of the best microwaves.

By using modular food prep buys, like Aldi's brand new ones, Lego lunches allow you to combine different frozen leftovers into one meal – giving increased variation and the opportunity to mix and match foods. Here's a closer look at how Lego lunches and modular food containers work.

The beauty of a Lego lunch is variation. With special compartmented freeze pods you can portion up individual batches of different foods – a portion of chilli, say – and then only defrost and heat up a single portion for your lunchbox.

Picking up a few of these modular containers is an even better bet, as it means you can combine a single portion of your main protein with a side of frozen vegetables and then combine them together as you cook them in a microwave.

If you can't make it to your closest Aldi to pick up the £3.99 versions then there are plenty of alternatives that already have a legion of fans that you can turn to.

The brand that you'll find is most ubiqitous when it comes to Lego lunches is Souper Cube, who offer a huge and quite amazing range of freeze containers and accessories.

You can buy the brand's silicone moulds in a huge variation of sizes on Amazon, with shapes fit for everything from stews to cookies. There are even stoneware cubes (from £39.99 on Amazon) you can pick up for heating and serving your leftovers in.

Souper Cubes are very popular in the US, but it didn't take long for our favourite UK stores to come up with their own versions of these very clever food prep buys. Lakeland's Freeze Pods start from just £7.99 and also come in the two-zone and three-zone configuration. They're BPA-free and made of that same handy silicone material to make popping out the portions of food super easy.

If you really want to max out on food prep organisation, then a heated lunchbox means you can warm up those cubed leftovers without the need for a microwave – perfect for anyone who works on the go. Here's a closer look at the full selection of alternative modular buys you can pick up to optimise your lunchtimes.

I'm desperate to try out the Lego lunch trend for myself, so I'll be heading straight to Lakeland to check out their versions. Can you see the appeal in a modular freezing system?

A good set of pans is rarely an investment that you’ll regret. And more and more, we’re scrutinising the materials that pans are made from. For a myriad of reasons there’s a lot of noise around at the moment about switching from non-stick to stainless steel versions of the best saucepan sets.

And while there are plenty of non-stick pans that claim to be non-toxic, mastering the art of cooking in stainless steel seems to be one of the trends of the moment. And trust me, if you’re used to non-stick, this can be a steep learning curve.

I’ve reviewed a lot of great Ninja appliances, including a whole host of the best Ninja air fryers, but this is the first time I’m trying out the brand’s cookware. So I’m intrigued to see if this simple set of pans can live up to the excellent design and functionality that I’ve experienced when I’ve reviewed Ninja kitchen appliances.

In a nutshell

The Ninja EverClad Stainless Steel 5-Piece Set includes three saucepans with lids, and two frying pans. So as a set, it covers most people's needs. At around £400 it’s an investment. Alternatively, depending on your needs, you can buy the three saucepans as a bundle for £289.99, or the two frying pans bundled together for £179.99.

For me, what makes the price tag justifiable, is that provided you look after it, this stainless steel cookware should last a lifetime. The tri-ply construction consists of an aluminium core, with stainless steel on the interior as well as the exterior.

It’s suitable for all hob types and can withstand oven temperatures of up to 300C. The rub is that ideally it all needs to be handwashed. And while you’re learning how to cook without non-stick coatings, this could mean extra time at the kitchen sink.

The pans all feel well constructed, but with a weighty quality that will be on the heavy side for some people. That said, I found them responsive to heat, fast to cook with, and there were no obvious hot spots. I enjoyed using them, and if you’re looking to take the leap into stainless steel cookware, this is an excellent all-round set.

Who tested this cookware set?

Product specs

• Materials: Stainless steel with aluminium core
• Metal utensil safe? yes
• Dishwasher safe? No, hand washing is recommended
• Saucepan capacity: 1.4 litre, 2.4 litre and 3.3
• Pan diameter: 16cm, 18cm and 20cm saucepan/ 24cm and 28cm frying pan
• Suitable for all hob types: yes

Unboxing and first impressions

Thankfully there was nothing to worry about in terms of packaging, it was all paper and cardboard, so easily recyclable. Once out of the box, my first impression of the pans is that they appear to be lovely quality.

At first look, they seem super sturdy and well made. Compared to my current set of cheaper stainless steel pans, they're much thicker, but with that comes more weight and they're definitely a tad heavier than my current pans.

The handles are very straight, which gives the pans a very modern appearance, but isn’t necessarily the most ergonomic handle design.

There’s a quick start guide in the box that gives advice on use and care. It includes some helpful hints on how to preheat the frying pans to avoid food sticking. It also gives some recommended heat settings, as well as some tips on how to extend the life of the cookware.

I’m disappointed that the cleaning guide makes no mention of using a dishwasher to clean the pans. It doesn’t explicitly say they can’t be cleaned in a dishwasher, but it also doesn’t say they’re dishwasher friendly. And only hand washing advice is given, so it's implied.

Cooking in the Ninja EverClad Stainless Steel 5-Piece Set

Saucepans

The three saucepans offer a good range of capacity options. The smallest was the one I reached for when I needed to heat a tin of baked beans. Likewise, it’s big enough for whisking up a couple of warming mugs of hot chocolate. And I also used it to make some Mexican refried beans.

Even this smaller saucepan feels heavy though. After emptying a tin of beans into it, I was so surprised by the weight when I lifted it onto the hob, that I popped it onto the scales out of interest. Given that it’s the smallest saucepan and only had a tin of beans in it, I was surprised that it weighed a hefty 1.3kg.

When making hot chocolate, I was impressed with how fast it heated. What’s more, when the milk started to bubble up the pan, threatening to boil over, it responded immediately when I turned the hob off.

The medium sized saucepan was a great choice for making two hearty portions of porridge. The inner rounded corners meant my wooden spoon could easily stir the porridge and there was no clumping or sticking.

When I wanted to boil some broccoli and asparagus, the medium size pan was roomy enough to cook a whole head of broccoli and a bunch of asparagus simultaneously. The lid kept the heat in, but steam could easily escape through the steam hole. The glass of the lid steamed up though, so I couldn’t clearly see what was going on inside.

In my two person household, I must admit, I got more use from the two smaller saucepans, than the biggest one. That said, the larger pan was a great size for making up a batch of broccoli and stilton soup.

I first softened two finely diced onions, then added diced broccoli stalks, before the stock and the rest of the broccoli. For context, I used 1.5 litres of stock, two onions, and two whole heads of broccoli. In total it made enough for 5-6 portions of soup, so it’s a decent size pan.

The soup was cooking for about 30 minutes in total. During this time the handle on the lid became quite hot. So you’ll need to be mindful of that when cooking for longer periods. The handle on the pan itself stayed cool enough to touch. The bit closest to the Ninja logo was warm, which you may need to keep in mind if using both hands to lift something heavy.

I blended the soup directly in the pan with my stick blender, which is something I wouldn’t be able to do if it had a non-stick coating. The pan also worked well for a big batch of mashed potato and I was able to use my stainless steel masher without worrying about scratching any coatings.

Frying pans

Before using a stainless steel frying pan, I’d urge you to learn about the ‘leidenfrost effect’. It’s crucial to know about this before using the pans. It’s a way of testing if a stainless steel pan is hot enough to cook with.

You judge it by adding a small amount of water to the hot pan, and if it clumps up and dances round the pan in a ball, it’s spot on. I’d suggest watching some videos online to see what it should look like.

Halloumi proved to cook really well in this pan. I heated the empty pan on a medium heat for a few minutes until it was hot enough to make water bead, then I added a glug of oil, which I swirled around the pan to ensure the surface was fully covered.

The halloumi browned really nicely and I managed to get the heat level just right so that it didn’t overcook. It did show signs of sticking when I initially tried to turn it, so I just left it a bit longer and then went in quite firmly with a metal spatula, which did the trick. All in all, a great result.

Due to its delicate nature, fish was slightly trickier. I tried sea bass and salmon on separate occasions. I cooked them in the same way as the halloumi, but left skin side down for most of the cooking time.

The sea bass and the salmon fillets cooked evenly and had a great texture overall. But there was some sticking, and I didn’t get the skin as crisp as I would like, so there’s some room for improvement.

I’ve since researched this a bit more and discovered that you have to be diligent about patting the fish dry before frying, as well as removing from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. So fingers crossed it’ll be perfect next time when I add in these steps.

I have a favourite chilli paneer dish that I usually make in my non-stick wok, but decided to try in the large frying pan. When the pan was hot enough to make water bead, I added oil then diced onion and pepper.

Once the onion and pepper had started to soften I added paneer cubes and some sliced chilli and garlic. By this point I’d turned the heat down too low and the paneer wasn’t browning, so I turned up the gas in the hope of browning it before adding the sticky sauce.

This ended up being a bit of a reminder that frying in stainless steel requires more care and attention than my usual casual approach to cooking! I got slightly distracted cleaning up the kitchen and some of the paneer and onion burnt onto the pan. It was rescuable and perfectly edible but the washing up was not fun!

I made pancakes in some stainless steel pans I recently reviewed and had surprising success. So I wasn’t too intimidated by doing it in these pans. I decided to follow the method that worked for me before (which I found after going down a bit of a YouTube rabbit hole).

This method involves gently heating the pan for just 30 seconds on a medium heat before adding a teaspoon of oil. You then have to allow the oil to heat for a further 60 seconds. I used a pastry brush to ensure it coated the full base of the pan.

I added my batter and turned the heat to low. However, after a few minutes, it was evident that the thin pancake was sticking. I did manage to coax it off the base of the pan with some firm persuasion from a spatula. And it actually came away in one piece, so I was able to turn it and salvage it.

In hindsight, I realised that when initially heating the pan, my hob was on a medium low rather than a medium heat, which probably led to the sticking. So once I’d removed the stuck residues from the pan, I added more oil and popped it back on a medium heat.

The next pancake worked a treat, cooked evenly with no sticking whatsoever. And the third and fourth were perfect too. This larger frying pan is the perfect size for a thin crepe style pancake. And despite my hiccup with pancake number one, I was very pleased with the results and would happily call it a success.

Having always avoided omelettes, I’ve recently developed a newfound love of a cheese omelette. Admittedly though, having never made one in a stainless steel pan, the prospect of doing so was daunting.

So before diving in, I watched a few Youtube videos on how best to make it in a stainless steel pan. The general consensus seems to be that the pan should be heated over a medium heat until water beads on the surface of the pan.

Then the pan should be removed from the heat and a generous knob of butter as well as a splash of oil added. Once the butter has melted, the eggs get added to the pan and it goes back onto a low heat. You then make the omelette as you normally would.

I followed this method to the letter and the result was perfect. The omelette cooked gently and evenly, and slid around the pan without a hint of sticking. I was super pleased with the result.

Despite being able to nail pancakes and omelette, I seem to struggle with fried eggs in a stainless steel pan. On my first attempt I tried heating the pan on medium until I achieved the leidenfrost effect of water dancing around.

I added a good glug of oil and then my eggs. I did manage to get both eggs out in one piece, but it took some firm persuasion to remove them from the base of the pan. And then there was a layer of stuck crispy egg white left behind.

I changed things up on my second attempt, this time going for a gentler approach mirroring what I did for the pancakes. The result was better, but they still wanted to stick, and I had to be a bit forceful with the spatula.

On both occasions, the eggs came away in one piece. I just feel like I need a bit more practice to get the best result.

Even though the idea of it made me a bit nervous, I successfully managed to dry fry a home made flatbread in the larger pan. It cooked brilliantly and my sticky yogurt based dough didn’t stick to the pan at all.

What are these pans like to clean?

As I’ve already mentioned, I was disappointed that Ninja makes no reference to cleaning in the dishwasher. By only listing hand washing instructions, it's implied that they must be hand washed. But I’d rather know for definite if they can go in the dishwasher or not.

Washing the saucepans by hand wasn’t a bother. For things like porridge and hot chocolate I let them soak for 10 minutes or so, which made the job quick and easy. The frying pans were trickier though.

I had a few instances of foods sticking, which required a fair bit of elbow grease to remove. And after several uses, there were some stubborn fatty deposits around the sides of the larger pan. I followed the advice in the manual and tackled it with bicarb and vinegar, but it still demanded some effort to get it shifted.

The stainless steel can easily pick up water marks on the outside, and the inside can become somewhat marked/ discoloured from use. But in my experience that’s typical of a lot of stainless steel pans.

What are they like to store?

The pans nestle comfortably inside each other, so they can be stored quite neatly, with just the three lids to the side. Plus, the lack of any delicate non-stick coatings, means you don’t need to worry that storing them like this will cause damage or scratches.

How do they compare to similar sets from competitors?

In comparison to this Le Creuset 3 Piece Set I recently reviewed, the Ninja set starts to look like a good value option. Though Le Creuset’s stainless steel pans can go in the dishwasher, which is a big bonus.

Alternatively, if price is your major sticking point, you can still dip your toe into the world of stainless steel with the Ikea HEMKMOST Set which we've reviewed. The three saucepans are stainless steel, but you get the safety net of having a non-stick coating on the frying pan. Plus at under £100 it’s a steal.

Should you buy the Ninja EverClad Stainless Steel 5-Piece Set?

For me, the saucepans are great, but they are a tad weighty which will make them unsuitable for some people. The frying pans will take time to adjust to if you’re used to non-stick pans. That said, if you’re reading this, it’s probably a learning curve you’re willing to embrace. And if I can make pancakes and omelette successfully, then you can too.

Yes, the set is pricey in comparison to some other stainless steel sets on the market. But these pans are well made and it’s reasonable to assume that they should last way beyond the guaranteed life of 10 years, especially if you follow the guidance on cleaning and care. So over time, it’s an investment that could work out to be pretty cost effective.

As someone cooking in a very tiny flat kitchen where every inch of counter and cupboard space matters, I genuinely think Our Place may have just launched my dream cookware collection.

The brand has unveiled its new Tiny Cookware Collection, a downsized take on its bestselling Always Pan and Perfect Pot that feels perfectly timed for smaller homes, solo dinners and the reality of how most of us actually cook day to day. Because, realistically, not every meal is a big hosting moment.

Launching today (12 May), the collection includes the Tiny Cookware Duo (£110) and Petite Perfect Pot (£90) – compact versions of the brand’s cult cookware, which features in our best non-stick pans guide.

Sometimes it’s one egg before work, pasta for one after a long day or a quick bowl of soup eaten standing in the kitchen because your flat barely fits a dining table (speaking from experience here). And while cookware has traditionally been designed with families and large gatherings in mind, this launch feels much more aligned with modern small-space living.

As someone currently balancing pans precariously in a cupboard the size of a shoebox, the appeal is immediate.

This collection feels refreshingly realistic for how many people live now. The pieces are lightweight, stackable and intentionally compact, with details like dual pour spouts and a shared interchangeable lid to save on space.

The Tiny Cookware Duo comes as a stackable pan set, while the Petite Perfect Pot has a 1.75L capacity that’s designed for smaller portions like oatmeal, grains, sauces and broths.

Both are made with an aluminium core for fast, even heating and finished with Our Place’s signature non-toxic nonstick coating, free from PFAS, PTFE, lead and cadmium. Plus, they fit perfectly in the brand's cult Wonder Oven.

Importantly for anyone else navigating limited kitchen storage, the collection has also been designed to look good left out on display.

Available in five of the brand’s signature shades (Steam, Sage, Char, Blue Salt and Spice), these are the kinds of pans you wouldn’t mind permanently living on your hob because there’s nowhere else to put them.

It also taps into a much bigger kitchen trend we’ve been seeing lately: compact, multifunctional cookware and appliances built for modern living. As homes, and especially kitchens, get smaller, products that can earn their keep without dominating your space are becoming increasingly desirable.

Shiza Shahid, co-founder of Our Place, said: ‘We often talk about big tables and large gatherings, but so much of our life happens through smaller moments in the kitchen.’

She added: ‘We designed our Tiny Cookware Collection to make those moments as beautiful and joyful as cooking for others can be.’

There is one thing to note before adding to basket: unlike the wider ceramic cookware collection, the Tiny range is not induction compatible due to its smaller sizing.

The Tiny Cookware Collection is available right now, but with limited stock available, I wouldn’t be surprised if these sell out quickly, especially among fellow tiny-kitchen owners like myself.

HexClad is a brand best-known for its hybrid stainless steel cookware, but its always-expanding product range actually covers a much wider area of the kitchen than just the best non-stick pans.

One buy that came highly recommended to me, from other Kitchen Editors no less, was HexClad's Stainless Steel Bowl Set (£99 at HexClad), though I have to say that at first I was skeptical about splashing that much cash on a trio of mixing bowls.

It's a lot to spend on anything, let alone kitchenware, and seeing as I just made the switch to stainless steel food containers from Black + Blum, I thought I was pretty much covered in this area already.

Well, after a few weeks with these vacuum sealed bowls I can only say I was totally wrong. This set has quickly become a kitchen essential of mine, used day in day out for cooking and storing food, which has helped me make the switch over to a non-toxic kitchen for good. Here's what I use them for and why I'm so reliant on them.

1. They keep food fresher for longer

Unless you are the Type A person I dream of becoming, there's a chance that you, like me, don't always eat or use up all of the food in your fridge before it goes bad. I am forever hearing the disappointed voice of my very economical Nanna in my head whenever I have to throw away gone off food.

I've tried a few things in the past to try and combat this, including Zwilling's StayFresh range (from £89 on Amazon) which comes with a rechargeable pump for vacuum sealing compatible food containers. This is a very good system in theory but the need to charge the tool to remove the air from the containers is a bit of a blocker to a totally seamless kitchen for me.

That's why I was drawn to the vacuum-seal element of these HexClad bowls. You don't need a pump to activate the seal – you just need to press down on the lid until it forms a lock with the lip of the bowl. You then press down the button that lies on the lid and the lock will remain tight, with air pushed out.

It's a similar design to the meal prep set I just tried from Black + Blum, which have kept my leftovers fresher for noticeably longer. In practice, I've used the HexClad bowls for bigger portions of food including salads and proteins alongside my meal prep containers.

2. Quality build & design

There's been a move away from using plastic utensils and kitchenware due to understandable anxiety about PFAs, which is where this set really comes into its own. Each bowl, all of which neatly nest together so pleasingly, is crafted from stainless steel and feature a non-slip rubber base on the exterior. There are three sizes in the set: 1.4L, 2.8L, and 4.7L.

The smallest bowl has proved invaluable for storing leftover salad or protein (right now it's in my fridge filled with crunchy slaw). And while the middle-sized bowl is great for mixing up said salads the larger is ideal for dough mixes.

On each of the bowls there are measurement marks on the interior, which is so helpful for gauging the capacity of whatever you're mixing together with markings up to 2.5 litres.

The ability to use metal utensils on the bowl means you don't have to be overly careful when you're mixing and the valve also has a date-setting dial on it, so that you can remember exactly when you put the contents in there. You can very rigorously mix and combine with these bowls without worrying its going to disappear off your worktop thanks to the rubber base which keeps it anchored in place too.

All of these features might sound small but together they make these bowls a total breeze to use. I've been reaching for them every meal time both for the process of cooking and for storage.

3. They're easy to keep clean

There are a few buys in my kitchen that I am so reliant on that are also a nightmare to clean (I'm looking at you, julienne peeler) so I'm relieved to report that is not the case with this bowl set.

The bowls and lids are dishwasher safe (with the latter needing to sit in the top rack only) and as with my favourite pan which is also crafted with a stainless steel exterior, the Our Place Titanium Pan, comes out gleaming after being cleaned.

The metal is very easy to wipe clean too. And if you're sick of kitchenware that retains smells and marks (like when you store leftover tomato-based sauces) then you'll undoubtedly be impressed by the lack of absorbability that comes with this professional-grade stainless steel material.

So if you're looking for a real workhorse buy for your kitchen, I couldn't recommend this HexClad set more highly. Pricey? Absolutely. But I bet it's something that will really go the distance too.

I made the switch from plastic to glass food containers a long time ago and when it came to organised meal prep buys, considered myself to be way ahead of the game. In fact, I felt smug about the fact that tomato sauce-stained takeaway boxes or mismatched lids were no longer cluttering up my kitchen.

I much preferred glass over plastic for leftovers thanks to its easy to clean nature, even if I did find they were heavy to lug around in my work bag, with the benefits of making the switch (including the cost factor) far outweighing the cons. I also loved being able to use my glass containers in my air fryer.

Then I discovered that everyone in the know, including food influencers galore, had in fact moved onto something even better: microwavable stainless steel containers.

I just tried a version from the very trendy brand Black & Blum (£19 per container via Amazon – mine are round) to gauge the difference – here's why I'm a total convert.

If you like the sound of stainless steel containers, it's important for you to know that not all products of this material are microwave safe – far from it. You should only ever put metals in the microwave that are explicitly labelled by the manufacturer as microwave-safe.

Black & Blum's range uses 'food-grade' stainless steel which means its durable, capable of going in the dishwasher and, crucially, won't make your food taste like metal. All of the pieces from this retailer are also fitted with vacuum valves, something that I discovered goes a long way to help with food freshness.

You don't need an additional tool to make the vacuum-seal on these containers work. All you need to do to activate the seal is press firmly down on the lid and make sure the valve is shut. And it's not just that the system here is forming a seal over your food – as that's what all good food containers do – it also pushes existing air out in order to improve food freshness.

Straight out of the box I was very impressed with the feel and look of these containers. They're expensive, yes, but they feel high-quality in your hand and are the perfect portion size for on the go. Empty they only weigh about 250 grams which was a huge improvement on my old glass versions.

I tried the three-pack round bowls, which fit together very satisfyingly in my cupboards, as I work from home full-time now, so I don't need to be thinking about cramming one into my work bag. But if you're going to take yours on your commute, the square alternative might serve you a bit better.

I have had experience of venturing out with these containers though as I luckily live a stone's throw away from the beach, which means I needed a lightweight way to get my dinner down there. These bowls have been so great for transporting salads and cold lunches down there, as well as for warming up leftovers from the fridge.

I was cautious the first time I popped one of the bowls into the microwave with the muscle memory of the no metals rule still running through my head. But there's no hiccup with warming food in them in this way, as long as you don't keep them in there too long – 2 minutes for each turn in the microwave is plenty.

The food warms really well in these containers and the easy clean-up might be the best bit about them. If you think glass is better for getting off stains and food you'll be even more pleased with how seamlessly easy it is to scrub at the stainless steel. They're also fine to go into the top rack of your dishwasher.

Now I've made the swap for my food containers, I'm seeing what else in my kitchen I can give the stainless steel treatment. In that spirit, I've got my hands on HexClad's stainless steel mixing and prep bowls (£99 at Amazon) too and so far, I'm similarly impressed by their merits.

Could you see yourself making the swap to stainless steel? This professional-grade material really does make all the difference for me in terms of food prep and storage.

Ninja just dropped a brand new stainless steel cookware range: the EverClad collection, available now with prices starting from £89.99.

In a bid to rival the most popular cookware brands around right now, including HexClad and Made In, Ninja has launched this 'commercial-grade' line which includes saucepan sets and frying pans.

There's no doubt that stainless steel is the material of the moment. In recent years it has transitioned as the pick of professional chefs into a mainstay of everyday kitchens, especially for those looking to get away from non-stick coatings and to invest in non-toxic alternatives.

Here's a closer look at everything Ninja is offering with the EverClad range, which the brand say is 'designed to keep up with your lifestyle'.

This is a real premium offering from Ninja, with no non-stick coatings in sight. Instead, the use of stainless steel means that all of the pans in the range are oven safe up to 300°C, which is, of course, fantastic for hob to oven cooking.

Each pan has a tri-ply construction, which means that you're paying for two layers of stainless steel and a core made of aluminium in the middle. This allows for even heating and explains the higher price tag.

Suitable for all hob types, you can pick up everything from a wok to a small frying pan in this material. The more expensive picks, such as the 22cm Stock Pot, feature two side handles, which is a hallmark of higher quality cookware. All of the pieces also have a 10-year warranty, which is great for peace of mind.

If you really want to deck out your whole kitchen with this range, you can pick up Ninja's wide-ranging 12 Piece Set, which features a saucepan with lid, two frying pans (one with a lid), a larger saucepan and lid, a sauté pan and lid, a large stockpot and another smaller frying pan. For all of those pieces, you'll pay less than £300, which is actually a great price if you want to start a non-toxic cookware collection from scratch.

There are so many benefits to cooking with stainless steel and we've recently been on a journey here at Ideal Home to establish what those merits are.

Our expert Home Economist and reviewer Helen McCue has tried Le Creuset's stainless steel offering in her review as well as Made In's alternative. After those experiences, she's a convert to the material for cooking, saying that it made mealtimes 'a breeze' once she got over the learning curve of getting rid of her reliance on non-stick coatings.

Of course, one of the great things with stainless steel pans is that they should have real longevity in your kitchen so we can't wait to test Ninja's version out too to see exactly how it holds up to the challenges of everyday life. From a first look it certainly looks like a very promising range.

Stainless steel pans are hot property right now, but cooking with them usually involves a period of adjustment to say the least.

That's because this material isn't inherently non-stick – instead, you need to cook with these pans in a specific way to mimic that kind of surface.

I've tried plenty of stainless steel products in my quest to find the best saucepans and frying pans out there, but it was at a recent cooking class with Le Creuset's chief home economist Alison Haigh that I understood more about how to prep them properly. Here's the quick trick she taught me, while using Le Creuset's version (£145), to get a stainless steel pan ready for use.

The mercury ball test

The first thing to know is: there's no actual mercury involved here (which is lucky, because it is, of course, highly toxic). You wouldn't want it anywhere near your cookware.

The mercury test is simply a quick exercise you can do with droplets of water in order to see if your pan is ready to act like a non-stick surface. It gets its name from the visual effect you're looking for – if your pan is ready at the ideal temperature, the water won't evaporate, it'll bead up like a ball of mercury would.

The exact temperature you want the pan to reach before you start cooking is approximately 193°C. At this point, the 'pores' in a stainless steel pan (which has a naturally rough surface when cold, unlike a pan with a non-stick ceramic coating for example) close up. Now smooth, the surface is then covered with a micro-thin layer of steam.

That film of steam is what allows you to mimic a non-stick surface, preventing your food from sticking. So how do you achieve it?

In my cooking class, Le Creuset's home economist explained that you need to put your stainless steel pan on to the heat for two to three minutes to begin. It's essential that the pan is dry, free from all oil or fat at this point, in order for what you're about to do to have an effect.

After a few minutes, sprinkle a few droplets of water onto the pan's surface. If the water instantly evaporates, the pan is not hot enough yet.

If the water forms into visible beads that look as if they're dancing across the surface of the pan, it's perfect – you've completed The Mercury Test.

But Le Creuset's home economist Alison had more advice from here. Rather than adding oil at this point, which was essential for the schnitzel and fried egg I was cooking, turn the heat down slightly.

That might sound counter intuitive, given the time you just spent getting it to the perfect temperature, but it'll prevent your oil from burning in an instant. And then you're ready to begin cooking.

We've been on a real stainless steel journey recently here at Ideal Home, with our expert reviewer Helen McCue trying lots of popular sets. Here's a round-up of her, and my favourites from the last few months.

So if you've tried and failed to switch over to cooking with stainless steel, then incorporating this quick test into your next try might just be the thing that helps. Seeing as it only involves water, I reckon it's definitely worth a try.

Stainless steel has long been the pan material of choice for professional chefs and now it can be yours too from as little as £11.99 with Lidl's shiny new cookware range.

Available in stores from Sunday the 12th of April, the range consists of frying pans and larger stockpots, all of which are non-toxic in their construction, which means they're free from traditional non-stick coatings.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I've had the lucky job of testing the best cookware over the last few years and I think stainless steel is a great pick for those who are serious about levelling up their cooking, but I haven't seen this type of cookware available quite so cheaply.

For our guide to the best frying pans and saucepan sets, we've tried picks from Made In, Le Creuset and many other high-end picks – here's how Lidl's alternatives shape up alongside them.

This range from Lidl consists of four pans, a stainless steel sieve set and a range of food containers in the same material.

If you're in the market for a frying pan, the smallest and most affordable offering is the Premium Stainless Steel Frying Pan 24cm, which will set you back £12.99. If you're cooking in bigger batches, then there's a 28cm version too for just £2 more.

Onto the stockpots, which are available in a 2.5 litre or 5 litre size and come with glass lids. They also have litre markings on the inside as well as pouring rims to make draining the contents much easier. The larger pot is available for £16.99 while the smaller is £11.99.

The base thickness of the stockpots is 6mm, and as with the frying pans, they are compatible with any type of hob and the pieces are also dishwasher safe.

In general, one of the biggest benefits of stainless steel cookware is its resilience, with the material offering a sturdiness that can survive even the hottest of temperatures. But its not without its learning curve, especially if you're used to using pans with non-stick coatings.

The advice from our expert reviewer Helen McCue is to use all of the resources you can to get clued up before you use your stainless steel pans for the first time – whether that's via YouTube or your favourite cookbook.

If you're wondering about the difference between Lidl's stainless steel pans and Le Creuset's and Made In's (as well as the relative RRPs), the distinction is in the amount of stainless steel you're getting for your spend.

Take Le Creuset's 3-ply frying pan, for example. Not only does it have a stainless steel core throughout its base but within its entire construction, including in the sides. Lidl's by comparison only has an encapsulated base of stainless steel, where the heat will mostly gather.

Given the price difference between the two, that difference in quality is to be expected – and that's not to say that Lidl's version can't do a solid job in your kitchen when used correctly. Unless you're frying ultra delicate foods, the difference might not be too obvious to your eye.

Also in the range over at Lidl is stainless steel food containers, the perfect pairing if you're going pick up those bargain pans. You can pick up a set of them for just £6.99 – a total bargain – with the huge added bonus of the lunchboxes being microwave safe (without their lids on).

I'm about to try one of Black&Blum's meal prep sets (available from £29.95) to see if it's worth making the swap to the stainless steel material over glass containers (which I love, but which can be seriously annoying to lug around).

Once I left behind plastic containers for non-toxic options, there was no going back for me, so if you're looking for a budget way to make a change, then Lidl's set might be worth a look in.

If it's non-toxic kitchenware you're after, these affordable picks could be the place to make a start!

An all-in-one pan deserves a place in any hardworking kitchen, but is it worth splashing out on one or can more affordable lookalikes get the job done for a fraction of the price?

That's the premise that led me to put Our Place's bestselling Always Pan (currently down to £95 from £125), which I think is one of the best non-stick cookware on the market head-to-head with IKEA's strikingly similar KLIPPFISK sauté pan.

Both of these pans have a deep, wide shape that lends them to versatility for home cooks – you can shallow fry, steam, sauté, boil and so much more in a pan of this design. But one was a clear winner in terms of performance in our tests – which adds up given the £86 price difference between the two.

The basics

Side-by-side, it's easy see the gulf in quality between the KIPPFLISK and the Always Pan.

The KLIPPFISK is thinner and lighter, lacking the sturdiness that the Always Pan has in your hand and on the hob. IKEA's version is also a lot deeper, which will suit some for batch cooking, and features a see-through lid, which is always good for keeping an eye on things.

But if you like the idea of popping one of these pans in the oven to finish something off under the grill, then only one of them fits that bill: the Always Pan 2.0. IKEA'S alternative is not suitable for oven use at all. Here's a full breakdown of the specs.

If you're buying an all-in-one pan to keep out on your worktop, design is also going to matter here. I think Our Place's version is much easier on the eye, as well as having the bonus of seven possible colour options. The KLIPPFISK is grey-turquoise as standard and the wood accents might not be for everyone.

Winner: Our Place's Always Pan 2.0

Cooking tests

The first test on my agenda was a fried egg, which is a good way to see how evenly and quickly heat is distributed across the bottom of a pan.

It felt, with a palm across the base of each, that the IKEA pan was slower to warm than the Our Place one. I went ahead and cracked eggs into each and found that the Always Pan made the kind of 'sizzle' sound that you might expect, while the KLIPPFISK took a minute to catch up to the same heat.

The running of the white in the KLIPPFISK across the base of the pan also wasn't a great sign for me, confirming my suspicions about the temperature of it compared to the Always Pan. The uniformity of the Always Pan eggs says to me that the heat transfer is a lot better.

Next up, I tried bacon. One benefit of the shape of the KLIPPFISK for bacon is that any grease splatters are more contained within the deep shape. It's also a little roomier.

By the end of the cooking time, I found that the rashers in the IKEA pan had shrivelled a little (as you can see in the photos), which might be an indication that the distribution across the pan isn't the best.

But other than that, the resutls were fairly similar – I think due to the fact that pans were warmed a little more by this point.

The final run out for these pans was warming up leftovers for lunch. I hoped this would give me even more insight into the evenness of heat. Once again, Our Place's pan took less time to get to the level of heat I needed compared to IKEA's, but the KLIPPFISK did catch up after not too long.

Looking at each performance as a whole, the KLIPPFISK did take longer to get there, but once it was up to heat it was fine for non-stick cooking tasks though not as impressive as the Always Pan. Our Place's version was better in terms of quick start-up times and overall yielded better results. For me, there's an obvious winner.

Winner: Our Place's Always Pan 2.0

The winner

There's been a huge shift away from non-stick pans recently with people opting for non-toxic stainless steel cookware on the main. Our expert reviewer recently tried two fantastic examples, Le Creuset's stainless steel set and Made In's version.

But a good non-stick pan is still a great tool to have in your arsenal for quick cooking jobs or if you don't want to go through the learning curve of getting used to stainless steel. If that sounds like you, I think a versatile all-in-one pan with this kind of deep shape is your best bet.

Our Place's Always Pan 2.0 is ceramic and non-toxic and though it's pricey, I think it earns its RRP with the results of this test. If you want better quality, you need to pay a bit more. This pan is a solid all-rounder but its Titanium counterpart remains my favourite of all time if you really want the best of the best.

IKEA'S KLIPPFISK is a fine budget version of the same type of pan, but it doesn't have the same quality feel or yield the same results. But the £39 price tag is hard to argue with if you're in desperate need of a stopgap piece of cookware.

The conclusion of my tests then, is what you might expect: when it comes to these two pans, you definitely get what you pay for.

There are many occasions where investing in one of the best saucepan sets is the most convenient option. Plus, buying a common-sense configuration of pans often works out as straightforwardly economical.

But what about the pans that never get used? In my kitchen, I find milk pans or in-between sized saucepans don't get a look in compared to my trusty frying pan and stockpot.

So is a saucepan set or building a collection with individual non-stick pans a better idea? When I asked four different trained chefs for their expert advice one product recommendation in particular, an all-in-one pan, cropped up again and again. Here's why.

Saucepan sets vs individual pans

When I lived in my first-year accommodation at uni, all of us had been packed off with the same pan set by our parents, which led to 8 not-so-world-wise 20-year-olds trying to cram half a dozen frying pans into one cupboard. Not ideal. But what's the alternative to a one-size-fits-all set?

Jesse Jempner, head chef at meal kit delivery service Mindful Chef has an alternative: one 'really good "forever" frying pan'.

In my time as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor, I've found all-in-one pans, which are similar to frying pans but often with a deeper, more versatile shape, as the best option for a pan that ticks every box.

Jesse agrees, saying that a well-designed all-in-one pan should be able to 'streamline your kitchen without compromising on what you can cook'.

'They’re also great for creating a calmer cooking experience: fewer pans on the go, less washing up, and a more fluid rhythm while you’re in the kitchen.'

So what should you look out for on the hunt for such a pan? Jesse advises first looking for one that can handle 'steaming, frying, boiling, and even finishing dishes in the oven.'

My favourite example of this is Our Place's Always Pan Titanium Pro (£175 at Our Place). I awarded five stars to it in my review thanks to its incredibly useful size and shape as well as its tri-ply construction which allowed me to use metal utensils on its interior and finish meals in it in the oven. The only downside is it's seriously pricey. So is it worth investing in a more expensive pan like this one?

Splashing out can actually be a good value move over time, according to Aurélia Noël-Delclos, co-owner of Chez Antoinette, a French restaurant based in London.

'For me, investing in a good-quality “forever” pan is essential,' says Aurélia. 'The quality of your cooking equipment has a real impact on the results you achieve, so it’s always worth prioritising one or two excellent pieces over a full set of lower quality.'

That's a view shared by Saifur Rahman, Head Chef at Tower Tandoori. 'If cooking happens most days, better value usually comes from buying one genuinely durable workhorse pan first, then adding only what gets used.'

In terms of specific recommendations, Saifur says 'In practice, that often means either a 24–28 cm tri-ply stainless sauté pan with a lid, or a 26–28 cm enamelled cast-iron casserole. Either option covers a huge amount of everyday cooking, from browning and pan-roasting to simmering sauces, cooking pulses, and one-pot meals, and both cope well with high heat and oven use.'

Recently our expert reviewer Helen McCue tried one such all-in-one stainless steel pan from Tom Kerridge's collection with M&S (£60 at M&S), which she awarded five stars to in her review, calling it a 'versatile multipurpose cookware piece'.

Downsides of all-in-one pans

Though I think all-in-one pans are the best place to start, the chefs I spoke to had reserverations about investing in one as your only pan.

'All-in-one pans are great for saving space, but they can’t fully replace a saucepan set,' says Giuseppe Miggiano Italian chef and owner of Casa Tua in London. 'They limit flexibility and don’t perform equally well across all cooking tasks.'

Saifur Rahman adds that 'They can also be less effective for proper searing because crowded food steams rather than browns, and sauce work can suffer because wide, shallow shapes reduce control when simmering small volumes.'

For me, the best solution of all is investing in a good all-in-one pan for starters and then slowly adding the pieces you need based on your everyday cooking agenda. If you like the sound of that, you can find my favourite tried and tested picks of that type below to cover every budget.

Finding cookware that lasts can be a hard task, but it doesn't necessarily need to be if you invest well. After testing dozens of non-stick cookware sets in my role at Ideal Home, the pan I recommend above all other for longevity is Our Place's Titanium Always Pan Pro (as per my five star review). And it just received a discount in the brand's sale, dropping from £170 to £155.

Crafted from stainless steel aluminium and titanium, there's no non-stick coating with this pan. Instead, there's a titanium interior, which is 'naturally hydrophobic' thanks to microscopic grooves.

That makes this pan seriously hardy. In my kitchen its survived metal utensils, charring, high heats (of up to 535°C) and daily runs through the dishwasher. And it still looks absolutely good as new almost a year later. Here's a closer look at my tried and tested recommendations from the Our Place spring sale, running until the 28th of March.

Don't get me wrong, every single one of these titanium pans is mightily expensive. And I know the idea of spending over £100 on one single piece of cookware can feel excessive to say the least.

But there is a logic to splashing out on a pricier pan that will go the distance in your kitchen if you can afford to. I started testing the Titanium Always Pan in the large size and the Pot in the small size back last spring and after continual use (sometimes twice in a day), they've held up to every marketing claim from the brand, including that they can stand frequent dishwasher cycles. And that doesn't happen often.

The bigger pan in the range is great if you're cooking for 2-4 people or if you like to get ahead with your meal prep. But I'm keen to try out the brand's smaller Titanium pan, at 21.6cm in diameter, now I'm moving into a cosier kitchen space and only cooking for 2 people regularly. It's benefitting from the biggest discount in the sale too.

Another thing that makes this pan so versatile is its ability to go into the oven at high temperatures. My favourite ever lazy treat dinner is a one-pot lasagne and this pan is tough enough to withstand a long stint in the oven while the cheese melts and then looks good enough to serve straight to the dinner table.

If you're in the market for a non-toxic forever pan then, I can't recommend this game-changing version from Our Place highly enough. It's the first one I recommend to family and friends.

I've been lucky enough to try a few different kitchen essentials from this California-based brand and plenty of them have received discounts in this time-limited sale. Here are my favourites.

Will you be taking a browse of this Our Place sale? I know I will!

Turns out Tom Kerridge's first cookware collection with M&S was more than just a flash in the pan, with the continuing success of the chef's product line proving that some celebrity endorsements can provide more than just a famous face.

Last year we tried a host of Tom's chef-approved picks, with his Stainless Steel All Purpose Saucepan (£60 via M&S) wowing our expert reviewer and home economist Helen McCue the most. In her review, she called it 'a fantastic all-rounder', which is 'built to stand the test of time'.

And it seems its not just us here at Ideal Home who think that, with this, one of the best pans for an induction hob we've tried, quickly becoming an M&S bestseller and attracting almost exclusively five star reviews, with one user calling it 'incredible quality for the price'. Here's a closer look at why this pan is loved by reviewers across the board.

There's a huge trend towards using stainless steel pans over non-stick versions for a range of reasons at the moment.

When it comes to picking the best cookware, professional chefs will tell you that stainless steel is superior for preventing sticking, when used correctly, over non-stick coatings which can chip over time. They also don't contain forever chemicals, which is a topic at the forefront of many people's minds and are known to last far longer (many years as opposed to short cycles) over non-stick alternatives.

During testing, Helen found the quality of this pan to be up to scratch for rigorous cooking tasks – she sensed that this weighty piece of cookware was exceptionally well made even as she took it out of its packaging.

In her full-length review Helen cooked a range of foods in the pan, from chicken jalfrezi to sea bass fillets, and found that the shape and the material of the pan lent itself perfectly to cooking without sticking.

Shoppers who flocked to shop the Tom Kerridge collection are very much in agreement in this pan's reviews section too. It currently has a 4.9 star rating, a lot of which touch on the same things that Helen noticed in the review process.

One reviewer said 'Great pan. Bigger than I thought even though I read the dimensions' which is exactly what Helen found too, saying that the capacity of this pan was perfect for meal prep and for family dinners.

Another reviewer remarked that 'It’s heavy, but it heats up quickly and evenly', adding that it 'wipes clean after quick soak'. It's something Helen found too, with the added layer of copper in the base within this pan helping with getting the interior up to temperature in a flash.

Alternative M&S x Tom Kerridge Stainless Steel

It's not only the pans that have impressed us from the Tom Kerridge range either – our Stackable Cast Iron set, and 2-in-1 chopping board reviews prove that – and we're hoping there's more to come from this celebrity partnership at M&S in 2026. Have you tried any of the range at home?

Our Place's pastel, pleated heat-proof trivets have finally landed in the UK, solving a problem I didn't even know I had: ugly heatproof mats.

Now available for £33.36 via QVC, I knew these worktop savers would be a hit as soon as I laid eyes on them as part of the brand's concession stand at Selfridges on Oxford Street. And now, I've discovered there's a whole treasure trove of design-forward trivets out there – including a very similar looking two-piece set from IKEA if you're on a budget: the ELDSTJÄRT pot stands for just £4.

I'm a big fan of Our Place after testing pretty much all of their bestsellers – the brands Titanium Always Pan Pro is easily the best non-stick pan I've ever tested – but IKEA's much cheaper heatproof mats are already raking in the rave reviews, too. Here's a closer look at the two together.

Let's start with Our Place's version which is heat resistant up to 218°C and made from a durable ceramic styled in a 'pleated sunburst design'. Each one has a unique reactive glaze too, from firing in a kiln, which can make a real difference in the way each one looks in your kitchen.

As well as the super cute frilled effect, the trivets are matte in their finish – perfect for adding as the finishing touch to a dinner party scene.

IKEA's versions don't quite have the same pastel edge, as they're only available in the pictured black and black-blue, but they do take the crown affordability wise.

Made from 'pigmented and compressed bamboo', they can be stacked together when you need to store them and have the benefit of being made from the brand's 'waste material' from other production processes so they're planet-friendly, too.

It's not clear what temperature IKEA's version can safely reach, but from three user review scores it currently has, it's attracted a perfect rating.

One shopper remarked that the mats make an 'Interesting, inexpensive and practical' addition to their kitchen, saying 'they do the job of protecting surfaces from hot pans and look a bit interesting'. And you can't say fairer than that!

If Our Place or IKEA's versions don't take your fancy there are plenty of other design-forward versions you could have on your kitchen countertop instead. Here's a selection of my favourites.

As well as being so fun to look at, Our Place's pleated trivets have seriously inspired me to refresh my own pan stands and spoonrests – mine is looking seriously beyond its best. (P.S if you're in the market for an air fryer, Our Place's version just went on sale at QVC too!). It really is the small kitchen touches that make all the difference!

You've probably heard of the viral Our Place Always Pan — and for good reason. This is the original multi-tasking pan that promises to do the job of 10 pans in one. The Always Pan and its colourful looks have often been copied, but are rarely beaten when it comes to performance.

However, there is one big downside to this famous pan: the pricepoint. Coming in at £125, it's not a cheap buy, which is why I was so excited to spot it discounted down to £95 in Amazon's Spring Deal Days.

In case you're not familiar with Our Place, this female-founded kitchenware brand oozes multifunctionality, whilst also being aesthetically pleasing enough to leave on display in your kitchen. While you can often find the Our Place Always pan on sale over Black Friday, it's rare to find it at such a low price point at this time of year.

Amazon Our Place Always pan deal

This pan is raved about as one of the best non-stick pans for a reason. Its convenient design is just one of its standout features — it has a pouring lip for easy serving, and a dedicated spoon rest. Its deep shape makes it great for cooking larger portions, and its non-stick surface was highly rated by our Kitchen Appliance Editor, Molly Cleary. However, it is the Titanium Always pan that she rates most highly, which is currently sold out at Amazon.

'Fried eggs slide around the pan, and it even makes a mean scramble, which is a tough task for many frying pans,' says Molly. 'The steamer basket that comes included is great for cooking anything from broccoli to noodles, and this can be stored inside the pan when not in use.'

This pan comes in three sizes in several cool colourways, including charcoal, steam, blue salt, spice and sage. My favourite has to be the spice — it's a soothing pop of colour to an otherwise neutral kitchen. However, the spice colourway is only on sale at Amazon in the Large Always Pan for £119 and the Mini Always Pan for £75.

Amazon Our Place Wonder Oven deal

Out of the rest of the Our Place sale, my next star buy is the Wonder Oven air fryer, which I have in my own kitchen. When I unboxed it for the first time, I wasn't sure what to expect. I wanted to love it because it's non-toxic and it's supposed to be so much better for your health, but I was unsure of its oven-like design — I've only ever tested air fryers, which have cooking baskets.

In short, I was wrong to worry: this air fryer gets used multiple times a day in my family home. Not only does it look super cute on my worktop, perfectly placed next to my favourite cookbook and my Amazon Alexa, but its beige colourway brings a soft feel to my counters, while the fact that it can be used to air fry, toast, bake, grill and reheat is a total game-changer.

Besides the lack of PFAS in its ceramic coating, it's seriously versatile. Available in 4 colours, this 6-in-1 air fryer can even be used to steam food, while its compact design makes it a great investment for smaller kitchens. It preheats fast, too, and it comes with 3 trays — a wire rack, a baking pan and an air fryer basket — and it benefits from 2 cooking levels.

I've used this air fryer to cook everything from fish cakes to Teryaki salmon and chicken wings. I even use it to toast sourdough, hot cross buns and ciabatta

The rest of the Our Place sale on Amazon

Don't miss these savings while they're still live — the Amazon Spring Deal Days Sale ends on the 16th March.

Stainless steel cookware is gaining popularity, a trend that appears to be driven by concerns about chemical non-stick coatings on pans. But also, I think people want cookware that’ll last. We’re sick of having to replace scratched and flakey pans every few years.

A good set of pans can be expensive, so you’ll want to get it right. Choosing stainless steel should easily tick a few boxes, like being hard wearing and long lasting. But at just under £400, this set is pricey, plus the brand isn’t that well known in the UK.

I’ve put this set to the test to help you figure out if it’s the one for you. I’m also learning to fry in a stainless steel frying pan, which is definitely something that’s daunting and could put you off this set altogether. But scroll down to see if I managed to fry eggs without welding them to the pan.

In a nutshell

Made in Italy, these premium stainless steel pans are constructed using five layers of metal that are rolled and bonded together. This set includes a 1.9 litre saucepan with lid, a 1.9 litre saucier pan with lid, and a 25cm frying pan.

The saucepan and frying pan are pretty self explanatory, but not everyone will have heard of a saucier pan. Essentially it’s a wider pan with a rounded cornerless bottom, that’s well suited to making sauces.

The stainless steel frying pan has the potential to be a challenge. Most of us are used to non-stick frying pans and frying effectively in a pan that lacks a non-stick coating requires a different skillset. But, thanks to the internet and platforms like YouTube, it’s super easy to learn how to use it effectively

With an RRP of £377 this investment set is aimed at people who want premium, long lasting cookware that’s good enough for professional kitchens. None of the pans in this set have non-stick coatings, so if you’re worried about forever chemicals, it’s a good set to consider.

I was initially dubious about the usefulness of the saucier pan, but came to love it during the time I was reviewing these pans. The saucepan met my expectations, meanwhile the frying pan is a great size, and if you’re willing to learn the skills needed to use a stainless steel frying pan, it’s possible to achieve non-stick cooking.

Product specs

Materials: 5-ply stainless clad

Metal utensil safe? yes

Dishwasher safe? Yes but hand washing recommended

Pan capacity: 1.9 litre saucier and 1.9 litre saucepan

Pan diameter: 25cm frying pan, 21cm saucier, 17.5cm saucepan

Getting started

I was surprised that the pans didn’t arrive in one box. They got delivered in three separate boxes, one for each pan. Not only that, they were actually delivered by two different courier companies, which seems crazy.

The packaging was mostly cardboard, however each pan was also wrapped in a plastic bag, a pointless addition if you ask me. Before they arrived I hadn’t scrutinized the pan dimensions on the website, I’d just scanned the info. So when I unboxed them, the frying pan was bigger than I expected, while the saucier was slightly smaller than I‘d imagined.

There’s a small card in each box with care instructions. There’s limited information here and you can find more on the brands website. But the thing that immediately jumped out to me was the instruction that handwashing is preferred. I wasn’t expecting to see that as a recommendation for stainless steel pans.

The card also informs you that they are oven safe up to 800F, which is a tad annoying given that we don’t use fahrenheit for our ovens in the UK. I'll save you the trouble of working out the conversion, it’s equivalent to 425C which is way beyond the upper limit of a standard UK domestic oven anyway.

The stainless steel lids don’t have steam holes in them, so I’ll be keeping an eye on how excess steam manages to escape. The handles are long and the pans feel sturdy and well balanced, but not overly heavy. On the whole, my first impression is that they appear to be lovely quality and I’m excited to get cooking with them.

Before use, I gave them all a quick wash with warm soapy water to make sure there’s no dust or residues from the packaging or the factory.

Cooking in the Made In 5 Piece Stainless Set

Saucier pan

Despite its name, the first thing I cooked in this pan wasn’t a sauce at all. I actually used it for porridge. At the time of writing it’s a dreary, wet January, and on the mornings when we have the time, my husband and I have come to look forward to a warming bowl of porridge.

It didn’t immediately occur to me, but when my husband looked at the saucier and suggested it might be good for our porridge, I gave it a go. I use jumbo oats, so they take around 10-15 minutes to soften when cooked with milk, and need to be stirred frequently for that nice creamy texture.

The saucier pan turned out to be a brilliant choice for this job. There are no awkward corners where the porridge can get stuck, and the overall shape makes it easy to ensure you're stirring it all thoroughly. I actually far prefer cooking porridge in this pan than in a normal saucepan. It heated evenly and thanks to the shape and ease of stirring, there was no sticking.

Next I used it to make a sauce. I was making a fish pie so the saucier was the perfect choice for whipping a basic white sauce from scratch. I melted butter and added flour to make a roux, then slowly added milk.

The thing with a white sauce is you have to stir or whisk it continually while adding the milk, otherwise it can congeal on the base of the pan and end up lumpy. What I love about the saucier, is that the rounded bowl shape makes stirring easy.

I was able to use a balloon whisk to stir the sauce as I added the milk. If I tried to use a balloon whisk in a standard saucepan, it wouldn’t stir all the way into the corners and consequently there would be a lot of congealed, lumpy sauce at the bottom.

Before giving it a go I didn’t think making a white sauce in the saucier would be much different to a standard pan. But after actually using it for this type of sauce, I really can see the benefit. My sauce was smooth and creamy, and stirring was a dream, I’ll definitely be using it next time I need to make a white sauce.

Although it isn’t necessarily designed for boiling vegetables, when I wanted to simmer some whole asparagus spears without having to cut them in half, I found myself reaching for the saucier. It’s the ideal size and shape, plus it has a lid, so it ended up being the perfect pan for the job.

When I was looking at the specifications of the pans on the Made In website, I noticed that they recommend the saucier for risotto, and that seemed like a good enough reason to make risotto for dinner.

From softening the onion and leek, to the long, slow process of adding stock while continually stirring the rice. The saucier proved to be up to the job. My risotto didn’t stick to the base, and the pan responded well to any adjustments I made to the hob temperature.

Overall I was very pleased with the result, all I would say is that if you’re making risotto for a crowd, this pan won’t be big enough. I pretty much filled it up and I had enough for two dinner size portions, with some left over for one lunch the next day.

Saucepan

I used this saucepan several times to make hot chocolate, and can confirm that the rolled edge at the top of the pan works as a great pouring lip. I never spilled a drop of hot chocolate when pouring it into my mugs.

It was also a good size for boiling broccoli, heating baked beans, warming chickpea curry, and similar everyday cooking tasks. It appears to heat evenly and respond well to changes in the hob temperature.

It's not a huge saucepan but still had ample space for cooking six portions of brown rice. The brown rice simmered for 20 minutes with the lid on. During cooking, steam was able to naturally escape around the edges of the lid, without causing it to jostle around.

After cooking for 20 minutes, the pan handle was still cool to the touch. The lid handle was warm, but not hot, so I didn’t need an oven glove or tea towel to remove it. And when I lifted it, the pan still felt nicely balanced, despite being full of rice and water.

Frying Pan

Having only recently reviewed a stainless steel frying pan from another brand, I’ve already got an understanding of how to cook in a pan that lacks a non-stick coating. However I still headed to YouTube to refresh my memory and make sure I did it the right way. I also found some helpful tutorials on the Made In website here.

To cook some halloumi I heated the pan over a medium heat and used a teaspoon of water to test when it was at the right temperature. As soon as the water beaded and danced around the pan, it was ready for the oil. This is called the leidenfrost effect and it’s worth watching some videos so you know what to look for.

I added a good splash of oil and allowed it to warm for around 30 seconds then added my halloumi. It did stick slightly but I left it alone until it needed turning. A bit of gentle persuasion was required to get the spatula underneath the halloumi slices and release them from the pan, but I managed to turn each piece without any breakages.

The halloumi fried nicely in just a few minutes and none of it was welded to the pan. I don’t think I got the pan temperature spot on though, as there were some black marks after cooking that required a fair bit of scrubbing to remove.

I used a similar method when frying cubes of paneer and it worked perfectly, no sticking at all.

Next I tried fried eggs, which is a bit of a nail biter in a stainless steel pan. The guidance on the Made In website suggests heating the empty pan on a medium-low heat for 2-3 minutes. Then you add a tablespoon of oil and allow it to heat before adding your eggs.

I followed this method and it worked pretty well. There was some minor sticking, but I managed to ease the spatula under both eggs and remove them intact without splitting the yolk. Just a couple of small crisped patches of egg white remained in the pan, but these weren’t exactly welded on.

On the whole it was very successful and I was pleased with the result. But the second time I tried fried eggs, I opted for a slightly different method where you heat the pan over a medium heat for just 30 seconds, then add a tablespoon of oil.

After the oil has heated for around 60 seconds you add in the eggs and fry gently over a medium low heat. For me this method worked much better and the eggs didn’t stick.

The other thing to note is that in a stainless steel pan, you will need more oil than in a very good non-stick pan. For some people this will be a deal breaker. I don’t mind so much because I used a healthy avocado oil and most of it remains in the pan when you take the eggs out, so I’m not going to worry about it.

If you think eggs are scary in a stainless steel pan, then pancakes are next level. I love a thin crepe style pancake with banana and chocolate spread, so in all honesty if they didn’t work, I’d be more gutted about missing out on this tasty treat than the fact I’d be scraping stuck pancake batter from the base of the pan.

Having consulted some tutorials on YouTube, I opted for the gentle method that worked well for my fried eggs. I heated the empty pan for 30 seconds over a medium heat and then added just a teaspoon of oil this time, which I preheated for 60 seconds.

Because I only added a teaspoon of oil, I used a pastry brush to make sure the whole base of the frying pan was properly coated with the oil. I’d already allowed my batter to sit at room temperature for a while because I read that if the batter is cold, it’s more likely to stick. Once added, I swirled it around, and adjusted the hob to a lower heat.

Most people accept that the first pancake of the batch is usually the worst, and while the first one wasn’t the prettiest, I breathed a sigh of relief when my spatula slid effortlessly underneath it and there was no sticking whatsoever.

For the rest of the pancakes, I added another teaspoon of oil before each one, brushed it around and then immediately poured in my pancake batter. All the time I was adjusting the hob temperature between medium and low as needed, and the pan responded well.

This pan is great size for pancakes and the angled sides make it easy to get a palate knife or spatula underneath.

All four pancakes were a triumph and yet again I surprised myself. Even though I’ve managed it before, I’m still amazed at how simple it is to cook pancakes in a frying pan that doesn’t have a non-stick coating. And I’m starting to wonder at what point we all got tricked into thinking a non-stick pan was a must-have piece of cookware.

Finally in this pan I seared tuna steaks. And let’s be clear, fresh tuna isn’t cheap, so I was worried that this would be a disaster and ruin my tuna.

I like tuna steaks seared on the outside and rare in the middle, so that’s the result I was going for. I heated the pan on a medium heat for around 4 minutes, until a teaspoon of water danced around it in one big blob.

After briefly heating some oil, I added the tuna and turned down the heat, as I wanted to avoid overcooking it.

Once it looked like the first side had cooked enough, I attempted to get the spatula under it. Thankfully it came away from the pan cleanly. I was super happy that I managed to cook the tuna exactly how I like it, without any issues.

Cleaning

Although the pans are dishwasher safe, the care instructions advise handwashing. For me this is a little disappointing as I always think one of the great things about moving away from pans with more delicate coatings, is that you can throw them in the dishwasher without stressing about scratches or damage to the non-stick.

Frustratingly, the card that came in the box also recommends using Made In Stainless Steel Cleaner, which doesn’t appear to be available on the UK website. However, if you search “cleaning stainless steel” on the Made In website, you’ll come across a care guide that gives other options like baking soda and vinegar for stubborn residues.

During the time I used the pans, I opted for a variety of cleaning methods, occasionally putting them in the dishwasher and sometimes handwashing too. On the whole they always came clean without too much scrubbing. After cooking halloumi the frying pan required a fair bit of elbow grease, but in general it was easier to clean than you might imagine, given the lack of non-stick coating.

Storage

The set can be stacked, and when the pans are all nestled together neatly, they only take up the footprint of the frying pan. What’s more, unlike non-stick pans, you don’t have to worry about scratches when storing them together like this.

How do they compare to competitiors?

I recently reviewed the Le Creuset 3-ply Stainless Steel 3-piece Cookware set. It’s another expensive set, however there is an argument to say that the large and medium sized Le Creuset pans are more useful to most at-home cooks, than a saucier style pan is. So if you’re unsure about the saucier, this is a great set to consider.

For a more budget friendly option the HEMKOMST 7-Piece Pan Set from Ikea is the affordable choice in our roundup of best saucepan sets. For less than £100 the set includes three saucepans and a frying, so it’s a great starter set.

Should you buy the Made In 5 Piece Stainless Set?

There’s no doubt that this Made In stainless steel cookware is super high quality, and that is reflected in the price. I’ve loved using this set and was surprised that having never used a saucier pan, I really quite liked it. However for most people, it’ll probably be a bit too niche, and it’s worth considering whether you’ll get more use from a regular saucepan.

If you’re reading this you’re probably already interested in replacing non-stick pans with stainless steel. It's a great choice, but I would just reiterate that you’ll need to spend some time getting to grips with frying in a stainless steel pan, otherwise you’ll fall at the first hurdle and won’t get the best from it. On the whole though, this is a great set, and the pans are also available separately if you don’t want to invest in the set.

About this review, and the reviewer

After completing a Home Economics degree, Helen went on to work for the Good Housekeeping Institute and has been reviewing home appliances ever since. She lives in a small village in Buckinghamshire in the UK, where she reviews all sorts of home and garden appliances using her wealth of experience.

Helen used these pans for around 10 days in her own home on a gas hob. She was gifted the pans after the review and despite her initial hesitation, was particularly excited to add the saucier pan to her collection. She’s also determined to continue perfecting the art of frying in a stainless steel frying pan, and may soon ditch her non-stick frying pans.

If you’re someone who’s dreamed of owning one of Le Creuset’s Petal Cast Iron Casserole dishes, then I have something for you. Aldi is selling almost identical alternatives for just £19.99 - saving you more than £350 pounds.

Le Creuset is responsible for producing some of the best cast iron cookware around, but it is a pricey investment, which is why we’re always on the lookout for Aldi Le Creuset alternatives. Their latest petal drop is a belter.

Available to shop right now as part of Aldi’s Mother’s Day Specialbuys, I can imagine these stunning casseroles won’t be on the shelves for long. You know the drill: run, don’t walk.

Browsing my local Aldi, I was so excited when I spotted these petal casserole dishes being loaded onto the middle aisle. I practically raced over to get a look and feel of the design. Available in a deep blue shade and pale pink, I promise these dishes look beautiful in person. Like most cast iron cookware, it was quite weighty to hold, but I had expected this.

The Aldi cast iron petal casseroles are suitable for use on glass ceramic, halogen, electric, gas, induction hobs and ovens. They can be used in temperatures up to 250°C and come with a five-year warranty. The main downside is that they are not suitable for a dishwasher, so they will need to be washed by hand.

Already, these pans are gaining traction on social media, with shoppers excited to snag them in-store. Not to mention, the Le Creuset versions of these pans are highly collectable, so I believe these Aldi dead-ringers will sell out fast.

‘I got one today, it's such good quality. Can't wait to use it. I got a pink one and the colour is lovely 😍,’ read one comment on the Aldi Specialbuy Instagram account.

‘OH MY GOD they’re beautiful 😭,’ said another.

They’re not the only fans of this stunning petal shape. Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor, Molly Cleary, was a fan of the original Le Creuset Petal Casserole, and is now eyeing up Aldi’s version.

‘There's always a lot of love for Aldi's casserole dishes, but I've got a feeling these affordable petal versions will take the excitement to another level,’ she said.

'It was Le Creuset who originally had the genius idea to turn the lids on casserole dishes into a flowery display, and they've been collectable items ever since. The brand even just released a petal casserole in their brand new colour Bleu Riveria. Whether you go for Le Creuset or Aldi, a dish of this shape will always get so much use in a keen home chef's kitchen!'

When deciding how to choose cookware, Le Creuset is one of the best you can choose, if you can afford it. They’re incredibly high quality and come with a lifetime guarantee. But if out of budget, affordable alternatives like Aldi are not to be sniffed at. Ideal Home’s Digital Editor, Rebecca Knight, has used her Aldi pans for the past five years, and still rates them.

I expect the Aldi petal casseroles are selling fast, and if you’ve missed out, don’t worry, as I’ve tracked down a few more affordable alternatives.

If pretty cookware is your bag, don’t hesitate to head to your local Aldi now!

Our Place, the brand behind so many of the best cookware releases of the last few years, has unveiled a new limited-edition shade for spring: Forget-Me-Not-Blue.

Available to purchase from today, this cornflower blue has me wistfully dreaming of spring skies. If you feel the same and want to add a burst of brightness to your kitchen worktop, you can shop the brand's bestselling 10-in-1 Always Pan (£125) in the one-off colour, as well as the 13-piece cookware set (£295 via Our Place).

Back last year, we predicted that navy was soon to make way for lighter, airier shades of blue – here's a closer look at this new cookware drop that embodies just that in 2026's hottest shade.

Our Place's limited edition colours have a habit of going a little bit viral – I can cite the brand's recent collaboration with Crocs or the Selena Gomez collections (which even Nigella Lawson is a fan of) as examples – so if you like this colour, the chances are it'll have staying power in your kitchen.

Plus, once these limited run colours sell out the brand rarely brings them back, though fans are always petitioning via Instagram for them to be available to buy again.

The most affordable purchase you can make in Forget-Me-Not-Blue is the brand's signature Always Pan 2.0 (£175 at Our Place), which I recently retested for our guide to the best non-stick frying pans. Obviously it's not cheap by any regard, but its non-stick properties still hold up as very impressive almost two years after I got my hands on my sample.

If your kitchen is on the cosier side then the adorably mini-sized Mini Cookware Duo might be a better fit – at £175 for both small pans – I think it's the perfect set to pack someone off to uni with or for a smaller apartment kitchen.

If you're less into buying into colour trends and simply looking for the standout non-stick pan on the market that I've tried (picked from a list of dozens), then Our Place can still deliver.

I'm a devotee to the brand's Our Place Titanium range, as per my five-star review, which holds up as well six months later as it did when I first started testing it. It's constructed without a non-stick coating, but instead uses titanium to create microscopic grooves that can withstand every single cooking challenge I've thrown at it thus far.

Whether it's the vividness of this blue shade that's caught your attention or the pull of one of the most impressive cookware brands out there, one thing I think we can all agree on is that it's great to see bright colour trends still blooming. Now all we need is the spring weather to match!

For a long time, I’ve always thought of cast iron as the gold standard for cookware, but Aldi’s new aluminium pans are seriously making me reconsider. Lightweight and affordable, they're an ideal alternative to your trusty cast iron.

There’s no denying that the best cookware, in particular the best cast iron cookware, can often be an investment. When you don’t have the option to spend hundreds on new cookware, budget supermarkets such as Aldi and Lidl really come into their own.

Landing in stores on Thursday (26 February), the Aldi Cast Aluminium Assortment is affordable, lightweight and durable. Here’s everything you need to know.

Aluminium has been gaining traction as an affordable, yet quality cooking material for some time. Retailers like Dunelm have produced cult favourite pastel options, while Ideal Home’s most clicked pan was the M&S £30 All In One Saucepan, which also happens to be made out of aluminium.

Aldi is offering three aluminium cooking products: a £9.99 saucepan, a £11.99 frying pan and a £14.99 casserole dish - all fantastic prices. Plus, these cooking essentials are all available in three different colourways. With cream, sage green and black on offer, there is something to suit every kitchen colour scheme.

The pans are suitable for all hobs, including induction, and both the saucepan and pot come with a lid that is oven-resistant up to 150 degrees. However, the biggest draw of aluminium cookware is that it has excellent heat conductivity, is durable and incredibly lightweight - perfect if you struggle to lug about heavy cast iron.

‘The trend for cast aluminium over cast iron is having a bit of a moment, and I can see exactly why. It's a great choice for anyone looking for a cheaper alternative to big-name cast-iron brands and has the added benefit of being super lightweight and therefore much easier to manoeuvre,’ explains Molly Cleary, Ideal Home’s Kitchen Appliances Editor and resident expert on cookware.

‘Wrestling your cast iron pot onto the hob or into the oven can be a serious task, but with cast aluminium you won't feel the same strain. I love the look of this Aldi version - it has that all-in-one pan shape that's been so popular in the last few years, especially in the green colour. You could even call it a lookalike for my favourite Our Place pans in terms of shape!'

Aldi’s aluminium cookware is the cheapest I’ve spotted. And take it from me, I do think it’s good. I’ve been using Aldi’s Everyways Pan every day for the past six months, and I have no complaints - so don’t let the low price put you off.

However, if you don’t have a local Aldi or if your store isn’t stocking these pans, here are a few more affordable options you can shop online.

If cast iron can feel clunky and heavy, you will probably benefit from a lightweight option like aluminium. Will you be making the switch?

Le Creuset has unveiled a brand new must-have colour for the best cookware, Bleu Riviera, which I think is a sparkling antidote to the drabness of winter.

Available now from Le Creuset's website, there are dozens of products available to mix and match in this vibrant blue if you want to infuse a touch of the warmth of summer into your kitchen.

I've been daydreaming about a sun-drenched getaway for months now through this supremely grey winter (though it feels like years), and this coastal colourway is just the thing to help me transport away from the rain outside.

Here's a closer look at this gorgeous blue-green hue.

This collection is, according to Le Creuset, inspired by 'the sun-drenched streets and breezy afternoons of the Mediterranean coast' and 'shimmers like sunlit waters'. And it would be hard to argue that this colour isn't an instant mood booster, with its bright boldness a perfect remedy to the dullness of Pantone's announcement that the year of the year is purportedly 'Cloud Dancer' white.

I personally subscribe much more enthusiastically to the idea that blue and green is the 'it' colour pairing of 2026. If you like that match up too, then Bleu Rivieria could be the perfect fit for your newest cast-iron cookware buy.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily need to be a huge, expensive casserole dish either. One of my favourite homeware pieces that I own is a pair of Le Creuset mugs, one in warm blue and one in burgundy red. They are relatively inexpensive compared to the brand's large pots, and so impressive in quality. I am always insistent on having my morning coffee in one, and it always brightens my day a touch.

Any chance of a real-life sun-dappled getaway remains sadly too far out of my reach for now, but this fantastically transportive shade from Le Creuset is definitely helping me bridge the mental gap from the depths of winter to warmer times. Here's a selection of my favourite pieces (all under £50) from the colour collection if you want to import a touch of this shimmering blue shade into your kitchen.

Is this up there with your favourite Le Creuset colours? It's certainly a competitor for me.

A good quality saucepan set is one of the fundamentals of a cooks kitchen. And while Le Creuset is a trusted brand that’s well known for making some of the best cast iron cookware, it isn’t the brand that springs to my mind when thinking about stainless steel cookware.

Having recently replaced my own saucepans with stainless steel versions, I definitely fall into the camp of people worried about forever chemicals in cookware. But, when I made the shift to stainless steel, I wasn’t brave enough to ditch non-stick frying pans. I was worried frying in stainless steel frying pans was just going to be a disaster.

So while I’m reviewing this as a set, I am personally very interested in the frying pan in particular. Can a good quality stainless steel frying pan really be a practical everyday option? Or, is it just going to result in a lot of time at the sink scrubbing away stuck on food? I was quite shocked at the answer.

In a nutshell

The Le Creuset Essential 3-ply Stainless Steel 3-piece Cookware Set includes an 18cm saucepan with lid, a 20cm deep casserole pan with lid, and a 24cm frying pan. Everything in the set is stainless steel, and with no coatings, you don’t have to worry about harmful forever chemicals entering your foods.

The RRP of £429 is certainly steep, but at the time of writing, the set was available with a 30% discount. And unlike cookware with a non-stick coating, that will, over time, fail and need replacing, stainless steel cookware really should last you a lifetime.

Arguably non-stick coatings are somewhat redundant for most saucepans, it’s not really necessary to boil your pasta or vegetables in a pan with a non-stick coating. But, frying pans are another matter.

That said, more and more people are looking for frying pans without non-stick coatings, and with some research and patience, it’s possible to learn how to fry in a stainless steel saucepan, without welding your food to the pan in the process.

I was surprised by how quickly I mastered the art of frying in this stainless steel pan, from fried eggs to pancakes, nothing got stuck. And the high quality saucepans are up to the job too.

Who tested this pan set?

Product specs

• Materials: 3 ply stainless steel
• Metal utensil safe? yes
• Dishwasher safe? yes
• Pan diameters: 18cm saucepan, 20cm deep casserole pan, and 24cm frying pan

Unboxing and first impressions

The set arrived nestled neatly into one compact box, and I was delighted to find everything in the set was protected with either card or paper, so all the packaging was easily recyclable.

My first impression of the pans is that they look and feel well made, the quality appears to be very good. The two saucepans have fill level markers on the inside. The larger pan has markers from 1 - 3.5 litres while the smaller one has markers between 1 - 2.5 litres.

The lids are also stainless steel, meaning they’re as robust as the pans, though if you’re a fan of a glass lid, you may miss the ability to peer in at your food during cooking. There aren’t any steam holes in the lids, so I’ll be watching to see if excess steam can easily escape without noisily bumping the lid around.

The large casserole pan has two smaller handles instead of a long handle. Not only does this make the pan easier to lift when full, but it also means it’s more compact and easier to store. What’s more, when it’s on a crowded hob, there’s one less long handle jostling for space.

The frying pan has no non-stick coating, it’s completely stainless steel. This makes it ideal for people looking to move away from cookware with non-stick coatings. And it’s worth noting that if you do your research about how to fry in a stainless steel saucepan, you can learn to cook with it in a way that minimises sticking.

In addition to washing all of the pans and lids, the instruction booklet advises seasoning the frying pan before use. This simply meant gently heating some oil in the pan and then allowing to cool, before wiping clean with some paper towels, so it was pretty quick and easy.

Cooking in the Le Creuset Stainless Steel cookware set

Deep casserole pan

This pan is a great size for a batch of soup. For a rich tomato and red pepper soup, I roasted tomatoes, red peppers, and red onions in my air fryer until lightly charred and caramelised. Then I added them to the deep casserole pan with vegetable stock and simmered gently for 30 minutes.

During cooking the lid allowed excess steam to escape and a little liquid bubbled over the side too, though this wasn’t a surprise given that it was filled up to the 3 litre mark. The lid handle stayed cool enough to touch, but the side handles did get hot and I needed oven gloves when lifting off the hob.

After cooking I allowed the soup to cool for a while and then blended it in the pan with a hand blender. The stainless steel meant that I didn’t have to worry about scratching any coatings with my hand blender.

When I ladled it out into portions, there was enough for eight servings of soup, so it’s an ample size for most families, as well as for batch cooking.

It was also great for mashed potato, I peeled a whole 2kg bag of potatoes and the whole lot fit comfortably into the casserole pan. The lack of a steam hole in the lid meant it did boil over at one point and I had to prop the lid at an angle to let the steam escape while it simmered.

There’s not too much to say about boiling potatoes in a saucepan, it’s a basic task. However, I do like to use a metal potato masher, which can damage saucepans with internal non-stick coatings. So I was happy to be able to use my metal masher without worrying about damaging the pan.

Saucepan

The smaller of the two saucepans is still a very generous size, arguably a bit too big for two portions of warming winter porridge. Nevertheless, my porridge cooked well to a creamy consistency and rich flavour. What’s more, the rounded corners inside the pan meant my wooden spoon could thoroughly stir the porridge and nothing got stuck in the corners.

Boiling up vegetables like broccoli was a breeze in this saucepan. And I was surprised when cooking six portions of brown rice that even this family sized portion seemed like a small amount in this pan.

The rice cooked as expected and even after 20 minutes on the hob, the main saucepan handle was still cool enough to touch. The smaller helper handle does get a tad warm though, so I used a folded tea towel over that handle when lifting.

Frying pan

I might not have used a stainless steel frying pan before, but I vaguely knew there was a method of making it non-stick by using water to judge the temperature of the pan. So what I did, and what I would advise you to do, is to watch some videos on YouTube to learn what this entails.

Essentially, you have to heat the empty pan for longer than you might think, then add a splash of water, if it turns to balls of water that dance around the pan (instead of immediately sizzling and evaporating) then the pan is ready to go.

I used this method when heating the pan to cook raw prawns. Once the pan was hot enough, I added a splash of oil, swirled it around to ensure the pan was fully coated, and shortly after that I added the raw prawns. I cooked them on a medium heat and to my surprise, they didn’t stick. They cooked beautifully.

I used the same method to cook halloumi, and again, it didn’t stick. You just have to let it sear for a minute or two before attempting to turn it. But since this method requires the pan to be quite hot before you start cooking, I wondered what I would need to do to cook something more delicate.

This led me back to YouTube to watch more videos, this time I wanted to see how people are frying eggs in their stainless steel pans. And I found out that you don’t always need to get the pan super hot before cooking. So I heated the frying pan on a medium heat for 30 seconds, added a generous glug of oil before leaving to heat up for another 60 seconds.

I cracked my eggs into the warm pan and they gently started to fry. Once I could see that they were cooked through, I eased a spatula under them and they slid out as if it was a non-stick pan. I was quite surprised if I’m honest.

Admittedly, I used more oil than I would have in a non-stick pan, but most of it gets left behind in the pan anyway. And I personally feel that if I’m using a good quality healthier oil, then it’s okay to use more than usual. It is a fried egg after all, if I don’t want any fat, I’ll make a poached egg!

By this point I was feeling emboldened by my success with the fried eggs, so I tried the ultimate test; pancakes. You can read more about that in this standalone article, but the long and short of it is this pan is just the ticket for that job.

Only you can decide whether your priority is to cook with little-to-no oil, or you’d prefer to avoid cookware with non-stick coatings. All I can tell you is that if you don’t mind a splash of oil here and there, it is easier than you might think to cook in a stainless steel frying pan.

What's this set like to clean?

I had no qualms about throwing this cookware in the dishwasher. and it cleaned up a treat. The saucepans clean up easily and though I didn’t need to scrub them clean, it’s reassuring to know I can if they need it.

I did occasionally wash the frying pan by hand, especially when it wasn’t too dirty, since the dishwasher will strip it of any seasoned oily coating. But because I mastered the art of cooking in it, I never had to scrub too hard.

After a few uses oil residues can build up in the frying pan, often up the sides, but with a lightly abrasive product like Barkeepers Friend, or bicarbonate of soda, it doesn’t take much elbow grease to get it looking like new again.

What's it like to store?

Because they’re made from robust stainless steel, these pans can be stacked for neat storage, without the worry of damaging or scratching delicate non-stick coatings. They stack together really neatly, so that they only take up the footprint of the frying pan.

How does this set compare to competitors?

If you’re not quite ready to ditch the non-stick coating on your frying pan, Le Creuset also offers the same two saucepans as part of a four piece set. It includes one extra saucepan, and crucially, the frying pan included with this set has a non-stick coating. It’s more expensive though, in part due to the extra saucepan in the set; the RRP is a whopping £559 (via Le Creuset).

If budget is your priority, Ikea offers a seven piece stainless steel pan set for under £100. We have reviewed both the aforementioned Le Creuset set and the Ikea set, with the latter earning a stellar review rating. The Ikea HEMKOMST set includes three stainless steel saucepans with lids as well as a non-stick frying pan, so it’s great value for money.

Should you buy the Le Creuset Stainless Steel Cookware Set?

As I’ve already mentioned, the price of this set will be a hurdle for many people. That aside, there’s a lot to like about these pans. And in my opinion, if you’re looking for longevity combined with a move away from non-stick coatings, I really don’t think you can go wrong with this set.

Le Creuset is a trusted cookware brand, and it offers a lifetime guarantee on all 3-ply stainless steel, so while it’s an investment, there really should be no need to ever replace these pans if you treat them well. The only thing I would say, is that I personally would want to complete the set with an additional smaller saucepan.

Nigella Lawson is due back on our screens imminently with the announcement of her arrival as a judge on the next series of The Great British Bake Off. And she's already inspiring us via social media, especially with her cookware choices, with her latest post showcasing her trusty Always Pan (£125 at Our Place) in a seriously covetable colour way.

We noticed the home cook extraordinaire made the switch to this Instagram-ubiquitous pan way back in 2023, in Nigella's Amsterdam Christmas special, and it's clear she's still enjoying this multi-functional buy in her kitchen in 2026.

I've tested this particular bestselling pan many times over the years, including its shiny new Titanium iteration (which I think is the best non-stick pan out there bar none), and can attest that it's a fabulous brand to invest in.

Here's a closer look at the chef's colour of choice.

Nigella's pan of choice is the original Always Pan by the California-based brand Our Place, a much coveted buy that has been imitated many times in the last year (most successfully by M&S, which we loved in our review).

Its popularity is in part down to its stunning versatility; after testing it, I can attest that its deep shape that can be used for a huge range cooking tasks: frying, deep frying, steaming, sautéing and many, many more.

It's also available to buy with fantastically useful attachments (such as a steamer for perfect dumplings and a poaching set), enabling you to streamline your cookware collection – a godsend for cramped kitchens.

Of course, a huge pull with this pan is its design kudos. Currently available in six pastel colours (all of which can add a stunning pop of colour to any kitchen), Our Place is also famed for its limited edition shades, one of which Nigella is clearly a big fan of.

The famed chef owns her Always Pan in the for-now-discontinued shade Heat, which was released in collaboration with American actress and singer Selena Gomez. It was, and remains, a huge hit with fans of the brand who are still flooding the brand's Instagram account with requests to bring it back.

Of course, the unexpected red theory was a huge colour trend back in 2024, and it's clear that Nigella saw fit to incorporate this attention-grabbing shade into her cookware collection to add a note of intrigue. If you want to do the same, these are my favourite picks that would slot perfectly into a neutral kitchen.

A multifunctional pan like Nigella's can be so useful for convenient cooking and storage – if you don't have one already, there's still time to take part in this huge cookware moment.

Pancake Day (which this year falls on the 17th of February) is fast approaching. But rather than buying a brand new crẽpe pan for the occasion, that you might only use once a year, the smarter move might be to upgrade your cookware collection so that it serves you better year-round (and for years to come).

Our resident cookware expert, reviewer and home economist Helen McCue recently revisited our best-ever rated saucepan set for a brand new review with one special test: thin crẽpes worthy of any Pancake Day brunch spread.

Here's how she got on with the hardest pan test of all (those pesky thin pancakes) when she tested Le Creuset's stainless steel frying pan.

Switching from a non-stick pan to a stainless steel pan can come with a steep learning curve as you get used to how food cooks on the new material (that doesn't come with a readymade sticky surface). Heat control is much more important with stainless steel, as well as using enough oil (Helen used avocado oil) and preheating the pan dry at first.

With these more complex rules in mind, our expert Helen figured that pancakes were the ultimate test of the frying pan in this Le Creuset collection (which you can buy separately for £155).

After already having success with fried eggs, which slipped right out of the frying pan when they were done, Helen said she was feeling emboldened to try an even harder foodstuff. She relied on first 'watching a few YouTube videos to 'get an idea of how others were tackling thin crepe style pancakes in stainless steel pans'.

For her pancake test Helen says she made her pancake batter and let it sit for a while to get close to room temperature, which is crucially important when you're using stainless steel pans.

Then she 'added about a teaspoon of oil and brushed it around the pan with a pastry brush' before adding her batter and turning down the heat slightly and letting the pancake cook until it was no longer translucent.

Helen then used a palate knife to ease the edges of her pancake up before going into the big moment: a flip. Thankfully, she said this was done with 'surprising ease'. She went on to make a batch of four pancakes in total with absolutely no sticking. All in all, she was 'astonished' at how easy it was with this material type after she'd learned the basics of cooking with it.

Of course, stainless steel pans have grown more popular in recent years as people make a shift toward non-toxic cooking materials, but perceived trickier usage rules can put people off.

Helen's success with this Le Creuset pan shows that with a little time taken to get to grips with stainless steel, you can master and flip even one of the stickiest foods. Here are some other essentials that might help you with your perfect pan this Pancake Day.

Have you considered making the move away from non-stick pans? Could you see yourself investing in a stainless steel set instead?

My January was food storage container heavy, as yours will have been if you've been using this hibernation time to stock up your freezer, but I've noticed that my current tubs are looking a little sad to say the least.

So imagine my happiness (and temptation to get spending) when I saw M&S' new-in kitchenware section is absolutely chock-a-block with lunch boxes and food storage in all sorts of on-trend designs.

From the material of the moment when it comes to best cookware, stainless steel, to ceramic bowl containers that will be the envy of your lunchroom, these food containers are immensely shoppable. Here's my pick of the best.

Of course, one of the things that people with a tidy kitchen always have is organised food storage, but you don't want to have to pay the earth to have to get it. That's where these affordable M&S picks come into their own with the brand's plastic container collection starting at just £4. Plus featuring round and square designs, the collection is great for stacking up a set of them in your cupboards or freezer.

If you want to jump on the latest trends, the M&S bestseller section is a great place to camp out. The kitchenware section right now is awash with muted pastels (think butter yellow, taupe and burgundy) as well as ribbed glass. Ceramic colanders are another kitchen accessory trend that M&S are out in front of.

Are you due for a food container update? I'd head straight to M&S if you are.

An oil dispenser is an essential in my cooking arsenal and Dunelm just forced my hand with this 2-in-1 Oil Dispenser Spray and Pourer (for the bargain price of just £5) meaning that my old sprayer has been relegated to the back of the cupboard.

Spraying your food with a small helping of oil before you pop it into the best air fryer is far more convenient than coating it in a separate bowl beforehand or trying to free-pour it from the ungainly bottles you buy from the supermarket.

As well as it's sleek bottle, the 2-in-1 element to this buy – which distributes a 'light mist' when spraying and a smooth pour when dressing – has me snapping it up immediately. Here's a closer look.

The Ideal Home team deemed an air fryer spray bottle a true kitchen hack back in January 2023 – that's how long we've been fans of this method. And while in the last few years I've been using a simple empty glass spray bottle (which you could also use for cleaning) like this one from Amazon for £6.99, there are a few limitations to it.

As it has a max capacity of 500ml, grabbing it by its nozzle can be taxing when its full of oil, so I end up topping it up with less liquid and having to refill it more often. On Dunelm's glass version with a plastic lid, I like the look of the separate handle, which should mean I can fill the dispenser to the top and still handle it with ease.

The fact that it looks like it dispenses a fine mist rather than a solid stream is also a plus for using less oil altogether in my cooking.

I like the fact you can use it to dress salads too, as I am a frequent over-pourer and often leave my green leaves too covered for comfort.

Using oil in an air fryer can be a contentious topic altogether, but one thing is for sure: low calorie cooking sprays can damage the lifespan of your air fryer and should be avoided if you can. That's why I predict this clever bargain buy from Dunelm could come in very handy for many people.

Dunelm isn't the only brand launching a clever oil dispenser; here are some similar alternatives you can shop online.

Can you see the appeal of having one in your kitchen?

I love stumbling across kitchen gadgets and utensils that I’m not sure I need until I try them and decide I couldn’t be without them. And the latest utensil that turned me from doubtful to full-on fan is the OXO Good Grips Box Grater With Removable Zester (£34.33 at Amazon), whose clever features mean an easy, mess-free grating experience.

Honestly, I never really paid attention to what cheese grater I own, opting for whatever was cheap on the supermarket shelves in the past. But in an effort to make my kitchen ideas feel more cohesive and functional, I’ve started paying more attention to the appliances and utensils I choose for my space, investing in quality products where I can.

I have genuinely been so impressed with the OXO Good Grips Cheese Grater. I had no idea I could feel so strongly about something as mundane as a cheese grater. But here we are, and I’m about to tell you why I like it so much.

I am going to start by saying that yes, this is an expensive cheese grater. And as much as I like this gater, I can appreciate that it’s not exactly a budget kitchen idea; it does come with a lifetime guarantee, so arguably earns its keep based on your usage over the coming years.

It has four grating functions, including an angled slicing blade, medium and coarse grating blades and a removable zester. Not to mention the star feature of the grater: its box. This box, complete with measuring markers, catches the cheese, cucumber, citrus zest and more as you go, allowing you to measure the amount you need as you go. It even has a lid so you can pop it straight in the fridge for storage.

Not to mention this handy feature also results in less mess afterwards, as your grated product goes straight into the enclosed box. I’m a messy cook, and somehow I manage to get cheese all over my worktops when I use a standard grater. The grater also has a soft handle and slip-free grip, making this incredibly comfortable to use.

I also love how the zester is removable, allowing me to grate directly into the box or straight over my best pan. Overall, it’s easy to use, mess-free and grates beautifully everything you want from a grater.

I’m a big fan of the OXO Good Grips Range in general. I use the OXO Silicone Bags every time I meal prep as they make organising a fridge incredibly easy, and the OXO Butterfly Mop (£28 at John Lewis) is one of our best-rated mops. This grater is no exception as a time-saving and easy-to-use utensil. It also has thousands of five-star reviews praising how sturdy, sharp and effective it is.

‘One of the best graters I’ve had, has grip at the base so it doesn’t move around when using. Seems really sharp and easy to use. The little attachable storage box is a nice touch,’ said one.

‘Well designed, very easy to hold, and sharp grating abilities. Garlic comes out minced as opposed to long strands, which I find with other graters, so meals are much more enjoyable. A few quid on the expensive size, but I like it,’ said another.

I love this grater and highly recommend it. However, I have also rounded up a few more affordable options to choose from.

I can’t believe I feel so strongly about a grater, but the OXO Good Grips grater is worth all the hype - it’s a staple piece in my kitchen.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances Editor I'm usually scrutinising the latest and greatest cooking buys that you need to plug in or charge up or use on your hob. That's not the case with Dunelm's new Pasta Cooking Jug (£7 via Dunelm), which is low effort in every sense – all you need to do here is pop your pasta in and add boiling water with none of the best cookware in sight.

This very affordable and somewhat niche kitchen gadget is just one of the gems in Dunelm's new-in section (more on that later,) and I have a feeling its undemanding design might just be a hit with shoppers overloaded with tech in their kitchens. Here's how this affordable no-cook jug works.

A good pot of pesto pasta is my go-to meal when I'm cooking a quick dinner for one, and with this jug, I could make things even lazier. All that's required is to add boiling water and pop the lid on, before straining out the water through the holes in the top of the jug once cooked.

There's one obvious downside to using this jug over the conventional saucepan on the hob method – it's going to take much longer for your pasta to cook. While most pasta can be cooked within a 10-minute window, you're looking at a minimum of 15 minutes for this no-heat, passive method.

It looks like it holds a good amount of pasta, so if you're short on hob space or want to cook dinner for your family while you get on with other things without worrying about leaving your hob on, you can.

This is a shiny new addition to Dunelm's cooking section, which means it hasn't been reviewed by users yet, and I, for one, can't wait to see what shoppers make of it. It's not the only slightly strange gem added to the retailer's kitchen storefront lately, either – there are other not-to-be-missed products you didn't know you needed.

Will you be stopping by Dunelm's new-in section to pick up any of these gadgets?

Stacey Solomon has just put me onto easy-release cake tins (such as these £27.83 pans at Amazon), and I can’t believe I didn’t know they existed before. Their clever design will make my future baking a breeze.

If you’re an avid baker, you may already know exactly what I’m talking about. In the same way, your kitchen probably already houses the best stand mixer, best baking trays, baking accessories and delicious dessert cookbooks. But for lesser mortals, like myself, these cake tins feel like a revelation.

If you’re fed up with your cakes sticking to the base of your tins (no matter how well you grease them), these easy-release tins feature a clever built-in swivel blade that allows you to loosen the cake from the tin without leaving any sponge behind.

Taking to Instagram, Stacey posted an adorable reel showing how she made her husband Joe’s birthday cake. And while the design was certainly easy on the eye, I was far more interested in the tins she used.

While I don’t know the exact model of Stacey’s cake tins, they do look pretty similar to Aunt Shannon's Kitchen 8 Inch Round Cake Pans (£27.38 for a three-pack on Amazon). But these aluminium cake tins are different to any I’ve used before.

The inclusion of the clever swivel blade means it’s never been easier to release your sponge. All you need to do is twist the lever around the perimeter of the tin, while the blade that sits on the base of the tin gently removes the sponge from the bottom. No longer do you need to try to gently carve the edge of the cake away from the edge of the tin with a knife. The pans are also dishwasher safe for even easier cleaning.

These types of pans are not a new cookware trend, with many reviewers of the tins commenting that they reminded them of cake tins their parents and grandparents used to own.

‘These cake pans are wonderful. I wanted an easy-release pan (with swivel) because I had one previously and loved it. That old pan is over 40 years old now, and I wanted to get new ones to make a three-layer cake. The new Shannon cake pans are good quality and have a great swivel (easy release). I couldn't be happier. I hope they will last long enough to be inherited by my grandkids,’ said one review.

‘I recently purchased 3 9" pans to replace the ancient ones I still hung on to. I was thrilled to find them on Amazon and know that I will get my money's worth. Seems sturdier than the ones I have used for years.’

I can’t believe I had no idea these cake tins existed. As a casual baker, I can definitely see them being beneficial to my kitchen. Thanks for the heads up, Stacey!

Jamie Oliver's one-pot recipes work a treat year-round to ease mealtime pressure but they're especially genius in the drab of January to cut out lengthy prep and cooking faff.

But to get the most from Jamie's signature straightforward meals, having a good non-stick pan in your arsenal is essential so you can whip up sauces without risk of ruin. You'll also want it to be oven-safe so that you can transfer it to your oven or air fryer when needed.

Luckily, the chef and restaurateur already has that covered with his own-brand Tefal Hard Anodised Aluminium Non-Stick All-In-One Casserole Pan (now £82.60 down from £118). Here's why this incredibly versatile pan has Jamie's (and Ideal Home's expert reviewers) seal of approval.

Jamie Oliver's essential one-pot pan

This pan first caught my eye on the John Lewis website where I spied it had the highest user reviews rating of any product I've ever seen. From over 150 reviews it has a 4.9 star rating out of 5 – no mean feat.

I immediately arranged for our expert product reviewer and busy mum Annie Collyer to test it out to see how it would fare in her family kitchen. The result was her glowing 4.5 star Jamie Oliver by Tefal pan review, in which she called it a 'great all-in-one pan that can handle your cooking and cleaning woes'.

Highlights for her included the special indicator on the inside of the pan that let her know it was ready to be cooked with as well as the large size. Annie used it on one occasion during testing to make chilli for 8 people, so it's very capable of catering for a crowd.

Ever since we added this review to our guide to the best cookware, I've seen Jamie Oliver use it absolutely everywhere – on his TV shows, during his Instagram reels and adorning the back of his test kitchen. Jamie even called it the 'one pan you need in your life' – now that's high praise.

After finding out this pan is crafted from 'an extra-thick titanium non-stick surface', I wasn't surprised that both our reviewer and shoppers love it just as much as Jamie.

The robustness of Titanium makes it a perfect match for everyday cooking, meaning you can throw all sorts of tasks and temperatures at it and it comes out unscathed. My favourite titanium set is the Our Place Always Titanium Pan (as per my five star review) but with a pricetag thats hundreds of pounds cheaper, it's easy to see why Jamie's tried and tested version is a huge hit.

I'm a huge fan of Jamie's recent Easy Air Fryer book – it's become my bible for quick weeknight meal ideas. And as I budget this January, I'll also be tuning into his new Feasts for a Fiver show, which is packed with recipes that won't put pressure on your pocket at this time of the year.

Could you see yourself investing in a pan like this to put Jamie's recipes into action?

I'm finding excuses wherever I can this January to reward myself to a little treat to get me through the month and the next thing on my wishlist is Aldi's £12.99 mini heart cast-iron ramekin dish. Available from the 29th of January in store, I reckon these tiny casseroles are bound to be a hit with shoppers.

Many regard the best cookware to be made from cast iron, a material that's recognised as a kitchen essential by professional chefs and casual cooks alike, but the price tag of brands such as Le Creuset can understandably put people off. So if you've been wanting to dip your toe into the cast iron way of cooking, these mini dishes are a great place to start.

From single portion pies to souffles and dips, mini ramekins are one of my kitchen essentials especially when paired with one of the best air fryers. If your old Gü pots are no longer cutting it, these adorable heart shaped Aldi buys might be just the thing for you.

According to Aldi, these mini cast-iron pots are suitable for all stovetops and ovens and in terms of variation, there's two choices: either the round or heart shaped versions in pink or red.

Though Aldi claims that these mini dishes are 94% cheaper than Le Creuset's version, that is slightly disingenuous due to the fact that the French heritage brand hasn't released any mini heart coccotes as part of its Valentine's Day collection this year. Its full sized heart shaped casseroles will set you back £225 (via Le Creuset) but seeing as these are full-sized as opposed to petite, it's not the fairest comparison out there.

Nevertheless, one of these mini cast iron buys is a worthwhile thing to add to your kitchen if you're looking for versatility with what you can cook in single portions. Not only do they look great for serving when friends come over but for puddings for one, they're just the right size. I've been using ramekins in my air fryer for years but these heart shaped versions are too cute to pass up on.

Will you be getting into the Valentine's Day spirit with a trip to Aldi's Specialbuys aisle?

Lakeland's new-in section is the place to go if you want an insight into whats going to be big on the high street in cookware in 2026.

Alongside last year's best cookware trends, such as all-in-one pans and stackable sets, you can find what I think is about to be the next big thing: extremely durable Titanium cookware. Lakeland is putting their stamp on the trend with the Tri-Tanium Elite range (with prices from £34.99).

The eagle-eyed out there will be thinking that this has already been done, namely with the Titanium Always Pan Pro (£170 at Our Place), a product I gave 5 stars to in my review. But the big difference with Lakeland's version is the drastically lower price tag – here's how this cheaper alternative stacks up.

Lakeland's new Tri-Tanium Elite pan range

This new range from Lakeland features pans that the brand claims are 'built to take everything your kitchen can throw at it, and still come out shining'.

There are 3 Tri-Tanium products available at present: a 20, 24 and 28cm Frying Pan. Each is made up of three materials with properties which claim to make cooking easier: a stainless steel non-reactive interior, an aluminium core for even heating and a titanium outer for durability.

While the tagline of Our Place's Titanium Pan is 'virtually indestructible', Lakeland has opted to say that its titanium plasma coating is 'twice as hard as stainless steel'. Both pans are oven-safe but while the Always Pan Pro can withstand temperatures of up to 535°C, Lakeland's is only safe up to 230°C.

There's a focus on the non-stick element of Lakeland's Tri-Tanium pans too, so that you can use less oil in day to day cooking. There's a real benefit to being able to use metal utensils with this range too – it's something I absolutely loved when testing Our Place's version.

Of course, the price point of Lakeland's range is bound to make it appealing with shoppers. Even the most expensive pan in the range, at £44.99, is £125 cheaper than the Our Place version.

I haven't had a chance to get my hands on this new range just yet but Lakeland do have serious form for producing high-quality lookalikes when it comes to cookware. Our home economist and expert tester's view on the brand's lookalike Only Pan was very positive indeed in her 4.5 star review from last year.

While it remains to be seen whether the quality of these new titanium pans from Lakeland lives up to its marketing claims, it seems that durable, metal non-stick pans are here to stay in 2026.

A big chunk of my job is hunting down the latest trends and new releases, and one thing I keep spotting is the rise of ceramic colanders and other ceramic cookware. But is this a wellness fad or the best cookware we should actually be investing in?

This latest cookware trend is both health and style-focused, promising an easy route into healthy, fuss-free cooking in 2026. Originally, it was Nkuku's ceramic Indigo drop colander that caught our attention, then Dunelm launched one as part of its Edited Life Collection alongside a range of other ceramic kitchen accessories. Now, M&S is the latest to join the train with their minimalist ceramic colander (£6).

Not only is its cute, crafted look very appealing, but ceramic colanders and cookware are both durable and free from ‘forever chemicals’, which can be found on other plastic and non-stick cookware. As ceramic kitchen accessories are becoming increasingly popular, I decided to find out if they’re actually worth it.

Should you invest in ceramic cooking accessories?

Ceramic cookware, in terms of pans, baking trays and casserole dishes do come recommended by the experts for their cooking ability.

‘Ceramic cookware is the preferred choice of home cooks who are looking for healthy, hassle-free cooking. Its non-stick performance means you can cook with less oil and enjoy much easier cleanup, which is ideal when preparing quick, everyday meals,’ says Caroline Ross David e Silva, Product Marketing Director at Cuisinart.

‘It also offers heat distribution for consistent results, and is compatible with several different types of hobs, including induction, gas and electric.’

The most recognisable ceramic cookware is the Our Place Always Pan (£140). This influencer-favourite uses a ceramic non-stick coating, which is so good, it landed the pan a spot in our best pans guide.

However, in terms of ceramic colanders the main benefits are that they are likely to be more durable than plastic counterparts, stylish and free from 'forever chemicals'.

‘Ceramic cookware is free of ‘forever chemicals’ such as PTFE, PFOA, and PFAS, which have the potential to migrate into your meals and build up over time,’ adds Caroline.

‘Forever chemicals’ have been linked to health problems such as cancers, liver damage and fertility issues. However, while scientists are concerned about these chemicals, they believe they are everywhere in rainwater and even Arctic ice, and the direct risk in our homes is low, according to a report by The Guardian.

However, it's not just ceramic cookware that is free of these chemicals; the best cast iron cookware, and stainless steel do not contain these chemicals either.

It is also important to note that not all ceramic cookware is equal, and it is important to choose high-quality pieces.

‘The main consideration is quality. Cheaper ceramic accessories can chip or crack over time if they’re not made from properly vitrified clay or aren’t fired at high temperatures. Well-made ceramic, however, is extremely durable and designed to withstand everyday cooking, from oven to table,’ says Christopher Gee, Managing Director of Peugeot Saveurs UK.

Ceramic cooking accessories also require a little more care. Caroline recommends opting for hand washing over your dishwasher and avoiding abrasive materials such as steel wool.

‘Overall, ceramic cookware is fast becoming a kitchen staple and for good reason. It offers versatility and durability, whilst adding a stylish and safe element to any home kitchen,’ she concludes.

Ceramic cooking accessories are becoming increasingly popular due to their stylish look, durability and commitment to healthy cooking, and with more budget-friendly options available, they're becoming more accessible, too.

As a seasoned purveyor of Aldi's Specialbuy aisle, there's nothing I love more than spotting the best cookware nestled in there that can add functionality to my kitchen on a budget.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances & Cookware Editor, new gadgets come across my desk all the time, but I was all ears when I found out about the viral Aldi cutting board, which dropped in December. For just £7.99 via Aldi in-store, you can bag this chopping board and its attachments and find food prep much easier as a result.

I snapped one up and have been using it non-stop ever since. It's safe to say I'm obsessed. But its affordability isn't the only reason why I think this kind of buy is about to be big in 2026. Here's why I love it.

I am a notoriously slow cook, forever taking half an hour to complete a 15 minute recipe because of my insistence on cleaning as I go along. When I peel an onion or grate garlic, I feel compelled to dump the skins in the bin before I carry on using my chopping board, which leads to many lost minutes.

The compartmented design of this board has put a stop to that. The concept behind it is simple: there are three dishwasher safe trays which you can lift out of the board when they are full of either scraps or cut ingredients as well as a colander version which is perfect for washed fruit and veg to dry off on.

The board itself is quite nifty too, with a raised underside that you can easily grab in order to manoeuvre it around your kitchen. It's a lightweight buy too, so if you've been put off by the heft of a solid butchers block, this might be a better fit for you.

Friends who have spotted my new chopping board in my kitchen have assumed that it set me back far more than its pricetag and so far, I'm thoroughly impressed with this Specialbuy. As with all of Aldi's limited-time releases, you can only snap this up as long as there's stock in stores so if you like the look of this one, then nab it while you can.

If you're intrigued by the design of this board then you might be interested to know that back in November, I trialled celebrity chef Tom Kerridge's versatile 2-in-1 Wooden Butcher's Block version. Retailing via M&S for £50, it has a similarly streamlined design, features a channel for meat juices whilst carving and is crafted in a stylish checkerboard design. For an elevated take on Aldi's board, it's a winner.

I'm sure that these clever multifunctional buys are going to take over the humble cutting board in 2026 – these are the cleverest ones I've spotted so far.

If you can see the merit in multi-functional boards like this one from Aldi but can't get to the Specialbuys aisle, then there's plenty of different designs out there to choose from that aren't on a limited run. Just make sure the one you pick matches your food prep style!

Dunelm proves that a cast-iron casserole cooking pot doesn’t have to cost a fortune. The brand is offering its own label 3-litre shallow cast iron casserole dish for under £40 and a 5.2 litre, larger pot for just over £40. When the big brands like Le Creuset cost over £100, it’s reasonable to question whether these budget versions are up to scratch.

I don’t like paying over the odds for a brand name, but equally, budget cookware that doesn’t stand the test of time is a false economy. It’s not always easy to get it right, and while I can’t tell you whether this cookware will last you for 40 years, I can tell you if it’s up to the job of everyday cooking and can compete with the best cast iron cookware.

In this review, I tried out both the large cast iron pot as well as the shallow version from Dunelm. On the whole, I think they offer good value for money. But read on if you want to know exactly how they performed when I cooked a variety of different meals on my gas hob and in the oven.

In a nutshell

The Dunelm 5.2 litre cast iron casserole dish and the Dunelm 3 litre shallow cast iron casserole dish are available to buy separately, but I’m reviewing them together here. They are both very affordably priced in comparison to the bigger brands. However, you do need to like orange, as that’s the only colourway on offer.

Both come with two integrated handles, making them easy to carry from oven to table. Having said that, the smaller capacity, wide and shallow dish has much bigger and better handles than the larger version.

Cast-iron casserole dishes are by their nature bulky and heavy, and these two are no exception. The benefit, though, is that enamel-coated cast iron cookware is loved for its ability to hold heat as well as being strong and sturdy.

They’re oven safe up to 260 °C and suitable for all hob types. For this review, I tried them on a gas hob, and they worked well for sauteeing vegetables and simmering sauces and curries. In the oven, I used them to slow-cook curry, bake a cauliflower cheese, and even bake a loaf of bread.

Overall, while each has a slightly different function in terms of the style of recipe you might use it for, both are versatile and work well for dishes that start on the hob and finish in the oven. This is the cookware you need for efficient one-pot recipes.

While they aren’t dishwasher safe, they are easy enough to clean. My main complaint is with how they were packaged for delivery. So if you can collect in-store, I’d advise doing that to avoid receiving them damaged.

Product specs

• Materials: enamel-coated cast iron
• Metal utensil safe? no
• Dishwasher safe? no
• Pan capacity: 5.2 litre and 3 litre
• Pan diameter: 26cm and 30.5cm
• RRP: £42 and £38

About the reviewer

Unboxing and first impressions

Both these pots were delivered to me in one big box. When it arrived on my doorstep, the bottom of the box was bulging so much it looked like it could give way at any moment. So I didn’t risk moving it far, and instead opened it cautiously by the front door.

Once I’d opened the top of the box and removed the packing paper, I was presented with both pots and both lids leaning against each other in the base of the box, with just flimsy plastic bags to protect them from rubbing against each other during transit.

It turned out that one of the metal lid handles had indeed dented, and I’m surprised there wasn’t more damage because the packaging was simply not fit for purpose. To avoid disappointment, I would advise anyone buying this cookware to order it for collection in-store if you can.

All that aside, my first impressions of the two pots is that they appear to be sturdy. As with all cast iron cookware, they are weighty and somewhat bulky, but that’s no surprise. It’s par for the course with cast iron cookware.

The bold orange coloured enamel is reminiscent of vintage Le Creuset cookware and is a love-it or hate-it colour. The wide shallow pot has large handles that make it really easy to manoeuvre with oven gloves on, whereas the handles on the bigger pot are much smaller and not quite so ergonomic.

Both pots are oven safe up to 260C and both are suitable for all hob types. Neither is dishwasher safe though, which in my experience is fairly standard for cast iron cookware.

Cooking in the Dunelm cast iron cookware

Shallow 3 litre cooking pot

A bean bake has become one of my new weeknight staples. It’s one of those dishes that you can throw anything into, it turns out different every time, but it's easy and relatively healthy so it’s a win in my book.

For this one I popped the dish on the hob and heated it to medium heat. Despite being thick and weighty, it doesn’t take too long to heat up. Then I used sauteed onion, before adding mushrooms and diced peppers.

There wasn’t any issue with sticking, just some browning on the base of the dish, but this de-glazes as soon as liquid is added. Once the vegetables were cooked, I added tinned tomatoes, chickpeas, and butter beans as well as pesto for a punch of flavour.

I topped it with a mixture of cheeses and oven-cooked it for 20 mins at 180C. I was grateful for the large handles when taking it in and out of the oven. The bake turned out just as I hoped, the cheese was melted and golden, and the dish kept it warm, which was handy when my husband got stuck in traffic and arrived home later than expected.

There was enough for six portions, which in my two-person household meant we were eating it for a few days. But if you have a big family, this dish will easily have the capacity to cater for lots of hungry mouths in one sitting.

On a quest for a new recipe to liven up my week, I stumbled upon Jamie Oliver's Sri Lankan style monkfish curry, and since the recipe called for a large casserole pan, I decided to give it a go. It was pretty simple, to begin with, I fried the onion, ginger, garlic and curry leaves.

Next, I added the spices, followed by chopped fresh tomatoes and coconut milk. I allowed it to simmer until the tomatoes had broken down and the flavours had begun to develop. I did this part in the morning and left the sauce sitting in the casserole dish for the day, with the lid on, ready to reheat later.

At dinner, I gently reheated the sauce, then soon after adding the fish, I turned the hob off. The casserole dish retained the heat so the fish cooked gently from the residual heat in the pan. Leaving the lid on was also crucial so that the warm steam stayed in, helping to cook the fish. It worked really well and the fish cooked beautifully, remaining soft and flaky.

There was plenty of turmeric in this recipe, and in the past I’ve seen it stain the enamel on the inside of a cast iron dish. But even though I left the curry sitting in the dish all day, on this occasion, there was no staining.

I don’t know about you, but when it comes to a good cauliflower cheese, I want plenty of the cheesy golden topping. So when I was asked to contribute a cauliflower cheese for an upcoming family roast dinner, I decided to make it in this wide shallow pot, to maximise the surface area of that cheesy goodness.

To keep the washing up to a minimum, I also made the cheese sauce in the pot. I heated the pot gently on the hob and made my sauce by making a roux, then adding milk and whisking it to avoid lumps while it cooked through.

Once I’d added cauliflower florets and coated them in the sauce, I topped it with grated cheese and cooked it in the oven for 20 minutes at 180C. The next day I was able to pop the lid on top to take it to my family gathering and it was ready to go straight back into the oven to be reheated. And most importantly, there was plenty of the cheesy golden topping to go round.

It looked great on the table as a serving dish, the caveat being that it’s not small, so on a crowded table, it did seem to take up a disproportionately large chunk of the available space.

5.2 litre cooking pot

In my opinion, lots of curries benefit from a long, slow cook to allow the spices and flavours to develop as the sauce slowly thickens and becomes rich and flavourful. Chicken madras is a favourite in our house, and I like to make a big batch and keep individual portions in the freezer.

I started my curry on the hob by heating oil and frying spices, before adding onions and chillies and cooking until softened. Then I added my diced chicken thighs, sealing and lightly browning the edges.

Like in the shallow pot, there were no issues with sticking when I fried the onion and chicken. There was some browning on the enamel, and it came away when the liquid was added.

Once I’d added the rest of my ingredients and liquid, I popped it in the oven at 140 °C to cook low and slow for three hours. I just checked on it and gave it a stir every hour or so. By the end, it had reduced and thickened to become a warming, tasty curry. The large dish was easily big enough to cook this six-portion batch size.

I normally use one of the best multi-cookers to make my Moroccan-style chickpea stew because the dried chickpeas cook much faster in a pressure cooker. However, since I was trying out this casserole pot, it made sense to cook it in the pot in the oven instead.

I used the pot to fry onions before adding garlic, spices, and tomato puree. After a few minutes, I added the dried chickpeas, tinned tomatoes and stock. I put the lid on and placed it in my preheated oven at 160 °C, but I didn’t really know how long it was going to take to cook.

During cooking, I checked it roughly every hour and I had to add at least a mug of water every time I checked it. Obviously, the chickpeas were rehydrating, which is where some of the liquid was going, but it was also apparent from the steamy oven that the lid allows quite a lot of moisture to escape, too. This is something to keep in mind if you want a pot with a lid that locks in moisture.

My Initial guess was that the chickpeas would need a couple of hours, but in the end, I left the stew cooking for four hours before taking it out and stirring in a bag of spinach and a generous dollop of yoghurt. In this instance, pressure cooking would have been faster, used much less energy, and been more hands-off, but in the end, it tasted the same, and the cast-iron pot did its job.

I’ve reviewed a few cast-iron pots recently, and I always like to bake a loaf of sourdough in the larger pots. It’s one of the main things I personally would use a big cast-iron pot for. It’s also a good test of how the pot copes with very high temperature cooking.

I add the pot to a cold oven and let it heat up with the oven to 240 °C. Once it’s been preheating for 45 minutes to an hour, I add my loaf, replace the lid and put it back in the oven. Then after 20 minutes, I remove the lid and bake it for a further 20 minutes.

My first attempt was a wholemeal loaf; it’s only the second time I’ve made a wholemeal loaf of sourdough, and while it was perfectly delicious, it didn’t rise quite how I expected. So I tried again with my usual sourdough recipe.

This attempt was better; it still seemed to spread out sideways instead of rising up in the way I wanted it to. This could be to do with the pot; perhaps the loose lid didn’t lock in the steam as well as other pots I’ve tried. But equally, sourdough can be a mystery, and often you never quite know which of the many variables is the cause of the end result; it’s part of what makes sourdough baking an endless quest for perfection!

Cleaning

As I’ve already mentioned, these pots are not dishwasher safe. But luckily, they never required an excessive amount of elbow grease to get them clean. Even baked-on food lifted easily after a very short soak in warm soapy water. And thankfully, nothing stained the cream coloured enamel on the inside, not even the madras or the monkfish curry.

It’s worth pointing out that like all enamelled cast iron pots, they are heavy and bulky so manoeuvring them around the sink is a more cumbersome job than an ordinary stainless steel pan. And you do have to be gentle with them, the enamel can chip if you don’t treat it with care.

Storage

The bright orange colour will certainly provide a statement pop of colour if you plan to leave these pots on display in your kitchen. Otherwise, you’ll have to give up a good chunk of a kitchen cupboard to house them out of sight. And because they are weighty, I'd think twice about storing them on a rickety or overhead shelf.

How do they compare

I recently tried this set from Salter, a big pot and a shallow cast iron pot bundled together for under £80 RRP and even less in seasonal sales. So if you’re looking to buy both and you want exceptional value for money, I highly recommend checking out this set. They also performed really well, but the capacity of the pots is slightly smaller than the Dunelm ones.

Another favourite of mine, and indeed the one I have in my own kitchen, is this 3 Piece Cast Iron Stacking Set from M&S. I love the matte black appearance, which is very different to the shiny bright orange of the Dunelm cookware. But most important to me and to anyone with limited storage space is the stackable design. The set includes a big pot, a shallow pot, and even a griddle pan that all neatly stack together inside the largest pot. It works out slightly more expensive at £100, but with the griddle pan included as well as the space-saving design, to me it’s worth it every penny.

Should you buy the Dunelm Cast Iron Cookware?

As I’ve mentioned, my main grumble with this cookware lies in how it was packaged for delivery. So if you can collect it in store to avoid damage during transit, then both of these pieces are affordable with a roomy capacity that makes them ideal for larger households.

The price makes them a great option if you’re on a budget, likewise if this is your first foray into the world of cast iron cookware. You can try out a decent cast iron casserole dish without having to invest heavily into a big brand, the only caveat is you have to like orange.

This year has been a big one for cookware, with the all-in-one pan revolution taking over kitchens across the UK. Countless brands have launched their version of this smart multi-tasking pan this year, but there is one that the Ideal Home readers couldn't stop clicking on: the £30 M&S All In One 28cm Saucepan.

We first spotted that M&S was selling an affordable alternative to the cult Our Place Always Pan back in March, and since first writing about the M&S pan, it has sold out at least twice. If that wasn't enough to convince you that this is a contender for one of the best cookware launches of 2025, it was also the most clicked on piece of cookware on the Ideal Home website this year by far.

Most popular pan on Ideal Home

I'm not surprised this pan has proven such a hit. It is one of the best-looking all-in-one pans on the high street, and one of the cheapest at £30. When our reviewer Annie put the pan to the test in her M&S all-in-one saucepan review, she gave it 4 and a half stars, praising its quality and versatility, saying 'this M&S saucepan can cook pretty much anything, from family-sized meals to salmon fillets and a fried egg.'

The pan is currently available to purchase in two colour ways: natural and charcoal. It is made from aluminium for even heat distribution, and is compatible with gas and induction hobs. It also includes a steamer basket that doubles as a colander.

This pan will never fully match the performance and quality of the popular £100 Always Pan, which is one of the best non-stick frying pans we've ever tested. However, the M&S version offers a very similar sleek appearance and multi-tasking skill for a fraction of the price.

Runner-ups

The M&S all-in-one pan wasn't the only big hit in 2025. These are the two other pans that our readers couldn't stop clicking on, from a classic stainless steel three-piece set, to another supermarket all-in-one pan.

Did you add any of these pans to your home in 2025?

Our Place's cookware is famously good looking. The brand's newest launch, the Essentials Collection, is just as stylish (if not more) than the Always Pan that has become ubiquitous on only the most Instagram-friendly hobs and inspired hundreds of lookalikes.

Luckily, this set is more than just pretty. It's the brand's biggest set to date, an offering that is 'designed to declutter' and comes with sleek pan sorters as standard, and might feature its best non-stick surface in the form of a ceramic interior.

I've been trying, reviewing and ranking the best cookware for years now for Ideal Home, so I put this set to the test to see if it's worthy of joining our definitive guide to the best saucepan sets. Here's what I think so far.

In a nutshell

If you want to perform a full reset of your cookware, this is the set I'd recommend. It's effortlessly smart and sleek, with a covetable range of colours to choose from.

The non-stick is ultra-impressive thanks to the ceramic material and it's a big relief that the surface, like Our Place's other pans, is non-toxic. Clean up is easy thanks to the super slide-y surface too, though putting these expensive pans through the dishwasher is not recommended which will be off putting for some.

While I opted for the 11-piece set, which is perfect for smaller kitchens, the scope of the collection includes a 17 and 21-piece version. The cream colour of these pans fits so well with my kitchen scheme but if it's a little too dangerously close to white for cooking with, you can pick from Terracotta, Blue Salt or Char.

This is a versatile set, especially with the fact it's oven-safe and the included storage racks also go a long way to defeat cookware clutter in cupboards. I'm also a huge fan of the glass lid on the frying pan.

Product specs

• Materials: Thermakind ceramic nonstick coating, pressed aluminum body, brushed metallic finish knob on lids
• Metal utensil safe? no
• Dishwasher safe? no (hand wash only to preserve nonstick coating)
• Pan sizes: 27cm Fry Pan, 28.L Saucepan, 6.6L Stock Pot, Nesting Stainless Steel Strainer (for Stock Pot), Storage System x 2
• Warranty: 2 year limited warranty
• RRP: 11 Piece Set £275

Getting started

In the last year, I've grown very attached to my Our Place Titanium pan (as per my review, I think it's the best non-stick pan out there, though it's a hefty investment). I've interspersed my use of it with testing other cookware, but I've returned to it time and time again.

I've recently moved house and been faced with the conundrum of building a capsule collection of cookware for my new smaller kitchen. So when the offer of reviewing this Our Place set landed it was very enticing prospect, with the promise that there's a 'Place for Everything' thanks to the included storage units too.

With the 11-piece set you receive two organisers, made from recycled plastic, each with removable side and interior walls. It gives you a space for three lids and three pans and it's useful you can break them up to stash them into two separate places. The biggest pot and strainer are too big to fit into the system however, which is a little bit annoying.

Frying pan

If you're anything like me the pan you'll probably use most is the 27cm Fry Pan. This comes with a glass lid, which is great for versatility, and like the other pieces in the set has an 'OP crest' stamped onto the handle (or a 'branded silicone node' if you will). You can pop this out for a more thorough clean.

One of my favourite things about these pans is how lightweight they are. I've proclaimed my love for the Our Place Titanium Pan many times but it is comparably much heavier than this. If you struggle with hefty pans, there's a huge benefit to picking ceramic over stainless steel.

This is a great grab and go pan for eggs of all kinds. It heats phenomenally quickly (I was using it on induction for scrambled eggs but have also used it on an electric hob) and the non-stick is simply fantastic.

It's great for sautéing too, with less oil needed to prevent sticking. This carrot, spring onion and celery base mix for a vegan wellington I was making needed hardly any oil to cook initially before I added in mushrooms.

In this recipe it's crucial to allow the mushrooms to cook off their natural moisture so that they can brown and caramelise. In a bad non-stick pan I've had this go very wrong, but it was seamless with this one with enough heat to do the process in the time that the recipe gives (about 5 minutes).

I also used this pan for garlic mushrooms, which involves a similar process of caramelisation. They cooked in good time and were easy to move from the pan before I used it to make an omelette to go alongside.

This pan is a great size for an omelette and was so easy to flip over and get onto my plate.

Small saucepan

This saucepan comes with a sturdy lid and is lipped on one side. It heats quickly for boiling and the non-stick surface comes in so handy for making sauces or a roux.

I made a cheesy leek sauce by softening the leeks in hot water and then whipping up a roux and adding the leeks back in. It's a faultless pan in terms of the non-stick – even if you accidentally have the pan a little too hot, it's very forgiving.

Some excellent saucepan sets I've tried have measurements on the inside of the pan which can be very helpful for cooking rice and pasta and could make a nice addition here.

I also used this saucepan to parboil a good amount of potatoes for roasties. My method is to fill the pan with cold water and bring to a boil. Though this saucepan looks small it can hold an impressive amount.

All in all, this is a handy saucepan of a great size that will fit the bill for most boiling jobs and for cooking carbs of all varieties. Some might wish the lid was glass with this one though to make it easier to see how their rice is getting on.

Saute pan

This stunningly easy one-pot sausage lasagne (via Olive) is one of my favourite treat dinners. The recipe starts with frying carrots, celery and onion, and for the job, I chose the sauté pan, which is easily my favourite from this set. The two handles on either side make it so easy for transferring to the oven, and it's the perfect depth for multiple portions.

Sautéing the vegetables, browning the meat and bringing together the bolognese sauce is all done in this one pan and there was plenty of space for this all to come together. I part cooked some lasagne sheets in the set's saucepan and added those in too in strips.

This is a hob to table recipe and luckily, all the pans in this collection are oven-safe up to 232°C (the glass lid is only safe up to 220). After I'd added mozzarella to the top of the lasagne mix it was ready to pop this pan into the oven for about 30 minutes.

The somewhat unusual handle shape is suprsingly easy to handle and though this pan is quite big, it still slotted into my oven with ease. When it was time to remove it, the double handles help a lot to avoid any mishaps.

The mozzarella browned really well and though there was some slight browning around the edge of the pan, this cleaned off in an instant.

What's it like to clean?

The biggest takeaway from cooking with this pan set is how easy it was to cook with thanks to the ceramic non-stick. That huge benefit also crosses over into this cleaning section, as the incredibly slippery surface also makes it a dream to clean as there's rarely much to scrub off.

The care instructions for this set is to exclusively hand wash it, which might spell trouble for those very attached to their dishwashers. If this is you, then the Our Place Titanium Collection might be a better choice – those pans come out of the dishwasher looking even better than when you started cooking.

How does it compare to similar pan sets?

At first glance this set reminded me of American cookware brand Caraway, which sells pots and pan sets for a crazy amount of money (like this 12-piece set for £598 via Amazon). I haven't tried Caraway but this set has a lot of the same specs (non-toxic, ceramic and available in different colours) and is a lot cheaper, especially when on sale – at the time of writing it's £275. That's still mightily expensive, I know, but I also think the Our Place set is a lot better looking.

Another similar set I've tried is the Soho Cookware Set from ProCook (£102.40). It's fabulously affordable, has a great range of pan sizes and the non-stick works well (if not as incredibly well as the Our Place set). On a budget however it's a fantastic alternative.

Should you buy the Our Place Essentials collection?

I've really enjoyed testing this set and experiencing all the benefits of ceramic as a cookware material. The non-stick coating is excellent, though you have to be so vigilant with not using metal on it, and the selection of pans and included storage system gets the seal of approval from me.

I haven't used this set for long enough to give you a definitive verdict on this set's durability, which is a known problem with other sets coated with ceramic. Time will tell if this set can hold up to everyday cooking in the coming months.

All in all, I can wholeheartedly recommend this pan to anyone who wants to do a full reset of their cookware cupboard – it looks great and is a dream to cook with. It's also the most attractive option out there if you're design-conscious. If you're not that fussed, there are cheaper options (like the aforemnetioned set from ProCook) that you could opt for.

Stainless steel pans are having a serious moment. And for anyone looking to pick up non-toxic pans to reset their best cookware collection, George Home just debuted a set that make this coveted material more affordable than ever.

The hybrid range is made up of two pans, all priced under £20, and you don't need to be a professional chef to see the visual similarities between the Hybrid Frying Pan with Copper Handle 30cm (was £23, now £18.96 at George Home) and Gordon Ramsay's favourite HexClad Frying Pan of the same size (£179 at HexClad).

But how much else do these pans have in common and what does it mean to have a hybrid pan anyway? Here's what the specs for these bargain George Home pans tell us.

So what is a hybrid pan and why would you want one? This type of cookware, which was spearheaded by American brand HexClad, combines the benefits of stainless steel as a cooking material (durable, non-toxic and capable of dealing with high heat) with non-stick properties so you don't have to go through arduous learning curve with your new pans.

Another similarity is, as with the popular HexClad pans, these George Home pans have a textured interior pattern which should help you to sear things more easily without them sticking. We haven't tested the credentials of these pans from George Home yet but we have tried the inspiration behind them in our HexClad 7 Piece Hybrid Cookware Set review – our expert reviewer and home economist gave the pans a glowing 5 star rating.

I've seen a fair amount of HexClad lookalikes in the last year, but one thing that irks me about the cheaper alternatives is that they often aren't dishwasher or oven safe. That makes them delicate pans to cook with everyday.

Happily, this collection from George Home ticks both of those boxes whilst maintaining an unbelievably affordable price tag – a triumph for those looking for a versatile pan set on a budget. Plus, if you would prefer a hybrid pan like this with a lid for all-in-one cooking, the retailer's Sauté Pan (coming in at just £22) is another steal from the wider collection.

Credentials aside, I'm taken with how stylish these pans are too. They remind me of my favourite tried and tested non-stick pan, the Always Titanium Pan in Chrome/Gold (now £149 at Our Place) with the copper handles adding so much to the overall look.

With a new year rounding the corner, now is a great time to think about the kitchen essentials that might make your January run a little more smoothly. If you're looking for a way to do that affordably, these pans are sure to be a hit.

Alternatives

While a chopping board is a kitchen utensil we probably spend little time thinking about, the right one can be a game-changer when it comes to prepping meals quickly and efficiently. And it is with this in mind that I’d like to share that Aldi’s viral 4-in-one chopping board is landing in stores this Thursday (18 December).

With Christmas Day almost a week away, dinner preparation has been the talk of the Ideal Home office for some time now, with the team only recently bowled over by M&S x Tom Kerridge’s clever 2-in-1 chopping board (which keeps selling out by the way).

Now Aldi has caught our eye, offering the Crofton Cutting Board for just £7.99, making it one of the cheapest batch cooking essentials I’ve ever seen, rivalling the likes of M&S and even Hexclad. Here’s why I think it’s an essential buy ahead of Christmas Day.

When this Aldi chopping board was released across the pond in the US, it quickly went viral, with shoppers impressed by the board’s removable inserts, which made chopping veggies even easier than on a standard board.

The Crofton Cutting Board is available in two different designs, either with removable inserts or trays to help you separate chopping jobs on the board.

The inserts have me most interested (and are the design I will be checking my local Aldi for) as they are such a simple yet brilliant idea. You get three different coloured inserts which slot into a gap in the chopping boards and means you can chop and slide your fruit and veggies directly into the tray, ready to be added to your pan or best slow cooker.

It even comes with a handy grater, which is the same size as the inserts for easy storage. I also think you could use these trays to catch waste such as onion or carrot peelings, keeping your space neat and tidy as you work.

The second design consists of three removable trays (which are neatly stored under the board). These are each designed for a different cutting purpose, such as meat, fish and vegetables, and fit perfectly on top of the wooden board to prevent any cross contamination, and mean you don’t have to keep washing your board as you go.

Both styles are BPA-free, but only the trays are dishwasher safe, so it’s best to hand-wash the board.

At £7.99, this clever chopping board is one of the most affordable I’ve ever seen, so I predict it won’t be on the shelves. However, we haven’t tested it, unlike the Tom Kerridge chopping board, which our Kitchen Appliance Editor, Molly Cleary, found to be very impressive.

But for £7.99, I completely believe it’s worth trying this board. After all, anything that can make meal prep easier and more efficient is a win in my book.

There's a quiet thrill to trying a piece of cookware for the first time, whether that's a shiny new stainless steel pan or a quality roasting tray.

It's something I've been lucky enough to experience many times in 2025 thanks to my role as Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances and Cookware Editor, and to celebrate all of the excellent new launches we've seen this year, I've rounded up my favourite new pieces just for you.

Every week my inbox is crammed with new pans, knives and cookware gadgets and to bring you the intel on which ones are actually worth buying, we've filled our guide to the best cookware to the brim with tried and tested picks.

To narrow it down, these are all of my favourite debuts from the last 12 months, including a look at the cookware trends that dominated our kitchens.

1. M&S

M&S has long been a haven for kitchen essentials, but it really ramped things up with its cookware offering this year. The two big hitters were the multipurpose All-in-One saucepan (for the bargain price of £30), to rival the ever popular Always Pan (£99 from Our Place), and Tom Kerridge's phenomenal value chef-approved range.

When our expert reviewer Annie tried out the All-in-One saucepan in her busy family kitchen she loved how versatile it was for everyday cooking thanks to its deep shape and found the non-stick coating held up test after test.

And clearly Ideal Home readers loved it too, with over 5,000 of you taking a look at it from our review. Though it's been in and out of stock this year, it's currently available to buy in Charcoal and Natural (which is a cream shade).

Tom Kerridge also delighted M&S shoppers with his new line, designed to survive a professional kitchen as capably as a domestic one. His incredibly versatile 2-in-1 chopping board impressed us with its built-in ingredient zones and meat juice channels for carving meat. We topped the year off by putting Tom's signature 3-Piece Stacking Cast Iron set to the test – our expert reviewer and home economist Helen McCue swapped out her previous cookware just to make space for it.

Not to be left out, Tom Kerridge also got involved in the hottest trend of the year for multipurpose pans, redesigning the aforementioned All-in-One Saucepan in stainless steel and engineering it with a copper base. In our review, Helen found it practically impossible to fault, calling it a 'fantastic all-rounder'.

Value for money with all of the M&S cookware we've tried this year has set the retailer apart, so if you're looking for an affordable way to reset your kitchen in the new year you know exactly where to go.

2. Our Place

This Californian brand is the one everyone has eyes on when it comes to innovative cookware designs. While plenty of retailers and supermarkets were cooking up alternative Always Pans, the OG pretty pastel cookware brand headed in a different direction entirely. Instead of one pan to replace them all, Our Place unveiled the Essentials Collection – an all-encompassing set designed to organise your cooking station.

As this is Our Place, the Essentials range is superbly designed, including a clever included storage system that comes with the pans as standard. This ceramic non-stick range is designed to be easy to cook with and clean, as well as crucially still free from PFAs.

After trying out the 11-piece version for a few months now, I can confirm these pans are a dream to have in my kitchen and do plenty to raise the decor stakes too.

3. Lakeland

Lakeland's cookware offering rarely disappoints, with its range of affordable own-brand pans sitting alongside heritage names. This year it was Lakeland's spin on the Always Pan that wowed us, with our reviewer Helen saying in her Only Pan review that it 'produced perfect results with minimal cleaning required'.

With a price tag of £59.99, this version is more expensive than the M&S alternative but it does have a few clever features that might sway just you. It comes with a steamer basket, silicone wood spatula and a lid that has a clever nesting spot for your utensil.

Another trend that Lakeland made its own was a range of pans with detachable handles which are incredibly easy to store.

With prices starting from £34.99 you can bag yourself a set which sits in one neat space in your cupboards, where you previously might need a whole shelf. We're hoping to test out this clever set in 2026 to see how it holds up to everyday use.

4. Salter

With the ongoing cost of living crisis, affordability is more important than ever and one brand that brilliantly encapsulated value as well as quality this year was heritage British brand Salter.

Late in 2025 we tested its bargain Cast Iron set, which features a 2.8L & 3.4L cast iron pot for under £75 (via Salter). Our hard-to-impress reviewer Helen gave the set a stunning five stars calling it 'sturdy, versatile, and very reasonably priced'.

Oven-safe, induction hob compatible and non-toxic, this set ticks all of the boxes if you want to make more of an effort with cooking in the New Year. From stews to bakes, this set aced every test Helen threw it at in her tests, meaning it definitely has the Ideal Home seal of approval.

5. Joseph Joseph

One of Ideal Home's favourite brands for organising and cleaning, Joseph Joseph, released its debut cookware line back in 2024. This year, the brand's Folding Handle range got a stainless steel redesign in line with the industry-wide appetite for this type of material.

Non-toxic, professional-looking and with that fabulously helpful folding design for easy storage, it's easy to see why it was an instant hit with shoppers.

This is another set on our review wishlist for 2026 but if the glowing reviews via John Lewis are anything to go by, the Folding Handle Stainless Steel Frying Pan (£90) looks like a real standout. Hopefully we'll see even more cookware from the brand in the coming months.

With the appetite for multifunctional pans going nowhere fast and the need for non-toxic materials growing ever more important, it seems there's plenty of cookware innovation to come in 2026. And we'll be here to guide you through all of it with our upcoming reviews!

It's the time for reflection on the year gone by, and for the cookware-obsessed, it was a big 12 months indeed. Le Creuset, the most renowned cookware brand around, celebrated its centenary in style with a flurry of limited edition colours and pieces. And it appears that you, the Ideal Home readers, snapped them right up.

Armed with stats on the bestselling Le Creuset colour and pieces from our roundups of the best cookware from the last year, I've compiled an insight into which hues are currently adorning hobs up and down the country. Here's the standout colour for every month of 2025.

How we curated this list

We've collected data from purchases made through Ideal Home's cookware coverage to bring you the top colours bought in the last year. But that's not all, we've also been testing Le Creuset cookware for years now as part of our quest to find the best pans for induction hobs and the best saucepan sets out there. That means we know which Le Creuset shapes and products really hold their own and are worth your investment.

If you've been ruminating over the purchase of a Le Creuset dish for a while, let this be your shopping inspiration – the quality is bound to impress!

Tom Kerridge's surprisingly affordable cookware collaboration has been a sellout hit with shoppers, and this weekend past, I tried one of its bestsellers: the Stainless Steel Roasting Tray (£40 from M&S).

The first thing I noticed about this roaster is its phenomenal quality; from the weight of it in your hand to the excellent addition of oven-safe side handles, you can tell the tray has been crafted by someone who knows their trade. We've found the same in our tests of Tom Kerridge's revamped stainless steel All-in-One saucepan and versatile 2-in-1 chopping board, too.

Quality aside, this tray made a huge difference to my cooking, too. With it, I made the crispiest roast potatoes in my roast dinner-making career (I've got the reviews from my family to back it up). Here's why it's a great buy for this time of year, when cooking is so crucial, as well as built to last in your kitchen, too.

The tray is crafted from stainless steel and aluminium and features a textured interior. This honeycomb pattern is supposed to enhance the airflow to whatever food you're roasting, 'so food stays nice and crisp,' according to Tom Kerridge.

It's a very smart, shiny pan to have in your kitchen. I can't quite believe a pan of this quality will set you back just £40, and it's great that it's suitable for use on the hob too, including induction hobs.

I started with the most important test of all: roast potatoes. After parboiling, flouring and fluffing I added my potatoes to this pan (which I had previously popped into the oven to heat with oil).

I can't stress enough how useful the side handles on this pan are and how they enhance the quality feel of the overall product. It made it so much easier to manoeuvre it when it was very hot fresh out of the oven.

The resulting potatoes were so crispy and perfectly browned. I turned them over about 20 minutes in before I returned them to the oven to roast the other side and there was no sticking whatsoever. Being able to use my trusty stainless steel tongs for the job was also a big highlight for me.

The final step for my roast potatoes is slathering them in garlic and rosemary butter, which is where things tend to get messy and have gotten a little cagey in the past when using a lower-quality tray. It's why I'm a big believer in spending more on a good, reliable roaster.

Even the final roasting segment was no match for this tray. By this point I was already so enamoured with this tray that I waited until my potatoes were done so that I could use it to roast my cauliflower too. I added my florets in and added the tray back into the oven.

The finished product was great, with less moisture created than with my usual baking tray. The florets were perfectly primed then for my cheese sauce.

The next important thing with this tray is that it's proved easy to keep clean thus far. Unfortunately the tray isn't recommended to go through the dishwasher but my handwashing efforts didn't need to be too severe to get everything off the tray without incident.

For its £40 price tag, the quality of this roaster is second to none compared to any other I've tried. It's shot straight to my list of favourites from this simply excellent chef collaboration. Here are the other picks from the range that we've tried and love.

If you're on the hunt for a new roasting tray just in time for Christmas then I can't recommend this one enough. Your next roast dinner will be all the better for it, trust me!

There's no time to waste in my quest to get prepped for Christmas cooking and this week I'm turning to Jamie Oliver's 'Get Ahead Gravy' hack to tick one job off my Christmas to-do list in advance.

Jamie's iconic get-ahead gravy first appeared in one of his Christmas recipes a decade ago, however, he's been making it for 20 years, and it still holds firm as a brilliant way to make delicious gravy without the faff on the big day. It is so simple, but it does involve having the right tools for the job, including the best cookware, a sturdy hand masher for boosting flavour and the right food storage containers for freezing it ahead of the big day.

As Ideal Home's Kitchen Appliances and Cookware Editor, I've got an eagle eye for the gadgets and pans that make cooking stress-free - at Christmastime, it's a skill that really comes into its own. These are my picks to help you master Jamie's clever gravy hack (you can find the full recipe on the Jamie Oliver website).

Jamie Oliver has officially christened Saturday 13th December as 'get ahead gravy day'; however, as you're freezing it, you can make it any time from now until the 24th. His advice is to freeze it into portions, which you can then take out to start to defrost two days before you need them.

Ideal Home's Digital Editor Rebecca Knight is certainly a devotee to this method but swears by using her Souper Cubes to keep her gravy frozen in a fuss-free way. The cubes, which are also loved by our News Writer Kezia, are much more convenient than using freezer bags or standard plastic containers, with a silicone material that makes it easy to pop out the portions into a jug to add to your turkey juices.

One of the best things about this Jamie Oliver recipe is that you can afford to be slapdash with the ingredient prep – there's no need to be precise with your cutting as you throw everything in to be roasted.

And instead of an expensive knife, the most important utensil Jamie is using is a hand masher (like this one from ProCook, £5)which he uses to boost the flavour from his chicken wings. If you've already got a go-to masher that you love, then you're already good to go for this hack!

After recently enjoying Jamie's excellent Easy Air Fryer cookbook (now down to £13 via Amazon), which is also packed with clever hacks, I can't wait to get stuck into this festive recipe. Are there any Christmas get ahead tips you couldn't be without in December?

I am in full Christmas dinner prep mode – as you need to be when you're cooking for the whole family – and on my rounds I've spotted a roast dinner essential that has stopped me in my tracks: this OXO Gravy Separator Jug (now £18.99 at Amazon).

Making the most of a whole chicken by using it for gravy is a must, and I also love using leftover stock for other meals like ramen, but the process of separating fat from meat juices is never pleasant. That's why I'm putting this jug straight on my 'must-buy' list, with a valve and external drain to keep the two separate so that you're on your way to delicious and healthier gravy. Here's how it works.

There's quite a lot going on with this jug, all told. The process begins at the very top with a built-in sieve to catch all of the bits from your roasting tin that you won't want in your gravy mix.

The liquid, along with the fat at the top, will then formulate in the jug – you'll need to wait for it all to settle. The next step is to squeeze the handle of the jug to leave the fat behind. Your liquid will dispense from the bottom, ready to go straight into a waiting pan to be mixed into a gravy using gravy powder or browning (whichever you prefer!).

Clearly I'm late to the party on this one as this jug already has thousands of reviews on Amazon. With a 4.5 star rating on average, it's clearly been a hit with shoppers already, one of whom commented that it's a 'convenient and reliable tool to have in your kitchen'.

Another was straight to the point, saying 'Does exactly what it's supposed to do and it's easy to clean'.

There's no point in a roast dinner without the gravy, so I'm hopeful that this clever purchase is about to change my future ones for good. Here are the other roast dinner essentials I'm leaning on this festive season.

With this jug in tow, that's one more thing ticked off my pre-Christmas to-do list.

Kitchen appliances and gadgets can be a controversial Christmas gift idea, but for keen chefs and home-fanatics, there's nothing that sparks joy more.

Whether you're shopping for a budding pastry chef or a home cook who loves to try new things, you'll want to hear from the pros when it comes to choosing the kitchen items that would be top of their wishlist. From small stocking-stuffer level budgets to bigger ticket items, I've spoken to three chefs to understand exactly what they use on a weekly basis, and what they would buy for their loved ones.

I've been inspired for my own Christmas list (everyone I know who has one raves about this Microplane zester from Amazon), but there's plenty on here I'm adding to my basket for family and friends too , especially over Black Friday weekend. Here's what the chefs had to say.

1. Thomas Frake - Publican & Chef at The Silks

Even chefs take shortcuts sometimes, and recommend that you do too. 'A mini food processor is a kitchen essential for me, I use it for everyday cooking at home - probably more than I should. It makes prep jobs much quicker and easier,' explains chef and publican Thomas Frrake. I couldn't agree more, and use the Magimix Le Micro Mini Chopper (available at Lakeland) almost every night at home.

There are a few more rogue kitchen tools that you might not already have in your collection, but that are worth investing in for yourself or as gifts to end off 2025. 'A mandolin gives professional results on so many dishes such as potato dauphinoise, homemade slaw, dill pickles, celeriac remoulade, piccalilli, game chips, crisps, pickled ginger, and even just basic veg and salad prep,' Thomas adds. 'Try to buy one that is not only adjustable, but also includes julienne and crinkle cut blades.'

A knife sharpener might get a few raised eyebrows when gifted, but will garner some much-needed appreciation when faced with blunt, unusable knives. The Joseph Joseph Rota folding knife sharpener (available at Amazon) is ideal for popping in a foodies stocking.

'Blunt knives bashed up in the kitchen drawer are dangerous and give poor results. There's an old adage that "food tastes better with a sharp knife" and it's true! Get a decent chef knife, protect it and keep it sharp to level up your cooking prep,' says Thomas.

2. Alix Caiger - Bespoke Caterer, Caiger & Co.

I haven't heard from a single chef who doesn't love the Meater Thermometer. If the pros are using it, then it's a sign that you should too. 'I always give this as gifts, I think the whole family has one now!' gushes Alix Caiger, Bespoke Caterer at Caiger & Co.

Good quality kitchen essentials, like stainless steel mixing bowls, will also make daily tasks so much easier. 'I love that these bowls are sturdy, and non-slip (great for mixing), which makes prepping pastry, batters or layered salads so much easier and cleaner, ideal for someone who loves cooking and values efficiency in the kitchen!' Alix adds.

Kitchenware can be fun and colourful, too. We've waxed lyrical about Allday Goods knives in the past, and Alix is also a fan. 'I adore this Allday Goods butter knife because something as simple as a beautiful butter knife elevates everyday meals; spreading butter, soft cheeses or pâté becomes a small moment of luxury.'

3. Dhruv Baker - Chef, Charcutier & MasterChef Winner

Sometimes, simple is best. A kitchen doesn't necessarily need the fanciest gadgets, particularly if you don't have an abundance of kitchen storage, so it's best to focus on the foundations. Dhruv Baker, Chef and MasterChef Winner, agrees.

'My go-to tools in the kitchen are very simple. Good knives (Kin Knives have been my favourites for years), a Microplane for garlic, nutmeg and zesting lemons, limes, and oranges, a good temperature probe so not to ruin a valuable cut of beef or your Christmas turkey - a Thermapen is a fantastic investment,' Dhruv explains.

The best part about these simple, yet life-changing, kitchen tools is that they also make perfect gifts. Whether it's for Christmas, birthday or a housewarming you can't go wrong with one of these gifts for the foodies in your life.

I have the lucky job of testing cookware for Ideal Home and a little over six months ago, a very intriguing cookware find landed at my door for a review. It was the Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro, which is currently reduced from £170 to £121.50.

It's a seriously pricey pan set – that was one of my serious quibbles with it in my full-length review – but I also heralded it after my tests as the best non-stick pan I'd ever tried after trialling dozens. Now, six months on, I've discovered more about how this pan really holds up, especially after it getting a bit of a charring when I accidentally left it on a hob too long.

After all, if you're going to invest in a seriously expensive pan set you want to know you'll have it for the long haul. Here's three extra things I've learned in my prolonged testing of this 'indestructible' cookware.

1. It can bounce back from burnt-on blunders

In my original review, I was so impressed by how this pan looked as good as new even after my time putting it through its paces. Now it's been even longer that I've been using this pan often twice a day in my kitchen and I've had more accidental mishaps with burnt-on food than I initially did.

The most notable one was when I was browning meatballs to add to a slow cooker recipe before adding onions to the mix. Distracted by getting my other ingredients ready, I left them on the hob a touch too long and came back to a very burnt bottom on the pan.

With cheaper pans I've owned in the past, this would mean a serious amount of scrubbing at best or a ruined one at worst. And I had to admit that the amount of burning I'd caused on this pan did worry me as it looked severe.

Luckily the USP of this pan is that it is 'virtually indestructible' and that rang true with this particular burn mark. One go through the dishwasher later and all I needed to do was use my trusty acacia brush to get the final debris out of the grooves on the non-stick surface.

This kind of harsh brush with tightly packed bristles has been my lifesaver with this pan's small grooves – this one is similar from Amazon for £6.88 (and you also get a soft one thrown in!).

2. Anyone can use this pan – without you worrying about it

Once you use this pan it's hard to go back to versions with a standard non-stick coating as all of the actions that become natural with this pan, like using metal utensils and putting it in the oven at extremely high heats, are not universal. In fact, this pan makes you a tad spoilt.

Though that ease of use element is undoubtedly valuable. If you live in a house share (where pans are regularly abused, let's be honest) or even struggle with your nearest and dearests not giving as much respect to pans as they should, this pan will survive unscathed.

My metal tongs are one of my trusty kitchen tools and being able to use them across my cookware thanks to this pan is a real game changer. You can cook and serve with them without worrying about scraping your non-stick coating up from your pan and so can less-than-careful chefs in your house too!

3. It might have competition

One of the things I loved about this pan initially was how stylish it looks as a pair on my hob, though the fingerprint and grease marks are sometimes an irritation. I thought it was easily one of the the best looking sets on the market, with a real professional chef feel.

Recently Our Place launched a new cookware line: the Essentials collection, which features easy-to-store ceramic cookware. Now these two ranges are very different, with the Essentials products lacking the indestructible build of the Titanium range most crucially. But there are other positives instead: it's easy to store thanks to the included pan organisers and features glass lids, so you can keep an eye on your food.

I've been testing the 11-piece set (£275 at Our Place) for a few weeks now and I'm impressed by its non-stick capabilities so far, though I do have to be vigilant when using it as it's not as tough as my trusty Titanium Pro. It looks great on my hob too and I am in love with its storage system. The two might just be competing for a spot in my kitchen.

The viral M&S All-In-One pan has already sold out more times than I can count and now it's finally back in stock I'm recommending you pick it up while you can. After all, for £30 for this five-star pan, it's a total bargain.

Not only did we award this non-stick pan a stellar 4.5-star rating in our recent review of it, but it also went onto inspire a stainless steel version designed by none other than celebrity chef Tom Kerridge. Of course we had to review that one too, which also earned a similarly glowing write-up.

So what's so special about this pan, and why should you shun extensive cookware collections for it? Allow me to explain.

This product is just one in a recent long line of Our Place Always Pan (now £99) lookalikes but at £60 cheaper than the original, it holds the title of the most affordable by far at full-price.

When our reviewer Annie tried it out in her kitchen she was wowed by the price tag, especially considering that you get a steamer/strainer built-in. The non-stick surface held up in every single one of her tests and the pouring lip came in so handy for serving up dinners.

And of course, this is M&S we're talking about, so just because the price is low doesn't mean there's been a compromise on quality. Annie found that the quality was high across the build of it, including the fact that it has two handles rather than just one for easy manoeuvring.

It's also a stylish pick if you want to move away from big, bulky sets that are a nightmare to store. Its shape lends itself to pretty much every standard on-the-hob cooking task and it's available in charcoal or cream.

As the Editor responsible for ranking all of Ideal Home's cookware guides and testing dozens of sets myself, I have to agree that this kind of pan shape is the standout for keeping a tidy, organised kitchen. Here are some of our other favourite versions with this signature look.

If you've been waiting for this M&S pan to come back in stock (or if you only just learned of its existence!) now is the time to strike.