Using bad cookware can make even the most competent chefs feel like they’re in an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. Chefs and culinary experts worldwide use All-Clad pans as the gold standard, including the reviews team here at WIRED. All-Clad cookware is expensive, but it lasts for years and years. And years.
So how do you snag this coveted cookware at stomachable prices? One surefire way to save money on All-Clad is by shopping its Factory Seconds sale, which comes around every few months. Today is the last day of the current sale, though sometimes it gets extended. We go into more detail and list our favorite discounts below.
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What Are Factory Seconds?
The Factory Seconds Event is run by Home and Cook Sales, an authorized reseller for All-Clad and several other cookware brands. The items featured in the sale (usually) have minor imperfections, like a scuff on the pan, a misaligned name stamp, or merely a dented box. Every product on the website lists details about the imperfection. You’ll need to enter an email address to access the sale.
While the blemishes may vary, the merchant says all of the cookware will perform as intended. Should any issue arise, nearly every All-Clad Factory Seconds product is backed by All-Clad’s limited lifetime warranty. (Electric items have a slightly different warranty; check individual product pages for details.) We’ve used a dozen Factory Seconds pots and pans, and they’ve all worked exactly as advertised. Just remember that all sales are final.
All-Clad Factory Seconds Deals
Below, we’ve highlighted noteworthy discounts from the broader sale. The “before” prices are based on items in new condition. Also, check out our cooking buying guides, including the 7 Essentials for Every Kitchen, Best Chef’s Knives, Best Blenders, and Best Air Fryers. If the Factory Seconds sale is not currently active but you need a pan in a hurry, you may be able to score a smaller discount by using one of our Sur La Table coupons, since SLT sells a wide range of All-Clad products.
The Essential is one of our favorite pans. You could say it’s, ahem, essential in the kitchen. We like that it works well for all kinds of tasks. Its high walls prevent grease from splattering on your countertop, and it can double as a flat-bottomed wok or even be a Dutch oven substitute. It’s also dishwasher safe.
If you tend to splash your sautéed vegetables out of the frying pan, a deeper sauté pan is just what you need. This one has a large base to cook in, but tall walls to keep your ingredients inside the pan and off your stove. Plus, the sides are flat, so you can use them for leverage if you’re flipping something with a spatula.
Everyone needs a good, large, stainless steel frying pan. It’s not nonstick, which does take some getting used to—make sure your grease or oil is hot before you add food—but once you get the hang of cooking on stainless you’ll never want nonstick again. Good quality stainless provides an even heat, with fewer hot spots, and makes cooking easier once you master it.
Photograph: All-Clad
All-Clad’s melding of copper, aluminum, and 18/10 stick-resistant stainless makes for one of the best heat-conducting pans WIRED reviewer Scott Gilbertson has used (aside from cast iron). He uses a smaller version for sauces, boiling potatoes, making bourbon-bacon bark, and countless other tasks. This is a kitchen workhorse. The included lid reduces evaporation (if you wish).
This basket is fantastic for grilling items like asparagus or fruit. The bottom has perforations to allow smoky, charcoal-y goodness to flavor your food, without the danger of losing items down the grate as they cook. I like to take mine car camping for exactly that purpose.
Photograph: All-Clad
These little oval-shaped dishes are great for portioning out side dishes or individual servings, but if you’re like me and you don’t own a microwave, they’re also fantastic for heating up leftovers on the stove or in the oven.
A stockpot is a niche item, but sometimes you just need a gigantic cooking vessel. This is designed for that purpose. It includes a steamer basket and a colander, so you can prepare multiple ingredients at the same time. Pro tip: If you ever want to make a seafood boil at home, this pot is basically perfect.
If you are in the market for a stockpot, this 8-quart vessel will be right up your alley. It’s got the melding of copper, aluminum, and 18/10 stick-resistant stainless we love as a part of the D5 collection, and you’ll want great heat conduction with how much cooking volume it has.
Photograph: All-Clad
These measuring cups are super durable. Your grandkids’ grandkids could probably get some use out of them. I like that they’re deep. When I’m pouring out a quarter-cup of oil for a recipe, I don’t have to worry about keeping my hand steady as much as I do with shallower, wider measuring cups. You can also snag an odd-size set for the same price.
It’s almost that time of year. These turkey forks are perfect for your Thanksgiving bird, or whatever other giant hunks of meat you may be roasting over the colder months. They’ll help you get a good grip and reduce the risk of you spending six hours smelling amazing food only to accidentally drop it on the floor.
Holiday cookie season is fast approaching. This bakeware set will help you prepare treats for all of your neighbors, friends, and neighbors’ friends. It comes with two cookie sheets and a wire cooling rack, so when you’re baking big batches, everything will have a chance to cool down before decorating. I can attest to the cookie sheets’ nonstick power, and that same coating makes them easier to clean.
This little grill pan is another handy winter staple. I realize that some of you may not be from Wisconsin, and therefore may not want to step outside when it’s freezing just to grill up some food. A cast-iron grill pan helps create those tasty sear marks, and this one comes with an Acacia wood trivet so you can simply serve up the food straight from the pan. There are also built-in pour spouts for draining excess fat.