Overview of Cookware Materials

May 21, 2008

Cookware material is a difficult subject to write about because everyone has their own preferences. Yet it is important for new cooks to know what they should be buying when first outfitting a kitchen. Cooking for Engineers has a great article discussing the thermal properties of the materials as well as pros and cons of each kind.

I don’t intend to be so thorough, but rather act as a colander of information, straining out what is useful to you. (Look at that use of topical imagery…brilliant.) So, what is available and what does a new cook need?

There are five materials that you’ll find in the stores, with most having multiple variations: copper, aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, and carbon steel. Let’s take a look at each.

Copper

Copper has the best heat conductivity of any material - heating both quickly and evenly. It also has a relatively low heat capacity, which means it responds to heat changes quickly, whether getting hotter or cooler. Copper reacts with foods, which can lead to health problems, so most cookware you’ll see is lined with tin or stainless steel. Both coverings are non-reactive, but tin requires some extra care. You’ll sometimes see unlined copper bowls, which apparently are good for beating egg whites.

The downside to copper is that it is very expensive and requires special care to maintain its outer finish. Some cookware is has either a copper bottom with a stainless steel top, or, more frequently, a copper core is completely surrounded by stainless steel. I have never cooked with copper pots, so I can’t attest to its ability, but in my opinion it is just not worth it for the price. Cheaper options will probably perform nearly as well. Note that I am not including copper clad in steel – these make great pots and pans without the maintenance copper requires. They are still relatively expensive, but are not as prohibitive as normal copper.

Aluminum

Aluminum is the second best conductor of heat, behind copper. It has great conductivity as well as capacity, meaning it both transfers and retains heat well. Aluminum, like copper, is also reactive. To counter this, aluminum is often sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. Another option is anodized aluminum, which eliminates the reactivity. Anodized aluminum is the dark, charcoal color you see on pans in the store. I do have a question though, does anodized aluminum come in non-nonstick? Or are they all coated?

Aluminum, either anodized or clad in stainless steel, seems like a pretty good bet for new cooks. It has a relatively low price and performs well.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is the worst conductor of heat. It heats unevenly and is slow to respond to heat changes. The greatest benefit of stainless steel is that it is non-reactive, meaning you can wrap it around copper or aluminum and have a pretty good pan. I don’t have much experience with pure stainless steel pans, but I would recommend avoiding them unless they have a better heat conducting layer inside. Regular stainless pots probably perform fine for things like stock pots or boiling pasta.

Cast Iron

Cast iron is an interesting product. As a material, it’s heat conductivity and capacity are good (below aluminum and copper), but because it is usually made thick and heavy, it provides even heating and a large heat capacity. It cooks especially well for searing, baking and frying. Perhaps the best aspect is that it is very inexpensive – a large 12 inch skillet can be had for under $20.

On the other hand, cast iron is reactive and can (reportedly, I haven’t cooked with it) add a slightly off taste to acidic foods. This can mostly be avoided by seasoning the pan, where you build up a layer of fats that make the surface somewhat nonstick and help eliminate the reactivity. Additionally, cast iron is very heavy. Maintenance of cast iron is a little bit more involved (although easier than exposed copper). To maintain the seasoning, or patina, on the surface, you are supposed to avoid soap, rub the surface with salt and water, and then heat it to dry it quickly.

Frequently you will see enameled cast iron, which has a thin glass coating around the outside. This also eliminates the reactivity. Most often you’ll find enameled cast iron dutch ovens.

I have never cooked with cast iron, but I would like to. It seems to offer great conductivity and heat capacity for a very low price (something that is important to me). The extra maintenance is unfortunate, but it doesn’t see too bad. This could be a good choice for new cooks since it offers great performance and a low price, but only if he or she is willing to do the extra maintenance.

Carbon Steel

I don’t know much about carbon steel. I don’t think it is as common in stores as the materials mentioned above. Carbon steel seems to be a cross between cast iron and stainless steel. It requires seasoning like cast iron (unless a special process is applied to it, making it blue or black), but is made from steel layers. It conducts heat better than stainless steel, but still not very well compared to other materials. The advantage over cast iron is that it is light. Carbon steel is also quite inexpensive.

I’m not sure how to recommend carbon steel since I don’t know much about it. It doesn’t seem to offer any great advantages, so you might be better off with a different material.

Nonstick

I just wanted to point out that the stainless steel and aluminum can come with nonstick coatings, which I discussed here. Having a nonstick pan is probably a good idea for things like eggs, but it is not absolutely essential if you don’t want one. The health concerns don’t seem to be a big deal as long as you don’t heat them empty for a long period, but the fumes are immediately deadly to birds. So don’t buy nonstick, bird owners.

Recommendations

Often this matter comes down to personal preference, which is something that new cooks don’t have. Another big factor is how much money you have to spend. I would recommend (assuming you don’t want to spend a ridiculous amount) buying a cast iron skillet in a 12 or 10 inch size, and then an anodized aluminum or aluminum clad in stainless skillet with a nonstick coating in the other size that you don’t have cast iron. For pots, I think plain stainless is fine (someone correct me if I’m wrong), at least at the beginning, or perhaps aluminum clad in stainless steel if you can afford it. You’ll get pretty good performance without spending too much, then once you cook more, you can try different pans and upgrade when you are ready.

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