Made In vs. Heritage Steel: 9 Key Differences Explained

If you’re looking for quality stainless steel cookware, Made In and Heritage Steel are two of the best options.

Both brands are fully clad (5-ply), induction compatible, and oven-safe up to 800°F.

So what’s the difference between them? Which is better? How do you choose?

In this comparison of Made In vs. Heritage Steel, I answer these questions. You’ll learn how they stack up in terms of materials, construction, design, performance, price, and more.

I also reveal which brand conducts and retains heat better (based on my tests).

---

Use the links below to navigate the comparison:

• Comparison Chart
• Difference 1: Product Offerings
• Difference 2: Materials
• Difference 3: Size and Shape
• Difference 4: Exterior Finish
• Difference 5: Handles
• Difference 6: Rivets
• Difference 7: Heat Conduction and Retention
• Difference 8: Where It Is Made
• Difference 9: Price
• Bottom Line: Should You Buy Made In or Heritage Steel?

---

Comparison Chart

	Made In	Heritage Titanium Series	Heritage Steel Eater Series
Price	$$$ (Made In)	$$$$ (Heritage Steel)	$$ (Heritage Steel)
Where It’s Made	Italy	Clarksville, TN	Clarksville, TN
Materials	5-ply stainless steel (aluminum core)	5-ply stainless steel (316Ti cooking surface and aluminum core)	5-ply stainless steel (aluminum core)
Exterior Finish	Brushed	Polished	Brushed
Total Diameter (in)	13	12.5	12.5
Flat Cooking Surface (in)	10	9	9
Wall Height (in)	2	1.9	1.9
Weight (lb)	3.2	2.9	2.8
Thickness (mm)	3	3	3
Handle Length (in)	8.1	7.7	8.0
Oven Safe Temp	800°F	800°F	800°F
Induction Compatible	Yes	Yes	Yes
Time to Boil 2 Cups of Water (m:ss)	2:21	3:15	2:53
Water Temp After 10 Min	106°F	98°F	99°F

Difference 1: Product Offerings

Heritage Steel is solely focused on producing high-quality stainless steel cookware. They don’t offer non-stick or other disposable cookware (they don’t believe in it).

For years, they only made one option: the Titanium Series. But in late 2023, they released a second offering in partnership with Eater.com: the Eater Series.

The Titanium Series is slightly more expensive than the Eater Series. It features a polished exterior, rounded handles, and a 316Ti steel interior, which offers superior corrosion resistance and durability than the 304-grade 18/10 stainless steel used in the Eater Series.

Made In offers a wider variety of cookware types, including stainless steel, non-stick, carbon steel, copper, and enameled cast iron. However, they only have one stainless steel cookware collection.

For this comparison, I’ll focus on how Made In’s stainless steel cookware compares to Heritage Steel’s two stainless steel series, as they are the most similar in terms of material and intended use.

Difference 2: Materials

Made In and Heritage Steel stainless steel pans are both 5-ply (made of 5 bonded layers) with a magnetic steel bottom layer and a triple-layer aluminum core. However, the steel they use on the interior differs.

I mentioned briefly that Heritage Steel’s Titanium Series features a 316Ti stainless steel cooking surface. This alloy is reinforced with titanium and molybdenum to make it more durable and resistant to pitting.

Made In and Heritage Steel’s Eater Series use the industry standard 304-Grade 18/10 stainless steel for their cooking surfaces. While this is a high-quality material, it doesn’t offer the same level of corrosion resistance as 316Ti stainless steel.

That said, if you take proper care and avoid adding salt to cold water in the pan, pitting shouldn’t happen with Made In or Heritage Steel cookware. In the several years I’ve used Made In, I’ve never had a problem with pitting or corrosion.

Difference 3: Size and Shape

At a glance, Made In and Heritage Steel pans appear to be the same shape and size. But when you pull out the measuring tape and look closer, you’ll notice some differences. Let’s use both brand’s 12-inch frying pans as an example.

Although these pans are advertised as 12-inch frying pans, they’re actually larger due to their flared rims.

The Made In pan has a rim-to-rim diameter of 13 inches, while both Heritage Steel pans (Titanium and Eater Series) have a total diameter of about 12.5 inches.

Made In’s cooking surface is also larger at 10 inches. The cooking surface of both Heritage Steel pans is approximately 9 inches.

The walls of Made In pans are slightly taller, measuring 2 inches from the counter to the top of the rim. Heritage Steel’s pans are just under 2 inches tall.

Although the difference is subtle, Made In’s taller walls allow you to fit more ingredients that pile up high, like kale and spinach.

Since the Made In pan is slightly wider and taller, it’s also a few ounces heavier at 3.2 pounds. Both Heritage Steel pans weigh 2.9 pounds.

Difference 4: Exterior Finish

Made In and Heritage Steel’s Eater Series pans have a brushed exterior finish, which provides a modern, matte look. The Heritage Steel Titanium Series has a polished exterior finish.

Although I appreciate the classic look of a glossy, polished pan, I prefer brushed because fingerprints and smudges are less noticeable. Also, polished pans, like Heritage Steel Titanium, tend to patina and look more brushed over time.

Difference 5: Handles

Made In and Heritage Steel’s Eater Series handles look almost identical, but Made In’s handle gradually widens as it extends away from the pan. Heritage Steel’s handle maintains a consistent width throughout.

Also, Heritage Steel’s handle forks just before it meets the pan. This design disperses heat and keeps the handle cool.

Made In’s handle doesn’t have this forked design but I haven’t noticed a significant difference in heat retention between the two. Both handles stay cool on the stove.

When comparing Made In’s handle to the Heritage Steel Titanium Series, the differences become more apparent.

Made In’s handle is slightly longer than 8 inches, while Heritage Steel’s handle is slightly shorter. As mentioned earlier, Made In’s handle widens towards the end, while Heritage Steel’s handle gets thinner.

Also, Made In’s handle is flatter, while Heritage Steel’s handle is more rounded on the bottom.

Handle design ultimately comes down to personal preference, but I prefer Made In and Heritage Steel Eater Series handles because they’re more comfortable and practical. Their flatter design reduces the likelihood of the handle rotating in your hand, especially when our hand is greasy or wet.

The wider end of the Made In and Heritage Steel Eater handles allows you to keep your hand slightly farther away from the pan. With Heritage Steel Titanium, the end of the handle is too thin to grasp securely.

Difference 6: Rivets

Heritage Steel’s rivets protrude more from the surface of the pan than Made In’s rivets.

Food particles and grime can accumulate around the rivets over time, so the flatter, the better.

Difference 7: Heat Conduction and Retention

I’ve been cooking with Made In and Heritage Steel Titanium Series pans for years and the Eater Series pan since it came out in late 2023.

I’ve cooked dozens of meals in each pan and all three heat fast and evenly and retain heat well. Whether you’re searing meat, cooking pancakes, making a pan sauce, or even cooking eggs, both brands do the job well.

Based on head-to-head tests I conducted, Made In and Heritage Steel perform on par with All-Clad, a much more established (and expensive) brand.

In addition to my real-world testing in the kitchen, I conducted two controlled experiments with both brands to see which conducts and retains heat better.

The first test measures heat conduction. I poured two cups of cold (55°F) water into the Made In and two Heritage Steel pans. One by one, I placed them on the same burner and turned the heat to high.

The Made In pan heated up the fastest. The water came to a full boil after 2 minutes and 21 seconds. The Heritage Steel Eater Series pan came in second, boiling the water at the 2-minute and 53-second mark. The Heritage Steel Titanium Series pan heated the slowest. The water in that pan started boiling after 3 minutes and 15 seconds.

I conduct this test with every pan I review, and below are the results:

Pan	Time to First Bubbles	Time to Boil
Farberware	1 minute and 2 seconds	1 minute and 29 seconds
All-Clad G5 fry pan	1 minute and 17 seconds	2 minutes and 4 seconds
Hestan CopperBond fry pan	1 minute and 23 seconds	2 minutes and 7 seconds
All-Clad Copper Core fry pan	1 minute and 21 seconds	2 minutes and 18 seconds
Henckels HXagon fry pan	1 minute and 36 seconds	2 minutes and 19 seconds
Made In stainless steel fry pan	1 minute and 40 seconds	2 minutes and 21 seconds
Anolon X pan	1 minute and 35 seconds	2 minutes and 22 seconds
Misen fry pan	1 minute and 50 seconds	2 minutes and 25 seconds
Caraway	1 minute and 53 seconds	2 minutes and 26 seconds
Anolon Advanced fry pan	1 minute and 55 seconds	2 minutes and 27 seconds
HexClad fry pan	1 minute and 40 seconds	2 minutes and 30 seconds
Made In non-stick fry pan	1 minute and 53 seconds	2 minutes and 31 seconds
Zwilling fry pan	1 minute and 45 seconds	2 minutes and 31 seconds
T-fal fry pan	1 minute and 50 seconds	2 minutes and 32 seconds
Gotham Steel fry pan	1 minute and 58 seconds	2 minutes and 32 seconds
Cooksy fry pan	1 minute and 47 seconds	2 minutes and 35 seconds
Rachael Ray fry pan	1 minute and 47 seconds	2 minutes and 36 seconds
Viking fry pan	1 minute and 42 seconds	2 minutes and 39 seconds
Calphalon fry pan	1 minute and 45 seconds	2 minutes and 40 seconds
Sardel fry pan	1 minute and 41 seconds	2 minutes and 46 seconds
Pioneer Woman fry pan	2 minutes and 2 seconds	2 minutes and 46 seconds
Hestan NanoBond fry pan	1 minute and 52 seconds	2 minutes and 47 seconds
GreenLife pan	2 minutes and 11 seconds	2 minutes and 47 seconds
Our Place Always Pan	2 minutes and 2 seconds	2 minutes and 48 seconds
Ninja NeverStick Pan	2 minutes and 7 seconds	2 minutes and 49 seconds
Tramontina fry pan	1 minute and 53 seconds	2 minutes and 52 seconds
Heritage Steel Eater fry pan	1 minute and 57 seconds	2 minutes and 53 seconds
Circulon fry pan	2 minutes and 7 seconds	2 minutes and 55 seconds
All-Clad D3 fry pan	1 minute and 55 seconds	2 minutes and 55 seconds
All-Clad HA1 fry pan	2 minutes and 12 seconds	2 minutes and 58 seconds
All-Clad NS Pro fry pan	2 minutes and 9 seconds	3 minutes and 3 seconds
All-Clad D5 fry pan	1 minutes and 58 seconds	3 minutes and 4 seconds
Goldilocks fry pan	2 minutes and 17 seconds	3 minutes and 5 seconds
Demeyere Industry fry pan	2 minutes and 3 seconds	3 minutes and 10 seconds
Ballarini fry pan	2 minutes and 15 seconds	3 minutes and 12 seconds
Heritage Steel Titanium fry pan	1 minute and 59 seconds	3 minutes and 15 seconds
Demeyere Atlantis fry pan	2 minutes and 11 seconds	3 minutes and 25 seconds
Xtrema fry pan	3 minutes and 41 seconds	6 minutes and 7 seconds

After boiling the water, I removed each pan from the heat and set it aside to cool.

After 10 minutes, the water in the Made In pan was 106°F, the water in the Heritage Steel Eater Series pan was 99°F, and the water in the Heritage Steel Titanium Series pan was 98°F.

Of the 45 pans I’ve tested (results below), 99°F is the average heat retention score. So Heritage Steel’s heat retention is on par with most brands, and Made In’s score is well above average. That said, I haven’t noticed a major difference in the kitchen — all three pans maintain a steady temperature, even when you add cold ingredients.

Pan	Temperature After 5 Minutes	Temperature After 10 Minutes
Xtrema fry pan	142°F	113°F
Made In stainless steel fry pan	121.1°F	106.6°F
Demeyere Atlantis fry pan	122.0°F	106.3°F
Made In non-stick fry pan	120.2°F	105.8°F
Ninja NeverStick Pan	130.5°F	104.8°F
Misen fry pan	118.6°F	103.4°F
Zwilling fry pan	121.1°F	103.0°F
Rachael Ray fry pan	126.3°F	102.7°F
Goldilocks fry pan	122.0°F	102.5°F
HexClad fry pan	120.7°F	102.4°F
Circulon fry pan	133.3°F	102.0°F
Tramontina fry pan	118.5°F	101.3°F
Cooksy fry pan	117.9°F	101.2°F
Calphalon fry pan	112.8°F	101.1°F
All-Clad D3 skillet	111.6°F	100.9°F
Ballarini fry pan	120°F	99.9°F
Heritage Steel Eater	119.6°F	99.4°F
Heritage Steel Titanium	120.1°F	98.2°F
All-Clad HA1 fry pan	117.9°F	98.1°F
Hestan fry pan	114.4°F	98.0°F
Sardel fry pan	114.0°F	97.8°F
All-Clad NS Pro fry pan	116.0°F	97.3°F
All-Clad D5 fry pan	112.7°F	97.3°F
Henckels HXagon fry pan	113.5°F	96.7°F
Our Place Always Pan	118.0°F	96.7°F
Demeyere Industry fry pan	115.2°F	96.6°F
All-Clad G5 fry pan	115.3°F	96.6°F
Caraway fry pan	116.6°F	96.4°F
Anolon X pan	114.1°F	96.0°F
Viking fry pan	106.6°F	95.9°F
All-Clad Copper Core fry pan	117.7°F	95.5°F
Farberware fry pan	112.0°F	95.4°F
GreenLife fry pan	119.0°F	95.0°F
Gotham Steel fry pan	113.0°F	95.0°F
Anolon Advanced fry pan	112.7°F	90.9°F
Pioneer Woman fry pan	104.3°F	90.9°F
T-fal fry pan	108.7°F	88.0°F

Difference 8: Where It Is Made

Unlike many cookware brands that outsource manufacturing to China, every Heritage Steel pan is made in their owned and operated factory in Clarksville, Tennessee. And it’s been that way since the company launched over 40 years ago.

Each pan starts as a flat disc that’s punched into shape by a forming press. After that, they trim the excess material around the rims. Then, it goes through a series of grinding and polishing to smooth the edges and surface and create the final finish. This hand-grinding and polishing result in noticeably smoother edges around the rims compared to most brands, including Made In.

Holes are punched for the handles, which are attached by rivets. Each piece is carefully inspected by hand, and if it’s not perfect, it doesn’t get sold.

A significant amount of skill, care, and hand-crafting go into making each Heritage Steel pan. It’s not a company that mass-produces thousands of pans per day. And by manufacturing in the USA in their own facilities, they have complete control over all the details and processes.

Made In partners with cookware manufacturers around the world to produce its pans. It doesn’t own or operate any manufacturing facilities. Currently, Made In’s stainless steel pans are made in Italy.

Interestingly, Made In used to partner with Heritage Steel. That’s right; Heritage Steel was the unnamed manufacturer behind Made In’s stainless steel pans. This explains the similarities between the two brands.

I have an old Made In pan from when the brand first launched, and the rivets protrude just like Heritage Steel’s do today. When Made In switched to an Italian manufacturer, the new rivets became flatter.

Difference 9: Price

Made In and Heritage Steel fall into the mid to high-end range of the cookware market. They’re not as expensive as luxury brands like All-Clad, Hestan, and Demeyere, but they’re also not as budget-friendly as brands like Tramontina, Cuisinart, Misen, and Goldilocks.

Among the three collections, Heritage Steel’s Titanium Series is the most expensive, followed closely by Made In, while Heritage Steel’s Eater Series is the most affordable option.

Check out the current prices of Made In on MadeInCookware.com and Amazon. View Heritage Steel’s prices on HeritageSteel.us and Amazon.

Bottom Line: Should You Buy Made In or Heritage Steel?

If you’re looking for the best overall performance and don’t mind paying a bit more, Made In is the way to go. It conducted heat the fastest and retained heat the longest in my tests.

If you prioritize durability and resistance to pitting, Heritage Steel’s Titanium Series is the clear choice. Its 316Ti stainless steel cooking surface is built to last, but its rounded handle is not as secure as the other options.

Heritage Steel’s Eater Series is the best value. It looks, feels, and performs like Made In but costs less. Plus, it’s made in the USA.

Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with Made In or Heritage Steel. Both brands are well-made, durable, high performing, and will last a really long time.

Read more reviews and compare current prices at the links below:

• Made In on MadeInCookware.com and Amazon
• Heritage Steel on HeritageSteel.us and Amazon