How to choose a pan

The taste of the dish depends not only on the skill of the chef and the quality of the ingredients, but also on the dishes in which this dish is prepared. Therefore, when choosing a pan, it is important to take into account the type of material from which it is made, the thickness of the bottom and walls, the lid and the knobs, the type of non-stick coating and, of course, the manufacturer.

choose the pan

Types of pots

Stainless steel pots

Stainless steel products are often used in professional kitchens. They do not rust and well withstand exposure to alkaline and acidic environments. Stainless steel pots do not react chemically with food, even with long food storage.

When buying, pay attention to the bottom of the product. It is desirable that it be thick and multi-layered (encapsulated). Copper and aluminum layers can be used as a layer. Due to this capacity is heated more evenly, better retains heat, and it does not burn food.

Virtues

Do not oxidize;
Long service life - tens of years;
They can store food;
Do not require special care, can be washed in a dishwasher;
Beautiful appearance;
Resistant to mechanical stress;
Suitable for all types of plates, including induction;
Resistant to corrosion;

disadvantages

High price;
When overheating on the walls of the product spots and stains appear;
In pots with a thin bottom and walls, the food is unevenly heated and often burns.

Cast Iron Pans

Products made of cast iron have low thermal conductivity, due to which they slowly and evenly heat up and cool down just as slowly. Therefore, they are often used to extinguish and languid foods. Pig-iron, stewed potatoes, cabbage and other dishes are excellent in cast-iron saucepans. In addition, dishes made of cast iron can be put in the oven, as well as used on all types of plates.

Virtues

Reliability and resistance to mechanical stress;
It keeps warm for a long time;
Durability - cast-iron cookware can "work through" for decades, while maintaining its original appearance and functionality;

disadvantages

Great weight (3–7 kg);
Corrosive tendency - after washing the product must be wiped dry and oiled. It is also recommended to ignite cast iron utensils with oil;
It is impossible to wash in the dishwasher;
Increased fragility - can fall when falling;
The high price (on average, 2,000–4,000 rubles);

Enameled pans

Products from the enameled metal have beautiful appearance. They are great for storing food and cooking soups, cabbage soup, stewed fruit, jam or marinade. Such products withstand the effects of an acidic and alkaline environment.

Enamel protects the metal from corrosion, and the products - from hazardous toxic substances that can migrate into metal products. But enameled coating is not durable.It is quickly damaged, and chips are formed on the inner surface of the pan. In this case, the dishes need to throw out, because its further use can be harmful to health.

Virtues

Low price, on average, 400-1 000 rubles. But cast iron pots with enamel coating are more expensive - about 3,000–6,000 rubles;
Resistant to corrosion;
They can store food for a long time;

disadvantages

Food often burns;
Failure. Enamel quickly peels off, and after that the product can not be used.

Heat Resistant Glass Pots

Glass products make it easier to control cooking. Contrary to popular belief, they withstand high temperatures and are great for cooking on gas and an electric stove. In addition, they can be used in the oven and microwave.

Virtues

Products in glassware do not stick;
Glass has a very low thermal conductivity, so it cools slowly;
Does not release substances hazardous to health when in contact with food;
It can store food;
Easy to clean;

disadvantages

Glass pans are afraid of temperature extremes. Therefore, they can not be put on hot plates and in very heated ovens. Also, do not wash hot dishes under cold water;
When cooking on gas it is necessary to use a flame divider;
Glass products are characterized by increased fragility - they can break if dropped or struck;

Aluminum pots

Aluminum cookware has a high thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance. It has low weight and low cost. Upon contact with oxygen, an oxide film appears on the surface of aluminum, which protects food from the "migration" of metal ions released during heating. However, this film is destroyed when exposed to acids, salt and food storage. To minimize the negative effects of aluminum, pots often have an additional protective coating of another material.

Virtues

Little weight;
Does not rust;
It has a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, and, therefore, the dish is cooked faster;
Affordable price;

disadvantages

You cannot store food in aluminum pans;
Pans from stamped, not cast aluminum, and products with thin walls and a bottom quickly deform and become useless.
Food often burns to the aluminum surface;
Products without protective coating may be hazardous to health;
Can change the taste and flavor of food;

Ceramic Pans

Ceramic dishes do not emit any hazardous substances in food and do not change the taste of food during storage, unlike aluminum. It is possible to store ready meals in it and are not afraid that they will lose their original taste and flavor. It heats up for a long time and keeps the dish warm.

Virtues

Reasonable price (600–1 500 rub.);
Ceramics are easy to clean (with a sponge and warm water);
Ideal for food storage. They preserve the original taste and aroma of the dish, as well as the beneficial substances that make up it;
Can be used in the oven and microwave;
Ceramic pots are easy to clean;

disadvantages

Great weight;
Ceramic pots are afraid of temperature changes;
Increased fragility - ceramic ware is easy to break;

Copper Pans

Copper pans are often used in professional kitchens. Since copper has a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, it heats up quickly, and this allows you to better control the process of cooking products. However, during oxidation, copper changes the taste of food and releases substances hazardous to health into products, therefore it is not recommended to cook sour dishes in copper containers.To "nullify" these negative properties, manufacturers cover the inner surface of copper products with a special protective coating.

Virtues

Can be used in the oven;
Durability (with proper care);
Great for making jam and stewing meat dishes;
Improves the control of cooking, which significantly increases their taste;

disadvantages

Copper products require special care - they should be rubbed with special cleaners and washed by hand. At the same time it is impossible to use metal washcloths in order not to disturb the protective layer;
In copper dishes without an internal sheeting it is impossible to cook acidic foods, fruits and many vegetables;
With a strong fall or impact, the surface may be deformed;

Sizes and properties

Most pans range in size from two to six liters, but small liter and large ten-liter products can be found. Two- and three-liter dishes are great for cooking stews, and four-and five-liter - for cooking first courses and side dishes for the whole family. A suitable volume of saucepans for soup or borsch can be calculated by the number of family members (at the rate of one liter per person).

Dishes, the volume of which is 0.5-2 liters, suitable for cooking porridge for children, boiling eggs and sauces.

When buying, you should also pay attention to the thickness of the bottom and walls. If the walls are very thin (less than 0.5 mm), the pan will warm up unevenly and quickly deform. The optimal thickness is 0.8 mm for stainless steel and aluminum utensils. The walls of cast iron and enameled pans should be five times thicker (more than 4.5 mm).

The bottom of the pan should be thick or multi-layered (especially in stainless steel products). This makes dishes more durable, ensures uniform heating of the product and prevents food sticking.

Caps

The lids retain the taste and flavor of the dish, do not allow food to "wind up" and facilitates cooking. For example, glass lids allow you to control the cooking process, and lids with a funnel (a small “hole” in the center) - pour liquid seasoning into the dish.

The lids of the saucepans can be equipped with a thermal sensor that indicates to what extent the dishes are heated and when you need to reduce the heat. Some thermal sensors beep when overheated or reach a specified temperature. This facilitates the process of cooking and helps to preserve a greater amount of nutrients in products. Before washing in the dishwasher and using in the oven, the temperature sensor must be removed.
When buying a glass cover, pay attention to the rim material. It can be made of silicone and stainless steel. The lid with a silicone rim can be used in microwave ovens, unlike steel rims, but the latter provide better protection of the glass from mechanical damage and better fit of the lid to the pan.
It is desirable that the lid of the pan had a valve for relieving excess pressure and removing steam. Some products are equipped with an automatic valve, which itself “regulates” the cooking process.

Pens

Pan handles can be made of the same material as the body of the product, as well as bakelite (durable and heat-resistant plastic). Handles made from a single sheet of metal with the body become very hot, so be prepared to use tacks during cooking. If they are welded using spot welding, their heating is less intense. Pots with metal handles can be used in the oven, unlike products with bakelite handles.

Bakelite handles do not heat up, do not slip and lie comfortably in your hand. They can withstand temperatures up to 180 ° C, but if this value is exceeded, they are charred and deformed.Such handles are often attached to the body of dishes with bolts or rivets, but this method of attachment is considered less reliable compared to spot welding.

Non-stick coating

Products made of aluminum, cast iron and steel often have an internal non-stick coating. It prevents food sticking and metal oxidation.

Teflon coating

Non-stick Teflon coating is chemically neutral to acidic and alkaline media. But it is quite difficult to take care of him - with the slightest damage, Teflon begins to release substances that are hazardous to health and associated with the development of cancer, diabetes and infertility. Therefore, pans with a Teflon coating can not be washed with brushes and abrasive cleaners, as well as stir the products with metal spatulas and cutlery.

Teflon coating is also damaged by overheating. It maintains a temperature not higher than 200–250 degrees, and when this value is exceeded, it cracks and releases harmful compounds.

In addition, teflon coated dishes are not very durable. The maximum that she can live is 3-4 years. At the same time after a year of the most "reverent" use Teflon begins to wear out.

Ceramic coating

Ceramic coating is much safer and safer than Teflon. Products with ceramics are excellent for making porridges, meat, boiling milk, etc. They wash easily under running warm water, and are not so much afraid of metal objects, like products with teflon. But you should not “abuse” metal objects. During cooking, it is recommended to use silicone and wood spatulas. Also, you can not expose the dishes "temperature shock" - a sharp change in temperature, otherwise ceramics may crack, and the pan will have to be thrown away.

Titanium and marble coatings

Some products have a titanium or marble coating. Titanium coating (for example, TriTitan) is considered one of the most reliable and safe. It has good wear resistance, is not damaged when using metal objects during cooking, and is easy to clean. In addition, it does not break and does not bubble.

Marble coating is less durable and universal. It is afraid of metal blades and forks, but damaging it is not as easy as Teflon. In addition, the marble coating does not like temperature drops and overheating.

Top manufacturers

When buying pots, it is important to pay attention to the manufacturer. You do not want to buy dishes that will become unusable after a few months of operation? Many unscrupulous companies use low-quality materials in their production, saving on wall thickness, bottom and non-stick coating. As a result, the kitchen utensils are deformed, the coatings are quickly cleaved and washed, and the products are burned.

The best manufacturers of pots are:

Rondell;
Wellberg;
GiPFEL;
Berlinger Haus;
Frybest;
Kukmara;
TalleR;
Tefal.

How to wash a burnt pot of aluminum

Most often, aluminum dishes are washed using silicate glue, soap and soda. The infusion is filled with water, a laundry soap is rubbed into it (about 20 g) and soda ash and silicate glue are added at the rate of one tablespoon per three liters of water. After that, dirty dishes are placed in a cooker and the mixture is boiled for about 30 minutes.

To wash off non-strong carbon deposits from the inner surface, fill the product with water, pour soda or citric acid (one tablespoon of the product per three liters of water) and boil for about 20 minutes. You can also pour apple peel into a bowl, add water and boil it. The larger the surface of the product to clean, the more skin you need to peel.

Aluminum utensils are not recommended to be cleaned with metal scourers and hard brushes. They may scratch the surface.