How to Buy Cookware

Pots and pans may not always be a big ticket item but they are apart of a family's daily life. With so many options for cookware, it is wise to know how to buy good cookware despite the price range you are buying in.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look for what the pan is made of. Copper and aluminum are good head conductors, but copper costs more and requires hand washing. Cast iron is durable and provide slow, even cooking, but large pans may be too heavy for everyday use. Excellent aluminum pans are made with heavy gauge metal. Stateliness steel is is easy to clean and is durable, but is hard to heat foods evenly. Some high quality cook ware combines stainless steel with a layer of copper, aluminum or barbon steel to allow the food to cook more evenly.

2. Check the design of the cookware. Not all pans are made equally, even those of higher quality material. A pan should sit still and not tip when empty. Lids should be tight fitting. Check to insure handles are easy to grip and heat resistant.

3. Not all pans will work on all stoves. Determine what type of pans work best on your stove. Open oil electric element and gas burner are the most tolerant of (thin material) inexpensive cookware. Radiant, halogen or magnetic induction cooking element need medium to heavy gauge flat bottomed pans.

Tips & Warnings

• Glass cookware can easily scratch glass stove tops.
• Cook ware need to fit the size of the heating elements used. Buying large pans can be useless if you do not have a heating element large enough to cook it on.

[dasbootjoe]

on 12/6/2008 Good tips! Thanks for the post*****

[missforty]

on 12/2/2008 Yes, it's very important for the pan to sit level on the stove.