Tri-ply cookware has become the set most Nairobi families ask for once they are tired of thin sufurias that burn in the middle. We now stock 18 tri-ply stainless steel sets from Uakeen, UccLife and our own titanium range, and they are not all the same. Some are built around big casseroles for githeri and pilau, some around frying pans, one has a wok, and the finishes run from mirror hammered steel to gold, silver and a titanium non-stick interior. This guide walks through every set we sell so you can match one to how your kitchen actually cooks.
If you want the science first, read Tri-Ply Cookware in Kenya: What It Is and Why It Costs More. The short version: every pot in these sets is three layers, stainless steel outside, a full aluminium core, stainless steel inside. The aluminium spreads heat across the base and up the walls, so food cooks evenly on a medium flame, and the steel means nothing peels, rusts or reacts with your food.
Five things to decide before you pick a set
Pots or pans. Kenyan cooking is mostly casseroles: rice, stews, githeri, soup. If you already own a good frying pan, choose a set that spends its pieces on casseroles. If you make chapati, eggs and wet-fry every day, pick a set with a frying pan or deep fry pan included.
Your biggest pot. A 28cm casserole holds about 7 litres, enough for a family of five. A 32cm pot is 10 litres, which is a ruracio, a chama lunch or a household that cooks once for the whole day. Only a few sets go to 32cm.
Lids. Stainless steel lids are unbreakable and stack flat. Tempered glass lids let you check the food without lifting the lid. UccLife adds silicone pads to its steel lids so the set does not chip when stacked.
Finish. Hammered mirror polish is the classic tri-ply look and hides small scratches. Ribbed steel is plainer and easier to wipe. Gold and silver hammered sets are for a kitchen that is on show. The titanium set has a golden non-stick coating inside, so it behaves like a non-stick pan with the body of a steel pot.
Cooker. Every set here works on gas, electric, ceramic and induction, because the tri-ply base is magnetic. If you are moving to an induction hob, tri-ply is the safe choice.
Starter sets: three casseroles
Uakeen 6 piece tri-ply set: 20cm, 24cm and 26cm casseroles with stainless steel lids, hammered mirror finish. The right first set for a bedsitter or a couple, and the pots are still big enough for rice for four.
6 piece large capacity tri-ply set: the same three-pot idea but sized up to 24cm, 26cm and 28cm, so the largest pot holds 7 litres. Choose this one over the Uakeen 6 piece if you cook for more than four people.
Everyday family sets: casseroles plus a pan
8 piece premium tri-ply set: an 18cm saucepan for milk and sauces, 24cm and 28cm casseroles, and a 28cm deep fry pan with lids on all four. This is the most balanced set for a family of four to six that wants one pan in the box.
UccLife 8 piece ribbed set: 20cm, 24cm and 28cm casseroles with steel lids, plus 24cm and 28cm frying pans. Two pans instead of one, in the plainer ribbed finish.
Uakeen 9 piece set with frying pans: 20cm, 24cm and 28cm casseroles, a 24cm frying pan and a 28cm deep fry pan. The set to buy when the frying pan gets as much use as the pots.
UccLife 12 piece ribbed set: 20cm and 24cm casseroles and a 28cm deep frying pan, all with steel lids, plus heat insulation pads and a sponge. Small footprint, and the deep pan doubles as a third pot.
Wok sets: for stir fry and big-batch frying
Uakeen 9 piece wok set and the 9 piece premium wok set share the same layout: 24cm and 28cm casseroles, a 28cm deep fry pan, a 22cm flat chapati and pizza pan, and a 32cm wok that holds 5.5 litres. If you fry mandazi, samosas or fish in volume, or cook noodles and stir fry, the wok is the piece the other sets do not have.
Big family sets: five pots and more
Uakeen Germany VK58 10 piece set: five casseroles, 20cm, 24cm, 28cm, a 28cm shallow casserole for pilau and one-pan dishes, and a 32cm pot that holds 10.5 litres. No pans, all pots. The same set comes in a silver hammered finish.
Uakeen Germany VK32 10 piece set: 20cm, 24cm, 28cm and 32cm casseroles plus a 28cm deep fry pan. Four pots up to 9.8 litres and one pan, which is the best mix for a large household that still wants a pan in the set.
UccLife 13 piece ribbed set: 18cm, 20cm, 24cm and 28cm casseroles with steel lids, a 24cm frying pan, and a kitchen tool kit of silicone spoons and pot protector pads. The 18cm pot is handy for sauces and baby food.
UccLife 14 piece ribbed set: 20cm, 24cm and 28cm casseroles, a 28cm shallow casserole, a 24cm frying pan, steel lids with silicone pads, and the tool kit. The shallow casserole is the piece for pilau, biryani and wet-fry.
UccLife 15 piece ribbed set: the biggest UccLife, with 20cm, 24cm, 28cm, 28cm shallow and 32cm casseroles, all lidded, plus the tool kit. Five pots including the 32cm, no pan.
Honeycomb and non-stick tri-ply
Uakeen 10 piece hammered and honeycomb set and the Uakeen Germany 10 piece honeycomb set both give you an 18cm saucepan, 20cm and 28cm casseroles and three honeycomb frying pans in 20cm, 26cm and 28cm. The honeycomb texture inside the pans holds a film of oil so eggs and fish release without a coating. The first set has tempered glass lids, the second has stainless steel lids; pick by lid preference. These are the sets for a household that fries more than it boils.
10 piece titanium tri-ply set with wood handles: 18cm saucepan, 22cm, 26cm and 28cm casseroles and a 26cm deep fry pan, each with an amber glass lid. The inside is titanium coated, so ugali and rice let go without soaking, and the coating takes a metal spoon. Wood-look handles stay cool. This is the set for someone who wants steel durability but is not ready to give up non-stick.
Statement finishes
Uakeen Germany VK99 gold 9 piece set: 18cm saucepan, 24cm and 28cm casseroles and a 28cm deep fry pan, in a gold hammered exterior with a mirror-polished interior, also available in silver. Same layout as the 8 piece premium set, but this one is bought as a wedding or housewarming gift as often as for the buyer's own kitchen.
Quick comparison
| Set | Pots | Pans | Largest pot | Lids | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uakeen 6 piece | 3 | none | 26cm | Steel | Couples, bedsitters |
| 6 piece large capacity | 3 | none | 28cm, 7L | Steel | Family of five on a budget |
| 8 piece premium | 3 | 1 deep fry | 28cm, 7L | Steel | Balanced family set |
| UccLife 8 piece | 3 | 2 frying | 28cm | Steel | Chapati and fry-ups |
| Uakeen 9 piece with pans | 3 | 2 | 28cm, 7L | Steel | Pots and pans in equal use |
| Uakeen 9 piece wok set | 2 | deep fry, chapati pan, wok | 28cm, 7L | Steel | Frying and stir fry |
| 9 piece premium wok set | 2 | deep fry, chapati pan, wok | 28cm, 7L | Steel | Frying and stir fry |
| Uakeen VK32 10 piece | 4 | 1 deep fry | 32cm, 9.8L | Steel | Large family, one pan |
| Uakeen VK58 10 piece (hammered or silver) | 5 | none | 32cm, 10.5L | Steel | Large family, events |
| Uakeen 10 piece honeycomb (glass lids) | 3 | 3 honeycomb | 28cm | Glass | Households that fry daily |
| Uakeen Germany 10 piece honeycomb | 3 | 3 honeycomb | 28cm | Steel | Households that fry daily |
| Titanium 10 piece, wood handles | 4 | 1 deep fry | 28cm | Amber glass | Non-stick inside, steel outside |
| UccLife 12 piece | 2 | 1 deep fry | 24cm | Steel with pads | Small kitchen, starter |
| UccLife 13 piece | 4 | 1 frying | 28cm | Steel with pads | Family with a small sauce pot |
| UccLife 14 piece | 4 | 1 frying | 28cm | Steel with pads | Pilau and one-pan cooking |
| UccLife 15 piece | 5 | none | 32cm | Steel with pads | Biggest UccLife, events |
| Uakeen VK99 gold 9 piece | 3 | 1 deep fry | 28cm, 7L | Steel | Gifts, kitchens on show |
Our picks by household
First kitchen: the Uakeen 6 piece or the UccLife 12 piece. Family of four to six: the 8 piece premium set or the Uakeen 9 piece with frying pans. Big family or a home that hosts: the Uakeen VK58 10 piece or the UccLife 15 piece, both with a 32cm pot. You mostly fry: a wok set or a honeycomb set. You want non-stick that lasts: the titanium 10 piece. Wedding or housewarming gift: the VK99 gold set.
Looking after a tri-ply set
Wash before first use. Cook on medium heat; the aluminium core means a high flame only wastes gas and browns the outside. Let the pot heat for a minute before adding oil and food, and food sticks far less. Rainbow marks from heat wipe off with a little vinegar or lemon. Avoid metal scourers on the mirror polish and on the titanium coating. All the sets go in the dishwasher, but hand washing keeps the finish brighter for longer.
Where to buy tri-ply cookware in Kenya
Every set in this guide is in our Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Cookware Sets Kenya collection with delivery countrywide and pay on delivery in Nairobi. The Uakeen sets are also grouped in Uakeen Cookware Sets Kenya. Come and lift the pots yourself at Hazina Trade Centre, Mezzanine 2, Monrovia Street, Nairobi CBD, or WhatsApp 0723 784 736 / 0722 784 666 with how many people you cook for and we will tell you which set fits.