You may have noticed that many of your friends have stainless cookware in their kitchen. Although its price, when compared to that of other types of cookware, is more than appealing, you have certain doubts. There surely must be some catch, right? In a second you’ll learn what you should know about when buying stainless cookware. Let’s go!
What is stainless steel?
For the steel to be called “stainless”, it has to have at least 10,5% chromium content. You’ll find that a lot of kitchen appliances are made of stainless steel. Okay, so what can you expect?
The positives
One of the main reasons that many people are fond of stainless steel is that it’s durable. If your main goal when choosing cookware is to find something that will last you for a long time, then stainless steel cookware is a great choice. You won’t make any scratches or marks, even if you aren’t too careful. It means that you won’t need to spend too much time cleaning it.
If you want your cookware to be as durable as possible, then choose the heavier sets. They will last you even longer, and you won’t have to worry about rust at all. And let’s not forget the fact that even the best stainless steel pots and pans are relatively cheap. It means that not only will such a set last you longer; it will also cost you less.
Okay, so are there any problems?
The negatives
The main drawback of stainless steel cookware is that most of the food will stick to it. You shouldn’t leave the kitchen for too long, or the situation could get messy pretty fast. It’s best to avoid making some sorts of meals, f.e. those involving eggs with stainless steel pans, or the effect might be disastrous.
Another issue that the owners of the stainless steel cookware are facing is the fact that when it comes to thermal conductivity, stainless steel is pretty bad. It means that it will take significantly much longer for the pan to heat up, which can be frustrating, especially if you are hungry.
Okay, so before you decide to choose a particular set of stainless steel cookware, what are the things that you should consider?
The quality
You don’t necessarily need to buy the highest quality cookware there is. It is quite possible that you won’t need it, but if you want to make the informed purchasing decision, you should know what the numbers right next to the name mean. An “18/8 stainless steel” means that it is 18% chromium and 10% nickel. The higher the percentage of chromium, the more durable will be your set, whereas the percentage of nickel is responsible for the “glossy” look. Depending on what is your main priority, choose a suitable set.
The weight
As you can probably deduce, the heavier the cookware, the higher the quality, which means that unfortunately, the price will be higher, too. If you want to be sure that the heat will be distributed evenly, you should opt for cookware that is on the heavier side. It also means that it will be more durable, although when it comes to stainless steel, even the lighter sets shouldn’t cause you any issues.
The core
If you choose stainless steel cookware, the heat conductivity will be a problem. If you want to make it less of an issue, you should choose a set with a core made of either copper or aluminum. The cost will go up, but the heat will be distributed more evenly.
Is it a smart choice?
There’s no use arguing which type of cookware is the best, as everyone has different needs and priorities. If you don’t want to spend a lot of time cleaning your cookware, and what you care the most is durability, then stainless steel is a great choice. On top of that, it is also cheap. Unfortunately, there are also the downsides – you must be careful, as the food will stick to the pan if you leave it unattended even for a moment. If you are frequently in a hurry, it might also be frustrating, as stainless steel requires quite a long to heat up.
