So many of you ask what cookware is best to use, so I decided to give you a few tips on choosing the best cookware for your kitchen. Knowing the characteristics of each type of cookware, you can match them to your needs and lifestyle.  Used properly, these utensils will make you a better cook. And if you feel that good cookware is too expensive, consider how many inexpensive ones of lesser quality you would have to buy to last as long as one good quality utensil. Not to mention the waste of time and food when something burns or goes awry.

What type to buy?

• Complete sets are cheaper than individual, but then you are often left with ones you may never use.
• Buy a quality basic set consisting of 10” sauté pan, 2 quart sauce pan; 7 – 8 quart stock pot and roasting pan
• Costs: range from few hundred dollars to $1500 plus

Different types

Stainless steel

• Durable, easy to clean, scratch resistant
• By itself is a poor heat conductor, so most have heat conductors attached to the bottom that are inexpensive or sandwiched in-between, which are expensive
• If you’re looking for heat retention, choose a piece with aluminum conductor
• If you’re looking for control, faster heat and cool downs, go for copper conductor
• When washing, use nylon scouring pads. Don’t use metal

Non stick— stainless steel

• Stainless steel just sprayed with non stick spray that bond to surface
• A conductor is also required: the thicker the base the better cooking performance
• Overheating these pans lead to damage
• Washing: use nylon (use only plastic or wooden utensils)

Aluminum

• Most inexpensive
• Light weight
• Great heat conductor
• Certain foods will erode aluminum and affect taste of food

Aluminum anodized

• The anodizing process locks in the metal aluminum, so it can’t get into food and makes an ideal non stick and scratch resistant cooking surface (Calphalon and All clad are leaders)

Copper

• Beautiful and expensive
• Easily damaged, because it is lined with tin, silver or stainless steel
• Make sure to hand wash and use copper polish to keep it shiny
• Responsive to heat, which means it heats up quickly and cools down quickly
• Can be used for all types of cooking, including delicate sauces

Cast iron

• Inexpensive
• Heats evenly
• Last forever, if you take care of them
• Improves health – you get iron
• Becomes non stick once you season them
• To season – scrub new pan with steel wool to remove protective coating and then wash it with mild soapy water
• Run vegetable oil into surface and heat in oven for 2 hours at 250 F
• Clean pan with a damp cloth after each use, but avoid scrubbing it or using soap

Teflon pans

• Concerns over coating  C 8, a chemical used to bond the nonstick coating to the pan. Few studies suggested that this chemical may increase the risk of cancer, low birth weight and a suppressed immune system in laboratory animals exposed to high doses of PFOA. Studies have shown the chemical to be present at low levels in the bloodstream of 9 out of 10 Americans, and in the blood of most newborns
• Good news: nonstick coated pans are tougher than ever before and can withstand less careful handling than previous generations of nonstick cookware.
• Warnings: Never leave nonstick pans unattended on an open flame or other heat source
• While cooking, don’t let temperatures get hotter than 450 degrees
• Don’t use metal utensils on nonstick cookware
• Wash nonstick cookware by hand using nonabrasive cleaners and sponges (do not use steel wool)

Do you have any other suggestions or tips, I ‘d love to hear them.

Rose