When it comes time to replace your old pan, it’s important to know what to look for when choosing a new one. Here are six things you should keep in mind when shopping for a pan: its material, size, shape, weight, lid, and price.
1. The Material
There are several different materials a pan can be made from, but the two most common types are stainless steel and cast iron. According to Scanpan reviews, stainless steel pans will typically have aluminum or copper cores sandwiched in between layers of stainless steel for even heat distribution. The base of the pan is usually magnetic so it can be used on any type of cooktop, including induction. Many people prefer cast iron because they maintain an evenly distributed heat throughout cooking, which means food will not burn as easily when compared to other types of pans. The main thing to look for is whether it’s oven-safe, induction-ready, has a nonstick coating inside of it (if you plan on cooking with less fat), can handle high temperatures, etc. If your best option isn’t one that has all the proper safety features described here then simply find another option – otherwise, you might end up severely injuring yourself because you didn’t make the right choice, to begin with. Visit the site to know more about what pots and pans you need.
2. Size Matters
The size of your cooking pans affects how you use them and how much food you’re able to prepare at one time. You want to make sure that whatever preferred pan style is (i.e., frying, sauteing, etc.) you get pans that are large enough to hold the amount of food you’d like to prepare. If you’re cooking for one or two people then getting smaller-sized cooking pans is likely fine. However, if you cook for larger groups it may be more beneficial to invest in larger-sized cookware.
3. Shape and Weight Matter Too
The size of your cookware not only affects how much food can fit in it but also what shape it is and the weight of the pan itself. For example, a straight-sided pan can make flipping pancakes or omelets easier than a pan with sloped sides would be able to do so because there’s less liquid sticking to the side of the pan. A heavy-weight stockpot is going to be harder to lift and drain off excess liquid than a lighter one would be, so that’s something else to keep in mind as well.
4. Lids
Lids aren’t always necessary, but they can come in handy if you need them for certain recipes. If keeping your food hot is your main priority then having a lid on your smaller-sized pots or pans can help do just that. Also, lids are helpful when it comes time to reheat foods because they trap heat inside of the pan and warm up the temperature more evenly than using no lid at all would allow. The lid of a stainless steel pan is flat and doesn’t allow liquid to escape as easily as the lid of a cast iron pan would since it has sloped sides. Those types of lids are great for frying foods because the liquid is contained inside of the pan instead of dripping out onto your stovetop or countertops.
5. Price Matters Too!
Pans don’t have to be outrageously expensive to be high-quality. You could likely find a nice set of pans at a thrift store for much less than what it would cost you to purchase brand new ones from a department store. If shopping at thrift stores doesn’t appeal to you then simply searching around online can help you find excellent deals on top quality cookware sets that will last you a long time and withstand just about anything you could ever put them through.
6. Don’t Forget To Look For Brands
If going the cheap route isn’t your thing then make sure the brand is one that specializes in high-end cookware because those brands will typically invest more time and energy into making their pans even better than other companies do. When choosing which brands are best for you, take the time to check out some of the different products they have on offer so that you can narrow down your selection more easily. For example, All-Clad is a well-known brand in the cookware industry and their products are highly durable which means they’re likely worth investing in if you can afford them.
There are many things to look for when choosing which pans you’d like to invest in. The main thing is that they’re high-quality enough to use long-term without breaking or chipping inside of the first few uses. However, if your best option doesn’t have all of the safety features listed above then just go with another style of the pan because anything less than perfect could result in serious injuries.
