Essentials

100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts: Staff-loved Great Jones cookware is $240 off ahead of Black Friday

By Lily Rose

October 25, 2022 / 11:06 AM EDT / Essentials

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cbsn-essentials-holiday-100-2022-great-jones-pots-and-pans-set-option1.jpg — CBS Essentials; Great Jones

The cold weather months are a big time for preparing and eating food. Whoever's in the kitchen will need cookware that's up to the task -- whether that's making a massive holiday meal or cooking up a cozy weeknight dinner.

This year, we've selected Great Jones as our must-have holiday cookware. The staff-loved kitchen brand has a top-rated cookware set that makes an excellent gift for the cook in your life. Plus, it's on sale now ahead of Black Friday.

Top products in this article:

The best cookware to gift in 2022: Great Jones Family Style cookware set, $375 (regularly $615)

$375 at Great Jones

Best Great Jones alternative: Caraway cookware set, $395 (reduced from $545)

$395 at Caraway

Best option for smaller kitchens: Our Place Home Cook Duo, $250 (regularly $310)

$250 at Our Place

Why the Great Jones Family Style cookware set is a most-wanted holiday gift of 2022

When it came to finding the best cookware for the 2022 holiday season, those of us here at CBS Essentials did a lot of market research. First, we wanted a set of pots and pans built to perform well in the kitchen -- a set that includes all the essentials you need to cook an amazing meat at home. We also kept an eye on aesthetics: We wanted to find cookware that looks great while in use on your range, too. (Don't gift ugly cookware!)

But we didn't just leave the choice to random internet reviewers -- we actually bought and tested popular cookware options for ourselves. While I liked the pots and pans from Our Place, I absolutely loved the way Great Jones pots and pans look in my kitchen, how they perform and how they wear like iron.

My favorite piece is the Saucy sauce pan ($105). I once burned a whole pan of risotto (I blame mindless scrolling on social media) and was terrified that I had ruined my Saucy. I am happy to report that it survived, and once washed, appeared wholly unscathed.

But don't just take my word for it -- the five-piece Great Jones Family Style cookware set is rated 4.5 stars by reviewers. Verified reviewer Dana M. says, "I am absolutely in love. Everything cooks so evenly, the non-stick is the best I have ever used (especially for eggs), and I love the lined measurements in the pots. I want more Great Jones!"

For all these reasons and more, CBS Essentials selected Great Jones cookware as one of our 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts of 2022. Plus, it's on sale now for $240 off ahead of Black Friday!

Great Jones Family Style cookware set, $375 (regularly $615)

$375 at Great Jones

Best kitchen cookware: Great Jones family style cookware set (5 pc.)

Great Jones makes modern kitchen pieces that last. The female-founded brand boasts a wide variety of cookware and bakeware, plus mixing bowls, kettles and more.

This must-have cookware set has everything you need to cook a holiday feast, make a cozy Sunday night dinner or throw together a casual weeknight meal. The set includes: an 8-quart stock pot, a deep sauté pan, a 3-quart sauce pan, a non-stick frying pan made with a non-toxic ceramic coating, two stainless-steel lids and a gorgeous 6.75-quart enameled cast-iron dutch oven that comes in seven colors.

Great Jones cookware makes a low-risk gift, too. The company offers a 60-day trial and free returns on its products.

Great Jones Family Style cookware set (5 pc.), $375 (regularly $615)

$375 at Great Jones

Great Jones alternatives to consider this holiday season

Great Jones is a most-wanted holiday gift, but it might not be exactly what you're looking for. Check out these top-rated cookware alternatives that perform well in the kitchen and look good doing it. Best of all, these kitchen cookware sets are also on sale now.

A less expensive option: Caraway cookware set (4 pc.)

Caraway is a direct-to-consumer ceramics line that uses mineral-based, non-toxic, non-stick coating on its cookware. According to the Caraway website, Caraway cookware releases 60 percent less carbon dioxide than other non-stick models. On top of that, Caraway pots and pans are known for being especially easy on the eyes.

"I am struck by how great this cookware looks and performs. I've used nearly all the pieces, and aside from the practical use of pots and pans, they clean and store very easily - love the hanging slip case for the lids as well," wrote a reviewer, who rated the set five stars.

This set includes a 10.5-inch fry pan, 3-quart saucepan, 4.5-quart sauté pan, 6.5-quart dutch oven, magnetic pan racks and a canvas lid holder.

Caraway cookware set (4 pc.), $395 (reduced from $545)

$395 at Caraway

Best for small spaces: Our Place Home Cook Duo (2 pc.)

Not everyone has room for multiple pots and pans in their kitchen. This Our Place two-piece set was designed to replace 16 pieces of traditional cookware. This set includes a 5.5-quart Perfect Pot and a 10-inch Always Pan.

The Perfect Pot can be used as a stockpot, dutch oven, sauce pot, roasting rack, steamer, strainer, braiser or a spoon rest. The Always Pan is a nonstick fry and sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, spatula and spoon rest, all rolled into one.

The pot and the pan are both made with a non-toxic, non-stick ceramic coating. Both items are available in a variety of colors.

The duo is on sale now during Our Place's fall sale.

Our Place Home Cook Duo (2 pc.), $250 (regularly $310)

$250 at Our Place

More cookware to consider

We've found even more cookware for you to consider this holiday season. These kitchen sets make great Christmas or Hanukkah gifts for friends and family. Or, if you're the one cooking a big holiday dinner, get a set for yourself.

Simply Essential kitchen starter set (34 pc.)

Simply Essential 34-piece kitchen starter set — Bed Bath and Beyond

This affordable 34-piece kitchen set includes all the essential tools you might need to get started in the kitchen, including two fry pans, a saucepan, a Dutch oven, a baking sheet, a muffin tin, a colander, a microwave rice cooker, five measuring cups, four plastic containers, stainless steel tongs, a nylon spoon, slotted spoon, slotted turner, egg whisk, scoop and spaghetti spoon.

The best part? This starter set is $32 off right now at Bed Bath & Beyond.

Simply Essential 34-piece kitchen starter set, $48 (reduced from $80)

$48 at Bed Bath & Beyond

Food Network Farmstead nonstick ceramic cookware set (10 pc.)

Food Network Farmstead 10-piece nonstick ceramic cookware set — Kohl's

This Food Network cookware set includes a 1.5-quart covered saucepan, a 2.5-quart covered saucepan, a 3-quart covered sauté pan, a 6-quart covered Dutch oven, an 8-inch open fry pan and a 10-inch open fry pan. Crafted with titanium-infused ceramic nonstick coating, these pans are safe for use on gas, electric and glass or ceramic cooktops, and they're oven-safe (without lids) in heat up to 350 degrees.

"Well, this set is holding up and still looks great after a year of good cooking! Easy to clean, beautiful appearance, and perfect for everyday use," a reviewer raved.

Food Network Farmstead nonstick ceramic cookware set (10 pc.), $120 (reduced from $180)

$120 at Kohl's

Ninja Foodi NeverStick premium fry pan set (2 pc.)

This two-piece fry pan set from Ninja from Ninja includes one 10.25-inch fry pan and one 12-inch fry pan. The two pans can be stacked for easy storage. Both pans are made of a durable anti-scratch and nonstick material.

This set is oven-safe up to 500 degrees.

Ninja Foodi NeverStick premium pan set (2 pc.), $120

$120 at Amazon

Ninja Foodi NeverStick premium cookware set (12 pc.)

If you need to update your kitchen cookware, consider this top-rated, 12-piece set from Ninja. It features a mix of frying pans, saucepans, sauté pans, and pots in different sizes. All of the pots and pans included in the Ninja 12-Piece cookware set are non-stick, oven-safe and have a scratch-resistant coating.

This set makes an ideal Christmas or Hanukkah gift. It also makes a great wedding gift, housewarming gift or starter set for a new apartment.

Ninja Foodi NeverStick premium cookware set (12 pc.), $330 (reduced from $400)

$330 at Amazon

100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts: The best gifts to give this Christmas

It may seem early to start shopping for Christmas and Hanukkah gifts, but trust us, it's not. Last year's holiday season was riddled with supply-chain issues, and CBS News is anticipating more of the same in 2022. Plus, there's inflation -- unfortunately, prices may rise even more before December comes.

So it's time to shop for holiday gifts now. Pick out a great hiding spot and check out CBS Essentials' 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts of 2022. We've based our top 100 gift picks on our bestsellers, owner reviews and our own extensive research on the most-buzzed-about gifts of 2022, such as this I am Groot Lego set, a guinea pig toy that gives birth and this pooping purple turtle.

Stay tuned to the CBS Essentials 100 Most Wanted Holiday Gifts Series for our picks of the hottest gifts to give in 2022. Our list includes some of Apple's newest products, the top toys of 2022, game-changing kitchen cookware and kitchen appliances (such as this air fryer) and so much more.

More early Black Friday 2022 deals to shop now

While there's still some time to wait until the official Black Friday 2022 sales start, there are plenty of great deals you can get right now. Check out our early Black Friday deal articles.

Lily Rose

Lily Rose is a senior writer for CBS Essentials and the site's expert in home appliances such as washers, dryers, refrigerators and ranges. When she's not writing about how you can upgrade your laundry room, she's writing about home and kitchen essentials that will transform your space. Her favorite appliance is her air fryer. She firmly believes that it can make the crispiest sweet potato fries.