Having high-quality, durable, and easy-to-use cookware can take your cooking experience to a whole new level. Worthwhile cookware can last you a lifetime and be a forever cooking companion. Look was in attendance at The Inspired Home Show (TIHS) in Chicago, which ran from March 17 through March 19, and took the opportunity to scope out the best cookware showcased at the event. If you’re looking to upgrade your products or invest in quality cookware for the first time, this list offers some of the best items we saw at TIHS.
If you’re a beginner in the kitchen or a seasoned pro, finding the right kind of cookware for you is a game-changer for your meals. Whether you love to cook casseroles or easy one-pot meals we’ve kept these specifics in mind when choosing our products to make sure you have something to meet all your cooking needs.
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron
Perhaps one of the most famous pieces of cookware of all time, this colorful enameled cast iron is renowned for its seamless blend of aesthetic and practicality. This material line from Le Creuset has excellent heat retention and distribution to give your food an even cook. You can use these products on the stove or in the oven. They’re ideal for everyday cooking and the brand uses its enameled cast iron for Dutch ovens, skillets, saucepans, braisers, bread ovens, and more.
The brand is set to celebrate its 100-year anniversary in 2025, but it continues to reinvent its traditional colors and revisit shapes from its past. Nate Collier, director of marketing and communications, points to the new petal line as an example of what the company does best, saying cast iron and enameling “[come] together and [marry] the functionality of the braiser with the petal design.” The line includes a shade from the past, a warm yellow named honey, as well as newer spring hues. He also teased the launch of an upcoming color launch set for May, so mark your calendars.
Le Creuset Stoneware
The stoneware line from Le Creuset is designed specifically for the oven. The heating distribution technology of the stoneware ensures your meals brown evenly on the sides and bottom. This line is ideal for baked goods like banana bread or brownies, or for things like yellow squash casserole. The stoneware comes in all the iconic Le Creuset colors. A unique attribute of the stoneware is that it is stain resistant, so you won’t have to worry about dishes such as lasagna leaving unsightly remnants.
The stoneware is also a favorite among shoppers because the brand often releases the material in colors that don’t always get the same rollout in cast iron. And they come at a lower price point, which means less of an investment if shoppers decide to expand their collection outside their color of choice, explains Nate Collier, director of marketing and communications. He points to the mini cocotte, an oven-safe tiny dish, as a favorite for those sharing on social media.
Looking ahead, the brand plans to launch another visually friendly item: a pizza stone. Available this April, the disk is completely flat on the bottom, and its branded top allows baked goods to imprint the Le Creuset name into their foods. Though intended for pies, it also has serious cookie-baking potential.
The Tramontina Guru
This innovative induction cooktop combines practicality with modern technology. This set also includes a ceramic nonstick aluminum frying pan and a stainless steel Dutch oven to cover a variety of recipes. The smart induction cooktop links to your phone via an app and offers cooking tips, recipes, and nutritional data. You can almost think of the Tramontina Guru as your cooking coach. If you’re a beginner in the kitchen, this could be a great product since it guides you along the cooking process.
The multi-talented Guru not only controls the temperature, but it also has an internal scale and automatic timer to help cooks measure their ingredients and move through recipes. Juan Carlos Carvallo, corporate chef for Tramontina, was on hand at TIHS to demonstrate the product and whip up steak parmesan. His focus in developing recipes is to keep things to a brisk 30-45 minutes to match busy schedules. He’s also appreciative of the instruction aspect of the app, which includes step-by-step tutorials that pair with the cooktop. “It’s really useful for people who don’t know how to cook,” Carvallo said of the device. “If you don’t know how to chop garlic or chiffonade basil, the app will show you.” Best of all, the surface itself is completely flat, making it easy and intuitive to wipe clean as you go.
The Doran Doran from Dr. HOWS
Annie Epstein/Static Media
The Doran Doran is designed to bring cooking anywhere. This compact electric skillet serves as both the cooking mechanism and serving dish. The multicooker includes a pot, grill pan, and hot plate. Since the Doran Doran is portable, you could place it in the middle of your table for a hot pot or fondue night, or use it to keep food warm at a potluck. Its versatility makes it a great choice for chefs who are on the go and want a reliable piece of cookware, no matter where they are.
The South Korean brand’s designs are sleek and colorful, with hosting and easy storage in mind. The Doran Doran’s pieces, which include an electric base that works as a warmer, a grill pan, and a casserole dish and top, all stack neatly together when not in use. Other Dr. HOWS products feature the same thoughtful touches, with one stoneware pot and an octagonal grill pan designed to feature grooves reminiscent of a traditional Korean rooftop. “Cookware is very ordinary,” said CEO and President 송성 근 Thomas. “We wanted to bring new life and energy.”
