Cooking every day is a chore, and if you’re not using the right pots and pans, you’re just making things more difficult for yourself.
We are fortunate to have a wide variety of pots and pans to choose from. They are designed to meet your particular requirements, whether you are preparing food for a party or for the meals you eat every day.
The sorts of cookware you use are mostly determined by the kinds of meals you prepare the majority of the time in the kitchen.
Contents
Best Pans for Everyday Cooking
The following is a list of some of the best kinds of pots and pans that you ought to think about purchasing for your everyday cooking requirements.
Stainless Steel Pans
A remarkable amount of heat may be transferred through the pan made of uncoated stainless steel. It is a material that is commonly used to manufacture all of the most important pots and pans because of its durability and long-lasting qualities.
In addition to being simple to clean, it ensures that your food is cooked evenly throughout the whole surface of the pan. They may also be used inside of ovens without the risk of injury.
It does not normally react with the food you are eating since it is used for browning and braising. On the other hand, if you use it to cook substances that are difficult to clean, the surface may get scratched and damaged.
When you cook foods that have a greater concentration of acid, you run the risk of having the steel, nickel, iron, or chlorine that is contained inside the damaged pan seep through to the meal you are preparing.
In most situations, the amount of nickel that does get up in your food is not sufficient to be hazardous; nevertheless, if you have an allergy to nickel, you should avoid using stainless steel that has been coated with nickel since it may cause an allergic reaction.
Because stainless steel is non-stick, it requires a coating of oil or butter to be greased before it can be used; otherwise, the food would fall apart as you move it about in the pan. Even after greasing the pan, the food that you cook may still wind up clinging to the stainless steel surface, which is another disadvantage of using stainless steel.
When you haven’t been paying close enough attention when cleaning the pan, you may find that this happens more often.
Also read: How to Season Stainless Steel Frying Pans
Cast Iron Pans
Pans made of cast iron are essential items in the kitchens of many home chefs. It has a very long lifespan and is regarded as one of the most secure materials for cooking pans that are currently available on the market. Searing, browning, sautéing, and frying are all possible techniques that may be accomplished using cast iron pans.
Except for iron, which may actually be beneficial to your health, it does not contain any chemicals or toxins that could possibly seep through the pan and into the food you are eating.
To grease pans made of cast iron, you do not require large amounts of oil.
Once the oil and seasoning have been added to the dish, there is very little else that needs to be done to the pan in order to keep it from sticking to the food. This results in a reduction in the amount of fat that you take in through the oil that you put in your pans.
Because this material takes its time to heat up, it is an excellent choice for browning meat and other foods that need to be cooked at a low temperature for an extended period of time, such as stews and casseroles.
They are very effective at retaining heat (they can withstand temperatures that are significantly higher than those that a non-stick can can withstand), and they are not easily scratched or damaged, unless you wash them vigorously enough to tarnish the enamel.
However, cast iron is quite heavy, and as a result, moving the pan from the stove to the counter can be quite a challenge at times. This is especially true when the pan is filled with a substantial amount of food.
If you choose to use an uncoated cast iron pan, cleaning it can be difficult because it requires multiple layers of oil to loosen the grime that has accumulated on the surface. The fact that they are uncoated increases the likelihood that they will rust rapidly if they are not properly maintained.
Since cast iron can be used in the oven as well as on the stovetop, this is the type of pan that you will want to make sure you have on hand for the various activities that involve cooking.
However, cast iron cannot be cleaned in a dishwasher, so the cleanup for these items must be done by hand. It may be either enameled or uncoated, depending on your preference.
Carbon Steel Pans
Carbon steel is used in the kitchen the most of the time, specifically for the purpose of making kettles, roasting pans, pots, and broilers.
These pans are not costly, and they have a very long lifespan; nevertheless, you must take precautions to prevent rust from forming on them in order for them to remain useful.
If you frequently prepare meals that need to be cooked in a wok or a skillet, you really ought to have one of the pots and pans made from carbon steel in your kitchen. Carbon steel is primarily used to make skillets.
Carbon steel, similar to cast iron cookware, may be seasoned to make it non-stick with the right amount of effort. They are not as easy to manipulate and do not heat up as quickly as other pans, but they are able to withstand considerably greater levels of heat than their contemporaries, which may be useful for preparing certain types of food since it allows for more control over the cooking process.
If you purchase uncoated carbon steel, it has the potential to react with acidic food, which poses a health risk. However, if you purchase enameled carbon steel, it does not react with food and is also more cost effective.
Take care not to get ones that are very thin, since this will make them more prone to breakage and deterioration over time.
Titanium Pans
Titanium is a dependable, easy-to-clean material that does not attach to anything.
Titanium is an excellent choice for you if you want something that won’t stick but are concerned about the potential health risks associated with other options.
Because the nonstick exterior is built from silicone, nonporous ceramic coating, and titanium, pans manufactured from this material are far safer than the vast majority of nonstick pans that are currently on the market.
Non-Stick Pans
When the news of the Teflon problem reached us, it came as somewhat of a surprise to all of us, let’s be honest about that. The need that we stop using non-stick pans was a significant setback for us since these pans had rapidly become an important component of our collection of cookware.
Cooking is a lot less difficult with non-stick pans, and cleaning them up is also a lot less time-consuming.
Teflon, the company that makes cookware, has, however, stopped utilizing these potentially hazardous chemicals in their products ever since it became public knowledge that polytetrafluoroethylene was used to coat the pans.
If you are still a fan of using non-stick pans, there is no need for concern because the materials that are being used to make them at this time are much safer than they were in the past.
Just check to see that the pans you buy were produced after the year 2013 before using them. Additionally, verify the specs to ensure that they state that the material does not include PTFE or PFOA.
Glass Pans
If you prefer to bake your meals on a regular basis to cut down on the amount of oil that you consume, then glassware may be the best option for you.
If you make use of a glass that is capable of withstanding the pressure caused by heat, such as Pyrex, you will have an excellent utensil for baking.
Glass should only be heated in the oven; if you put it on the stove, it could get scratched or even shattered. Glass should only be used in the oven.
It is important to allow your glass pan time to warm up to room temperature before adding anything extremely cold to it because sudden temperature shifts are another factor that can damage your pan.
Aluminum Pans
These days, aluminum is used to make the vast majority of cookware that can be purchased. This is due to the fact that it is fairly durable and works wonderfully for food that can withstand high levels of heat.
When selecting aluminum as a material for cooking utensils, it is important to take in mind the potential risks to one’s health posed by the metal’s potential to leach into food in the event that the pans are scrubbed and scratched with excessive force during the cleaning process. Damage will be done to the surface, and the metal will no longer be contained inside the pan.
One of the disadvantages of employing aluminum is that thinner aluminum pans are not highly resistant to shifts in the amount of heat that they are exposed to.
It is possible for an aluminum pan to get deformed if you remove it from the heat of the stove and place it immediately into a sink with cold water. If you invest in a more expensive pan, on the other hand, there is a lower probability that it will experience these transformations.
If you choose a pan that is composed of materials of lower quality, it will be more difficult to clean, just like practically every other kind of pan.
In order to prevent irreversible changes in the color of the pan, the food that is cooked in a cheap aluminum pan of poor quality may leave stains on the aluminum, therefore the pan will need to be completely cleaned after each use.
Also see: Is it unhealthy to cook with aluminum pans?
Copper Pans
Copper is one of the more pricey materials that can be used to make cooking pans; however, if you are looking for something that can be used frequently, purchasing a copper pan may be well worth the investment.
You have a pan that will survive through practically any of your culinary endeavors so long as you take care of it and make sure that you do not scratch the surface.
Copper pans are ideal for distributing heat evenly throughout your food, but you must ensure that your pan has a layer of tin or stainless steel on it to prevent the copper from permeating the pan and entering your food.
If you cook food that has a high concentration of acid, it is likely going to free the copper ions and leak into your food unless you keep the lining maintained and replace it whenever you see that it is chipping off or wearing down. If you do not do this, it is likely going to free the copper ions and leak into your food.
Because any residue of grime can actually prevent the heat from transferring evenly to all parts of the pan, you need to make sure that your copper pans are kept as clean as possible on a regular basis.
There is absolutely no room for negotiation when it comes to your health and protection. Avoid purchasing an inexpensive and thin copper pan if at all possible. This is especially important if you have the chance to do so.
It is not likely to be sturdy enough to withstand the heat, and over time, it will wear down, exposing your food to potentially harmful toxins.
What Kind of Handles Are the Best for Everyday Use?
It’s nearly as vital to pay attention to the handles on your cookware as it is to choose the right cookware in the first place.
Investing in cooking utensils with handles that do not function as trustworthy insulators, that melt or shatter while you are using them, and that generally do not hold up well over time are all bad investments.
Plastic handles are not a good choice for a pan that will be used often in the oven, so keep that in mind if you are shopping for one. They are able to withstand high temperatures provided that they are cooked on a pan that is dedicated solely to use on the stovetop.
You can hold the pans with your bare hands and the wooden handles won’t become hot, but you can’t put them in the dishwasher since they’re not dishwasher safe.
If you buy a metal handle, it will heat up, so you will need oven gloves. On the other hand, metal handles have the advantage of being able to be used in ovens as well as on stoves. They may be be cleaned in the dishwasher without any problems.
You may also be interested in reading: Why Do Pan Handles Come in Metal, Wood, or Plastic?
Final Verdict
Pans made of cast iron are an excellent choice for usage on a daily basis. They are available at a low cost, pose no health risks, and are adaptable to a wide range of culinary styles. Copper pans are the way to go if you’re searching for something that will cost you a little bit more money. They should not be a concern, despite the fact that they need some care and upkeep.
Take into consideration your health when selecting the pots and pans you will use on a daily basis, regardless of the type of cookware you choose to purchase. If you are going to use a pan on a regular basis for everyone in your family, including yourself, then you could be exposing yourself to potentially harmful chemicals. This could have dangerous consequences.
If you put in the time and effort to determine which kinds of pans would work best for you before making a purchase, you should be able to locate some that will serve you well for at least a few year
FAQs
What is the healthiest cookware to cook in?
Cast iron, stainless steel, enamel-coated cast iron, glass, and 100% non-toxic ceramic are the five types of cookware that are considered to be the safest. Not only are these nonstick and non-toxic cooking utensils clean and friendly to the environment, but they are also entirely risk-free for our health.
What type of pan is the most durable?
Stainless Steel
Due to the fact that it is both long-lasting and aesthetically pleasing, this material is used to make many of the best pots and pans. Because it does not react with acidic or alkaline foods and is not easily pitted or scratched, stainless steel is highly prized as an interior cooking surface. In particular, “18/10” stainless steel is highly prized for this purpose.
What is the least toxic type of cookware?
Non-stick pans and pots made of materials such as cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic, glass, and enamel-coated cast iron are the safest types of cookware available. These choices do not have a Teflon coating on them, so they are risk-free to use in any application.
Which pans are not healthy?
Toxic Cookware to Avoid:
- utensils with a ceramic coating Ceramic pots and cutlery are often made of metals that have been covered with a synthetic polymer that is pliable in comparison to metal. …
- Teflon and other coatings for nonstick cookware…
- Aluminum cookware and aluminum foil. …
- Copper pans. …
- Cast-iron with an enamel coating. …
- Unfinished cast iron. …
- Stainless steel. …
- Glass.