Buyer Guide – Cookware
Choosing quality cookware can be a minefield.
There are so many brands, some of them household names, some of
them less well known. Do you play safe with a name you have heard
of, and is it really the best? What material is best for your needs:
stainless steel or cast iron, aluminium or copper? Do you want
non-stick and, if so, which non-stick coating is best? What features
do you look for? With so much to choose from, how do you choose?
Stainless Steel
Cast Iron
Copper
Non-stick
Further Information
Stainless Steel Cookware
High quality stainless steel cookware is
usually manufactured from 18/10 stainless steel, a steel alloy with
a minimum of 18% chromium, and 10% nickel,which has an extremely
high resistance to corrosion. The surface is smooth and almost inert,
making it very difficult for food or bacteria to stick to it.
It is particularly suited for use in sanitary or sterile environments such as hospitals, food
preparation and storage, and is ideal for use in cookware. Stainless
steel pans are easy to clean. There is no coating on the surface, so if it is
scratched it does not affect the overall characteristics of the pan.
Stainless Steel is extremely versatile
and used for almost every type of cookware, including Frying
Pans, Casseroles,
Saucepans
and Stockpots.
The disadvantage with stainless
steel is that it is a relatively poor conductor of heat. To ensure
even distribution of heat, manufacturers use a variety of methods,
usually involving layers of other metals, such as aluminium, which is a
far better conductor of heat.
Hahn Stainless Steel
Cookware uses a disk of aluminium attached to the underside of the pan, ‘encapsulated’
in stainless steel so the aluminium does not come into contact with
the food. The stainless steel cap surrounding the aluminium also
protects it, so the pan can be put in a dishwasher. The encapsulated aluminium disc is impact-bonded; the layers of metal are bonded
together under enormous pressure. This gives the strongest possible
bonding between the metal layers and this method of bonding is much stronger
than welding.
Calphalon Contemporary Stainless Cookware uses a different method to ensure even heat
distribution. A triple-ply construction, with a layer of heavy gauge aluminium sandwiched
between the stainless steel interior and exterior, to provide conductivity and even heat
distribution throughout the vessel, even up the sides of the pan.
back to top Cast Iron Cookware
The most traditional of materials, cast
iron has been used to make cooking vessels for thousands of years,
although the composition and manufacture of modern cast iron cookware
has advanced somewhat since the Iron Age. It is a very strong material
that can take very high temperatures and, unlike stainless steel,
is a very good conductor of heat.
Traditional cast iron products do take
some care and attention; they cannot be put in a dishwasher, and
they usually require seasoning with vegetable oil before first use.
This prevents them from rusting and creates a natural non-stick
surface which will last a lifetime
Cast iron is often enamelled, to protect
it from corrosion; enamelled cast iron is dishwasher safe, resistant
to detergents and requires no seasoning.
The excellent conductive properties of cast iron make it highly energy-efficient and cooking can be carried out at lower
temperatures. It retains heat well so is ideal for serving food
direct to the table. The commonest use of cast iron today is for
Casseroles,
for slow cooking in the oven, and also Frying
Pans, Grills and Griddles
and traditional Crepe Pans.
Staub
of Alsace is famous for its Cast Iron ‘Cocottes’
(or casseroles). Made from the highest-quality cast iron and enamelled inside
and out, they require no seasoning. The conductive qualities of the cast iron ensure even cooking
of the food and they are ideal for cook-and-serve dishes. They are suitable for all
cooking systems - gas, electric, range and induction.
back to top Copper Cookware
Copper is another traditional material
for the manufacture of cookware, used because of its heat conducting
properties, and in recent years has enjoyed something of a revival.
Copper cookware heats up quickly and evenly and, unlike cast iron,
it cools down quickly too so it is very responsive. Copper handles
would get very hot so the handles are often made of different materials
such as cast iron or bronze.
On the downside, copper is a relatively
soft metal, so the heavier the gauge the better. The main disadvantage
of copper, though, is that it reacts to the acids in foods, and
for this reason it is usually lined with another metal. Traditionally,
tin was used, and copper pans lined with tin will need relining
every so often, but these days there are pans available with stainless
steel linings that will last forever.
Unlined copper is widely used for specialist applications,
such as confectionery or jam making, as these foods do not react
with the copper, and the confectioner takes advantage of the quick,
high heat and immediate response.
Mauviel
Cuprinox Copper Cookware is made from high-quality solid copper
with an 18/10 stainless steel interior, combining the conductivity and responsiveness of copper
with the corrosion-resistance and durability of stainless steel. The stainless steel is plated
to the copper giving a uniform 2.5mm gauge layer over the whole
pan.
back to top Non-stick Cookware
There is a huge range of non-stick cookware available and this is now covered in our separate Non-stick Cookware Buyer Guide.
back to top Further Information
On the Radio - Cookin' Good Food
silvernutmeg.com's Colin Hinkley gives Radio Lancashire's Anne-Louise Mazzafiore some advice on what to look out for when buying a new set of pans.
www.hahncookware.com
www.staub.fr
www.scanpan.dk
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