Advantages

Disadvantages

Cleaning

Properties

can be decorated or plain

rusts easily when chipped

extremely poor heat conduct

will easily chip if banged or dropped

Though porcelain can easily take the temperature and harsh detergents of a dishwasher, we recommend washing ceramic wares by hand, to prevent accidental damage from other utensils beating against them in the dishwasher. Because of the dense nature of porcelain, discoloration of bare spots can usually be cleaned with detergent and nylon scrubber.

Porcelain enamel is essentially a highly durable glass which, with coloring oxides and other inorganic materials, is fused to metal at extremely high temperatures. It first found its way into the kitchen as a decorative finish for carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and cast iron.

Iron pans that are covered with porcelain enamel keep food from reacting with the metal and require more care. They can't take the high heat you can give raw iron pans.