HexClad vs. Cooksy: 9 Must-Know Differences (2024)

At a glance, HexClad and Cooksy pans look identical. They both have a hybrid cooking surface, rounded handles, flared rims, and multi-clad construction.

So, what’s the difference between these brands? Which pans are better?

In this comparison of HexClad vs. Cooksy, I explain how they stack up in design, materials, performance, price, and more.

Use the links below to navigate the comparison:

• Key Takeaways
• Difference 1: Handle Design
• Difference 2: Helper Handle
• Difference 3: Rivets
• Difference 4: Cooking Surface
• Difference 5: Non-Stick Material
• Difference 6: Exterior
• Difference 7: Heat Conduction and Retention
• Difference 8: Price
• Difference 9: Number of Pieces
• Bottom Line: Should You Buy HexClad or Cooksy?

Key Takeaways

Here’s a quick summary of the key differences between HexClad and Cooksy pans. Read the full comparison for detailed analysis and insights from my experience using both brands.

Handle Design: Cooksy handles are angled higher (2.7 inches above the counter) than HexClad handles (2.5 inches). They are also thicker and feature an engraved logo.

Helper Handle: Cooksy frying pans have a helper handle, while HexClad frying pans do not.

Rivets: HexClad handles are riveted to the body of the pan. Cooksy handles are screwed onto the outside of the pan, resulting in a smoother cooking surface that’s easier to clean.

Cooking Surface: Both have a hybrid cooking surface with steel peaks and non-stick valleys, but Cooksy has a higher ratio of steel to non-stick coating. And because of that, eggs are more likely to stick to Cooksy pans.

Non-Stick Material: Cooksy discloses they use “Eterna by Whitford” non-stick coating. HexClad is less transparent, only mentioning a “high-grade non-stick coating.”

Exterior: HexClad’s hybrid surface extends to the pan’s bottom. Cooksy has a polished stainless steel bottom. Since HexClad pans have non-stick coating on the bottom, they’re easier to clean. However, one PrudentReviews.com reader told me the hexagon pattern on the bottom of her HexClad pan scratched her glass cooktop. This issue isn’t common, but it’s a risk.

Heat Conduction and Retention: Based on my tests, HexClad conducts heat faster on electric cooktops, while Cooksy heats faster on induction. Both demonstrate excellent heat retention, but HexClad retains heat slightly better.

Price: HexClad pans are about 22% more expensive than Cooksy.

Number of Pieces: Cooksy has a limited selection of fry pans, stock pots, and sauce pans. HexClad offers a wider range of pans, sets, and specialty items.

Should You Buy HexClad or Cooksy?

Cooksy is a better value because it costs less while offering nearly the same construction, design, and performance. You also get rivetless handles and a smooth bottom.

However, HexClad is a more established brand with a longer track record and thousands of happy customers. We don’t know how well Cooksy will hold up after years of use. HexClad also conducts heat slightly faster on electric cooktops and retains heat better.

Go with Cooksy if you’re on a tighter budget and value rivetless handles. Go with HexClad if you value reputation and proven performance and durability.

Learn more about both brands and compare their current prices at the links below:

• HexClad on HexClad.com and Amazon
• Cooksy on Amazon

Difference 1: Handle Design

When I first picked up HexClad and Cooksy pans, one of the first differences I noticed was the handle design. Both brands feature rounded, polished stainless steel handles that are 8 inches long.

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The rounded design makes both handles comfortable, but if your hand is wet or greasy, the handle can rotate when you tilt the pan. You need to be careful and tighten your grip when transferring food to a plate or pouring liquids.

One key difference between the two brands is the angle of the handle relative to the pan. Cooksy handles are angled higher, with the end of the handle sitting 2.7 inches above the counter.

HexClad handles are more even with the rim of the pan, with the end of the handle only 2.5 inches above the counter.

The higher angle of the Cooksy handle allows you to keep your hand slightly further from the heat source, which can be beneficial when cooking at high temperatures.

Another distinction is the handle’s thickness. Cooksy handles are slightly larger in circumference, providing a more substantial grip that fills up your palm.

The Cooksy logo is engraved into the handle, while HexClad handles are smooth with no engravings.

Difference 2: Helper Handle

Cooksy frying pans have a helper handle on the opposite side of the main handle. This extra handle helps when you’ve got a pan full of heavy or hot food. It makes lifting and moving the pan with two handles easier. Like the main handle, the helper handle has Cooksy’s logo engraved.

HexClad frying pans don’t have a helper handle. This isn’t a problem if you’re cooking something light or using a smaller pan, but it can be when cooking lots of food and transferring the pan from the stovetop to the oven.

HexClad does put helper handles on some of its other pots and pans, like its saute pans and 5-quart saucepan, but not on its frying pans.

Difference 3: Rivets

HexClad sticks with the classic design, using rivets to secure the handles directly to the pan’s body. While rivets provide a strong, reliable connection, they can be a magnet for oil and food particles. And cleaning around them is annoying.

Cooksy takes a different approach. Instead of rivets, the handles are screwed onto the outside of the pan. Without rivets, the cooking surface is completely smooth, and there’s no place for food to get stuck.

Difference 4: Cooking Surface

Both HexClad and Cooksy feature a hybrid cooking surface that combines raised stainless steel peaks with non-stick valleys, but there are some notable differences between the two.

With HexClad, the hexagon steel pattern on the cooking surface is primarily composed of steel dots, with the borders of the hexagons becoming fully steel as you approach the sides of the pan.

Cooksy takes a slightly different approach. The borders of the hexagons are fully steel throughout the cooking surface, and there are also steel dots in the center of each hexagon.

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Cooksy’s cooking surface also features a series of steel flames around the top of the sides. While this design may be a nod to cooking on a gas stove, it looks cheap and gimmicky.

Both cooking surfaces do an excellent job of searing meat and keeping oil in the center of the pan. However, during my testing, I noticed that HexClad’s surface is slightly more non-stick than Cooksy’s.

Even when I greased the Cooksy pan with butter, eggs still didn’t release from the cooking surface on their own. I had to scrape the spatula under the egg to pry it off the pan.

This stickingis likely due to the higher ratio of steel to non-stick coating on Cooksy’s cooking surface. If non-stick performance is your top priority, HexClad is the better choice.

Difference 5: Non-Stick Material

Cooksy is transparent about the non-stick coating it uses. On its website, it discloses that its pans feature an Eterna coating. Eterna is a well-regarded non-stick material that has been extensively tested and is used by several other cookware brands, including Cuisinart and Dalstrong.

HexClad is less open about the specifics of its non-stick material. While they mention using a “high-grade non-stick coating for extra toughness,” they don’t disclose the exact type or manufacturer of the coating. In a single blog post on their website, HexClad does mention that their coating is “infused with diamond dust,” but this information is not prominently displayed throughout their site.

Difference 6: Exterior

HexClad’s non-stick and stainless steel hybrid surface extends from the interior cooking surface to the bottom of the pan. Because of this, the bottom of the pan is easier to clean, and food and grease are less likely to adhere to the non-stick surface.

One potential downside to HexClad’s hybrid bottom is that it could scratch your cooktop. I’ve been cooking with HexClad for years and never encountered issues, but a PrudentReviews.com reader emailed me and said the bottom of her HexClad pan left noticeable scratches on her glass cooktop.

She believes the raised hexagon pattern was responsible for the scratches since there were no other burrs on the bottom of the pan. I searched thousands of HexClad reviews and only found a few other customers complaining about a similar issue. It’s not a common issue, but still something to consider.

Cooksy pans feature the hybrid hexagon pattern only on the cooking surface. The bottom of the pan is polished stainless steel. The steel bottom looks sleek and will never scratch your cooktop, but without non-stick coating, it’s more susceptible to staining and discoloration over time. You may need to use a cleaner like Bar Keepers Friend to restore the shine occasionally.

Difference 7: Heat Conduction and Retention

HexClad and Cooksy pans are both made of 3-ply stainless steel with an aluminum core. The walls of both pans are approximately 3mm thick, and both brands’ 12-inch frying pans weigh around 3.1 pounds.

Given their nearly identical build and materials, you’d expect them to handle heat similarly. And from what I’ve seen in the kitchen, cooking meal after meal, they do. Any differences in how they cook are barely noticeable.

However, to dive deeper into any potential differences in heating properties, I conducted three tests:

Heat Conduction Test (Electric Cooktop): I poured two cups of cold (55°F) water into each pan and heated them on the highest setting using the same electric burner. The water in the Cooksy pan started boiling at the 2-minute and 35-second mark. The HexClad pan heated slightly faster, with water boiling at the 2-minute and 30-second mark. I conduct this test with every cookware brand I review, and as you can see in the results below, both pans performed above the industry average.

Heat Conduction Test (Induction Cooktop): I repeated the test using an induction burner. Induction cooktops require a magnetic bottom, and while both pans have a steel base, HexClad’s is covered with a non-stick hybrid pattern. With its smooth steel bottom, I thought the Cooksy pan might heat faster. My assumption was correct: the Cooksy pan boiled 2 cups of water in just 2 minutes and 10 seconds, while the HexClad pan took 2 minutes and 21 seconds.

Heat Retention Test: After bringing the water to a boil in both pans, I removed them from the heat and let them cool. After five minutes, the water in the Cooksy pan was 117°F, while the HexClad pan was 120°F.

After ten minutes, the water in the Cooksy pan was 101°F, and the HexClad pan was 102°F.

Although the HexClad pan retained heat slightly better, the difference was minimal, not enough to notice during cooking.

Here’s how HexClad and Cooksy stack up against other popular cookware brands in terms of heat retention:

The key takeaway from these tests is that both brands conduct and retain heat well compared to the industry, but HexClad conducts heat slightly faster on electric cooktops, while Cooksy has a slight edge on induction cooktops. Both pans demonstrate excellent heat retention, although HexClad retains heat marginally better than Cooksy.

Difference 8: Price

HexClad pans are significantly more expensive than Cooksy pans. For example, the 12-inch HexClad frying pan costs about 22% more than the Cooksy 12-inch pan.

Difference 9: Number of Pieces

Cooksy has a limited cookware selection. They only offer fry pans, stock pots, and sauce pans in a few sizes. They also have a couple of cookware sets available.

HexClad is a more established brand offering a wider range of individual pans and sets. In addition to the essentials, HexClad offers specialty items such as griddles, pizza steels, deep saute pans, and roasting pans.

Bottom Line: Should You Buy HexClad or Cooksy?

On paper, Cooksy is a better value than HexClad. You get nearly the same materials, construction, and design for a much lower price. Plus, Cooksy pans have some clear advantages, like rivetless handles, helper handles, and a smooth steel bottom.

However, HexClad is a much more established brand. They’ve been around since 2017 and have earned the trust of thousands of home cooks. Cooksy launched in 2022 and is still trying to build a name for itself. HexClad also has a much more extensive selection of pots, pans, and sets.

Ultimately, you can’t go wrong with either. I’ve cooked dozens of meals in both, and the differences in performance are minimal.

So, here’s my advice: if you’re on a tight budget or prefer the convenience of rivetless handles and helper handles, go with Cooksy. You’ll get excellent performance at a more affordable price point.

But if you value brand reputation, a proven track record, and a wider variety of cookware options, HexClad is the way to go. Their pans are a bit pricier, but you can trust that you’re getting a high-quality product that will last years. Read my full HexClad review to learn more.

Ready to buy? Compare the current prices of both brands at the links below:

• HexClad on HexClad.com and Amazon
• Cooksy on Amazon