Cookware Buying Guide

Cookware Types

	Fry Pan/Sauteuse Curved side walls for easy stirring and sliding food out of the pan Ideal for frying, scrambling, sautéing or searing Sloped sides prevent steam from forming in the pan
	Sauté pan/Sautoir Wide bottom area for maximum heat conduction Ideal for sautéing, searing, braising, deglazing, poaching, and stir frying Straight, high sides help contain food and expose all sides to heat
	Wok Feature flat bottoms, or round bottoms for high heat concentration. Round bottom woks require a wok ring to sit on a standard burner Ideal for stir frying or wok applications Deep curved sides promote excellent food movement Mandarin woks feature a single standard handle while Cantonese woks feature two loop handles
	Tapered Sauce Pan Small bottom diameter for less heat exposure Flared sides allows for good stirring action Ideal for cooking at lower temperatures for a longer time
	Straight Sided Sauce Pan Wide bottom area for maximum heat conduction Ideal for creating and reducing sauces and cooking vegetables Use with a lid to control evaporation and accelerate cooking
	Brazier/Rondo Wide heating surface allows the cooking of meats and vegetables in limited amounts of liquid Ideal for long, slow cooking which allows the liquid to add juices and flavor Also used as a hot bath in conjunction with tapered sauce pans for melting butters, heating sauces or for blanching vegetables
	Sauce Pot Wide bottom area for maximum heat conduction Ideal for slow cooking stews, sauces, soups, casseroles and roasts while reducing the content Two loop handles for easier pouring and movement
	Stock pot Thick base for a good slow simmer Ideal for stocks, soups, pastas, bulk vegetables and seafood Smaller diameter and taller height of pot preserves liquids longer and forces the liquid to bubble up through the ingredients, maximizing flavor transfer Steam baskets are often used in stock pots to cook food with steam
	Roasting Pan Handles allow for easy oven loading and unloading, as well as convenient transportation Heavy duty construction and large size accommodates roasts, hams, and turkeys
	Paella Pan Flat and shallow construction with sloping sides helps paella cook evenly and allows for the toasting of rice in the bottom of the pan Side handles allow for easy maneuverability Compatible with all heat sources
	Egg Poacher Individual cups consistently provide evenly-shaped poached eggs Models available with 4-15 cups for high volume efficiency
	Cast Iron Skillet Heavy duty Great for sautéing and searing
	Double Boiler Great for melting chocolate and preparing delicate sauces, as well as reheating, and moisture free cooking

Bakeware Types

	Angel Food Cake Pan Tubular design with a hollow core allows for even heating Ideal for angel food cakes and bundt cakes Straight sides and non-nonstick surface help the cake rise Three cooling legs allow the cake to cool upside down as required
	Bread Loaf Pan Deep construction allows for high rising Perfect for bread, cake, and pudding Excellent heat conduction permits low temperature baking for optimum results
	Sheet Pan The workhorse of any bakery Thin sheet ideal for baking cookies, rolls, and other foods that don't produce a lot of liquids Upturned lips prevent products from sliding off and allow for easy handling
	Cake Pan Straight side walls for a clean, easy release Ideal for baking cakes and deep dish pizzas
	Muffin Pan Models available with 6 – 48 cups for high volume efficiency Ideal for mini, standard, and jumbo sized muffins or cupcakes
	Pie Pan Angled sides prevent crust from slumping Wide rim allows for simple fluting
	Springform Cake Pan Two-piece construction with removable sides for an easy release Ideal for cheesecake, tortes, quiche, and other dishes that may be difficult to remove from a standard pan
	Tart Pan Straight, fluted sides for a crisp, presentable crust Removable bottom permits taking out a tart without damaging its crust

Material

Cast Iron: Cast iron cookware is a good heat conductor and maintains temperatures well due to the density of the metal. It is durable but heavy, and will rust quickly if not kept conditioned and dried at all times. Cast iron cookware requires seasoning to maintain a non-stick surface.

Aluminum: Aluminum cookware is an excellent heat conductor, as well as reasonably durable and lightweight. It is, however, prone to discoloration and can discolor light colored foods and sauces which can make them taste bitter. As a countermeasure, anodized aluminum is coated to prevent such side effects.

Copper: The best heat conductor for cookware, copper is also favored because it is visually appealing. However, it is a heavy metal that will bend and dent easily. Another big concern is that it can react chemically with some foods to create poisonous compounds, so copper cookware is often lined with another type of metal.

Stainless Steel: Stainless steel has the advantage of being very durable while not reacting with foods or discoloring them. Since it is a poor heat conductor and prone to hot spots and scorching, stainless steel cookware sometimes features a multi-ply construction where a disc of conductive metal is attached to the bottom of the pan to aid in heat conduction and distribution.

It is worth noting that many cookware instruments come with non-stick surfaces that greatly reduce the amount of clinging food. See our fry pans buying guide for more information.

Thickness

Beyond material construction, it is always important to consider the thickness of the cookware you're investing in. But how do you know how thick an item is? The thickness of cookware is generally measured in either gauge or mils, but the way you read these numbers is totally different! 1 mil is equal to 1/1000”, so you know that the higher the mil, the thicker the metal.

Gauge, however, works in the opposite fashion—the higher the gauge, the thinner the metal. Most of the cookware you find will fall somewhere between a thick 10 gauge construction and a thinner 22 gauge construction. Click here for a chart that converts gauges to inches.

While thicker metal is often preferable, there are always pros and cons to account for.

Forming Process

While we're talking about the thickness of your cookware, did you know the way in which an item's metal is formed can directly impact its thickness? Cookware is primarily molded through one of two processes known as drawing and spinning.

Handles

There are also some purchasing considerations that you should keep in mind when looking at the type of handle that is attached to your cookware.

Riveted Riveted handles are the sturdiest handles available and, because they are permanently attached, they never need to be tightened. However, they do require more thorough cleansing care to prevent bacterial buildup around the rivets.

Welded Welded handles present a uniform construction and allow for a perfectly smooth interior, but they are not as sturdy as riveted handles.

Screwed On Screwed on handles are very easy to replace and allow for a smooth interior, but they are not as sturdy as riveted handles.