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A General Guide To Choosing The Right Piece Of Cookware
from:Choosing a new piece of cookware can be tough. It's hard to tell whether the pot, pan, or entire set of cookware that you purchase is going to be any good. Some people rely on the reputation of particular brands and, while this often works, it generally means that you will be paying a premium.
Cookware of the highest quality can be expensive. We are not all gourmet chefs, however, and quality cookware needn't force you to take out a new mortgage on your house.
By far the two most important things to consider are the materials -which affects the evenness of heat a piece of cookware provides- and the design of the cookware.
Materials:
The two biggest factors in how evenly a piece of cookware heats up, are what it is made from, and how thick that material is. These days there are a number of choices.
Stainless Steel:
Stainless steel often looks great and is tough. However, by itself this material does not conduct heat well, nor evenly. There is a solution to this. To get around the lower quality heat conduction, good stainless cookware often has a copper or aluminum base, or is made up of layers of stainless steel with aluminum or copper in between. The latter is referred to as a "ply" (hence tri-ply or five-ply pots). Copper and Aluminum conduct heat extremely well, which means that as the pot or pan heats up the temperature will be even throughout the pan. Hot and cold spots are bad!
Copper:
Pots made entirely from copper are gorgeous, buuut, copper is soft and scratches easily. They're also -very- expensive. As mentioned before, copper is incredibly good at conducting heat. If you can take great care of your equipment, and don't mind paying a hefty price, cookware made from copper is a wonderful choice. Copper oxidizes easily and may be susceptible to harsh chemicals or acids. As with all other materials, a thicker piece of cookware is a better choice.
Aluminum:
Aluminum is much like copper in terms of how well it conducts heat. However, it cannot stand higher temperatures, and may crack or warp. Aluminum pots need to be very thick, in order to retain and conduct heat evenly. If they are not, they will cause problems.
Anodized Aluminum:
Aluminum that has been anodized has been treated to an electrolytic process that forms aluminum oxide on the surface of the material. Aluminum oxide is black, hard, and durable. This overcomes the problems that normal aluminum faces, no cracking or warping here. A great many pots and pans are made from Anodized Aluminum these days, and more often than not, this is the material of choice in non-stick cookware.
Cast Iron:
A cast Iron skillet, along with a quality dutch-oven is a must have for any kitchen. Cast iron is heavy and dense, meaning it will take a long time to heat up. However, cast iron is unparalleled in its ability to distribute and retain heat. My cast iron skillet is one of the most-used pans in my kitchen. Be careful that you do not attempt to rapidly cool cast iron with cold water, however, as it can crack. Also, remember to season it, or purchase a pre-seasoned pan. Seasoning is the addition of oils, combined with heating, to the porous iron. This will stop things sticking to the pan and is very important.
Design
While not as important as an even heat, the design of a piece of cookware is still something to consider. For the most part, this comes down to personal choice. However, there are a few things to consider.
-Make sure the handle of the pot or pan, as well as the handle of the lid (if it has one) are heavy and well insulated. Otherwise, you'll need to purchase protective coverings, or wear an oven mit when you handle them. Not a bad thing in and of itself, as many cast-iron skillets require you to handle them with mits, but certainly something to be aware of.
-Thickness of cookware, especially the base. "How thick is the material, is the pan solid and strong?" As a general rule of thumb, the heavier and thicker the cookware, the more evenly it will conduct heat, and the longer it will last.
-How long is the handle? Long handles can be good if you're using the side of the pan to flip its contents, however, they also get in the way, and can be especially dangerous if you have young children in the house.
-Curvature of pan or pot from base to side. "How steep is the side, how quickly does it transition from base to side, how tall are the sides?" Steeper, taller sides will keep food inside the pan or pot, but will make the surface area smaller, and get in the way when sauteing. Shallower sides provide more access to the food, and a greater cooking area, but things tend to slop out more easily.
I also recommend that you take a look at reviews for any item you're considering purchasing. The fact that some sites allow customers to submit reviews and ratings is the single biggest advantage of shopping online.
The author is an experienced home cook, and enjoys food immensely. He manages a number of cookware websites. Reviews of specific pieces of cookware by the author and his friends can be found at Cookware Reviews
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