Cookware Pros And Cons

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Today, cookware comes in all shapes, sizes, and materials. Each type of cookware has different specialties that make it unique, and each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. No one type of cookware is perfect in all aspects., they all have distinct strengths and weaknesses. Cooking forums abound with culinary school graduates, and expert chefs recommend staying away from cheap of cookware, avoid non-stick pans and buy the best quality stainless steel pots and pots for long term use.

The cookware you choose should be aesthetically pleasing, but choose the right cookware for the chore it will perform. In my kitchen I use my grandmother's cast iron skillets, a copper sauté pan, one small non-stick egg pan, and a good qualty set of 3-ply stainless steel. I avoid aluminum, glass, ceramic and non-stick pans nor general use.

Type	Advantages	Disadvantages
Copper	Conducts heat very well, looks beautiful	Cost, upkeep (needs to be polished regularly, will need to be retinned every few years)
Aluminum	Conducts heat well, inexpensive	Can discolor food, reacts with food, scrathes easily and allows tiny food particles to collect and breed bacteria, not very durable
Steel (carbon or stainless)	Very durable, low upkeep	Poor heat properties
Steel clad (steel over copper or aluminum)	Very durable, good heat properties, low upkeep	Expensive, adds additional weight
Cast Iron	Extremely durable, great for searing and blackening	Can be a full of bacteria, can impart other flavors to food, food can stick to it
Ceramic	Easy to clean	Chips easily, not very durable
Glass	Looks nice, can be used as server, food can be watched while covered	Has hot spots, poor heat properties, not very durable
Non-Stick vs Regular
Non-Stick	Food doesn't stick, use less or no oil, butter, etc.	Non-stick surface will come off, particles will get into food, pan must be replaced regularly
Regular	Durable	eggs, especially will stick to surface