Types of Cookware Materials: Pros & Cons

Types of Cookware Materials: Pros & Cons

The truth is: each kind of cookware material has pros and cons. Also, specific cooking techniques work better in certain materials. For example, the perfect pan for stir fry will be sensitive to temperature changes. While the best container for braising should hold and control heat even with the temperature changes. Your goal is: to assemble the pieces that properly fit for the foods you cook. 

This guide will help you find out the advantages and drawbacks of cookware materials and how they may suit the cooking methods. Anyway, for more product reviews of cookware, check All Cookware Find for deeper information. 

Stainless steel cookware

Stainless-steel is a very tough cookware material. It’s dishwasher safe, non-porous, non-reactive, as well as impervious to corrosion, rust, scratching and denting. Stainless-steel has a gorgeous silvery finish and doesn't be outdated. 

However, stainless steel isn’t a great heat conductor. To boost up the heat conductivity, copper or aluminum is utilized as an internal layer of stainless-steel cookware. Also, it’s reasonable to use as baking pans, yet except if they are enhanced with another kind of metal that conducts heat all more efficiently, select different materials. 

Pros of Stainless Steel 

• Very durable.
• Safe for the oven, broiler and freeze. 
• Compatible with metal utensils. 
• Suitable for versatile use. 
• Inexpensive than other ‘sturdy’ cooking materials, for example, copper. 
• Easy to clean and maintain. 
• Recyclable and eco-friendly. 

Cons of Stainless Steel 

• Costly when it’s filled with layers of inductive materials and copper.
• Poor heat conductivity. 
• Food sticks.
• Heavy to handle while it combined with different metals. 

Nonstick cookware

Unlike other non-lined cookware materials, non-stick enables you to cook with less fat and obviously simpler to clean. Still, it isn't compatible with all sorts of cooking tasks—it’s not for multipurpose use. Non-stick pans could be produced using various types of cookware materials such as stainless steel, copper and aluminum. 

Moreover, the non-stick material of surfaces coates are big different of nonstick cookware. The PTFE is the most frequently found non-stick covering, whereas other Eco-friendlier choices have gained popularity over the past few years. 

Pros of Non-Stick 

• Release food effectively. 
• Lightweight, heat and rust safe. 
• Allow cooking with less oil or butter. 
• Non-porous and Non-reactive 
• A lot of Eco-friendly alternatives allow for non-stick coatings that are safer as well as survive high heat temperatures. 
• Very simple to clean. 

Cons of Non-Stick

• Not safe for metal utensils. Allow for plastic or wooden utensils for prevent scratches. 
• Commonly, short lifetime. 
• Not safe for excessively high heat temperature. It’s recommended to use at medium to low heat. 
• Not dishwasher safe. 

Ceramic cookware

Ceramic is the new line in of non-stick cookware. It’s generally considered to be safer and most eco-friendly alternative of this type of cookware as it's free of PTOAs and PTFEs. It doesn't leach any metallic flavor to food. 

Pros of Ceramic 

• Needs less butter or oil to cook and lessen cholesterol from food. 
• Smooth surface that releases food effectively. 
• Safer from possibly toxic or chemical fumes when heated high temperature. 
• Easy to clean and dishwasher safe. 
• Can store food in the refrigerator with it.  
• Nonporous and non-reactive to any foods. 

Cons of Ceramic 

• Not safe for metal utensils. 
• Can oppose high heat. But, recommended medium to low heat. 
• Might be more costly than traditional nonstick cookware. 
• Requires more attention during cleaning and storing. 

Cast iron cookware

Cast iron is among one of the most versatile and vigorous cookware materials. You can cook nourishment anyplace with cast iron cookware from oven to grill. However, cast iron requires additional care for cleaning and storing—specially needs seasoning to shield it from rust. Other than securing rust, seasoning makes a wonderfully natural non-stick surface. 

Although cast iron is reactive to acidic foods, the seasoning can moderately help prevent this issue. 

Pros of Cast Iron 

• Extremely solid and long lifetime. 
• Affordable. 
• Resist to scratch and warp.
• Once it gets hot, it will remain hot for quite a while. 
• Compatible with any types of utensil, includes metal utensils. 
• Naturally non-stick, when seasoned. 
• Safe for the stovetop, broiler, oven, grill, even direct fire. 

Cons of Cast Iron 

• Needs additional care to prevent rust or crack. 
• Not get hot equitably. It requires pre-heat before beginning to cook with it. 
• Food reactive.
• Heavy to handle. 

Taking everything into account, which cookware to pick for your kitchen depends on you. Remember, don’t forget to think about your frequent cooking cuisines because each cooking material fits for different skill. At whatever point you need to purchase ones, make sure that you know it before buying.