Which Pots and Pans Should I Use? When someone complains about your cooking, do you: A.) hand him the spatula and tell him to do it himself; B.) give up and get fast food for the ingrates; C.) grit your teeth and bear it because she’s your mother-in-law, after all; or D.) change the pans you’re using … ? Although these are all acceptable answers, we’re recommending D. It just might make a difference. (That burnt chicken wasn’t your fault, right?) You see, not all pots and pans are created equal. In fact, the material they’re made out of can make or break their performance. Some pans conduct heat poorly, giving you uneven cooking. Some are reactive with certain foods and add a funny taste. Whatever the problem, you certainly don’t need pans that waste the time you spend cooking by giving you less-than-delightful results. So, read below to see how your pans stack up: Copper Advantages: Excellent conductor of heat. Disadvantages: Tarnishes and needs frequent polishing. Cannot be put in the dishwasher. Comments: Best used as a bottom coating for pans made from other materials (such as stainless steel) to improve their performance. NOT for you if you’re pressed for time (because it requires polishing and hand-washing). ALONE, copper is highly reactive with many foods (especially acidic ones), so copper pans are usually lined with tin or stainless steel. Stainless Steel (steel combined with nickel and chromium) Advantages: Resists rusting, scratching and staining. Is attractive and easy to clean. Does not react with food. Disadvantages: ALONE, stainless steel is a poor conductor of heat, often heating unevenly and causing “hot spots.” Comments: Better-performing, high-quality stainless steel cookware either has an aluminum disk or a layer of copper on the bottom of the pan to assist with heat transfer. Other pans have aluminum or copper sandwiched between layers of stainless steel, either just on the bottom or throughout the entire pan. Unanodized Aluminum Advantages: Highly responsive to and conductive of heat. Lightweight.* Inexpensive. Disadvantages: Tends to heat unevenly, so you can burn foods.* Can dent or warp.* Prone to pitting or staining.* Reactive with acidic, alkaline and sulfurous foods (such as tomato-based dishes, cabbage, salty foods, foods that contain wine or fruit, etc.). Can discolor acidic foods or egg-based foods. May release some metal flavors, resulting in off colors or flavors. May leave metal marks on glass-ceramic cooktop. Comments: An inexpensive, all-purpose material. Pans almost always have a nonstick interior finish and often a porcelain-enamel finish on the exterior.* * Not applicable to all. Anodized Aluminum Advantages: Nonreactive with food. Very resistant to scratching. Stick-resistant. Long-lasting. Disadvantages: Not recommended for washing in an automatic dishwasher. Comments: Many brands of high-end cookware are made from anodized aluminum. Cast Iron Advantages: Excellent retainer of heat. Cooks evenly once it has reached temperature. Inexpensive. Disadvantages: Heats and cools slowly. Heavy. Requires extra care as it needs to be hand-washed and seasoned after use. Comments: Excellent for browning. Should not be used for deep-fat frying. Becomes more naturally stick-resistant with use and age. However, cast iron rusts if you are not careful. You can’t wash cast iron in the dishwasher and you shouldn’t soak it, but you can put it in the oven. Enameled Cast Iron (or Steel) (See heating characteristics of the base material) Advantages: Naturally stick-resistant and easy to clean. Enameled surface is highly inert. Conducts heat slowly and holds heat. Disadvantages: Tends to nick or chip and wear away. Comments: Good for stewing, simmering long-cooking dishes and braising. Available in colors. Glass Advantages: Highly inert. Transparent so you can see food cooking. Generally dishwasher-safe. Disadvantages: Retains heat well but conducts it poorly, so foods may be cooked unevenly and slowly. Potentially breakable. Not recommended for use on glass-ceramic cooktops as they may cause scratching. More Ways To Choose Just The Pan For The Job • Enameled or nonstick surfaces or stainless steel are the most inert (they won’t change the taste, smell or color of the food) and so they are best for acidic foods or items you’ll simmer/cook for a long time, such as soups or stews. • Regardless of the material, the pan should have a smooth, flat bottom (since heat is transferred from the cooktop to the pan by conduction). • Look for pans that are “good conductors” and “heavy-gauge.” They’ll be most responsive, heating up and cooling down quickly. They also provide more even heat — and they’ll hold more heat for better browning, faster reducing and hotter frying.