Buying cookware

  Tips for buying cookware

• Cookware type: decide on type. This is determined by the material used in manufacturing the cookware. Cookware types include stainless steel, plain aluminum, hard anodized aluminum and copper. 

• Clean up: some cookwares are not dishwasher safe, please check manufacturer instructions before buying one.

• Handle safety: handles come in metal, plastic, wood and glass. Metal may get hot; plastic, wood and glass stay cool over burners, yet metal is the most durable.
 

• Attributes: chose the cookware material, thickness and design which ensures even heating where it is required.

• Copper cookware: the choice of professional cooks because it heats up quickly and evenly. Copper cookware is expensive and needs polishing. It can also interact with food.

• Aluminum cookware: a good conductor of heat, second only to copper cookware. Thickness is the key to quality when buying aluminum cookware. Aluminum pots can scratch and interact with food.
 

• Hard anodized aluminum cookware: heats up faster because it has undergone special treatment. Though it is twice as hard as stainless steel, it can be discolored by dishwasher detergents. Hand washing is recommended. Oil will also be needed to prevent food from sticking.
 

• Stainless cookware: stainless steel easier to maintain than aluminum or copper. It does not require scouring or polishing and does not rust. However, it is a poor conductor of heat.

 

• Glass cookware: a poor conductor of heat. Glass cookware is mostly reserved to casserole dishes and cookware lids.

• Cast iron cookware: a heavy and very poor conductor of heat. But it retains and evenly distributes heat. Cast iron cookware will also interact with food.