Getting new cookware sets is usually very mind throbbing, especially if you want to get a value of your money. Recently there has been a rapid rise of different kinds of cookware sets which also depict the combination of materials varying from stainless steel to cast iron, aluminum, and copper.
Mistakes to Avoid When Purchasing Cookware.
- It would be best to avoid cookware that is very reactive with most of the food you are going to cook. Some metal cookware sets react with a particular food. For instance, it tends to react with tomato and other acidic dishes. This means that your food can absorb some metal, so you should ensure that you are aware of each product’s reactivity.
- Being more price guided when choosing a cookware set. The amount you pay for your cookware will most likely be a determining factor in what you end up buying. To get the best price for your cookware set, it is important to consider your needs. If you do not often cook, a budget set might work just fine. Generally pricier sets will last longer, but that mostly depends on the material used
- Another mistake is whereby you are lured into buying large cookware sets when you won’t use much of the items in that set. Don’t let a 14- or 17-piece set lure you if you will never actually use them, go for a more practical 10- or 12-piece set instead
- Buying unnecessary cookware sets. It is a necessity to buy a new cookware set, especially when most of your pots and pans have been misplaced or outworn their use rather than purchasing individual pieces that would be expensive. Therefore sometimes buying a new cookware set will clutter your cabinets with useless kitchenware that you will never use ever,
- Failure to match your cookware set with your cooktop. It would be best if you considered how your new cookware set would pair with your cooktop. Flat-bottomed pans are essential for a smooth top range, round bottom woks will need a vented ring placed on top of the burner to support the work and if you have an induction cooktop cookware with magnetic properties is a must
- Lack of considering to maintenance of cookware. If you would prefer not to have to shine your cookware every night to keep it looking good, you will need to consider the amount of maintenance to keep it in tip-top shape. Copper and cast iron cookware generally require quite a bit of work to keep it looking pristine while stainless steel usually is a little easier you look after
What to avoid
Here are the items to avoid:
- Stainless steel cookware with no aluminum or copper as that would be a bad conductor of heat.
- Basic aluminum with no coating or anodization as that is not durable and reacts with food.
- Cheap nonstick pans that flake off easily.
Factors To Consider When Purchasing Cookware.
1. Cost
I’d recommend defining a budget and limit the spending within the budget. Do make informed and appropriate decisions. Buy the best quality as possible for your hard-earned coin. Investing in a high-quality pot or pan may save you money in the long run if you take proper care.
However, it doesn’t mean you always have to buy the most expensive pots and pans available. There are many options to choose from.
You should also regularly check to see if the particular cookware is on sale in stores or online.
Some people are cutting costs by selling directly to the customer online hence foregoing retail middlemen who may increase the price of the cookware significantly.
2. Quality
Quality is mostly directly proportional to cost. However, you don’t have to overspend to get decent, everyday cookware. Inferior quality cookware are characterized with burns to food, your hands, and even uneven cooking of food.
A good quality pot or pan should be heavy enough to allow for equal distribution of heat from the cooker to the food.
Other than preparing unevenly cooked meals, the cooking pot or pan deemed to be of high quality is durable, and you will see that it receives several genuine reviews from past users. They also come highly recommended by top chefs.
3. Material
A. What do you like to Cook?
The material of your cookware can influence what you’ll be able to and do cook in it. For instance, uncoated cast iron isn’t best fitted to acidic foods like citrus or wine. Furthermore may cannot boil water in it, or the pan can rust.
You should, therefore, contemplate what you prefer to cook most frequently. Do you find yourself grilling a lot of lean protein indoors (chicken, steak, etc.)? If so, you’ll in all probability get additional use of your cast-iron cookware, which may stand up to high heat.
If, on the opposite hand, you cook additional soups and stews, chrome steel pots may well be wherever you must invest more cash.
Try to determine what you cook and, what you want to cook. The final thing you would like to try to to is splurge on a chrome steel set of pots and pans to comprehend you like to eat eggs on a daily basis of the week.
B. Cooking Surface:
Do you have an electric, gas, or induction cooktop? Is it Glass? Are you afraid of scratching it?
If you have an induction cooktop, you have no choice but to look for compatible pots and pans. Luckily, the cast-iron is naturally compatible.
C. Handles
Some pots and pans come with handles made from different materials. If you want something that you can cook on the stove and in the oven, you will need to find one with oven-safe handles.
D. Lids
Lids are often overlooked when it comes to buying cookware. You always want to look for tight-fitting ones.
Also, consider the material of the lids. Are they Glass or steel? Glass will allow you to see what’s going on in the pot during the cooking process.
As with the handles, you should consider if the lids are oven safe. A heavy-bottomed, shallow, stainless-steel stockpot performs similarly to an enameled Dutch oven. If you have a tight-fitting stainless-steel lid, you can most likely cook with it in your oven.
4. Cleaning
Easy-To-Clean cookware will help you quickly remove food debris, without having to leave the dishes to soak. If it is also dishwasher safe, you will save this step. You will only have to put the pans and the pots in the dishwasher and take them completely clean.
5. How many pieces you need.
This depends on the number of people you cook for as well as your cookware personality.
So if you cook for a small family and are a ‘have to cook’ person, then these are the essential must-haves for your kitchen: an 8″ or 10″ nonstick skillet, a 10″ or 12″ skillet with a lid, a stockpot with a lid, a sauté pan with a lid and a saucepan with a lid. Look for a 7-10 piece set or pick up individual pieces from open stock.
If you are a ‘love to cook’ personality, you will need several more pieces, like extra saucepans, a larger stockpot, and possibly a cast-iron skillet for your nonstick needs. Look for a 14 or 17 sized set. Or, of course, pick up individual pieces.
As we can easily see from the above examples, whereas cooking is an art form and an extension of personality for some, for many others, it is a chore that must be performed, the kind of cookware that you should invest in depends on where you stand between these two extremes.
What is of immense importance nonetheless is that the choice of proper cookware can really enhance or otherwise restrict your overall cooking experience and the cooked product, so do spend a little while making that selection.
