Wolfgang Puck is a favorite household name for many of us, when after many years as a Michelin starred phenomenon in the culinary world, he developed his line of branded cookware and small electrical appliances which are loved and used in many of our kitchens.
His cookware is designed for durability in modern kitchens and with a range of specialist and all-purpose pans and utensils available, we carry out Wolfgang Puck cookware reviews in this article to look in greater detail at why his cookware is so popular.Best Pick
The Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 19 piece cookware set is heavy duty stainless steel cookware ideal for larger kitchens and families.
Budget Pick
The smaller The Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 17 piece cookware set is suitable for all stovetops and offers a range of pans to cover all your cooking needs.
Quick Comparison: Top 5 Wolfgang Puck Cookwares
[table id=50 /]
1. Wolfgang Puck Cookware Set WP19PC2017 Bistro Elite
Highlighted Features
The Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 19 piece cookware set is a heavy duty stainless steel construction with an encapsulated (tri-ply) aluminum base. Suitable for larger families and kitchens, the steel exteriors are a polished finish and the steel interiors are matte finish (unless non-stick coated) with measure markers for easier preparation and the lids are tempered glass. These pans are dishwasher safe and suitable for all stovetops including induction.
The set includes a 1.5 quart Cook and Stir with colander lid, a 2 quart covered saucier, a 3 quart covered soup pot and a 4 quart essential pot. There is also a 9 quart stockpot with a lid. The set also has a selection of skillets, including a 10″ square grill pan with a Whitford Eterna non-stick, which is metal-utensil safe, a 13″ skillet pan with lid and an 8″ omelet pan.
The kitchen utensils include locking tongs, a slotted spatula, ladle with strainer, a serving fork, solid spoon and a whisk. The set also comes with a manual that includes recipes.Pros
Cons
2. Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 17-piece Cookware Set
Highlighted Features
The Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 17 piece cookware set pans are oven-safe up to 400°F and their lids to 350°F. The hollow handles are stay cool, Y-cast stainless steel and riveted, although you may still need to use an oven mitt at times, particularly if using higher burner heat.
The interiors are matte finish and the exterior are high polished. The lids are tempered glass and tri-ply pan bases offer cooking without any hotspots. You can use these pans on any stovetop, including induction and although they are dishwasher safe, the manufacturer recommends that you hand wash them to keep the shine on the stainless steel.
The set includes a 10″ deep skillet, a 12″ oval skillet, a 11″ covered universal pan and a 12″ covered simmer pan. There is also a 3 quart covered sauce pan, 2.5 quart covered saucier and a 6 quart covered stockpot. The five steel utensils that make up the set include a solid spoon and slotted flexible turner.Pros
Cons
3. Wolfgang Puck Cook and Stir Pan with Colander Lid
Highlighted Features
The Wolfgang Puck cook and stir pan with colander lid is for reducing sauces and gravies and then easily pouring them through the pouring spout. Its tempered glass colander lid allows draining and straining. It is also a sauce pan, suitable for cooking and draining foods such as vegetables and pasta.
This 1.5 quart pan is stainless steel with an encapsulated aluminum base to offer even heating on any type of stove, including induction. Its inner has a matte finish and has an interior measure for easy preparation. The handle is angled wire rather than a traditional style of handle.
This is to take up less room on the stove when all your burners are in use. This style of handle means that it can get hot, especially if all the burners are in use on the stove, so you may want to always handle with an oven mitt.
Pros
Cons
4. Wolfgang Puck 12″ Chef’s Pot with Steamer Insert
Highlighted Features
The Wolfgang Puck 12″ chef’s pot with steamer insert is a mirrored stainless steel 12″ (7 quart capacity) pan. It has an aluminum encapsulated (tri-ply) base that offers even and fast heating and is suitable for all types of stoves. The matte finished inner has measure marks and the steamer insert allows the pan to convert into a steamer.
The lid is tempered glass and has a basting knob, it is also oven safe to 350°F. The pan itself is oven safe to 400°F and although dishwasher safe, the manufacturer recommends hand washing.Pros
Cons
5. Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 13 Piece Cookware Set
Highlighted Features
The Wolfgang Puck Bistro Elite 13 piece cookware set is stainless steel, with the pan exteriors finished to a high shine. The set has 8″ and a 10″ omelet pans, an 11″ deep sauteuse pan, a 3 quart sauce pan, 8 quart stockpot and a 2 quart cook and stir pan with colander lid. There is also a roasting rack to allow excess fat to drain and a universal pan lid.
The pans are oven safe up to 400°F (lids up to 350°F) suitable for all stovetops and have an encapsulated aluminum (tri-ply base) for cooking evenly and quickly. The tempered glass pan lids have oval shaped knobs to fit the shape of your hand better and the handles are Y-cast stainless steel, riveted and stay cool.Pros
Cons
Things to Consider Before Buying the Product
Seasoning Stainless Steel
Although stainless steel cookware is exceptionally durable, some of the cons of Wolfgang Puck cookware is that food will stick to them. This can happen with any stainless steel cookware unless it has a ceramic or other type of non-stick coating.
If you are new to stainless steel, then seasoning your pans regularly will make them non-stick and extremely easy to clean. Seasoning is what you would do with a cast-iron skillet or wok.
There are lots of ways to season, and cookware manufacturers may also suggest their own way to do it, but the most basic way is to use olive oil, or another high heat oil such as coconut. Drizzle the oil into the pan (a couple of spoonsful will be enough depending on the size of pan) and turn the hob onto a medium to medium high heat. Swirl the pan around to allow the oil to coat the sides as well as the base. The oil will smoke – this is fine as it means its getting up to temperature. After a couple of minutes turn the burner off and allow it to cool.
If you can see your mirror reflection in the pan, then wipe out the oil with a paper towel – you are now seasoned and ready to cook! If you use the pan for similar foods, such as eggs, then you can just wipe the pan out with a paper towel after use; there is no need to wash. Detergent will take off the coating, so you will need to regularly re-season.
Cooking with Stainless Steel
Try to keep burners on a low to medium heat. Wolfgang Puck pans have tri-ply bases which means they have a layer of aluminum surrounded by two layers of stainless steel. This allows the base to heat evenly and quickly and prevents cooking hotspots from developing.
You should always heat stainless steel pans before you add your food. You can check if the temperature of the pan is hot enough by adding a few drops of water to the surface. If they slide along the surface rather than evaporating or bubbling, then your pan is hot enough to start cooking.
You may not need to add oil when cooking meat in a stainless steel pan. It will stick at first, but as the fats and juices release from the meat, you can then turn the meat and continue cooking. Pre-seasoning your pans will also help to prevent food from sticking.
Cleaning Stainless Steel Cookware
Abrasive scrubbers can scratch stainless steel and damage its finish. In some cases, this may also affect the warranty on the cookware. Harsh cleaners such as bleach or ammonia may also damage stainless steel; instead, you should use a non-abrasive cleaner suitable for stainless steel.
Although Wolfgang Puck cookware is dishwasher safe, it recommends you hand wash to keep the exterior high shine. There is a lot of controversy around washing stainless steel in the dishwasher as dishwasher solutions may affect the finish of the steel and can often leave spots on the surface.
When hand washing, you can prevent stainless steel cookware from warping, by washing pans when they are cool, and by not putting a hot pan into cold water, or a very cold pan into hot water.
If your pans are seasoned, then a quick wash in hot soapy water, rinse and a dry off with a soft cloth is enough to remove every day stains. If you have burnt food in the pan, then you can fill it with warm soapy water and leave it to soak for a while. You can then boil the pan up (with the soapy water) for ten minutes or so, allow to cool and carefully scrub the food with a nylon scouring pad, wash out and dry. If there is still some food stuck on, you can repeat the soap soak and boil.
If you live in a hard water area then your stainless steel will develop a white, chalk-like residue. You can remove this by adding one part vinegar to three parts water and bringing the pan up to a boil. Once boiling, you can turn off, leave to cool and then drain. Just wash and dry the pan normally then and the stains should be gone.
Cookware shine can be restored by wetting the surface of the pan, sprinkling some baking soda on and then gently rubbing with a soft scouring pad. The pan can then be washed and dried as normal.