What to look for in a Waterless Cookware set and the keys to waterless cooking.

• Your cookware must have a thick base or pan bottom, usually close to a half an inch thick. The cookware is always stainless steel inside and out, and the main heat conductor is aluminum which is between the stainless steel layers.  There are other bonding layers which do things like decrease corrosion and increase conductivity.  There are always a lot of questions about the number of "plys" the pans have.  Plys are layers and the numbers vary, but the cooking results are dependent on a nice thickness which promotes heat retention and even heat distribution. Whether your set has 7 layers or 9 layers does not make much difference.  If you have an induction stove, you will need a set with an carbon steel core which is magnetic. Other than that, you should choose your set according to the pot and pan configuration that suits you.
• The other requirement for a waterless cooking vessel is that it must have a lid that seals completely.  Many waterless cookware sets have steam control valves in the lids. These valves are like tea kettle whistles in that they make noise when the food has released enough steam to set the whistle going. Then the steam from the food drips down into the lip of the pan and seals off the lid. At that point it is time to turn the heat down very low.  Waterless cooking is typically a low heat cooking method. The food cook in its own juices in a nice humid environment.

People are often confused by the wide variation in pricing between various brands of waterless cookware. One of the pricing differentials comes from the marketing costs.  If you go to a demonstration at a food show, or in someone's home, you are going to be sure that the set comes with higher marketing costs than those that are sold on the web.  We suggest you look for a lifetime guarantee on the cookware from a company that has been around for awhile.