Just like mattresses and bedsheets and underwear before them, cookware sets have become the newest products being sold by a slate of direct-to-consumer start-ups. New companies have sprouted up in the last couple of years, claiming to manufacture high-quality stainless-steel cookware and chef-friendly knives at surprisingly low prices, ostensibly without the markup of traditional retail. Since I’m a person who likes to cook (and writes about cookware a lot, so gets served ads for these companies across the internet constantly), I wanted to know: How well does this gear actually perform in the kitchen? And which of these new direct-to-consumer cookware brands is the best?

Look of the Week!
From left to right: Peyton Pebbled Satchel, Turtleneck T-Shirt, Wide-Leg Pant in Wool, Seavees Sneakers, Striped Trouser Socks, Stripe Sunglasses