A BUYER'S
GUIDE
TO
COOKWARE
A COMPREHENSIVE COMPARISON OF COOKWARE MATERIALS
ALUMINIUM
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop, oven
- GOOD FOR Frying eggs, searing fish, sautéing & baking
- PROS
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Easy to clean and maintain
- Excellent thermal conductivity
- CONS
- Reactive
- Food can stick
- Scratches easily
- Not good for sweet baked goods
- Does not work on induction burners
CAST IRON
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop, oven, broiler, grill & direct fire
- GOOD FOR Searing, stove-to-oven recipes, baking, roasting & frying
- PROS
- Inexpensive
- Retains heat
- Scratch resistant
- Naturally non-stick
- Easy to maintain and clean
- Can be used on any medium
- CONS
- Heavy
- Reactive
- Doesn't heat evenly
- Can chip, rust and crack
- Difficult to maintain and clean
CERAMIC
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Oven
- GOOD FOR Casseroles, pies & gratins
- PROS
- Can cook, serve and store food in the same dish
- Least reactive cookware available
- Smooth glaze is almost non-stick
- Easy to maintain and clean
- Relatively inexpensive
- Microwave safe
- CONS
- Can break and chip easily
- Heats slowly
- Heavy
COPPER
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop, oven, broiler
- GOOD FOR Boiling, steaming, sauteing, braising & making sauces
- PROS
- Non-Stick
- Lightweight
- Cooks food evenly
- Best heat conductor available
- CONS
- Very expensive
- Scratch sensitive
- Extremely reactive
- Does not work on induction cooktops
- Requires regular polishing to maintain shine
GLASS
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Oven
- GOOD FOR Casseroles, cobblers, bread puddings & pies
- PROS
- Great heat conductor
- Non-reactive
- Inexpensive
- CONS
- High temperatures may cause glass to shatter
- Can over brown sweet items
- Poor heat distribution
- Difficult to clean
- Food may stick
- Heavy
STAINLESS
STEEL
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop, oven, broiler
- GOOD FOR Boiling, steaming, sauteing, braising & making sauces
- PROS
- Inexpensive for basic models
- Non-reactive
- Dishwasher safe
- Resistant to rust, corrosion, scratching and denting
- CONS
- Heavy
- Food can stick
- Prone to water spots
- Poor heat conductivity and distribution relative to other materials
NON-STICK
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop. Some non-stick pans are also oven-safe up to a certain temperature; check with the manufacturer to be safe
- GOOD FOR Frying eggs, delicate fish & crepes
- PROS
- Great heat conductor
- Lightweight
- Relatively inexpensive
- Non-reactive
- Allows for cooking with less fat
- Easy to clean
- CONS
- Scratch sensitive
- Short lifespan
- Non-stick coatings break down under high heat
CLAY
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop & oven
- GOOD FOR Frying, baking, braising, grilling, stews & tagines
- PROS
- Great heat retaining capability
- Cooks food evenly
- Relatively inexpensive
- Non-reactive
- Retains moisture, eliminating the need for adding extra fats or liquids
- Can be seasoned to retain flavours
- Microwave safe
- CONS
- Heats slowly
- Heavy and difficult to handle when hot
- Breaks and chips easily
- Sudden temperature extremes can cause cracks
- Requires proper care (unglazed cookware should be soaked in water before use)
PORCELAIN
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Oven
- GOOD FOR Casseroles
- PROS
- Easy to clean
- Non-reactive
- Retains heat
- Non-stick
- CONS
- Can chip and break easily
- Can be expensive
- Heats slowly
- Heavy
TITANIUM
BROWSE NOW- SAFE FOR Stovetop, Oven
- GOOD FOR Baking, braising, broiling, searing & poaching
- PROS
- Heats evenly and quickly
- Extraordinarily light
- Non-reactive
- Very strong and resistant to rust, corrosion, scratching and denting
- Naturally non-stick
- Very easy to clean
- CONS
- Very expensive