subject: A Buyer's Guide on Cookware [print this page] A Buyer's Guide on Cookware
The term cookware incorporates various cooking vessels that are used in the kitchen including frying pans and saucepans. Designed to be used on a range top or stove, these are available in various types that are used for specific cooking purposes.
Cook wares are made from different materials including metals like copper, stainless steel, aluminum copper and cast iron among others. You can choose cookware in any of these materials depending on your cooking needs.
Aluminum kitchen utensils get heated up quickly, is light weight and do not rust. However the catch is that aluminum can react with some acidic foods including egg yolks, asparagus, artichokes etc. Aluminum cookware is ideally suited as pie plates, muffin pans, pasta pots and skillets.
Copper has a very high thermal conductivity; however it is expensive, heavy and might require occasional re-tinting. Cast Iron also is well suited to be used in high temperatures. However it can rust easily and needs seasoning before usage.
Though Stainless Steel is a poor heat conductor, it is mixed with nickel or chromium to enhance its thermal conductivity. It is easy to maintain and retains the shiny look for long. Carbon steel is also used to make cook ware like paella pans as it has a high strength and heat resistance and can made into sheets. However, these do not conduct any heat.
Teflon coated frying pan reduces the chances of food getting stuck to the pan's surface. It is easy to clean and is a popular choice of cookware these days. However care should be taken not to use metal spatula or spoons on the pan as it can damage the coating over the cooking utensil there by making them useless.
Non-metallic cookware designed exclusively for microwave ovens are also available. Ceramics cooking utensils like porcelain are very popular options however these could have high level of lead that could be damaging to the health.
Glass-ceramic that has the properties of both glass and ceramic cookware has thermal shock immunity because of it's near-zero co-efficiency to thermal expansion, which makes it oven safe. Silicone is capable of withstanding high temperatures and is highly flexible and light, which makes it a popular choice as bake ware. Non-metallic cookware must be used only in microwave ovens and are not for the stovetop.
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