Buying Cookware

At the most basic level, simply pots and pans provide a way to hold your food while it cooks. With only this in mind, it seems that buying cookware would be simple, but there’s much more to it, especially if you plan on doing more than very basic cooking. You may want to consider buying a set of cookware of the same time, for appearance and consistency in the kitchen. Or for various reasons you may choose to mix and match, such as buying copper or stainless saucepans and cast-iron frypans. In any case, you’ll want to get at least five pieces: a large stockpot, two saucepans of different sizes, and two frypans of different sizes.

Cookware

Choosing the right pots and pans

For example, some foods require non-reactive pans, while others gain a better flavor from using certain types of pans, such as cast iron. As with any product, quality also makes a big difference. A poorly-made pot or pan, regardless of the material will not last very long and will not cook food evenly or well. When choosing pots and pans, consider that a good set will last 20 years or more. It’s often worth spending a little extra to get a good set that will not only last, but will also enhance the flavor of your food and your cooking experience.

Copper pots and pans

Copper pots and pans, especially high quality ones, are prized by top chefs around the world, and for good reason. They conduct heat better than nearly any other type of pan, and do so quickly and evenly. Copper is a soft material though, and it’s important to look for heavy gauge copper pots and pans that will stand up well to regular use. Since some foods, particularly those with a high acid content like tomatoes, can react with copper, many copper pans are lined with another metal. Whether you choose lined or unlined pans is entirely a matter of personal choice. Some things to consider are how you intend to use the pots and pans, and whether you mind avoiding using unlined copper pans when making certain foods. The trade-off with using a lined copper pan is that some of the conductivity and even heating of copper is lost through the lining. Lined copper pans come in a variety of metals. Tin is a common liner, and is usually less expensive, but requires more maintenance and is less conductive than some other materials. Stainless steel lined copper pans are a popular choice, particularly among amateur chefs, because of they are so durable and typically only result in a slight loss of quality as compared to unlined copper pans.

Copper Pots and Pans

Stainless steel pots and pans

For the average cook, and for most foods, stainless steel is a great choice. It’s very durable and will stand up to rough treatment in ways that copper, cast iron and glass cookware will not. High quality stainless steel pots and pans often incorporate copper or cast iron into the bottom of the cookware to improve conductivity. If not, they at least a very heavy gauge on the cooking surface to help prevent burning and scorching. One quick and easy way to determine the quality of stainless steel pots and pans is to simply pick them up and feel the weight. Or, if you’re purchasing online, compare the total weight. Generally, the heavier the stainless steel pot or pan, the higher the quality it is. Unlike copper, stainless steel is non-reactive, and just about any food, including acidic items like tomatoes, can be cooked in stainless steel. One disadvantage to stainless steel, however, is that at high temperatures, such as used for frying, food tends to stick and there is no way to season, or otherwise prepare the pan against food sticking.

Stainless Cookware

Cast iron pans

For some foods, nothing beats cooking in cast iron skillets. It’s hard to describe the subtle flavor that cooking with cast iron adds to food, but it is a very comforting “down home” type of flavor. Pancakes, eggs, corn bread, chili and sausage gravy are but a few of the common comfort foods that taste better cooked in cast iron. Like stainless steel, cast iron is very durable and can be abused in many ways without damage, but unlike other cookware it will not tolerate heavy cleaning. Standing water, or heavy scrubbing will ruin the finish or “seasoning” of a cast iron pan, no matter the quality. They cannot be washed in a dishwasher, and must be dried immediately after washing. On the other hand, a properly seasoned cast iron pan can be a cook’s dream. With a good seasoning, you can cook just about anything in a cast iron pan without it sticking. Cast iron offers some health benefits too. Studies show that cooking in cast iron actually adds a small amount of iron to the food, which adds iron to your diet. They also allow you to cook many foods with very little oil, butter or grease, reducing the fat and calorie count of the foods cooked in cast iron. When purchasing cast iron, look for a heavy gauge and a complete cast iron construction. Avoid pots and pans that are made of a combination of materials, such as wood and cast iron or tin and cast iron.

Cast Iron Skillets

Glass cookware

Glass pots and pans are usually used for foods that need to be boiled, or that are cooked partially on the stove top and partially in the oven. Although they’ve fallen out of favor, glass pots and pans can be useful depending on your style of cooking. The two major advantages of glass cookware is that you can see through the pan and observe the food you’re cooking and that they can be easily transferred between the stovetop, oven, microwave, refrigerator and freezer. They offer a great way to keep prepared food temporarily warm, since you can take the finished food off the stove top and put the pan in the oven on the “warm” setting. Another big advantage of glass pans is that they clean easily and can be put in the dishwasher. There is no need to worry about seasoning the cook surface, worry about scratches, rusting or other damage. Chipping and cracking can be a problem, but only with very rough usage.

Glass Cookware

Non-stick pots and pans

Non-stick pots and pans are great for use with foods that stick, and a good non-stick pan is an important part of any kitchen. When choosing non-stick cookware, however, keep in mind that even the best quality pots and pans will not last more than five years, as opposed to other types of pots and pans that can reasonably be expected to last 20, 50 or even 100 years. Non-stick cookware must be treated and cleaned with care. Only wooden or plastic kitchen tools, such as spoons and spatulas should be used on non-stick surfaces. Care when cleaning is also vital. Non-stick pots and pans should never be cleaned in a dishwasher or with abrasive cleaners. Only cloth dishrags or sponges should be used on the non-stick surface, and stainless steel or other “scratcher” pads must be avoided. When purchasing non-stick pots and pans, look for a matte or dull finish and several layers of coating. A high quality set will have at least three coats of non-stick product, and will not be shiny. Shiny non-stick coatings are poor quality.

Non-stick Cookware

High-tech cookware

Two basic types of cookware using advanced metallurgical techniques have becomes popular with serious cooks. Anodized aluminum cookware, which has a flat, greyish black appearance,  and bonded metal cookware, which is shiny like stainless, offer a variety of advantages, including more even cooking, cleaning that can be almost as easy as non-stick,exceptional durability, and the ability to go from stove to oven. Calphalon is the most popular anodyzed line, while All-Clad is the best-known bonded, but there are many brandnames using these materials now, including some from food-world celebrities like Emeril and Martha Stewart. These pans are already more expensive than most, and expect to pay even more for a famous name. Be sure to read up on the pans before you buy them, too, because each has their peculiarities and cleaning requirements.

Anodized Cookware

Other Considerations

Regardless of the material, there are a few things to look for in any set of pots and pans. Rivets are preferable to screws at the attachment point for handles, but in either case make sure they are securely attached with no obvious gaps or light coming through at the attachment point. Check lids to make sure they fit snugly and that multi-use lids fit on each pot or pan that they are supposed to. Look for handles that stay cool, such as coated handles or hollow handles, to help avoid burns.