The Ninja Foodi NeverStick, 6-Piece Cookware Set reminds me of cast iron cookware, heavier than most nonstick pots and pans I have previously purchased. When unpacking the cookware from the box I noticed that these were not the usual, bargain basement cookware. The nonstick surface appears to be applied and cured more carefully than other cookware, apparently using very high forging temperatures to prevent degradation of the nonstick surfaces and increasing the durability. I know early generation nonstick surfaces (I can think of a brand that start with a “T”) had durability and materials which were later found to flake off and generally may have been thought to be unhealthy. The Ninja cookware nonstick surfaces are PFOA, Cadmium and Lead Free, all things that do not want to ingest over time.
As for the cookware, this particular set includes 3 saucepans, 1 ½, 2 ½ and 3 ½ quart, with matching clear lids. The handles are relatively long and are riveted to the pan, with a small handle on the opposite side to allow for easy lifting. After giving these a quick rinse (even though they are dishwasher safe, they do say hand washing with a mild liquid dish soap is “always best”). Who can argue with that, given the effectiveness of the nonstick surface, they are super easy to hand wash.
The first item I seared was some sliced corned beef and muenster cheese, heated up the meat then added the cheese, placed on some toasted rye bread and this made an epic sandwich. Again, super easy to clean and none of the cheese stuck to the surface. That Sunday I put together a batch of tomato sauce, starting with tomato paste, canned tomatoes and all the seasoning necessary. Easy cleanup again, the ring inside the pot came off with just a quick spray rinse from my kitchen faucet. I also wound up making a pot of lasagna in the larger saucepan, after layering several layers or lasagna noodles, cheese and sauce I just popped it in the oven at 375 degrees and let it bake. Great thing about this saucepan set is you can put them in the oven, the pans have a 500 degree tolerance with the lids capable of withstanding 400 degree heat. Again, easy cleanup.
Overall, these saucepans are designed well and can be stacked, although I kept the cardboard packing spacers to prevent the bottom of the pots from scratching the larger pot’s nonstick surface when stacking for storage. The lids also stack for easy storage. For some reason I still didn’t feel comfortable using any cooking utensils that are made of metal, even though Ninja says they are safe to use.
Pros:
- Substantial build quality, including sturdy handles
- Long lasting nonstick surface, able to take abuse
- Induction cooking ready
- Clear lids
- Can be put into the oven like cast iron cookware
- Neverstick lifetime guarantee (at least 5 years of use, Ninja’s definition of lifetime).
Cons:
- none