• Cooking evenness: This model was excellent for cooking evenness across the entire cooking surface. We expect all cookware in this set to perform similarly for this and other food.
• Food release: This model was very good in releasing multiple eggs from the frypan. Four eggs are cooked in the frypan consecutively. The pan is initially seasoned with vegetable oil prior to cooking the first egg. An Excellent score indicates that all four eggs slid off the pan without assistance; A Poor score indicates that scraping was needed to release any egg from the pan and some egg residue was left on the pan.
• Nonstick durability: This model was excellent at withstanding up to 2,000 strokes using steel wool on the frypan's surface. This is done only on frypans with nonstick surfaces, simulating scraping with metal utensils and abrasive cleaners. This also predicts performance for other nonstick pieces in the set.
• Handle temperature: good at keeping temperatures low enough to touch without a potholder when used on the stovetop. You'll definitely need a potholder for sets scoring Fair or Poor. We also consider the size and shape of the handle when scoring.
• Handle sturdiness: this model was good for handle sturdiness, which gauges its resistance to bending or breaking under increasing force.
• Speed of heating: This stockpot in the set was excellent in speed of heating, which gauges the amount of time needed for 4L of water to rise 190 degrees F. Those scoring Excellent require less time; those scoring Poor require much more time.
• Simmering Performance: This stockpot in the set was very good in Simmering performance, which gauges how well the stockpot can hold tomato sauce at simmering temperatures. Those scoring Excellent can hold the temperature; those scoring Poor can not hold the temperature.

The Anolon Achieve Hard Anodized Nonstick is part of the Cookware test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Cookware Sets (Nonstick) models like the Achieve Hard Anodized Nonstick are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Set: Each set includes at least a saucepan, a frying pan, and a stockpot. Lids are typically counted as separate components in a set.

Cooking evenness: A thermal imaging camera is used to evaluate the heating evenness of the frying pan

Nonstick food release: Nonstick food release score reflects the nonstick qualities of a pan's interior by cooking four eggs consecutively without oil. An Excellent score indicates that all four eggs slid off the pan without assistance; A Poor score indicates that scraping was needed to release any egg from the pan and some egg residue was left on the pan.