This Pot and Skillet Hybrid Really Is the Only Cookware Set You Need
There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
On trial: Proclamation Goods’ Duo skillet and hybrid pot cookware set
Tester: Paige Szmodis, who hates clutter, especially in the kitchen
The Brief: I can think of only a few things more frustrating than trying to cram a bunch of mismatched, clanging pots and pans into small kitchen cupboards. So many cookware sets are sold with eight or more pieces that it seems like you need a different pot or pan for every recipe. But what if you really only need two pans to cook all of your kitchen essentials? That’s where the philosophy of the Proclamation Duo comes in.
Proclamation Goods Co. is a new cookware brand that believes we can “cook more, with less,” so much so that they only currently offer the Proclamation Duo in stainless or carbon steel, or the skillet and pot sold separately. Though it’s called the Duo, it’s technically a three-piece set that consists of a 12-inch stainless or carbon steel skillet, a 7-quart stainless-steel hybrid pot, and a lid that matches both. What’s even better is that the skillet can rest on top of the pot via a hinge in the handles to turn it into a Dutch oven, or just streamline your storage.
When I cook, I typically only reach for two pans anyway — a sauce pot to boil pasta and a skillet to simmer the sauce, one pot to make rice, and a frying pan to roast veggies, etc. As one of the founders, Tony Leo, pointed out to me, your pans are not paying rent, so why give up so much storage space to such a variety of cookware? I tested the stainless-steel Proclamation Duo for a month to see if it could really replace all the other pots and pans I typically use to cook.
The 12-inch skillet in stainless steel was easy to care for and lightweight, but it was wide and deep enough to handle meal prep for the week. As a vegetarian, I can’t tell you how well the skillet can sear a steak, but it did roast all my veggies evenly. If you’re accustomed to nonstick Teflon pans, keep in mind that the Duo isn’t truly nonstick. Fried eggs stuck a bit the first time I used the pan, and I yearned to go back to my cast-iron skillet, but cooking in the skillet got less sticky once I got used to cooking over low heat. With nontoxic cookware, patience is a virtue. If you’re not concerned about the added weight or maintenance, you may want to opt for the carbon steel skillet for better nonstick capabilities.
While the large 12-inch skillet was still a convenient size for daily cooking, the 7-quart pot feels huge even on a full-size stove. I was worried about it being too large for smaller meals, but the large pot actually worked fine for only making a cup of rice or boiling a few cups of water for pasta. The curved walls of the pot also make it a decent replacement for a wok to make stir-fry. It’s even large enough to replace that big stock pot in the back of your cabinets.
Now, let’s talk about the most unique part of this set’s design: its Dutch oven functionality. The handles work together with a hinge, so you can place the skillet on top of the pot to bake in the oven or just neatly store away. The skillet doesn’t truly lock on top, but I was surprised by how secure it felt in Dutch-oven mode. When baking banana bread, I did feel it was a bit cumbersome to lift the skillet lid to check on its progress. It’s probably not best to use it as a dedicated Dutch oven regularly, but it’ll certainly do the trick on occasion.
I also appreciated that both the skillet and pot could be used in the oven separately. This came in handy when I cooked gnocchi in the pot and cheese sauce in the skillet on the stovetop, then combined both in the skillet to bake in the oven for perfectly toasted gnocchi mac and cheese. This versatility can really help reduce the amount of pans you have to clean up in the end.
Speaking of cleaning, the stainless steel set was fairly easy to scrub clean without worrying about damaging any seasoning. It’s also dishwasher-safe, though I found it easier to just hand-wash instead of taking over so much dishwasher space for just two pans.
Although the Proclamation Duo is intended to be space-saving, keep in mind that this large set will only conserve storage space if you replace all those other miscellaneous cookware pieces. I wouldn’t recommend a 12-inch skillet and 7-quart pot for anyone with smaller apartment-sized stoves or small, shallow sinks. But the good news is that Proclamation Goods may be working on smaller versions at 8- or 10-inch sizes that could be better for daily cookware for single people or smaller spaces.
Personally, while the 7-quart pot felt oversized at times, I mostly appreciated having extra cooking space. After all, two eggs fit in a 12-inch skillet and a few cups of water can still boil in a large stock pot, but I couldn’t fit enough food to prep meals for the week in smaller cookware. If you’re really trying to pare down your cookware to a few essentials, the 12-inch Proclamation Duo is the way to go without sacrificing the ability to cook in larger quantities.
In addition to being quite large, I’ll also admit that this set is pricey at $379 for stainless steel or $395 for the carbon steel version, which is sold out (but you can still join the waitlist!). In comparison, you can get a complete set of Caraway pans for $395 or an 11-piece Calphalon set for $400, and plenty of other large, quality sets for much less. But with the Proclamation Duo, you’re paying for a premium design that lets you reduce what’s in your kitchen without sacrificing quality or versatility.
Closing Argument: Overall, the Proclamation Duo is a great option if you want to create a new, minimalist kitchen set from scratch. It’s probably too large and expensive to justify adding to an already packed kitchen. After replacing all of my pans with this set for a month, I confirmed that all you really need is just two quality pans.
Though they may not be the best fit for all recipes and some home cooks may prefer having more size options, it’s hard to beat the versatility that this two-piece set offers. If you’re looking to invest in a nontoxic set that can replace your old cookware, cut down on kitchen clutter, and potentially last the rest of your lifetime, look no further.
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