How to choose the right cookware for equipping your kitchen

Need to equip yourself or complete your cookware? Looking for a model suitable for induction? Saucepan, frying pan, pancake pan, casserole, saute pan… Here are all our tips for choosing the right model!

The secrets of a good kitchen battery

For a good cookware, there are a few essentials:

• Pans that last: here are 100 stainless steel cookware! Stainless steel and cast iron have excellent performance. Choose models with a metal handle that is stronger, and ideally riveted or welded.

• Pans that lead quickly to heat and respond well to temperature differences: models with a non-stick coating meet these two criteria well, so they are used so much. They are nevertheless fragile because they are easily scratched.

• Easy-to-care pans: while non-stick coated models are known for their ease of maintenance, they also scratch very easily and can not be used with metal utensils. The best alternatives are then stainless steel and aluminum.
• Easy storage: some pans have removable handles. Convenient to finish baking, they also slip easier into the dishwasher and fit easily! In the same concern for space saving, there are models with foldable handle.

Which is the best material for induction?

To operate on an induction hob, the pan must contain a magnetic metal. Models compatible with induction are usually made of iron, stainless steel or cast iron. Copper or aluminum are not suitable. The casserole compatible with induction is also characterized by a fairly thick bottom, resistant to temperature differences.

Note: if these characteristics are unavoidable to work with induction, nothing prevents the use of these materials with another source of heat (gas or electric).

The essential pan

Ideal for cooking rice, heating a cup of milk, preparing a sauce or boiling water pasta, it comes in different capacities and different materials:

• Stainless steel: generally uncoated, stainless, ultra-resistant, easy to clean, ideal for baking or grilling.

• Cast iron: ideal for simmering, braising and making dishes in sauce thanks to a progressive distribution of heat.

• Aluminum: robust, heats quickly and evenly.

• Steel: very robust, suitable for high temperature cooking, ideal for intensive use.

Do you equip yourself for the first time? You have decided to replace all your old cookware? Opt for the models sold in batch: in addition to offering you flexibility during use, it is also an economical solution!

Choosing the right cover

The choice of materials and the coating of the pan vary according to the use and the cooking use: one will not use the same coating of pan to seize a meat, to warm a dish in sauce or to cook an egg.

• Stainless steel: Easy to maintain and robust, it is suitable for slow and soft cooking. In contrast, stainless steel sticks more than other types of materials.
• Ceramic: It is resistant to high temperatures and is suitable for daily use, ideal for grasping and browning food. However, the ceramic remains fragile to shocks and scratches. This new coating appeared a few years ago and is replacing more and more Teflon, hazardous materials for health.
• Stone cladding: These are cast aluminum pans in which stone particles have been embedded. It is suitable for everyday use: the heat is evenly distributed, its non-stick coating resists scratching. It allows cooking of a wide range of foods, without adding fat.
• Steel: Almost indestructible, they allow a high temperature cooking, perfect to grab a meat. However, they require a demanding maintenance.
• Copper: This is a very beautiful high-end material often used by the greatest chefs. It distributes heat very well and allows fast and precise cooking of food.

Which model for which use?

• Frying pan: with its low edges, it is the versatile pan par excellence. Fry steamed apples, cook a fried egg, prepare a sauce, it is also ideal for frying a fish.
• Grill pan: square or rectangular, this cast iron pan can cook and grill steaks or escalopes without adding fat, and even your fish fillets without bending them. Its striated bottom makes it possible to caramelize your meat and reduces the surface of adhesion so that the food does not stick too much. Some models even have a spout to easily evacuate the cooking juices.
• Wok: thanks to its spherical shape, this pan from Asia can cook your food very quickly and without fat, simmer, brown, fry or steam. With high edges and plenty of capacity, all ingredients can be cooked at the same time. 
• Crepe maker: specially designed for cooking pancakes, its ultra-flat shape, almost without rim, and its non-stick coating allows you to slide and return the pancakes without difficulty.
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