Cookware is collective term to represent utensils that are used for making our food through different cooking methods like roasting, grilling, frying, steaming, sautéing, boiling, baking, barbecuing, broiling, braising, poaching, smoking and microwaving. Hence it’s an essential component in everybody’s home, whether it is indoors or outdoors.
With multiple options around us, here are the 7 points to consider before choosing a good cookware, prioritising our need, food nutrition and product quality.
1. One’s need:
There is a product for everyone’s need. But the selection depends on the type of food / cuisine we follow at our home kitchen, the quantity of food we make usually and the amount of time we spend to make our food.
It also depends on whether you are a beginner or a seasoned cook.
2. Utmost nutrition:
Food we eat is for our survival and it happens through building and repairing our body. So we have to make sure that our cookware prevents the loss of food nutrients after cooking and supports with flavour n taste to the dish.
3. Product quality:
Quality of the cookware mainly depends upon the purity of the material or metal that is used for manufacturing. This ensures the durability of the product and prevents damage.
Handles: Handles are necessary for medium to large sized pots to lift them. They may come with same or different material/metal of the corresponding cookware. Some are heat proof, while other are heat-resistant.
Lids: Cookwares comes with and without lids, depending on type of cooking methods. Some might fit lightly upon the base. Some might fit tightly. Some might come with lock n cook systems. They might be glassy n see through or opaque n metallic. They might have heat proof or heat resistant knobs & handles to lift them easily.
4. Different types of materials / metals:
This is all about pairing the cooktop, the cooking surface and the cookware, to bring in the compatibility. Types of Cooktops include electric, gas, induction, wood fire, oven, grill, etc, Types of cooking surfaces include open fire, metals, stainless steel, glass/ceramic, etc., Similarly cookwares are made up of mud, clay, soft stones, metals (Iron, Copper, Tin, Aluminium), Alloys / Combination of different metals (Brass, Bronze, Cast iron, Carbon steel, Indallium,etc.,).
We might need to learn their physical and chemical behaviour towards heat n water. They should not cause any undesirable stickiness and discolouration of the food. More over they must be non-toxic, non-reactive and non-leaching. It is always advisable to avoid cookware with chemically treated surface.
5. Cost of the product:
Cost is always proportional to the quality of the product, longevity of the product and an individual’s need. It might vary with materials n metals, geographies n taxes, availability n demand, lids n handles and even certifications n authorisations.
6. Latest innovations:
Ancient clay pots, stoneware and metalware comes with new designs and better utility values. Some are even made in less weight models to save the cost.
7. Proper use and care:
Cookware come with different materials, shapes and sizes. It is better to know the cleaning materials and procedures with respect to the cookware material/metal. Their storage conditions, exposure to water n heat and conditioning or seasoning techniques ensures longevity of the product. Such maintenance will avoid cracks, rust formation, dents and accidental breakage. It’s very important to check whether the cookware, the lid, the handles are dishwasher safe and microwavable.
And above all its our responsibility to welcome them to our kitchen delightfully and offer them the required time to adapt in our kitchen and to us, as well. Lastly let us not forget to thank our cookware often!