is viking cookware made in china

Viking is known for luxury appliances, but they also make several lines of cookware, as well as some other kitchen tools. The brand is associated with high quality (and high prices), but does the cookware live up to the reputation? And is it still made in the USA?

Here, we take a detailed look at Viking cookware. We review all the lines and discuss quality, performance, durability, budget, and. more. Find out if Viking is the right cookware for you.

Yes, this is made in China but with proper quality control and oversight products can still rival the performance of items made here. The rest of my pots and pans are a combination of All-Cad d3 and d5 but I could not justify paying $300+ for the All-Clad 12qt stockpot that is only going to get used maybe once a month.

Review: Viking Hard-Anodized Nonstick

• Hard anodized aluminum exterior with aluminum interior and PTFE nonstick coating (3 layers)
• Available in black or gray (the gray is the same cookware but costs more)
• Induction compatible base
• “Metal utensil” and “dishwasher” safe (but do not do either for best results
• Tempered glass lids (not vented, as some other lines of Viking lids are)
• Volume markings on sauce pans and stock pots (not on skillets)
• Stay-cool, ergonomic handle.
• -Oven safe to 400F/lids to 350F
• Limited lifetime warranty
• Made in China.

The Viking Hard Anodized Nonstick cookware is good quality, heavy duty anodized aluminum on the outside, with a thick layer of aluminum that’s covered with 3 layers of PFOA-free PTFE (“Teflon”) coating; all in all, about 3mm thick–but because it’s mostly aluminum, it’s as light or lighter than most clad stainless pans.

This is impressive, but it’s almost identical to the construction of other nonstick pans we like such as All-Clad Essentials. The biggest difference is the cost: the 10-pc set runs about $100 more than a set of All-Clad Essentials, and in most cases individual skillets are more expensive, too.

The set price is higher partially because the Viking skillets are bigger: you get a 10-inch/12-inch combo in the 10 piece set, and the 2-piece combo sold separately also includes the bigger skillets; if you want the 8-inch skillet, you have to buy it separately.

This is the opposite of how most sets are sold, and getting two large skillets is appealing: it costs less to add an 8-inch skillet to your collection than a 12-inch one.

However, the Viking 8-inch nonstick skillet goes for around $50–about the same as All-Clad’s 8-inch/10-inch Essentials set (so, pretty high).

Those big skillets are great, but the higher price may not be worth it to you. The Viking nonstick is excellent quality cookware, but we found it did no better than All-Clad HA1 and Essentials in our testing. It is also unlikely to outlast less expensive nonstick, because the finite lifespan of PTFE is the same no matter how much you pay. (See our ScanPan review for more on this topic.)

The glass lids are not vented, as they are on some other Viking lines. This could be good or bad depending on your preference (we prefer non-vented lids).

Finally, do not believe Viking’s claim that this cookware is metal-utensil and dishwasher safe. NO nonstick cookware is metal-utensil or dishwasher safe. Harsh abrasives in dishwasher detergent take a toll on the nonstick coating and the anodized aluminum. If you want cookware to last, wash by hand and don’t use metal utensils.

It’s true that a dishwasher won’t harm the anodized aluminum, but it will discolor it, making it a dull, washed-out gray. And it will definitely shorten the life of the nonstick coating.

We also do not recommend buying entire sets of nonstick cookware (of any brand); do yourself a favor and learn to cook on stainless steel or cast iron. You will be rewarded by not exposing yourself or your family to toxins, by being a better steward of the planet, and by not having to buy new cookware every few years.

Having said that, the 10-piece set of Viking Hard Anodized Nonstick cookware contains:

• 10-inch skillet
• 12-inch skillet
• 2 quart sauce pan with lid
• 3 quart sauce pan with lid
• 4.5 quart sauté pan with lid and helper handle
• 5 quart Dutch oven with lid.

Note also that Viking makes a steamer insert that works with all of their 2-4 quart saucepans. A steamer insert is an excellent piece that you will likely get a lot of use out of. (See steamer insert on Amazon)

Viking Hard Anodized nonstick performed well. It has a good heft yet is easy to maneuver. The handles were less tall than on other Viking lines we tested, they were comfortable and provided a solid, safe-feeling grip.

We made fried eggs, scrambled eggs, and fish–the main things we would use a nonstick skillet for–and all came out as expected: the nonstick surface was slick and eggs didn’t stick at all. Fish slid out easily too.

Pans heated quickly and evenly. Residue wiped out easily.

Performance-wise, these pans are as good as any nonstick we’ve tested. If you want nonstick and don’t mind paying a premium price, these are a good option, especially if you want bigger skillets.

However, they’re no better than other brands we’ve tested that cost less (including All-Clad).

• 3mm walls of thick aluminum for fast, even heating
• Excellent nonstick performance
• Anodized exterior tougher than stainless
• Volume marks on deeper pots for easy measuring
• Ergonomic, stay-cool handles
• Induction compatible
• Good-sized pieces in set (10″/12″ skillet)
• Open stock pieces and skillet sets available
• Metal-utensil and dishwasher safe (though we recommend using wood or plastic and hand washing).

• More expensive than comparable pans we’ve tested
• No helper handle on 12-inch skillet
• Like all PTFE nonstick, terrible for the environment.

Recommended with reservations: quality and performance are excellent, but lower-priced options are just as good.

Viking Hard Anodized Nonstick is as high quality as any nonstick cookware we’ve tested: sturdy, durable construction and nonstick that cleans up easily. But its build and performance is about the same as less expensive brands we like, such as All-Clad Essentials and Anolon Copper Nouvelle. If you want the Viking name it’s nice nonstick cookware, and we like that the skillet set contains two large skillets (10 in./12 in.). But the other brands are just as good.

We recommend getting just a skillet or two rather than an entire set. Skillets benefit the most from a nonstick coating, and it’s cheaper to replace a skillet every few years than a set. PTFE coatings have an average life span of 1-5 years–a fraction of the lifetime of use you’ll get from clad stainless, cast iron, or carbon steel.

If you do go with a set of skillets, the 10 in./12 in. Viking set is a good option (but expensive). If you want a skillet 3-pack, this is probably the best deal you’ll find on Viking nonstick skillets.

Buy Viking hard anodized nonstick cookware:

Review: Viking Cast Iron Skillets and Dutch Ovens

• Cast iron body with enamel cooking surface and matte enamel exterior
• Stick-resistant enamel (but not nonstick)
• Induction compatible
• Oven safe to 400F
• “Spikes” on inside of Dutch oven lid for self-basting
• Limited lifetime warranty
• Made in China.

A Viking cast iron skillet may look like a standard Lodge skillet, but they are enamel-coated like a Le Creuset or Staub pan, so are closest in construction and performance to those. And, compared to Le Creuset or Staub, these pans are more reasonably priced.

(The only non-enameled Viking cast iron we’ve found is the reversible griddle, which is a nice product but costs almost twice what the Lodge griddle of the same size costs.)

You can see in the photos above that the skillet cooking surface is enameled, but it’s harder to tell that the exterior is, as well. Viking uses a matte enamel for the outside and it makes them look like bare cast iron.

The positive aspects of enameled cast iron is that no seasoning is required, ever, and with both the interior and exterior coated, you never have to worry about rust.

Viking calls the enamel “stick resistant,” which is just a way of saying that it is not nonstick. Note that enameled cast iron of any brand is not the same as the nonstick ceramic found on pans like GreenPan. The enamel on cast iron is more durable than ceramic nonstick and will last for decades (especially if you buy a good brand like Le Creuset). But it is not nonstick.

Disappointingly, Viking’s enamel is oven safe to only 400F–that’s low for enameled cast iron. And it means you probably can’t use the Dutch oven for baking bread, which requires temperatures upwards of 450F.

That’s a pretty big miss for a cast iron product, which should be indestructible at any temperature.

Finally, enameled cast iron is ideal for Dutch ovens and bare, seasoned cast iron is best for skillets. You only need enamel when you’re braising–the liquids can destroy a bare pan’s seasoning–so for frying, a well-seasoned surface is the way to go, especially since the seasoning is more nonstick than the enamel.

We know some people dislike washing seasoned cast iron because it can rust if you don’t get it completely dry. But really, it’s as easy or easier than washing an enameled surface. Food will stick more to an enameled surface than a seasoned surface.

The performance and handling of Viking cast iron cookware is similar–in fact, pretty much identical–to other cast iron brands we’ve tested. Because here’s a fact you can take to the bank: cast iron is cast iron no matter how much you pay for it. You get durability, slow heating (because of the mass), and exceptional heat retention. The beauty of cast iron is that it hangs onto heat better than any other cookware material, making it excellent for high-heat searing and deep frying (skillets), and braising and bread baking (Dutch ovens).

The big drawback here is the 400F limit on both the skillets and Dutch ovens: it greatly limits what you can do with these pans. (If you’ve ever seared a steak on a gas burner, you know that you can get that skillet as hot as 600F or more–and that’s where you want it for best results.)

Viking cast iron Dutch ovens are great for braising and low-temperature stovetop applications like stocks and soups. But if you want a Dutch oven you can use for baking bread, the Viking is not it.

The Viking reversible griddle is nice, but more than 3x the price of the comparable Lodge.

• Enameled surface doesn’t need seasoning
• Extremely durable construction
• Induction compatible.

• Enamel coating great for Dutch oven, but not necessary on a skillet
• Oven safe to only 400F (you can’t use the Dutch over to make bread and probably should avoid high heat searing in the skillet)
• Made in China, and more expensive than American brand Lodge.

Our recommendation: Viking cast iron is well made, but we prefer bare cast iron for skillets–Viking’s is enameled–and the 400F top temp may give you pause for a high heat sear. Dutch ovens are oven-safe to only 400F, which is not hot enough to bake bread in. If you want an enameled skillet and won’t use a Dutch oven at temps higher than 400F, then Viking works. But why buy a piece of cast iron cookware that’s limited in this way?

There are less expensive options out there for skillets (Lodge), and prettier and more versatile options out there for enameled Dutch ovens (Le Creuset, Marquette Castings, or Tramontina).

The un-enameled reversible griddle is nice, but you can buy a Lodge griddle of the same size for less than half the price–and the Lodge griddle is made in the US.

Buy Viking cast iron cookware:

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FAQ

Is Viking culinary made in the USA?

Where are Viking cooking utensils made?

Is Viking cookware non toxic?

Are any pots and pans made in USA?

Is Viking cookware made in USA?

Vikings 5-Ply Stainless Steel Professional Collection is the only Viking cookware made in the USA. All other Viking cookware is made in China. Today after 25 years Viking Culinary still strives to bring home cook high-performing luxury cookware and kitchen appliances.

Where are Viking 3-ply cookware made?

Today, all Viking 3-ply cookware is made in China. In the past, they made it in the USA, but they slowly began to send the work overseas until they no longer made any of the 3-ply cookware in the United States. We can also confirm this based on what the representative said about it being made in China.

Are Viking pots made in China?

No, Vikings 3-ply collections are made in China, although Vikings 3-ply stainless steel pots were previously made in the USA. Currently, only the Viking 5-Ply Professional Stainless Steel Collection is made in the USA. Which pots are made in the USA?

Why should you buy Viking cookware?

Buying Viking cookware is an investment. The brand uses high-quality materials, like copper, and offers solid construction. Plus, the cost is higher because of its association with Viking luxury appliances. Where it’s made: Except for the 5-Ply Professional collection, Viking cookware is made in China.