T-fal Review: Cookware Sets

T-fal began way back in 1954 by Marc Gregoire when he decided to try coating his wife's pans to see what would happen. The results surprised him and two years later he started the T-fal business to produce non-stick frying pans. He is said to be the first creator of non-stick cookware and started a revolution of ways to make cooking easier. The company has been in endless pursuit of new innovations ever since and, interestingly enough, also ended up inventing the first cordless iron.

5-layer technology

T-fal boasts that their cookware is 10x more resistant than other non-stick cookware sets because of their platinum 5-layer technology. It consists of an aluminum base, then 2 resistant layers, thermo-spot, and finally a non-stick finish layer. Aside from their non-stick line, T-fal also says they sell hard anodized cookware, ceramic, and stainless steel. We like that this company tries to cater to so many material options since people's preferences vary widely.

Major website issues

One thing about shopping online from T-fal that we don't love is their website. Everything is weirdly organized and getting a straightforward list of their cookware sets is like navigating a maze. Individual pots and pans are mixed in with sets, but everything is supposed to be separated by what materials things are made of. When we click "stainless steel" we're taken to a list of non-stick pans. In fact, regardless of how we try to narrow our search, we end up on the same page of 69 products. T-fal needs some serious back-end work to get their site functioning smoothly.

Small selection

From what we are able to find on T-fal's site, all their cookware comes either in black, gray, or red. When you click on a product you're interested in, you'll find that no price is listed. That's because T-fal doesn't even sell directly from their own website. Most pots and pans have a link saying that you can buy them from other retailers. One of their smallest sets is a black 2-piece fry pan set and their biggest one is a gray 20-piece set. Overall, there isn't a huge selection here and it appears the company is majorly downsizing their inventory from what it once was.

No return policy, but a lifetime guarantee

Since you can't buy T-fal products from the brand itself, they don't have a return policy listed on their website. If you decide to purchase their products elsewhere, the return policy would be directly through the retailer. However, there is a lifetime guarantee listed on T-fal's website saying that if your cookware needs replacing or repairs because of defective material, construction, or workmanship under normal use, you can contact their customer service department or website to get it taken care of.

Unimpressive ratings

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) gives T-fal a "C" rating, which we aren't very surprised or impressed by. T-fal does have customer ratings on their products, but most of them are from a few years ago. There are also very few reviews on each item, so we can't say they are extremely helpful. On top of this, most of them are average ratings at best, so it doesn't seem like T-fal makes the most top-of-the line products.

Skip T-fal

There are so many great options for buying cookware sets that we don't see why T-fal should be considered a top choice. You'll have to go out of your way to find a retailer who sells what you want from them and we don't gather that the cookware is high quality anyway. T-fal has earned the lowest ranking on our list.

On the T-fal website