Your New Go-To Pot Set

If you’re an avid at-home chef, or you’re simply aspiring to be one, you could be on the market for a new set of pots and pans. Perhaps you’ve worn your last pair out, or you’re just looking to upgrade your equipment. Or maybe you’re moving out on your own for the first time and you’re ready to get a pot set that’s all your own for your new kitchen. No matter the case, you’re looking for a high quality set of pots and pans that you can rely on for any occasion and will help you ace any cooking challenge you take on.

Despite quality, most home-chefs are also very busy in other facets of their lives. A high-quality pot set that is also easy to clean and maintain, now that is the type of go-to pot set suited for any modern home-chef.

 

What To Look For in a New Pot and Pan Set

There’s more to consider when shopping for pots and pans than may occur to someone browsing for the first time. Even if you’re an experienced home-chef, there have been leaps and bounds made in the technology and manufacturing of consumer kitchenware. These developments are aimed at creating a higher quality cooking experience that meets the needs of a modern household.

The material that your pots are made of is one of the most important factors to consider. This is because different materials simply cook a bit differently. Different materials also offer a variety of specialities in terms of actual cooking technique and environment as well.

For instance, cast iron cookware requires an extra step of preparation which is a process known as seasoning the cast iron. Despite this downside, however, cast iron cookware also offers the most versatility in terms of cooking environment as it can be used in the oven, on the stovetop or grill, and even with direct flame.

Other popular materials for cookware include aluminum, ceramic, and copper.

 

The Stainless Steel Secret

When it comes to cookware material, you may be wondering where stainless steel is on the list. While stainless steel is a wildly popular option in kitchen cookware, it isn’t actually responsible for the cooking.

Stainless steel cookware is finished with a layer of steel. This is typically to achieve a specific aesthetic that fits with many modern homes and interior design trends. On top of that, the stainless steel finish offers an easy surface for consumers to clean and maintain through either hand-washing, or through a dishwasher. However, beneath the stainless steel finish is another layer of metal that is actually responsible for heat absorption, retention, and distribution. In other words, the entire transfer of heat through which we cook our food. The two most popular metals to be used beneath a stainless steel finish are aluminum and copper. These two metals offer similar traits, but differ slightly.

Copper is a more expensive option, but it is also a better heat-conductor. This means that chefs have more control over the temperature of their dish and hardly ever have to turn the burner above med-heat. Aluminum, on the other hand, is a more affordable option, though it is slightly worse at heat conduction.

Modern Day Non-Stick

Non-stick pans are another piece of the puzzle. While non-stick surfaces in cookware used to have a bad reputation for being designed and manufactured with a potentially toxic chemical known as a PTFE, or Teflon. New-aged non-stick technology is designed without any toxic chemicals at all, though, and is much more durable as a result as well.

 

Hybrid Pots and Pans

Perhaps some of the highest grade pots and pans available to consumers right now are considered to be hybrid pots and pans. This cookware is designed and manufactured with a combination of features used in pot and pan design previously.

For example, these pots and pans do have a stainless steel finish, with an underlying layer of aluminum. However, this is a layer of magnetic aluminum making these pots and pans compatible with more modern conduction-cooking. The stainless steel finish is also dishwasher safe, making these pots and pans a breeze for consumers to clean and maintain.

On top of the aluminum being magnetic, there are patches of modern non-PTFE non-stick surfaces in order to give the at-home chef an easy, and even memorable cooking experience. These are sure to be your go-to pots and pans in no time.

A Few Final Thoughts

There is a lot to consider when it comes to finding your next set of pots and pans to which you’ll trust family dinners, holiday meals, and late night solo-snacks. Knowing what to look for, and having an understanding of the differences between your cookware options will help you in choosing the right set of pots and pans for you and your own cooking needs.