Deciding on a new pan set isn’t a decision you can make in 5 minutes. It’s not exactly like you can bring your breakfast to your local John Lewis and test all of the ones you’ve been eyeing up, is it?
Instead, I’m here to do that job for you — because it’s worth investing in a high-quality saucepan set that is easy to wash and provides great non-stick power from the get-go.
You know the saying buy cheap, buy twice? This especially applies to cookware and I should know — I’ve been through too many sets I care to admit since moving out at 18. An expensive cookware set would and should last you for years, even if you use it three times a day, every day of the week.
Everyone has a checklist of the non-negotiables they need in a saucepan set. If yours are that it’s compatible with all cooktops, easy to store, and seriously non-stick making it easy to clean, then keep reading as I’ve been testing a game-changing design from the masters of cookware, Joseph Joseph (which we previewed in our first look).
Yes, I’ve been using the Joseph Joseph Space Folding Handle Ceramic Non-stick 3-piece Saucepan Set to cook in my kitchen, for my family of three, for two weeks now. I used it for everything from broccoli to rice and scrambled eggs. Basically, the only food items my toddler will currently eat.
Here’s how it fared, from unboxing to hand washing, popping in the dishwasher, and even storing away. And yes: its handles fold!
In a nutshell
This Joseph Joseph foldable pan set is a great option for the majority of people and most sized kitchens.
It has the unique selling point that its handles fold so it’s super easy to store, as each pan fits inside the other.
Plus, it comes with a stand for its three lids. Its non-stick power is great and it’s also easy to clean thanks to being dishwasher safe, while all parts hand wash easily, too.
Even though the stainless steel handles fold, all of the pans feel super sturdy and have a good weight. There’s another great USP: you can put them in the oven up to 232C.
Onto the boring stuff, it’s great that it works on all cooktops even induction. Its coating is non-toxic but not only that it’s free from PTFE, PFAS, PFOA, lead and cadmium. Each pan comes with a matching tempered-glass lid and my only quarrel with the design is that these lids don’t have a valve hole to allow steam to escape. However, the lid handles do fold, too.
If you’ve got a spare £300 to spend, I think this is a great saucepan set to invest in, especially since it saves kitchen storage space. It’s super convenient all-around as it’s simple to clean and use thanks to its non-stick coating. The drawbacks are that it’s only available in a blue colour and the handles get slightly hot while cooking but not entirely — only when holding close to the pan.
Product specs
- Materials: Aluminium body, stainless steel handles, tempered glass lids
- Metal utensil safe? No
- Dishwasher safe? Yes
- Pan diameters: 23cm, 19cm, 15cm
- Warranty: 20 year guarantee
- RRP: £295
Who tested this pan set?
Unboxing
Initially, getting the box from my front door to my kitchen was harder than expected. This pan set was weighted and I wasn’t quite prepared for it.
Once I finally got it onto my kitchen counter, I began the unboxing process and was pleasantly surprised at the lack of plastic wrapping — it was well-packed in cardboard. In the box came two felt pan protectors, to protect the non-stick coating of the pans while they are stored inside one another.
Quickly, I worked out how the lid holder works, and after having a good play around with them I got to terms with how the handles fold. I also noticed that the handles on the lids fold, too.
In the booklet, it advises that you wash each pan and lid in warm soapy water ahead of first use, so I did exactly that.
Cooking
Unfolding the pan’s handles is super easy, and once you work it out, it comes naturally. Even though the handles are foldable, they’re anything but flimsy as they’re made from stainless steel.
They also have holes in them for hanging, if that’s your thing. The handles are comfortable for holding but part of each handle will get hot while cooking, so be careful not to touch the part closest to the pan with the Joseph Joseph engraved into it.
The one thing I did notice ahead of cooking was that the lids didn’t have a ventilation hole to allow hot air to escape while boiling. With this in mind, if you are using the lids you need to ensure that your hob is on its lowest temperature or the lids will rattle and make a sound. Rest assured, though, the lid handles might get warm but they don’t get too hot so you can touch them with your hands which is great.
Unfortunately, there are no markings on the inside of any of the saucepans, either. This would have been a great addition and it’s probably the only thing they are missing.
Scrambled eggs
This pan made cooking scrambled eggs easy, mostly thanks to its non-stick coating. I didn’t use any oil, only butter in my eggs.
The eggs never stuck to the sides of the pan and afterwards, it was so simple to get the pan looking clean again. Usually, I find scrambled eggs difficult to clean from a saucepan, so this makes our Saturday morning eggs on toast ritual a bit of a game-changer.
Brocoli
I cooked fresh broccoli in this pan and noted that it took around 7 minutes to cook, which is average. This is when I noticed that the handles of the pans can get hot, especially where the Joseph Joseph logo is.
So be warned when holding the part of the handle closest to the main part of the pan. Otherwise, I had no complaints about how it cooked my broccoli, and it was easy to clean afterwards.
Rice
The only time I wished that these pans had measurements on the inside was while cooking rice.
Admittedly, I find rice difficult to cook — and get right — regardless. After prepping my rice and adding the right quantity of water, I boiled the pan with the lid off. Once it was bubbling I turned it to a simmer and popped the lid on.
A few minutes later the lid started rattling because there was no built-in hole to allow the steam to escape so I had to turn the burner to the lowest setting. You could see a tiny amount of steam escaping from the pan, but not much. Alas, the lids didn’t rattle again and my rice was cooked right on time at 13 minutes. The best part? The rice didn’t stick to the pan at all, and clean-up was easy.
What are they like to clean?
These saucepans and lids are dishwasher-safe. I found that they cleaned better by hand, however.
The saucepan in the photo above was used to cook pasta and then sauce, and it was popped into the bottom section of my dishwasher. My dishwasher left watermarks on the inside and outside, as you can see in the photos below.
While you can put these pans in the dishwasher, the instruction booklet advises that like most pans, hand washing is best. This prevents colour fading and ruining the non-stick ability of the pans. They also won’t cover wear and tear from frequent dishwasher use under the guarantee.
What are they like to store?
The entire point of this pan set is that it’s convenient to store. And, while I do agree that the foldable handles are a game-changer, unfortunately, the lid storage is slightly too big to fit in my pan drawer.
I love that the saucepans can be stored inside one another and that they come with felt inserts to protect them while stored away. This isn’t super explicit when you unbox the set, though, so some people might throw them away thinking they are part of the packaging.
The lid holder is basic and does what it says as it stores all three lids, which each have a foldable handle, too. I have no problems storing the small and medium-sized lids in my drawer, but the large one, when sitting vertically, sits 25cm high.
This doesn’t allow my drawer to close, which is a shame. So, with this in mind, be sure to measure before buying to check that this fits in your drawer or cabinet, or you may have to move things around.
How does it compare to similar sets?
I’ve been using a ProCook set (£181.00 at ProCook) since Christmas, and I’ll be totally honest: I’m not 100% sold.
I love it because it’s stainless steel and uncoated. They also have markings inside for measurements, plus their handles never get hot. They do nest together so you can stack them while storing but they still take up a lot of cupboard space.
I’m not as much of a fan of how easy they are to make non-stick (it takes some perseverance) and they can be difficult to clean. I’ll never use them to cook scrambled eggs again as last time, I was soaking the pan for days after. I don’t find that they wash in my dishwasher particularly well, either.
When it comes to performance, this Joseph Joseph set outweighs my Pro Cook set in terms of non-stick ability, ease of use and cleaning. The Pro Cook set wins for value for money at £249 for 3 saucepans (complete with lids) and one frying pan.
This pan set is the first of its kind to the market when it comes to design. There are no other saucepan sets out there with foldable handles, yet. You can buy pan sets with detachable handles, so you buy the pans and one handle comes included, which can then be interchanged with each pan to provide an easy storage solution. Though do note that one handle can be a slight nightmare if you’re using more than one pan at a time as you’ll need to keep unclipping it and clipping it onto another pan. These are quite common and are sold by most popular cookware brands, from Tefal to IKEA.
The only issue with these pans is that the detachable handle tends to be made of plastic. The IKEA SLÄTROCKA (£49 at IKEA) is a stainless steel pan set but it has one plastic handle. Shoppers have given it a 4.2-star rating out of five with some actually claiming that their handle melted, and you can’t buy the handles on their own, too.
The ProCook Designpro Stackable Cookware Set (£79 at ProCook) is the same concept and you get a saucepan, saute pan and a frying pan with just one detachable handle, too. The handle is plastic, while the pans are aluminium and the lids are a mix of silicone and plastic. Reviewers rated it 4.8 stars out of five.
Should you buy the Joseph Joseph Space Folding Handle Ceramic Non-stick 3-piece Saucepan Set?
This is undeniably a great saucepan set for most people, whatever your hob type and no matter what you’ll use them for. It’s a better option for anyone tight on kitchen cupboard space due to its folding handles, while its largest saucepan is 23cm in diameter so is great for cooking for families. It’s important to note that this is a heavy pan set; therefore, if you have limited strength, you may want to consider avoiding it.
This set is expensive at £295, and while I do think it’s worth the price tag thanks to its quality and USPs, as well as how easy it is to clean, that is admittedly expensive. For anyone who can’t justify this price, try a set that has a detachable handle, but do be aware that this will be plastic. Also, it’s unlikely that it will be as durable or high-quality as this Joseph Joseph set.
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