Many cooks have one nonstick skillet they use for sticky foods like eggs, but it's not a good choice for entire sets. Nonstick cookware-most often found in the form of a coating applied to aluminum cookware-is mostly inexpensive, but it is fragile, requires delicate handling, and is short-lived. Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are ideal for braising and baking bread (and we believe every kitchen should have one), but again, not the best choice for entire cookware sets. Thus, bare cast iron is best suited to skillets, but not a good choice for entire sets.Įnameled cast iron cookware eliminates the problems of both iron reacting with food and seasoning, but it's heavy and heats slowly and unevenly, so is not the first choice for a lot of people, particularly for skillets and sauce pans. And, though a cast iron skillet is a must-have for many kitchens, you may not want cast iron sauce pans or stock pots because of both the weight and the fact that liquids eat away at seasoning. Seasoning is not difficult, but it does somewhat limit the versatility of the cookware. It also must be seasoned or it will rust. You can read more about possibly dangerous chemicals in nonstick cookware in this article on PFOA.Ĭast iron cookware is inexpensive and extremely durable, but it's heavy, slow to heat evenly, and can react with food, imparting off flavors.
Most bare aluminum cookware is found in restaurant supply stores and is extremely reasonably priced. However, aluminum cookware is usually coated with a nonstick coating, either PTFE (Teflon) or ceramic, so the potential dangers of aluminum aren't applicable. There is some evidence that aluminum isn't safe, and it can impart off flavors to food.
#Stainless steel cookware professional
It is the choice of many, if not most, professional chefs for two main reasons: 1) excellent heating properties, and 2) durability.Ĭopper cookware has better heating properties, but it's more expensive and harder to maintain.Īluminum cookware is inexpensive and has terrific heating properties, but it is a soft metal that wears down easily and reacts with food. If you don't want to read all of our criteria for choosing (it's a long article), this section offers an overview.Ĭlad stainless is the best all-around cookware on the market. Back to top Why Does Stainless Steel Make the Best Cookware?