The task of finding new cookware may seem daunting with so many options before you. Whether you are a soufflé master or dabble in the culinary arts from time to time, you can find cookware that meets your skill level, kitchen constraints, durability and enhancement options. With a little research, you will be able to find cookware that falls within your budget and kitchen needs.
What's in a Brand Name?
If you're equipping your kitchen for the first time or need to replace a full set of cookware, you'll find a number of quality brand name sets to consider for under $300. But with all the cookware available today, which cookware brand do you choose? Your first impulse might be to hit the closest Big Box department store and select the prettiest cookware you can find for under $100. Pinching pennies at the cash register now could cost you later when your favorite sauté pan is dented, scratched or otherwise not holding up. Steer clear of Brand X sets and individual pieces sold at a deep discount. Although they may look good and feature enamel paint that matches your kitchen, there's nothing worse than losing a handle (or two) to faulty construction when you're moving hot soup from stove to tureen or watching that tiny scratch across the center of your fry pan turn into a wound that can't heal.
Instead, when you're shopping for cookware, stick with brand names you know. No matter what material you want your cookware to be made of, you'll find a brand name that excels in manufacturing the cookware you want. All Clad cookware is hard to beat when it comes to stainless steel consumer cookware, while the colorful Le Creuset cookware line of cast iron puts the fun in function. If you're interested in purchasing non-stick cookware, WearEver and Calphalon cookware have been in the market a long time. If you're a brand loyalist, you can find non-stick options from traditional cookware manufacturers like Cuisinart. It's okay to be brand loyal, but don't be afraid to mix it up a bit. Above all, you want to purchase the right pieces for your cooking needs that will also stand up to wear and tear.
How Much is too Much?
If you're a gourmet or aspire to have high-end, high-performance cookware, these pieces come with the price tags to match ($300+). A good rule to follow is to avoid both price range extremes, so even though it's quite possible to invest several thousands in cookware that promises to do the work for you, it may not be the wisest decision. If you're considering high-end or professional-grade cookware, you need to decide if you're willing to make a long-term commitment to your cookware. Cookware technology has changed a lot in the last ten years, bringing all kinds of improvements from Calphalon to silicone. If you invest heavily now, it may make it harder to upgrade to the next best culinary breakthrough that comes along.
Most shoppers will find that their needs and budgets are best served by sticking to mid-range priced cookware where the widest array of features, colors, weights, metals and sizes is available. Unless you're stocking a professional kitchen, you'll get exactly what you want and need without breaking the bank or having to replace your cookware in a year.
Materials and Surfaces
Cookware can be fashioned from a variety of metals and choosing one could be overwhelming without taking a moment to understand the pros and cons of each manufacturing material. Your cookware choice should boil down to ease of use, budget and how much time you want to invest in caring for and maintaining your cookware.
Nothing compares in beauty or performance to copper, but it requires constant care to avoid tarnishing, is pricey and reacts with acidic foods as it transfers tastes and colors. If you're attracted to the looks, but you cook with lots of acid, you'd do best to pass it by.
Aluminum is the lightest and often least expensive cookware option. It offers quick, even heating, but can be reactive with acidic foods. It's also prone to dings, dents and scratches. Manufacturers have made aluminum more durable through the process of anodizing, which reinforces the metal surface. If physical weight is an issue for you or this is your first set of cookware and you're not really sure what you want, aluminum is a good place to start. If you're purchasing your first set of cookware but intend to do a lot of cooking, you're better off investing in non-reactive metals like stainless steel or cast-iron.
Stainless steel is the material of choice for most chefs these days, but only when the cookware features bottoms reinforced with copper and aluminum for improved heat conduction. This non-reactive surface is durable, reliable and, depending on the brand, can also withstand oven temperatures ranging as high as 400-550 degrees Fahrenheit-a big plus if you cook a lot of recipes that start on the stovetop and finish in the oven.
Cast iron cookware (au natural or with exterior enameling) will always have a special place in the hearts of seasoned cooks. Known for its heft, cast iron cookware heats evenly, stays hot and excels for browning and searing purposes. Cast iron cookware needs to be properly "seasoned" prior to use and occasionally over the life of the cookware.
Titanium, a newcomer to the cookware market, is stronger than stainless, lighter in weight than cast iron and naturally non-stick, but you'll pay top dollar for this high-performance medium.
Chefs and other culinary experts turn their noses up at non-stick cookware, but non-stick still accounts for a large percentage of cookware sales. Although there are a variety to choose from, remember all non-stick surfaces are not created equal. Some are sprayed on (coated) while others are infused into the metal itself, which affects durability along with what kind of metal the cookware is made from.
The benefits to non-stick include reducing the amount of fat you need in the cooking process (fat helps food release from the pan). Non-stick cookware is also a breeze when it comes to clean up. The downside to non-stick cookware is that it is not immune to damage from spatulas or other cooking utensils and one scratch on a non-stick surface eventually results in slow but certain death to your non-stick surface. For searing and browning, stick to traditional surfaces and save the non-stick for omelets, pancakes and other sticky dishes.
Sets Versus Open Stock
Watch an episode of Iron Chef if you want to know the secret of stocking the world's most competitive kitchen. You'll see pots and pans in every shape, size and material to match any task the chefs are given. Before you go and invest in a 15-piece set, consider purchasing a strategic selection of open stock pieces. If you purchase your cookware from open stock, you'll retain the flexibility to add to your collection and you won't have obsolete pieces collecting dust in your cabinet. You should feel free to mix it up with non-stick surfaces for skillets, stainless steel for all-purpose pans, a few reinforced copper pots, and a top-shelf ceramic-glazed cast iron fry pan as your pièce de résistance. In other words: if cooking is your passion, invest in the pots and pans for the jobs you do all the time.
If you decide that buying a multi-piece set is the right decision for you, you'll still want to consider how much bang you're getting for buck or whether you're just getting a lot of cookware distractions. A factor to consider when you're looking at cookware sets is how versatile the pieces are. Can your three-quart saucepan moonlight as a double-boiler/deep fryer or can your saute pan sear a single serving of salmon? Again, think about what you do in the kitchen and what you really need of your cookware.
Care and Maintenance
Copper pots are a sight to behold and for some, a fright to keep looking beautiful. If you're not willing to spend the time to make them gleam, you won't be happy with your investment and likely won't use your cookware as often (the same goes for cast iron if you're not going to commit to initial and periodic seasoning). Nothing beats a sturdy pan that wipes clean and while stainless sets require a good bit of elbow grease, they don't call them stainless for nothing. A sparkling clean, well-made (and well-scrubbed pan) is reward enough for the effort required to maintain this popular choice in cookware. But care and maintenance isn't just about washing your cookware after you use it-it's also about what you use with it, especially if you've chosen pieces with non-stick coatings which can last longer with plastic, wood or silicone utensils.
 | Cleaning cookware is an easily accomplished task, but one that should be tackled immediately after cookware becomes dirty. When dirty cookware is allowed to sit, stains may set in that will require scrubbing or soaking. Since scrubbing can harm most cookware, allowing stains to set in is obviously not the best idea. In the event of stubborn stains and tarnishes, however, vinegar is almost always the quick fix you're in need of. |
 | Buying cookware seems an easy task. Head for a big box store, pick out the color or design that attracts you the most, and "voila!" go home and whip up culinary masterpieces like a Julia Child. Hold on! |
Before you commit to buying an expensive set of copper cookware, do your research, as copper cookware is not for everyone. |
 | My Grandma used cast iron cookware almost everyday. She actually preferred it over the expensive set of pots and pans that were seldom used. "The good stuff" as my Grandpa called it was stored in the back of a cupboard and succeeded quite well, at taking up space. |
Your guide to buying, caring for and cleaning cookware so your investment lasts for years to come. |&&| |
