Teflon and stainless steel
Aluminum, copper, Teflon, stainless steel and cast iron -- the choices in cookware can be confusing. But do your research before buying. When purchasing tools for your kitchen, it's important to select pots and pans that fit your needs.
Don't settle for something cheap when what you really need is quality. "Good cookware is second only to a sharp knife in the kitchen," says Toronto chef Christine Cushing, author of Pure Food: How to Shop, Cook and Have Fun in Your Kitchen Every Day (Whitecap, 2007). "Your pots don't have to cost $300 each, but they do need to conduct heat, retain their shape and not scorch." Besides, quality cookware is an investment that pays over time, because you won't need to replace inexpensive pans each year.
Read on for the pros and cons of five different types of cookware: Teflon/nonstick, copper, stainless steel, cast iron and aluminum.
Don't settle for something cheap when what you really need is quality. "Good cookware is second only to a sharp knife in the kitchen," says Toronto chef Christine Cushing, author of Pure Food: How to Shop, Cook and Have Fun in Your Kitchen Every Day (Whitecap, 2007). "Your pots don't have to cost $300 each, but they do need to conduct heat, retain their shape and not scorch." Besides, quality cookware is an investment that pays over time, because you won't need to replace inexpensive pans each year.
Read on for the pros and cons of five different types of cookware: Teflon/nonstick, copper, stainless steel, cast iron and aluminum.
1. Teflon/nonstick
All nonstick cookware is made with the same chemical, PTFE. Teflon is the brand name for nonstick cookware from DuPont, but other companies manufacture the same product under different names.
Pros:
• Nonstick pans are particularly good for egg and fish dishes, ideally cooked over a medium heat, suggests Cushing.
• Nonstick pans are affordable, easy to use and easy to clean. Just make sure to clean them with nonscratching tools.
Cons:
• According to Health Canada, nonstick pans can be a health risk if heated above 350C/650F, which could easily happen if you leave an empty pan on a hot burner. Use such pans only on low to medium heat and don't leave them empty or unattended.
• The chemical used to make nonstick pans, PTFE, is suspected to be carcinogenic, although research on whether exposure to the pans is dangerous is inconclusive. There is also evidence that carcinogens are released during the manufacturing process. The Canadian Cancer Society offers more information on the health risks of nonstick pans on its website.
Tips:
• Use plastic or wooden utensils -- no metal -- on nonstick pans so that you don't scratch the surface, and take care when storing them in your cupboards or drawers; anything placed on top could scratch the nonstick surface.
• To prolong the wear of nonstick pans, Cushing suggests using them only for egg and fish dishes and using other pans for other jobs.
2. Stainless steel
Stainless steel doesn't leach into food, is affordable and is easy to clean. While stainless steel conducts heat poorly, you can often find pans with an inner core made of copper or aluminum, improving conductivity.
Pros
• "Stainless is the best at high heat since it's strongest," says Cushing, noting that it's a good choice for sauteeing.
• Stainless steel is...well, stainless. Unlike other types of cookware, its surface lasts.
Cons
• Beware of cheap stainless-steel cookware: According to the Joy of Cooking, (Simon and Schuster, 2006) manufacturers often offset stainless steel's poor conductivity "by thinning down the gauge or thickness of the steel, but this causes hot spots to develop and food cooked in it is apt to burn easily."
Tips
• Health Canada advises not storing highly acidic foods, such as stewed rhubarb or tomatoes, in stainless-steel pans.
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All nonstick cookware is made with the same chemical, PTFE. Teflon is the brand name for nonstick cookware from DuPont, but other companies manufacture the same product under different names.
Pros:
• Nonstick pans are particularly good for egg and fish dishes, ideally cooked over a medium heat, suggests Cushing.
• Nonstick pans are affordable, easy to use and easy to clean. Just make sure to clean them with nonscratching tools.
Cons:
• According to Health Canada, nonstick pans can be a health risk if heated above 350C/650F, which could easily happen if you leave an empty pan on a hot burner. Use such pans only on low to medium heat and don't leave them empty or unattended.
• The chemical used to make nonstick pans, PTFE, is suspected to be carcinogenic, although research on whether exposure to the pans is dangerous is inconclusive. There is also evidence that carcinogens are released during the manufacturing process. The Canadian Cancer Society offers more information on the health risks of nonstick pans on its website.
Tips:
• Use plastic or wooden utensils -- no metal -- on nonstick pans so that you don't scratch the surface, and take care when storing them in your cupboards or drawers; anything placed on top could scratch the nonstick surface.
• To prolong the wear of nonstick pans, Cushing suggests using them only for egg and fish dishes and using other pans for other jobs.
2. Stainless steel
Stainless steel doesn't leach into food, is affordable and is easy to clean. While stainless steel conducts heat poorly, you can often find pans with an inner core made of copper or aluminum, improving conductivity.
Pros
• "Stainless is the best at high heat since it's strongest," says Cushing, noting that it's a good choice for sauteeing.
• Stainless steel is...well, stainless. Unlike other types of cookware, its surface lasts.
Cons
• Beware of cheap stainless-steel cookware: According to the Joy of Cooking, (Simon and Schuster, 2006) manufacturers often offset stainless steel's poor conductivity "by thinning down the gauge or thickness of the steel, but this causes hot spots to develop and food cooked in it is apt to burn easily."
Tips
• Health Canada advises not storing highly acidic foods, such as stewed rhubarb or tomatoes, in stainless-steel pans.
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