This article has a simple infographic that shows the most popular cookware and its features. If you want to print it out, click on the link to the PDF, which will print on a standard 8.5" x 11" sheet of paper.
The Infographic
Here's the infographic and the link to print it:
Is This Really Every Single Cookware Type?
No, but they are the most popular types, at least in the USA. Here are a few we didn't include in the infographic because of their uniqueness or rarity in the north American market.
Hestan NanoBond skillet.
Hestan NanoBond: One unique brand we didn't include in the infographic is Hestan NanoBond, which is clad stainless steel that has a patented titanium nanobond coating. This is not a nonstick coating, but rather a unique coating not seen in any other cookware. It's stronger than steel, scratch resistant, and slightly less sticky than stainless steel (but again, not nonstick). Probably the most interesting thing about NanoBond is that it's completely inert and non-reactive, so if you like stainless steel but have a nickel sensitivity, NanoBond is the best option, bar none. NanoBond is very expensive, but it's superb cookware.
Corningware Visions, a type of glass cookware.
Glass: Glass is similar to 100% stoneware (listed in the infographic). It is used in the US, but much more for baking than for cooking on the stovetop. Glass baking dishes and casserole pans are common, but you rarely see glass skillets, sauce pans, or stock pots. Probably the most popular glass cookware is Visions by Corningware. At one time it was quite popular, but due to reports of shattering, people stopped using it. Today, it's found mostly in Corningware outlet stores.
Glass is good for baking, largely because of its insulating properties, which can protect foods from baking too fast around the edges in an oven. However, these insulating properties make glass a terrible choice for stove top cooking. You want a conductor of heat for stove cooking--like aluminum, copper, or cast iron--not an insulator. For the same reason, we don't like or recommend 100% stoneware cookware, either. For more on this topic, see our article about stoneware cookware, which covers everything from glass and Corningware to "granite" nonstick cookware (granite in quotations because these are usually aluminum pans with a PTFE nonstick coating that contains a small amount of granite).
Unglazed clay cookware.
Clayware: Clay cooking pots are used in other parts of the world, including Mexico, but you seldom see them in the US. Clay cookware can be glazed or unglazed, and which it is depends on what you're cooking and what part of the world you're in. We don't use it, haven't reviewed it, and don't know very much about it.
Other Important Information
Note that "clad stainless steel" in the infographic includes all the different clad designs: 2-ply, 3-ply, 5-ply, 7-ply, and that with aluminum and copper cores. The designs and build quality of clad stainless steel varies greatly among brands, so it's worthwhile to do more research than just this infographic if you're in the market. Check out our Cookware page for a list of articles about clad stainless steel cookware, as well as dozens of brand reviews and comparisons.
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