What Are The Pros and Cons of Stainless Steel Cookware?
Learning about stainless steel cookware pros and cons may be the difference between whether or not you decide to buy these pots and pans. This cookware is among the most popular types in many households.
Even professional chefs prefer cooking utensils made of this material because they say it gives them the best results.
You may have heard of how excellent this type of cookware is, but you are yet to try them out. When considering buying anything, you should always look at its advantages and disadvantages. The same case applies to this kitchenware.
Stainless steel has a shiny silver appearance, which is how cooking utensils manufactured using this material look. It is constructed using three different layers of metal. This ensures your cookware’s durability, and you won’t have to keep replacing them.
All you need to do is take good care of your utensils.
You can trust these kitchen cooking utensils to provide you with healthy and tasty meals for generations to come.
Pros of Stainless Steel Cookware
The endless praises you hear about the best stainless steel cookware sets are due to the benefits associated with using them.
Here are some of the reasons professional cooks and home cooks love to use stainless steel cookware.
Long-lasting
Buying stainless steel cooking utensils is an investment you cannot regret. Chromium is used to manufacture this cookware, and it prevents corrosion. Therefore, your pots will not develop rust, so they won’t get damaged easily.
Nickel is also a material used in steel construction, making it more corrosion-resistant.
The combination of these two elements creates a highly durable product. Stainless steel is resistant to dents and scratches. Thus, it will not get damaged easily.
This means that you will not go back to shopping for cookware anytime soon. You can use what you have for generations to come.
Preserves the taste of the food
Have you ever cooked your meal using particular pots only to realize that the food tastes different when ready? This will never happen with stainless steel cookware simply because they are designed to preserve food flavor. It can do this because it does not allow metal to leach into the food. It does not interfere with your food even if you cook acidic foods.
Another reason why it doesn’t tamper with your food is that it lacks a non-stick coating. Therefore, no material will come off and get absorbed into the food.
In the end, you eat healthy food that hasn’t been contaminated with any toxic chemicals. The food will also retain its value and nutrition.
Related reading: Can You Store Food In Stainless Steel?
Conducts heat evenly
If you have ever eaten unevenly cooked food, you know the importance of a cooking utensil that conducts heat uniformly.
Stainless steel on its own is not a good conductor of heat. However, manufacturers usually construct the base using copper and aluminum core, which can transfer heat to food.
The pots and pans then absorb and transfer heat fast and evenly during cooking even at high temperatures. You will, therefore, save time and end up with properly cooked meals.
Easy to clean
Many people do not like cleaning, and thinking of spending hours washing cooking utensils gives them a headache. This is something you won’t worry about with this cookware.
The stainless steel pans are dishwasher safe, which makes your work easy. The fact that food does not stick to the cooking pan means you won’t have to struggle to get food particles off.
Just get your stainless steel cleaner at home and occasionally put it in your dishwasher to get your cookware clean.
Maintains its appearance for a long time.
Many cooking utensils typically lose their good appearance over time, but this doesn’t happen to stainless steel. The mirrored finish it has will still be there many years from today.
These fry pans and skillets are classic products because they never look old, regardless of how often you use them. They will always sparkle and continue to make your kitchen look elegant.
No toxic materials
The manufacturers of stainless steel cookware do not use dangerous materials in the construction process to cover the cooking surface of utensils. The substances such as PFOA, PTFE, and PFOA that might be harmful to human health, according to some scientists, are not used to manufacture stainless steel pans.
Stainless steel does not produce any chemical reaction no matter how hot they get. Therefore, your food is safe from any harmful chemicals.
Recyclable
If you are someone who doesn’t like waste, then you will love this kitchen appliance. This is because you can recycle the material.
Let’s imagine your pot gets damaged. That is not the end of it. It can still be used to make other materials. This is one reason some people go for stainless steel cookware because they know that they will not waste any material.
Cons of Stainless Steel Cookware
As great as they are, stainless cookware also has disadvantages which are as follows.
High-priced
The cookware has different prices according to the grade of stainless steel used. Generally, they are most costly than other types of cookware.
Some people are discouraged from buying them because of how expensive they are. However, a majority of families consider it a worthwhile investment since it can last you a lifetime.
Poor conductor of heat without copper or aluminum layer
To properly cook your food with stainless steel, it needs to have a base layered with aluminum or copper. Without these two elements, you will have to wait forever for your meal to get ready because pure stainless steel heat conductivity is poor.
Food sticks to the cookware
Stainless steel is not a non-stick cookware. This cookware does not have the nonstick coating that is present in other cookware types (like cermic cookware). Therefore, some types of food will stick to the stainless steel pots and pans while cooking. Some users have realized that using enough oil helps to significantly minimize this.
Examples of food that get stuck on the pans include eggs, fish, and tofu. When these foods leave particles on the pots, cleaning them becomes difficult. This is something that some users dislike.
Knowing that you can avoid using oil when cooking with stainless steel cookware is vital. If you don’t use oil, food will definitely get stuck on your cooking utensils.
Conclusion
Now that you have adequate information on stainless steel cookware’s pros and cons, you can tell whether or not these pots and pans are perfect for you.
What you can also do is maximize the benefits and minimize the disadvantages. For example, use adequate amounts of oil when cooking with these cookware sets to reduce food sticking.
These sets may be costly, but if you find the benefits worth the cost, you can invest in good quality ones that will last you a lifetime.