Choosing the Right Cookware: A Guide to Types of Pots and Pans

Choosing the right cookware greatly impacts your cooking results. The materials and construction affect heat distribution, cooking speed, and even the flavors infused into your dishes. Whether you're a seasoned chef, a cooking enthusiast, or the designated home chef, understanding these details is key to enhancing your culinary experience. 

Before you dive into selecting the ideal cookware, here's a simple guide to help you with your decision-making process.

Cookware Materials You Should Know

Pots and pans are made from a variety of materials—stainless steel, glass, ceramic, cast iron, and more. Each cookware material works best for different cooking methods, styles, and even cooktops. Knowing these materials will help you build your set of pots and pans and cook your favorite recipes properly. 

Stainless Steel

Popular for its durability, versatility, and sleek appearance, stainless steel cookware is great for boiling, sautéing, and baking. Pots and pans made from stainless steel have a quick-heating surface that lets you cook food evenly. It's also resistant to discoloration and maintains its polished look over time.

Nonstick

Nonstick cookware is the best option for its convenience and ease of cooking and cleaning. Its nonstick surface allows food to slide off easily and reduces the need for excess oil or butter when cooking delicate foods like eggs, pancakes, and fish.

Ceramic

Ceramic cookware has gained popularity for its ease of use and health-conscious features. High-quality ceramic cookware is free from synthetic, toxic chemicals like PFOA, PTFE, lead, and cadmium, which can penetrate your food while cooking. 

Ceramic pans and pots are often coated with ceramic nonstick surfaces for easy cooking and cleaning. It also distributes heat evenly across the cooking surface for a consistent cooking result.

Glass

Glass cookware is known for its transparency and unique properties. It distributes heat evenly, making it suitable for a wide range of dishes. What makes it so versatile is it can be used for baking, roasting, and even serving dishes.

Cast Iron

Known for its robustness and versatility in the kitchen, cast iron cookware has excellent heat retention properties, which makes it ideal for slow cooking, searing, frying, baking, braising, and roasting.

Types of Cookware

When it comes to cooking pots and pans, there is a diverse array of options to choose from. Here are some of the most common types and how they can enhance your cooking adventures.

Frying Pans 

Frying pans feature flat, shallow bottoms with sloping sides, perfect for quick cooking and flipping foods. They come in various sizes and materials, from stainless steel to nonstick frying pans, catering to different cooking preferences.

Sauté Pans

Saute pans resemble frying pans but have straighter sides. They are used for browning, sautéing, and deglazing food which is ideal for creating flavorful dishes with minimal splatter.

Saucepans

Featuring high, straight sides and a long handle, saucepans are versatile cookware for every kitchen. They're great for simmering sauces, soups, and boiling liquids, thanks to even heat distribution.

Dutch Ovens

Heavy, lidded pots known as Dutch ovens are made of materials like cast iron or ceramic. They are used for slow cooking and braising, with even heat retention that ensures tender, flavorful results.

Stock Pots

Specialized for making stocks, soups, and big batches of pasta, stock pots have large, deep pots with a wide base. They typically come with sturdy handles and lids.

Griddle Pans

This type of cooking pan features a flat and smooth cooking surface great for achieving grill-like results when outdoor grilling is not an option. Griddle pans are ideal to use on stovetops, including gas, electric, and induction, as well as on outdoor grills. 

Buying Cookware Sets

There are two ways you can buy your kitchen pots and pans. You either purchase them individually or opt for a cookware set instead. A cookware set is a bundle of different essential pots and pans. It comes in a set of four or more and may include all the staple items such as saucepans, frying pans, stockpots, and sauté pans. 

Buying a cookware set is a convenient way to equip your kitchen with a range of cooking tools. This also ensures that you have the necessary items to prepare a variety of dishes and cuisines in your kitchen. Here are some tips on what to look for when buying cookware sets:

1. Match your cooking style

Select cookware sets that align with your cooking habits. Choose sets tailored to your cooking preferences, whether it's nonstick for easy cleanup, stainless steel for durability, or cast iron for versatile cooking.

2. Size and Variety

Diversify your cookware collection with a range of pot and pan sizes. Most sets come with a saucepan, a pot, and at least two frying pans, with varying sizes and dimensions. This lets you accommodate different cooking tasks and serve various quantities of food. 

3. Check for stove compatibility 

Confirming the compatibility of your cookware bundle with the stovetop is essential to ensure efficient and safe cooking. Make sure the cookware type, material, and size are compatible with different stovetop types, whether induction, gas, or electric.

4. Color options

Consider the available color selections when choosing your cookware set to match your kitchen's aesthetic. Select a set that not only fulfills your functional requirements but also complements your kitchen's design and decor.

Investing in cookware sets will not only make cooking more fun, but it will also help you make meals that taste good and are well-prepared.

Now that you know more about pots and pans, finding the right kitchen cookware is easy with Crate and Barrel Philippines. Browse our collection of cookware essentials today.