Stone, Non-stick or Stainless: Learn About the Different Types of Cookware

Avacraft is dedicated to educating its customers on how to use cookware in their creations. Our stress-free sales process is just the start. We’ve dedicated extensive resources, including our blog, to help you learn and grow as a home chef and to choose the types of cookware best for your needs.

Types of Cookware

Stone or Enameled

Stone or granite cookware aren’t actually rock pots, of course. Modern “stone” cookware or pans have a stainless-steel or aluminum core coated with a mineral-based surface. Fused at 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, that surface may contain stone, diamond, marble, ceramic, titanium or porcelain. Such surfaces are non-porous and inert, so whatever’s in the coating should stay there instead of leaching into food. “Durable” doesn’t mean impervious, of course, wooden or plastic utensils and medium heat are recommended.

Stoneware is easy to clean, comes in enough colors to match any decor, can safely store food and is dishwasher safe. Stone cookware may chip easily and food sticks when the surface is damaged and there are those who worry that certain surfaces may contain toxic elements. Stone/enameled cookware is well-adapted to stews, chilis, braising and bread-making.

Non-stick/Teflon

First introduced a generation ago, Teflon-coated pans have become a necessity to many cooks. For the average cook, they do the job that needs doing and do it well enough. They aren’t truly non-stick; a little oil or butter is needed for many recipes but, generally, less than other materials. Non-stick cookware tends to be easy to handle and fairly inexpensive, but the Teflon coating has been shown to be toxic. New formulations are better, but not perfect. The FDA judges them safe but, the more you use them, the more material you may ingest, especially if you overheat your pans. Non-sticks don’t provide the brown-seared crust many people like.

In Teflon pans, the fond (drippings) that form gravy’s base don’t form well, but it’s good for stir-fry, in which cooks want the fond on the food, not the pan. It’s also a good choice for beginning cooks who like food that tends to stick, such as eggs or fish.

Stainless

Stainless is the material-of-choice for Avacraft and most experienced or professional cooks. By itself, stainless conducts heat poorly, so good-quality stainless cookware has a core of copper or aluminum which makes up for that small flaw. Stainless pots are versatile, you can use them on the stove or in the oven/broiler and they’re dishwasher safe. Quality stainless-steel pots and pans are durable, lasting years with little care. They can be budget-friendly, available in discount retailers as well as high-end specialty shops and they’re easy to clean — most are dishwasher-safe. If you go for the bargain-basement steel sets, you may be disappointed; they don’t conduct heat as well and may warp over time. Also, plastic handles may mean it isn’t oven friendly, which can be a pain; go for silicone. Stainless is excellent for searing, sautéing, braising and making sauces. If you like well-done meat with a hard crust, choose steel.