Safe for: Stove, oven, broiler.
Good for: Searing, sautéing, braising, and making sauces.
Most popular sizes: A good stainless-steel sauté pan with straight sides is extremely versatile. A 10-to 12-inch skillet (size 25 to 30) is also a good choice instead of sauté pan. If you’re going all out, also consider sauce pan and a stainless stockpot or soup pot.
What to make: Sautéed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce, Perfect Pan-Seared Steaks, Braised Root Vegetables and Cabbage with Fall Fruit
Stainless steel is non-reactive, durable, dishwasher-safe, and resistant to rust, corrosion, scratching, and denting. It’s also pretty easy on the eyes. However, on its own, stainless steel is a terrible heat conductor. Here comes our R &D, boosted stainless-steel cookware by adding a core of another type of metal in the base that conducts heat more effectively, in our case we chose “aluminum” over “ copper” based on our expertise and research on this metal exceeding half a century.
Pros:
- Non-reactive.
- Less expensive than other options, such as copper.
- Dishwasher-safe.
Cons:
- Poor heat conductivity relative to other materials unless reinforced with aluminum or copper.
- Can be expensive, especially with copper core.
Safe for: Stovetop, oven.
Good for: Depending on the type of pan, eggs, fish, searing, sautéing.
Most popular sizes: Anodized aluminum pans are a less expensive alternative to stainless steel, so, depending on what is already in your kitchen cabinets, a set of frying pans (varying sizes) may be a good addition. Consider an anodized aluminum roasting pan with rack, as well. Aluminum is also used to improve the heat-conducting characteristics of steel baking pans – start with a set of large sheet pans.
What to make:Spring Vegetable Sauté, Roast Beef and Onions, Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Aluminum is also a popular material for bakeware, but it is almost always paired with another type of metal to increase durability. Aluminized steel baking pans and sheets are very popular among professional bakers thanks to their durability, great heat transfer, and corrosion-resistance.12
Pros:
- Excellent thermal conductivity.
- Lightweight and affordable.
- Scratch-resistant and strong.
- A better heat conductor than stainless steel. This is a benefit both for cooking foods on the stovetop and for achieving more evenly baked items in the oven.
Cons:
- Regular anodized aluminum will not work on induction burners. However, many manufacturers make aluminum cookware specifically outfitted to work on induction stovetops
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: Non-stick pans are ideal for items that stick easily, such as eggs, delicate fish, and crepes.
Most popular sizes: Start with a medium skillet – we recommend a 12-inch (size 30) . A smaller skillet can also be helpful when cooking for one.
What to make: Sunday Frittata, Chicken and Apple Egg White Omelet, Quick and Easy Crepes
While non-stick pans are not ideal for all jobs, they do have their place. They allow cooking with less fat and are also much easier to clean compared to other non-lined metal cookware.
Non-stick pans can be made from the same types of metal as other cookware – stainless steel, aluminum, and copper, for instance. The only difference is that the cooking surface is coated with a non-stick compound. Al-Ahram Cookware Company chose “anodized aluminum” because it is lightweight, affordable, rust-resistant, and a good heat conductor, which means that it reacts quickly to changes in cooking temperature.
Pros:
- Allows cooking with less fat.16
- Many eco-friendly options allow for non-stick coatings that won’t break down over high heat and may be safer.
- Depending on pan material, can be a great heat conductor (look for anodized aluminum or stainless steel with an aluminum or copper base).
- Non-reactive and non-porous.
- Delicate foods such as fish or eggs won’t stick to the pan or break apart.
Cons:
- Must use plastic (nylon, silicone) or wooden utensils; metal utensils will scratch the non-stick coating.
- Can’t withstand super high heat. Non-stick coatings can break down at high heat, so keep non-stick pans at medium-high heat or below