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If you're looking for stylish and affordable cookware and bakeware that will last, the pots and pans from Great Jones are a smart option. They're sold direct-to-consumer, which often allows companies to sell their products for less since they don't have to work with a third-party retailer that gets a cut of the profits.
In our tests, they stood up to the competition and produced good results — but they come with a learning curve. They heat more quickly than most cookware we've tested, which can be helpful to get good browning or when you're in a rush but could also lead to burning food and harder-to-clean messes, especially over time.
Who makes Great Jones?
The Great Jones brand was founded by Sierra Tishgart and Mandy Moelis in 2018. According to the company, the line is made in China and the U.S. The brand's website provides information about what each pot and pan is made out of. Great Jones says most of the cookware is made out of stainless steel with an aluminum core, while the cast iron is enameled. The bakeware is made from aluminized steel with a nonstick ceramic coating. the Hot Dish, Little Hottie and Sweetie Pie are made out of stoneware.
How we tested
In the Good Housekeeping Institute, we continually test, review and rate cookware and bakeware. We assess performance and ease of use by evaluating how quickly and evenly pans heat up, how easy they are to clean and whether they stand the test of time. With nonstick pans, we assess the ability to release foods. To determine whether the Great Jones cookware and bakeware line is worth buying, we tested multiple pieces in our Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab as well as at home with consumer testers. Here's how they performed:
The Great Jones Precious Metal Set
Great Jones Precious Metals
Pros
- Attractive design
- Includes thoughtful features like two interchangeable lids, a pour spot and measurement markings on the small saucepan
- Gets hot quickly
Cons
- Since pots and and pans get hotter faster than most cookware we tested, you might need to keep a closer eye on foods to prevent burning
- The nonstick coating requires the addition of a cooking fat to use to its optimal potential
- Can be hard to clean if food or oil burns on to the pieces
While Great Jones sells all of its pieces individually, this set stands out as a good starter option. It includes an 8.5-inch ceramic-coated fry pan, a 10-inch fry pan, a 3-quart saucepan with lid and an 8-quart stock pot with lid. Each lid fits on two of the pans for added versatility. Great Jones also sells a set at a slightly higher price point that includes its signature oval-shaped Dutch oven.
The pans are made of stainless steel and get hot quickly — this is a good thing if you're looking for speed, but it can require a learning curve if you're not used to responsive pans or are not watching closely. They're relatively lightweight, which makes them easy to handle and clean. The handles are also made of stainless steel: The long handles on the small fry pan and saucepan stay cool during cooking, but the shorter ones on the pots and on the lids get hot. We found the pot handles a little small compared to other cookware we've tested and harder to use with an oven mitt or dry towel. The set is oven-safe up to 500ºF.
The shape of the pans and saucepan is unique with more rounded edges than competitors. This allows them to be more versatile: You can fry an egg or sear a steak in the fry pans, for example, without worrying that it will steam as it might in a pan with straight sides, but you can also cook saucy items in them because they have taller sides than most fry pans. The same goes for the saucepan: It's short and stout with a pour spout so you can boil an egg, make a side dish or heat water for a small amount of pasta, and you can also cook and pour soups and sauces. The wide shape of both the saucepan and stock pot provides more surface area, which allows for quicker heating and cooking.
In our tests, the nonstick pan wasn't the most nonstick, so we recommend using a small amount of fat when using. It heats quicker than most traditional nonstick or ceramic pans, so it took a few attempts to get used to but we made great fried eggs with crispy edges. We learned that heating it and using it over low to medium heat is best.
We heard from consumer testers that the nonstick coating wears quickly. One tester said it was likely because her husband put the pan in the dishwasher (the company says its cookware is dishwasher safe but recommends washing by hand), but it's important to note that ceramic coatings are known to have a shorter lifespan than their traditional nonstick counterparts — that's one of the downsides. Another tester experienced the same results. (You can help your ceramic-coated pans last longer by using lower temperatures when cooking, trying not to burn food, avoiding metal utensils and washing by hand.) That said, we did find that this pan browns food nicely, is easy to handle and cleans up nicely when washed by hand.
One of our favorite pans to use is the saucepan. It's the perfect size for one person or when cooking a side dish for about four people. In our tests, it was one of the quickest to come to a boil. So, again, keep an eye on temps when using Great Jones cookware to avoid scorching. The handle on the lid got hot, but the long handle on the pan itself could still be used comfortably. We love the measurement markings in the pan, too; they come in handy in a pinch and help keep track of how much any liquids have reduced. The rounded edges are another feature that stand out: They make stirring and getting into every corner easy.
Overall, all of the pans clean up relatively easily when used gently, but they're harder to clean when food burns onto them. We tried using Bar Keeper's Friend on some stubborn stains, and while it did help, the pans still didn't look as shiny as they did out of the box.
The Dutchess
Pros
- Large, oval size
- Comes in an assortment of pretty colors
Cons
- Heavy
- Some rusting developed on the rim of the lid for the small enameled cast iron pot
This oval Dutch oven is one of Great Jones's most iconic pieces. It comes in four bright, bold colors (Blueberry, Broccoli, Mustard and Taffy [pink]), as well as black. It's large — a 6.75-quart capacity — and can fit a whole four-pound chicken and then some. It has a light grey enameled interior and is heavy duty, but still maneuverable, with a tight-fitting lid. We used it to roast a chicken with veggies, and after one hour, our meal came out moist and tender. We also used it to make a soup. The pot offered plenty of room to cook in, but note that the center boiled while the edges did not when used over our round burner. Results seemed to be more even when used over the center oblong burner some stoves have these days.
GH food producer Tina Martinez used this Dutch oven for more than a year, whipping up several meals a day, including soups, meat-based sauces and braises. "It was the perfect size for so many things," she says, adding that she also found it easy to clean. We tested a soup in Great Jones's smaller, 3.5-quart round Dutch Baby, and we found it to be a great option for smaller dishes. We noticed some rusting, however, when drying the lid, likely as a result of not drying it as soon as we finished washing it.
Hot Dish and Sweetie Pie
Pros
- Cute design
- Straight edges make it great for baking
Cons
- Foods didn't brown as much as they did in other casserole pans we tested
We were impressed with this 9- x 13-inch ceramic casserole dish, and our testers loved cooking in it. It has straight sides that make it great for dishes like lasagna and enchiladas, and it made moist stuffing with a crispy top in one consumer test. A GH analyst said she particularly liked the handles that made it easy to grasp, and it cleans up relatively easily.
We also love its retro pattern and fun green, yellow and blue color options. It can be purchased separately or as part of a set with the pie pan. In our pie pan tests, this one came out on top as the best ceramic pie pan. While more expensive than most pie pans, it baked the most even pie of the ceramic options we tested, and it produced a nicely browned bottom crust.
Holy Sheet
Pros
- Large surface area
- Comes in a lot of great, fun colors
Cons
- Can scratch over time
The Great Jones sheet pan is a stunner. It's large with nice, straight rims and plenty of surface area for cooking and baking. It comes in four fun colors: the vibrant Blueberry, Broccoli and Mustard of other lines as well as a deep pink called Raspberry. It made excellent, evenly baked cookies in our sheet pan test and crisped up broccoli nicely at a high temp. It's oven-safe up to 450ºF and is nonstick.
A tester who has been using the product for about three years says that these sheet pans are a little hard to clean but that they are "a solid buy; they have stood up to years of cooking everything from cookies to pizza." Our kitchen pros know that you can never have enough sheet pans since they're so versatile, so we love the four-piece set that includes one of every color.
While we haven't tested the smaller Little Sheets yet, we're excited that they make this 13- x 9.5-inch size that's easier to clean and great for smaller portions. Other products in their line that have also caught our eye include the round cake pans and new glass measuring cups.
The takeaway: Are Great Jones pots and pans worth it?
The pots and pans from Great Jones are a good option for those who are looking for something design-forward and affordable. They stood up to many of our tests, and we like how versatile just a few pieces can be in the kitchen. However, compared with other brands we've tested, the cookware does require a little extra attention when using since it's highly responsive and gets hot quickly, which can lead to burning and more difficulty cleaning. The bakeware pieces we tested are a great option for similar reasons, and we love all the pops of color they offer.
Nicole (she/her) is the director of the Good Housekeeping Institute's Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she has overseen content and testing related to kitchen and cooking appliances, tools and gear since 2019. She’s an experienced product tester and recipe creator, trained in classic culinary arts and culinary nutrition. She has worked in test kitchens for small kitchen appliance brands and national magazines, including Family Circle and Ladies’ Home Journal.
