If you’re someone who loves spending time in the kitchen, you know the importance of having high-quality cookware. Not only can it make your cooking experience more enjoyable, but it can also help you achieve better results in the dishes you prepare.
With so many options on the market, choosing the right cookware set for your needs can be overwhelming. That’s why we’re excited to share our review of Hestan cookware.
Hestan is a well-known brand in the culinary world, known for its durable and stylish cookware sets that are designed to elevate your cooking experience.
In this review, we’ll explore Hestan Cookware in depth – examining its various product lines to help you decide if it’s the right investment for your kitchen. So, whether you’re a professional chef or a home cook looking to upgrade your cookware, read on to learn more about Hestan cookware.
About Hestan Cookware
Founded in 2015, Hestan Cookware is the brainchild of Stanley Cheng, a Chinese-American entrepreneur who owns Meyer Corporation. The company’s name is a combination of Stanley’s and his wife, Helen’s, first names.
Hestan Cookware is based in Napa Valley, California, and offers unique features that set it apart in the kitchenware market. Stanley and Helen assembled a team of skilled craftsmen, world-class chefs, designers, and engineers to create cookware that stands out in performance and design.
Hestan Cookware also offers other high-end kitchen appliances, outdoor gas grills, wines, and the Hestan Cue smart cooking system.
Stanley Cheng has a wealth of cookware experience, having pioneered the use of nonstick coatings on anodized aluminum in the 1970s with his Circulon and Anolon brands. As a result, Hestan Cookware is a worthy competitor to All-Clad, offering comparable and even superior products.
Hestan Cookware Collections
Hestan NanoBond
- Material – Titanium
- Color – Titanium
- Brand – Hestan
- Handle Material – Stainless Steel
The Hestan NanoBond collection is crafted with high-quality materials such as 18/10 stainless steel, aluminum, and titanium. It features tri-ply construction with an aluminum core, a stainless steel interior, and an induction-compatible stainless steel exterior.
This collection includes a 1.5qt and 3qt saucepan with lids, an 8.5″ and 11″ skillet, a 3.5qt sauté pan with a lid, and an 8qt stockpot with lid. It is handcrafted in Italy and comes with a lifetime warranty. Plus, it is dishwasher-safe for easy cleaning.
Hestan creates NanoBond cookware using a blend of titanium and chromium-based alloys in a high-heat vacuum chamber, resulting in a toxin-free and more durable construction. This innovative technology is not found in any other clad stainless cookware.
Aside from its durability and strength, the titanium nano bond coating also gives the cookware a sleek, black stainless steel appearance that is free of grain, texture, or polish marks.
It makes the pans less sticky than regular stainless steel and adds a unique dark sheen, making them functional and visually appealing.
Despite its high cost, the Hestan NanoBond collection is well-made and performs excellently, making it a recommended investment for those who prioritize quality cookware.
Hestan ProBond
- Material – Stainless Steel
- Color – Stainless Steel
- Brand – Hestan
- Handle Material – Stainless Steel
Hestan’s ProBond collection is a tri-ply stainless steel line that is nearly as visually stunning as the NanoBond. Its brushed and polished stainless exterior, along with its gracefully curved handles, elevates any kitchen style.
The set includes an 8.5″ skillet, 11″ skillet, 1.5 qt saucepan with lid, 3 qt saucepan with lid, 3.5 qt saute pan with lid, and 8 qt stockpot with lid.
It is designed to compete directly with All-Clad D3 and has a construction that is comparable to D3.
This fully-clad stainless steel collection has a conductive aluminum core, an 18/10 stainless interior cooking surface, and a primarily brushed stainless steel exterior with an induction-compatible steel base.
For those who desire quality stainless steel cookware with a durability guarantee, increased cooking surface area, superior performance, and optimized heat control without breaking the bank, the ProBond collection from Hestan is an excellent alternative.
Hestan CopperBond
- Material – Copper
- Color – Copper
- Brand – Hestan
- Handle Material – Stainless Steel
The Hestan CopperBond cookware collection is known for its striking appearance, featuring an exposed copper band and polished stainless accents. It provides excellent heat performance and is undeniably expensive.
It includes an 8.5″ and 11″ skillet, a 1.5qt and 3qt saucepan with lids, a 3.5qt sauté pan with lid, and a 6qt stockpot with lid. It has a lifetime warranty and should be hand washed and dried with a soft cloth.
The CopperBond collection is unique in its thick, pure copper core as part of its five-layer stainless steel construction. This core is exposed due to the outer layers of stainless and aluminum being cut away, resulting in a beautiful two-tone finish.
Although this may marginally affect heating properties, the pan bottoms have a layer of magnetic stainless steel for induction capability. In addition, the internal cooking surface is 18/10 stainless that wraps around the outside for added durability. (See our article Best Copper Cookware if you want to learn more.)
Hestan Thomas Keller Insignia
- Material – Stainless Steel
- Color – Stainless Steel
- Brand – Hestan
- Handle Material – Stainless Steel
The Insignia line, created in collaboration with Chef Thomas Keller, is a Hestan ProBond (tri-ply clad stainless) with a few modifications.
The universal lids are a notable feature, as they are flat steel plates with long handles that fit over any pan, and the forked handle is designed to keep the handle cooler.
SET INCLUDES – 1.5-quart sauce pot, 3-quart sauce pot, 4-quart sauce pot, 8.5-inch TITUM nonstick sauté pan, 11-inch sauté pan, 12.5-inch sauté pan, 8-quart stockpot, 2-quart saucier, 6-quart rondeau, 8.5-inch universal lid, 12.5-inch universal lid.
The collection is a result of Chef Keller’s expertise in the culinary arts and offers professional-grade stainless steel cookware. The cookware features a conductive aluminum core enclosed in high-grade stainless steel.
The exteriors have a brushed stainless finish, while the interiors are either stainless or coated with a nonstick PTFE-based material called TITUM.
Hestan is promoting Insignia as “eco-conscious” due to its universal lids that “reduce clutter” and packaging made from recycled materials. While it may not be a significant contribution, it is a step towards a greener approach.
What is Hestan Cue?
The Hestan Cue is a smart cooking system consisting of an induction cooker, smart cookware, and an app that can be controlled from a smart device.
It is designed for people who want to cook delicious meals with little experience in cooking. The cookware has embedded Bluetooth temperature sensors and is made to work with the Hestan Cue induction cooktop.
Final Verdict
Hestan Culinary set out to create superior cookware compared to well-known brands like All-Clad, and we believe they largely succeeded.
NanoBond boasts exceptional strength and stability, making it the most secure and consistent cooking surface available, delivering excellent and even heat performance.
ProBond exceeds the standard tri-ply construction, with more aluminum for superior heating than All-Clad D3.
CopperBond competes with All-Clad Copper Core and, with its higher copper content, provides exceptional, responsive heating, durability, and breathtaking aesthetics.
Thomas Keller Insignia is ProBond with an elevated design and different purchasing options, with the universal lids being the most significant difference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Hestan cookware is not recommended to be cleaned in a dishwasher. Instead, the company recommends hand-washing their cookware with a soft cloth for best results.
The oven safety of Hestan cookware varies depending on the collection. CopperBond, ProBond, and Thomas Keller Insignia can be used in ovens up to 600°F, while NanoBond can withstand up to 1050°F.
