Amazon launched a line of pots, pans, gadgets, and small appliances. How do they compare to the winners of our reviews?
Amazon recently launched its own line of Amazon-branded goods, AmazonBasics, selling everything from phone chargers and batteries to down comforters and Dutch ovens. We were particularly intrigued by the kitchenware. At last count, they offered almost 200 cooking-focused products in a broad range of categories, from knife sets to simple white dinner plate sets.
We noticed many of the products bore a striking resemblance to brands we were familiar with, so we wondered if Amazon had partnered with leading companies to produce Amazon-branded versions of top-selling items, much like how supermarkets work with brand-name companies to create their in-house product lines.
We contacted four of the major brands that produce the items the AmazonBasics equipment so closely resembled and were surprised to learn that they had no affiliation whatsoever with the products. Instead, they reported various levels of frustration with how similar they looked. It seems Amazon is working directly with third-party manufacturers to knock off top-performing products, cutting out the middleman.
The AmazonBasics items are priced very smartly, often below competitors just enough to make one consider straying from a well-known brand. We wondered how they would perform. To find out, we started with four products—a cast-iron skillet, a set of silicone baking mats, a Dutch oven, and an electric kettle. We took these four products and tested them against our corresponding winners in each category, reporting our results below.
We plan to continue testing AmazonBasics products on a rolling basis and will update this page with new items as we go. Please let us know in the comments section below of any products you’re specifically interested in and we will add them to our list of items to test.
We tested the AmazonBasics Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet - 12-Inch against our winning traditional cast-iron skillet from Lodge, scrambling eggs at the beginning and end of testing, baking cornbread, searing steak and making pan sauce, and cleaning the pans after each test. Durability tests included thermal shock and scraping and striking the pans with utensils. We evaluated both models on their performance, ease of use, and durability.
We tested the AmazonBasics Silicone Baking Mat Sheet, Set of 2, against our favorite silicone baking mat, the DeMarle Silpat U.S. Half-Size Non-Stick Silicone Baking Mat, using both with our winning baking sheet to roast salmon and bake cookies and washing them in the dishwasher 10 times. We evaluated both models on their ease of use, performance, and durability.
We tested the AmazonBasics 7.3-quart Dutch oven against our winning Dutch oven from Le Creuset and our Best Buy Dutch oven from Cuisinart, searing beef in batches, using it on and off the stove, and performing a series of durability tests to see how it compared on ease of use, capacity, and quality.
We compared the AmazonBasics electric kettle to our winner from OXO and our Best Buy from Capresso from our previous evaluation of electric kettles. We timed how long it took to boil 1 quart of room-temperature water and considered how easy it was to fill, pour from, and operate. To gauge the kettle’s long-term durability, we ran it 365 times to simulate a year of daily use.
We tested the AmazonBasics Multi-Speed Immersion Hand Blender with Attachments, Black, against our favorite immersion blender, the Braun Multiquick 5 Hand Blender, using both to make smoothies, blend potato soup, emulsify mayonnaise, and whip cream. We evaluated both models on their comfort, handling, durability, and blending and noted how much they splattered food.
We tested the AmazonBasics 5-Cup Coffeemaker with Glass Carafe against our favorite inexpensive coffee maker by Bonavita. We tracked its brewing time and temperature and measured the coffee’s total dissolved solids and extraction percentage—all attributes we know to be the keys to good-quality coffee produced by automatic drip machines. In a blind tasting, our tasters sampled coffee made in the AmazonBasics coffee maker against coffee made in the Bonavita.
We tested the AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Digital Kitchen Scale against our winning and Best Buy kitchen scales from OXO and Ozeri. We tested the scale’s accuracy using a set of lab-grade weights, and we evaluated how easy it was to toggle between different units of measurement and read its display screen. We also considered how easy the scale was to clean.
We tested the AmazonBasics 3-Blade Vegetable Spiralizer against our winning spiralizer from Paderno. We used both to cut zucchini and butternut squash into noodle-like ribbons, using all three blades, and cleaned all the parts by hand after each use. We evaluated both models on their ease of use, performance, and cleanup.
We tested the AmazonBasics 3-Piece Non-Stick Fry Pan Set, which includes 8-, 10-, and 12-inch models, against our respective winners in each size, all made by OXO. We performed a series of quality and durability tests with the largest pan, assuming it would be representative of the set as a whole. First, we cooked eggs back-to-back without any fat, stopping when they began to stick. To mimic long-term use and examine its construction, we cut in the pan with a knife, heated it and plunged it in ice water to induce thermal shock, and whacked it against a cinder block. To evaluate ease of use and design, we cooked frittata and stir-fry in the 12-inch pan, scrambled eggs in the 10-inch pan, and prepared an omelet in the 8-inch pan.
We tested the AmazonBasics Multi-Speed Stand Mixer with Attachments against our favorite inexpensive stand mixer, the KitchenAid KSM75WH Classic Plus Series 4.5-Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, using three tests to challenge the three attachments of whisk, paddle, and dough hook. We used the whisk to whip a pair of egg whites into stiff peaks; the paddle to reverse-cream butter into flour while mixing batter for white layer cake; and the dough hook to knead stiff, heavy dough for Bagel Bread. We evaluated both models on their design, creaming, whipping, kneading, and ease of use.
We tested the AmazonBasics Multi-Speed Countertop Blender against our favorite inexpensive blender, the KitchenAid 5-Speed Diamond Blender. We used the blender to process kale, frozen pineapple, and orange juice for smoothies; crush ice; and blend chipotles in adobo and garlic to test for staining and lingering odors. We evaluated both models on their design, blending, cleaning, and ease of use.
We tested the largest container from the AmazonBasics Glass Locking Lids Food Storage Containers, 20-Piece Set against our favorite glass food storage container by OXO and the largest container from the AmazonBasics Tritan 22 Piece (11 Containers and 11 Lids) Locking Food Storage Container - Clear against our winning plastic food storage container by Rubbermaid. We evaluated the capacity of each model and tested whether they were leakproof by filling them with water and shaking them at both the beginning and conclusion of testing. We tested storage, heating ability, staining, and odor retention by filling each container with chili, refrigerating it overnight, and then microwaving it until it was hot. We tested durability by washing each container 10 times and opening and closing it 100 times.
We tested the AmazonBasics Enameled Cast Iron Covered Casserole Skillet, 3.3-Quart against our winning and Best Buy braisers from Le Creuset and Tramontina. We tested the pan’s browning capabilities, performance in short and long braises, and how easy the pan was to lift and maneuver and used abuse tests to indicate its durability, including whacking the pan with a metal spoon 50 times and slamming its lid down 25 times. We also considered how easy the pan was to clean.
We tested the AmazonBasics Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls, Set of 3, with Lids against our winning stainless-steel mixing bowls from Vollrath. We evaluated the bowls’ stability on the counter while whisking; how comfortable it was to transfer ingredients between bowls; and how easy it was to whip, mix, stir, whisk, and fold in them. We also tested whether the small bowl fit comfortably in a small saucepan as a double boiler for melting chocolate over gently simmering water. Lastly, we tested the durability of the bowls by dropping them from a moderate height onto the counter and washing them 10 times.
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