How We Research

I'm Emily Prescott. I spent 15 years as a food scientist in CPG product development before moving to Portland, Maine. That background means I read spec sheets differently than most cookware reviewers — I understand heat transfer coefficients, why cladding layer thickness actually matters, and what "18/10 stainless" does and does not tell you about pan performance. It also means I have opinions, and I'm not particularly diplomatic about them.

The guides on this site are compiled from manufacturer documentation and current product listings. I do not test the products I write about, and I do not claim hands-on experience with them. When a guide describes what a product does, it is attributing that to the listing or the manufacturer.

My threshold for a recommendation is whether I'd buy it at that price point given what I know. Not whether the PR contact was pleasant, not whether the star rating is high — whether the metallurgy, the construction, and the real-world performance data support the ask. A lot of cookware doesn't pass that test. I say so.

I don't accept free products in exchange for coverage. When something changes — new manufacturing run, updated design, price shift that breaks the value case — I update the article rather than leaving stale advice online.

Affiliate links

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you buy something through one, we earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Our buying guides are compiled from manufacturer specifications and current product listings and should be read as shopping research rather than independent testing. See our full affiliate disclosure.