In recent years, there has been a growing interest among consumers to support American-made products. This trend has extended to the kitchen, with many people seeking out cookware that is made, assembled, and manufactured in the USA.
As induction cooking continues to gain popularity, along with the trend of supporting American brands, consumers like you might be interested in induction cookware brands that are made in the USA.
In this article, we will explore some of the top induction cookware brands made in the USA. We will discuss the difference between “Made in the USA” and its other variations so you can keep an eye out for pretentious brands. Further on, we will also list which brands are best for specific categories that suit your needs and interests.
Is there any cookware made in the United States?
Yes, there are several cookware brands that are made in the United States. However, not all brands that market themselves as “made in the USA” are actually made in the USA.
This is because of the US Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) weak and vague policies on who should be allowed to use the phrase “made in the USA”.
The Federal Trade Commission is responsible for protecting American consumers from unfair and misleading information in the market. The FTC can take legal action against companies who falsely advertise their products, including those claiming their products are made in the USA.
According to FTC policies, two conditions must be met before advertising a product as “made in the USA”. One, the product must be assembled in the US. Two, a significant amount of the manufacturing cost should come from US parts and processing.
Unfortunately, these criteria are subjective, and the FTC is not strict in policing companies who use the phrase “made in the USA”.
The companies decide whether their products are fit to be labeled as “made in the USA” based on the FTC guidelines mentioned above. The FTC does not check or approve these products before allowing the use of such phrases.
Given the USA’s reputation for high-quality products, some companies falsely and haphazardly use the “made in the USA” label to give off the impression that their products are of USA quality.
To help you discern which products are truly made in the USA, we will provide valuable tips in the following paragraphs.
When figuring out whether a product is made in the USA, firstly and most importantly, double-check the phrasing.
For example, “Made in America” and “Made in the USA” mean two different things. The former can include products from Canada and Mexico because they have a free trade agreement with the US.
Also, as another example, some companies tend to change “made” and replace it with another verb. Some labels say “assembled in the USA,” meaning that the spare parts are from elsewhere but put together in the US.
Other companies use modifiers to manipulate the meaning of the label.
For instance, you might encounter labels saying “made in the USA with global materials”. Such a phrase is just as good as the “assembled in the USA” phrase.
Second, avoid falling for symbols and flags. Sometimes, when we see an American flag plastered on the packaging or on the surface of the product itself, we automatically assume that the product is made in the USA. However, brands can use these American symbols to lure buyers into associating their products with the USA.
Third, know where to find the product’s country of origin. Most times, the country of origin for cookware can be found in the packaging or the user’s manual, if there’s any.
Now that we know how some products falsely claim to be made in the USA, we turn to the next question: What cookware brands are actually, truthfully made in the USA?
Which brand of cookware is made in the USA?
To add to what we discussed in the last section, a subtle difference exists between “Made in the USA” and “USA-made”.
“Made in the USA” means that their raw materials, including labor, are sourced and assembled in the USA. On the other hand, “USA made” means that the final product is assembled in the USA but has components imported from somewhere else.
According to OvenSpot (2023), Solidtekniks and All-Clad are both 100% Made in the USA. But note that All-Clad has other products that are USA made, which means that they have specific products whose components are imported from somewhere and then assembled in the USA.
Still, according to OvenSpot (2023), other brands that are USA-made include Regal Ware, 360 Cookware, USA Pan, Made-In, Viking Professional, and Proclamation Goods.
If you really think about it, “USA-made” products are not inferior to “Made in the USA” products in terms of quality. Most of the time, raw materials from other countries are of better quality than those in the United States.
Take rubber, for example. In 2021, Thailand and Indonesia were the leading rubber exporters in the world.
The USA does not produce rubber, as rubber trees only grow in tropical areas. Hence, American cookware companies need to import rubber to make cookware handles and lid handles.
Even with only one imported material, the cookware brand may already regard itself as “USA-made.” Still, the product is not necessarily worse in quality when compared to “Made in the USA” products.
However, if you really want to best support the American industry, “Made in the USA” cookwares are the way to go.
It is impossible to give you an exhaustive list of all cookware brands and categorize them into “Made in the USA” and “USA made”. This is because brands often do not publicize full information on their product development process. Hence, we often just have to take their word on how they declare their products.
Viking pots and pans made in USA
The Viking kitchenware brand offers pots and pans made from a wide variety of materials, such as stainless steel, copper, and cast iron, among others. However, despite the many options that Viking offers, only their 5-ply stainless steel cookware set is made in the USA. The rest of their stainless steel lines, such as the 3-ply and 7-ply lines, are made in China.
What brand of stainless steel cookware is made in the USA?
Among the popular cookware brands in the USA, Solidteknics, All-Clad, and Heritage Steel have established themselves as 100% Made in the USA, especially their stainless steel cookware line.
Solidteknics has the US-ION™ cookware line, made from wrought iron, and nöni™ cookware line, made from ferritic stainless steel. Both of these lines are non-toxic, healthy, sustainable, durable, and made in America.
All-Clad proudly asserts on its website that its high-performing cookware line is handcrafted by American artisans using American steel in the USA.
So, is All-clad made in America? As discussed earlier, “Made in America” may include Canada and Mexico. Hence, for that question, the answer is no.
But if the question is, “Is All-Clad made in the USA?”, the answer would be yes. All-clad claims to be 100% made in the USA, including their materials and labor.
Finally, Heritage Steel also prides itself in having made 5-ply, titanium-strengthened stainless steel cookware in the USA. You can shop their elegant stainless steel cookware line here.
Stainless steel cookware made in USA (that works on induction)
The previous section talked about stainless steel cookware, in general. This section will specifically talk about stainless steel cookware that works on induction.
If you have done sufficient research on induction cookware, you might be aware by now that not all stainless steel cookware is induction-compatible. One way of knowing if a stainless steel cookware could work on induction cooktops is by doing the magnet test.
If a magnet sticks to the bottom of your stainless steel pan, then it can work on induction cooktops.
One of the safest options when buying induction-ready stainless steel cookware is All-Clad. Every All-Clad stainless steel cookware comes with a magnetic bottom, making them induction-compatible.
Made In Cookware brand also reports having induction-ready stainless steel cookware. Kitchen guide sites swear by the quality of Made In Cookware. Unfortunately, some sites report that Made In changed their manufacturing process years ago and is now not entirely Made in the USA.
Hard anodized cookware made in USA (that works on induction)
Hard anodized cookware is primarily made from aluminum, which is non-magnetic, hence, not induction-compatible. However, due to the rising popularity of induction cooktops, some cookware companies made induction-ready hard anodized cookware.
As for the specific brands that offer hard anodized induction-compatible cookware, All-Clad is at the top of the list. This particular Hard Anodized Non-stick Fry Pan Set from All-Clad set was praised for its durability and performance.
There are not a lot of Made in the USA brands that offer hard anodized induction-ready cookware. However, you may buy separate induction interface disks to pair with your Made in the USA pans. These induction interface disks act as a magnetic bottom for your pans, making them work in induction cooktops.
Nonstick induction cookware made in USA
Understandably, most consumers prefer non-stick pans because they are so easy to clean and convenient to use.
If the criteria include non-stick, induction-ready, and Made in the USA, check out this 7-inch sautè pan from Nordic Ware. It is stylish, oven-safe, stovetop-safe, and equipped with a removable silicone grip.
Made In also offers well-acclaimed non-stick pans. However, not all pans in their cookware line are induction-compatible, so be ready to do the magnet test when shopping for non-stick Made In pans.
It should be easy to spot non-stick induction-ready pans in All-Clad since all of their cookware has a magnetic bottom. The famous Heritage Steel, meanwhile, does not have a non-stick line. So for this category, Heritage Steel is out of the question.
Best induction cookware made in USA
It is difficult to declare one brand as the “best” induction cookware brand that is Made in the USA. Indeed, with all brands meticulously ensuring their quality and maintaining their reputation, the competition for the best cookware brand is challenging.
Moreover, some brands specialize in some categories. Heritage Steel, for example, specifically specializes in stainless steel cookware; hence, whether it is induction-ready or not, Heritage Steel certainly has an edge.
Meanwhile, All-Clad will be your best bet in terms of variety and availability. You can find almost every type of cookware in All-Clad, from hard-anodized to stainless steel to non-stick. The best part? Most of their products are compatible with induction cooktops.
Solidteknics are also great if you are looking for versatility. This brand claims its pans are suitable for any heat source, from campfires to induction cooktops. They specialize in wrought iron and non-nickel stainless steel, both induction-ready materials.
Takeaways
“Made in the USA” is a highly-coveted title because it is associated with high-quality and excellent performance, which are characteristics of American standards. Unfortunately, some brands use this title falsely and haphazardly.
To avoid getting manipulated by such brands, it is vital to know the products’ country of origin, usually found in the packaging, product guide, or engraved in the product itself. Moreover, knowing the difference between “Made in the USA” and “USA made/Assembled in the USA” is crucial.
Having an exhaustive list of Made in the USA brands is impossible. Hence, this article compiled only the best and well-acclaimed Made in the USA cookware brands for your convenience.
Finally, note that USA-made cookware indeed delivers its promises of high quality and durability.
However, some brands not made in the USA are equally durable and high-performing. After all, importing raw materials from various parts of the globe is becoming more and more inevitable because it is cost-efficient for most companies.
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