Home & Kitchen with Caraway

The Myths of Stackable Pots, Pans, & Cookware

Looking to save space and purchase some stackable pots and pans? Think again. Read on to learn about why stackable cookware causes more harm than good.

When shopping for cookware, multiple considerations probably run through your mind before you can make a final decision, such as what material it's made of, where it can fit in your kitchen space, and how big it is.

When you find space-saving products with compelling names such as stackable pots and pans, you might feel like you hit the jackpot. Don’t be fooled, though. Contrary to what many might think at first glance, these products aren’t worth leaning towards and don’t compare to the other options out there.

Read on to discover the reasons why stackable pots and pans might not be the best choice.

What Are Stackable Pots And Pans?

You’re probably no stranger to cluttered kitchen cabinets full of pots and pans and the way they clash against each other loudly as you try to select the right one to cook with. When you buy cookware individually or if you buy some that aren’t specified as being able to be stacked, they likely won’t fit properly inside one another, thus creating the anxiety-inducing clutter that everyone wants to avoid.

That’s why people turn to stackable pots and pans. This cookware is just what you would expect: pots and pans that you can stack on top of one another. They typically come in a set, and similar to Russian nesting dolls, each one is shaped in a way that perfectly fits the smaller cookware into the larger ones.

At face value, they may seem extremely beneficial in keeping your cookware stored in an organized and visually appealing way. However, there are multiple downsides to owning them that usually go unrecognized.

Reasons Not To Own Stackable Pots And Pans

Damage To Your Cookware

When you toss pots and pans into a cabinet carelessly, they end up looking scratched up after some time. While stackable pots and pans seem like a good option for easy storage, the costs far outweigh the benefits.In theory, stackable pots and pans are obviously better for storage. Stackable cookware should minimize bumping and, therefore, minimize scratches. However, stackable pots and pans still come in contact with one another, so the scratching and damage aren’t completely eliminated.

The scratches and damages caused by stacking your pots and pans not only create an unappealing, scruffed look but also reduces the longevity of the cookware. For example, many non-stick pots and pans have a coating that gives it its non-stick properties, so excessive contact with no other protective measures can cause the coasting to chip away and the non-stick properties to be lost.

In those instances, it’s recommended that you place a paper towel between the pots and pans when nesting them on top of one another in order to prevent scratching or other forms of damage to the cookware.

Other cookware, such as those found in our Cookware Set, have more durable cooking surfaces (in our case, that would be our ceramic coating!) and are therefore less susceptible to such damage. That being said, they shouldn’t be stacked, as there are better means of storage that don’t cause any damage at all (but we’ll get into that later).

Potential Health Hazard

Damage to your cookware can lead to damage to your health. When the metal or coating of the cookware gets scratched, you run the risk of accidentally consuming it when you cook with it.

Whether or not this consumption results in health hazards depends on the metal and coating in question. For example, older models of non-stick pans carried PFOA in their Teflon coating, which is a chemical that, according to studies, can cause cancer and other health problems when consumed.

A Healthy Solution

To avoid health problems caused by Teflon, look for ceramic cookware. Our Cookware Sets, for example, are free of toxic materials such as PFOA, PTFE, other PFAs, lead, cadmium, or toxic metals, yet still provide the wonderful benefits of being non-stick.

Ceramic cookware, when treated with love, will last much longer than other kitchen essentials. Flakes of metal or non-stick coating food are not part of the perfect meal or perfect kitchen aesthetic. That’s why it’s best not to use stackable pots and pans, as that form of storing results in chipping and the consumption of unwanted materials.

If you do notice that your pots and pans are starting to chip or become scratched up, it’s best to toss them and get new ones. With your new cookware, pay attention to the way that you store them to ensure longevity and its pristine condition.

Too Much Hassle

Like we mentioned earlier, owning stackable pots and pans may seem like a reasonable choice when it comes to trying to organize your kitchen space. However, the reality is that they really aren’t all that beneficial in achieving that ideal de-cluttered kitchen.

Storing cookware on top of one another does help utilize cabinet space more efficiently, but overall it’s not very sustainable. The ever-so-common clashing of pots and pans that fill every kitchen won’t go away just by using stackable ones.

Each individual cookware in a stackable pots and pans set fits into the corresponding cookware; that is, there is an order in which they must be stacked in order for them to fit properly inside one another. This is great until you have to pull out a specific cookware piece from the stack.

Stackable pots and pans simply aren’t as convenient as you would think, as they require careful attention and gentle handling to prevent damage. When you’re cooking, you don’t always have the time to search for and carefully unstack the cookware in order to get to the one you need.

Having your cookware easily accessible to you at any moment in your cooking endeavors is important because it’s far less of a hassle. If you’re in a rush while cooking, you likely won’t be able to take the time to gently remove the stacked cookware to find the one you need, which can lead to scratches, damage, and a whole bunch of frustration.

The Caraway Cabinet

Clearly, stackable pots and pans aren’t cutting it. So what are the better alternatives for storing cookware? There are multiple storage options, such as wall-mounted pegboards, that not only protect your cookware but also make it very easy to access in kitchen spaces. However, our favorite has to be racks.

Our Magnetic Pan Racks, which are included free of charge with every Cookware Set purchase, provide for easily accessible (and beautiful) storage of all four of our pots and pans. It also comes with a Canvas Lid Holder, which can be hung on a cabinet or wall in your kitchen—the perfect resting spot for the cookware lids that’s only an arm’s length away!

These two storage units are great for space-saving and ensuring that your cookware stays separated from one another to prevent scratches or damages that could impact its appearance or longevity. Similarly, you don’t have to worry about the loud noises of cookware clashing and banging against one another as you try to find the right pot or pan.

Many people tend to stray away from cooking racks as they worry that they’ll take up too much space. However, ours is only 16 inches in width and can fit perfectly inside a cabinet. Minimalism and living with intentionality can extend beyond just our clothing: change your home by applying these philosophies to your kitchen as well.

With the Caraway Cookware Set, you receive exactly what you need: a Dutch Oven, a Sauté Pan, a Sauce Pan, and a Fry Pan. These cookware options are so versatile that the Fry Pan and the Dutch Oven can share a lid.

Our cookware also comes in multiple colors, including Cream, Navy, Sage, Gray, Perracotta, and Marigold. They’re so aesthetically pleasing that they can double as home decor as well! Imagine being able to serve food straight from such stunning cookware, rather than transferring food to and from different ones.

Goodbye Stackable Pots and Pans, and Hello Caraway

It’s about time that the myths surrounding stackable pots and pans were debunked. All in all, stackable cookware just doesn’t stack up.

Stackable pots and pans become scratched and chipped up in no time because of the way they are stored. Not to mention, nonstick pans with Teflon can pose a real health risk. Instead, try Caraway for ceramic cookware with a simple storage solution that is beautiful and functional.