Cookware
The old pots and pans bought way back in the 90s are fast losing their shine and effectiveness.
Cookware Buying Guide
1) Non-Stick Or Uncoated?
Non-stick cookware such as those coated with Teflon makes for easier clean up after use as foods do not stick to the surface. Unfortunately they are expensive and moreover unable to withstand high heating or use with metal utensils (for stirring, flipping etc) hence cooking choice may be somewhat limited. Also Teflon coatings tend to flake as time goes by and may end up in cooked foods giving rise to serious health problems.
Uncoated cookware are usually made of aluminum, cast iron, copper or stainless steel (or combination) and are able to withstand high heat for faster cooking times but unfortunately they are not non-stick hence at high temperatures, foods may get stuck at the surface giving problems when it’s time to clean up.
2) Aluminum, Copper, Cast Iron Or Stainless Steel?
Copper is the best conductor of heat and theoretically should make the perfect high quality cookware sets but unfortunately this isn’t so. Copper is expensive and needs regular polishing hence usually used in conjunction with stainless steel for practical and economical reasons. I do not think you can find 100% copper cookware sets being sold on the market.
Aluminum is also a good conductor of heat, second only to copper. On it’s own, it is not strong and often reacts with food acids at high temperature, distorting the taste. As such it’s usually anodized and mixed with stainless steel for added durability and strength.
Cast iron is a fairly good conductor of heat but it’s strength lies in it’s durability and hence they are well-known to last forever. Not surprising though that cast iron cookware sets are the favorite metal for gourmet cooks as it conducts heat evenly and consistently.
Stainless steel on it’s own does not conduct heat as well as copper or aluminum so that’s why there’s often a layer of copper or aluminum coatings to complement it. Stainless steel cookware are the preferred choice for most households as they are durable, corrosion resistant, protects flavors, easy to clean and best of all they’re beautiful.
3) Ply
This refers to the thickness of the layers of metal and determines the heat spread and evenness of the cookware. The higher the ply number, the better it is at conducting heat. Opt for at least 5 ply layers.
4) Stainless Steel Composition
Stainless steel are iron mixed with chromium and nickel. Chromium provides the rust and corrosion resistance as well as durability with nickel complementing it. A higher nickel content provides higher corrosion resistant and shinier finish. If possible choose 18/10, meaning 18 parts of nickel to 10 parts of chromium.
Cookware Reviews & Ratings
We discovered the best cookware reviews from Consumer Reports and Cooks Illustrated. Cookware experts there reviewed some of the best cookware models from reliable and top-quality makers such as All-Clad, Anolon, Berndes, Bialetti, Calphalon, Circulon, Cook’s Essential, Cuisinart, Daniel, Boulud, Emerilware, Farberware, Henckels, Kirkland Signature, KitchenAid, Magnalite, Meyer, Revere, Scanpan, T-Fal, Viking, Visions, Wearever, Wolfgang Puck. Cookware ratings based on cooking evenness, nonstick durability (if applicable), safety, comfort, sturdiness and ease of cleaning determines the best cookware in their respective class.
Best Cookware (Stainless Steel)
Cookware Reviews #1: All-Clad Stainless
Cookware Reviews #2: Cooking its way to ultimate delight with impressive cookware reviews from consumers and kitchen experts is the best rated KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 10-Piece Brushed Stainless-Steel Cookware Set. Manufactured from 18/10 stainless steel that gives lustrous and durability feel on the inside yet polished and shiny look on the outside. Stainless steel base with built-in aluminum disk ensures that heat will be uniformly distributed with no hot spots.
Cookware Reviews #3: Two thumbs up with impressive cookware reviews from pros and consumers alike is the best rated Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless 10-Piece Cookware Set. Enjoy your cooking pleasure with this classic Cuisinart cookware set. Made of 18/10 stainless steel that are resistant to acidic food so that you’ll get great tasting foods every time. Excellent heat distribution is achieved through encapsulation of aluminum disk between 2 layers of stainless steel base. Oven safe up to 550F.
Best Cookware (Uncoated)
Cookware Reviews #4: In a class of its own with fantastic cookware reviews from users and experts is the top rated KitchenAid Gourmet Essentials 10-Piece Hard Anodized Cookware Set. Hard-anodized aluminum designed for better and even heat distribution. This top rated cookware features non-stick interior surface so that foods won’t get stuck for easier cleaning afterwards. Hard silicon on CoolGrip stainless-steel handles. Includes tough, unbreakable glass lids.
Resources: Cookware & Bakeware (Wikipedia)