Tramontina Cookware Review 2024: How To Choose The Best Set

Choosing a cookware set can be an intimidating prospect given the choice out there, but it’s an essential part of kitting out any kitchen.

There are plenty of famous brands out there, from Cuisinart to Calphalon, All-Clad and more.

Tramontina’s not quite as well-known as those other manufacturers, but it’s definitely one to consider when you’re shortlisting a new cookware set.

In my Tramontina cookware review, I’m going to take a closer look at three of the most popular sets the company has to offer.

(Head back to my massive cookware guide when you’re done for more help with this side of kitchen life!)

About Tramontina Cookware

Despite its excellent cookware sets, the Tramontina name has slipped under the radar for most folks. That’s a shame, because the company has a lot to offer!

The company was founded in Brazil more than a hundred years ago. Since then it’s quietly built a name for itself by producing innovative, high quality kitchenware that strikes an excellence balance between performance and cost.

It’s one of those rare brands that puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to customer support too. It’s earned its reputation the hard way, and by looking after its customers!

Construction standards are high, the materials used are of outstanding quality, and there’s lifetime warranty support too.

This stuff is built to last, in other words, and Tramontina knows it. They’re banking on you not needing to exercise that warranty, but they’re famously helpful when they do.

That’s a very brief overview of what Tramontina’s about. Before I move onto the cookware set reviews, here’s what you should think about before buying one.

How Many Pieces Do You Need In A Cookware Set

All three of the Tramontina lines I’ve reviewed for this article provide different benefits for different owners.

It’s important to look at the individual set sizes within each product line though. Very often you’ll be able to lose any item here – or gain an item there – depending on what you really need.

When you’re shortlisting a cookware set it’s important to only pay for what you’ll actually use. Just make sure you keep one eye on the future as well.

Many people make an investment in a high quality cookware set, only to find that their culinary wings have spread and they now need extra pieces.

Fortunately, many Tramontina pieces are available as separate pieces that match their related set. They cost more individually when they’re bought this way, but that might be a trade-off you can live with.

Oven Temperature & Cooktop Compatibility

These are two really important things to consider, whichever brand of cookware you’re looking at.

The oven-safe temperature will vary quite a bit between different cookware sets. Each of the three Tramontina sets I’ve reviewed, for example, have different heat tolerances.

In each case I’ve highlighted the temperature tolerance, but it’s a buying factor you need to be aware of when you’re shopping around.

You should also make sure the lids themselves are oven-safe if you want to perform some covered cooking.

You should also check that the cookware set you’re looking at is compatible with your cooktop.

Induction cooking surfaces are notoriously fussy in this regard, but again I’ve highlighted those items that are induction compatible.

About Cooking With Stainless Steel

All but one of the sets in my Tramontina cookware review feature a stainless steel exterior cooking surface.

This material has no innate non-stick capability, and that’s something you need to be prepared for.

The benefit of this material is that you don’t have to worry about non-stick protective layers eroding over time – which they inevitably do, and you’ll have to buy a new collection.

The “bad” news is that you have to make a little more effort to get a workable non-stick surface when you’re cooking with stainless steel.

Make sure you preheat the pan on a low heat first, then add a little oil. Only when the oil is suitably warm should you add your food.

It’s not a perfect non-stick cooking experience, but a little bit of prep-work here will make your life much easier.

Quick Picks

In a rush? No problem! If you haven’t got time to read the full Tramontina cookware reviews, here’s a quick summary of each set, with advice on who it’s aimed at.

Click on the links to jump to the relevant review in this guide.

BEST OVERALL – Tramontina Gourmet 12 Piece

“As an overall stainless steel set for the typical household, I think the 12 piece edition of the Tramontina Gourmet is your best option. It can handle all the jobs a home cook is likely to tackle, the construction and performance is outstanding, and it has a high oven-safe temperature rating as well.”

BEST BUDGET – Tramontina Stainless Steel 9 Piece

“Compared to the Gourmet edition, this 9 piece stainless steel set is a little lacking. Still, if you’re having to work to a tighter budget this is still one of the best options on the market. You’ll probably want to buy at least one fry pan with it, but I think that will still work out at great value.”

BEST CERAMIC – Tramontina Ceramica 10 Piece

“Ceramic cookware offers a natural take on non-stick pots and pans. This 10 piece  non stick ceramic set from Tramontina is a great choice if that’s of interest to you. Like the budget set I’ve just summarized, there’s a lower heat tolerance than the Gourmet edition provides, but overall I think this is a great ceramic set.”

Tramontina Gourmet 12 Piece (801162/249DS)

The Tramontina Gourmet stainless steel set is available as an 8, 10 and 12 piece collection.

It’s a high performance Tri-Ply cookware range, which is also NSF-certified and induction compatible. I’ll cover more on what all that means later on in this review.

First things first though, here’s what you get out of the box if you buy the 12 piece edition of the Gourmet set:

• 8 Inch Fry Pan
• 10 Inch Fry Pan
• 5 Quart Deep Sauté Pan + Lid
• 1.5 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 2 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 3 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 8 Quart Stock Pot + Lid

(*12 piece editions of any given set tend to be the most popular. They’re comprehensive enough to cover the most common, everyday cooking jobs, but keep the costs sensible. That said, you can consider the smaller versions of this set if you want to save a little money.)

(This article includes affiliate links. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.)

Tri-Ply is a term you’re going to come across a great deal when researching cookware sets. As the name suggests, it consists of three different layers.

The middle of each cooking surface consists of an aluminum core. This material is excellent for conducting heat, but the problem is it reacts badly with certain food types.

To counter this, the aluminum core is wrapped on both sides with stainless steel. You get really good heat conductivity and even heat distribution as a result, but you also benefit from a non-reactive exterior surface at the same time.

This material “sandwich” is also applied to the sides of the set as well, which helps transfer heat evenly around the food.

Because the stainless steel is magnetic, it’s induction compatible too. The exterior of each pan is also mirror-polished, which makes them very easy to clean.

The handles on these pots and pans are ergonomically designed, and easy to hold when you’re transferring hot foods around the kitchen.

Those handles are riveted onto each pan as well, which provides a lot more stability and support. This means they’re all a lot easier to lift and balance when full of hot liquids or food.

In terms of temperature tolerance, the Tramontina Gourmet range is oven safe up to 500F or 260C – a little higher than the more common 450F limit you’ll often see quoted.

That’s well within the scope of most home cooking, and it’s always good to have a little extra wiggle room too.

Finally, the Gourmet set is NSF Certified. The NSF is an independent body that measures kitchenware performance in terms of material, design quality and production standards.

It’s not a one-off process to get this badge either, with regular inspections ensuring consistent quality.

Pros

• A great all-round stainless steel set that justifies its price.
• Excellent, even cooking around all surfaces of each pan.
• Ergonomic, riveted handles make transferring pots and pans safe and secure.
• High temperature tolerance for oven cooking.
• NSF-Certification guarantees high quality design, construction and performance.

Cons

• Stainless steel cookware requires proper heat preparation.
• Frying pan side tapering can make flipping items a little fiddly.
• That tapered design also reduces the effective cooking surface area.

Tramontina Stainless Steel 9 Piece (80154/567DS)

Tramontina’s 80154 collection is a simpler cookware set compared to the last one I reviewed.

I think it’s ideal if you’re a new cook looking to build out a basic cookware collection, but don’t have the budget for some of the fancier items that you might not even use.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a good set! You just need to be aware of the compromises involved.

Here’s what comes with this 9 piece set.

• 8 Inch Sauté Pan
• 10 Inch Sauté Pan
• 1.5 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 3 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 6 Quart Stock Pot + Lid
• Steamer Basket + Lid

It’s the frying pan option you’re really missing here, but otherwise you’re well covered for tackling a wide variety of cooking tasks.

It’s also got that Tri-Ply aluminum / stainless steel build approach throughout the build. You get the same performance as the previous set, but with a pretty significant saving – that’s if you can live without the other pieces, of course.

Again, that stainless steel outer layer makes this 9 piece set very easy to care for. It’s also compatible with your induction cooktop, thanks to the magnetic surface.

Similarly, the handles are well-designed and comfortable to hold, with stabilizing rivets.

There are two interesting things that I think make this set stand out.

First, you get a dedicated steamer insert, which sits particularly well over the stock pot. I prefer steamed vegetables over boiled myself, and you get a lot more flavor, texture and nutritional value as a result.

You don’t often see this sort of insert included with budget sets, and so I think that’s a big – and surprising – plus point for this Tramontina cookware set.

The other advantage with this collection is the tempered glass lids. These make it really easy to check on cooking progress at a glance, although I don’t think they’re great for oven cooking. That’s a general downside of glass lids though, rather than a particular mark against Tramontina.

In terms of oven safety, it’s worth pointing out that these pots and pans can only tolerate a lower heat than the last set. Tramontina recommends a maximum heat of 350F or 176C here, which you might find a little limiting.

There are pluses and minuses to this particular set, in other words.

There’s a lot I like about it in terms of cost, quality and performance, but it does come with some limitations that you need to be aware of.

Pros

• A very affordable, high quality cookware set covering most cooking needs.
• Tempered glass lids let you see how the cooking’s going!
• Vegetable steamer sits neatly over the stock pot and works well.

Cons

• Lack of frying pans may be a deal-breaker for those not willing to buy extras.
• Lower oven heat tolerance at 350F / 176C.
• Handles get quite hot when cooking for longer periods of time.
• Not the most stylish design, even by the standards of cookware in general.

Tramontina Ceramica 10 Piece (80110/525DS)

The last Tramontina set I wanted to review for this guide is its flagship non stick ceramic collection.

Here’s what’s included with the 10 piece version, which has proved to be the most popular:

• 8 Inch Fry Pan
• 10 Inch Fry Pan
• 11 Inch Deep Skillet + Lid
• 1.5 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 3 Quart Sauce Pan + Lid
• 5 Quart Dutch Oven + Lid

Ceramic cookware has become increasingly popular in recent years, thanks to its “natural” nonstick properties that don’t rely on a chemical layer.

Oils are instead naturally released from the pan over time, which helps to prevent food sticking to the surface. You’ll find this handy if you’re not quite ready for the challenges of cooking with stainless steel.

As for the exterior, it’s made from hard-wearing, black porcelain enamel. This stuff helps with durability but – just as importantly – makes cleaning up much easier too.

Like the last Tramontina cookware set, the Ceramica line comes with heat and shatter-resistant lids. These can handle cooking at high heat, but also let you take a peek at the contents as you go.

This is another set that has a relatively low oven-safe temperature: 350F / 176C. That’ll be fine for the majority of owners, but something you need to keep in mind for your own kitchen needs.

It’s also got those same well-designed handles which make transporting the pots and pans very comfortable and safe.

Just be aware that ceramic cookware is not induction compatible. You need magnetic stainless steel for the magic to happen, and that’s obviously absent here.

Pros

• High quality ceramic cookware that provides a good, natural non-stick cooking surface.
• Dutch Oven rounds out the collection nicely compared to the other Tramontina sets.
• Very easy to clean and care for.
• Glass lids make it easy to check on the meal progress.

Cons

• No stock pot included as part of the set.
• Ceramic cookware is best-suited for cooking at a low heat.
• You should avoid using any metal utensils on this kind of surface.
• Attracts scratches if not treated with respect when using, cleaning and storing.
• Dishwasher safe, but a hand wash is highly recommended.

Frequently Asked Questions

Just to wrap things up, I wanted to cover some of the most common questions readers have about Tramontina cookware.