When buying cooking, one of the most important things you need to consider is its material. Cookware may be made of the following:

Copper. A lot of professional cooks recommend copper cookware because it is an excellent heat conductor and heats up easily and evenly. However, copper cookware is quite pricey, needs constant polishing and can scratch food. To keep copper pans from scratching food, these should be lines with stainless steel or tin. Also, avoid putting your copper cookware in the dishwasher or air dryer.

Plain aluminum. Next to copper, aluminum is a great heat conductor, although it can scratch food. When choosing quality aluminum cookware, thickness is key. The thicker the pan, the better the distribution of heat and the lesser the pan to warp under cooling or heating conditions. It has to be noted that aluminum cookware was linked to Alzheimer's syndrome, but recent FDA studies have shown no connection to such.

Hard anodized aluminum. This is a specially processed type of aluminum, thus resulting to a sturdier and non-porous surface which heats up faster and more evenly as well. Hard anodized cookware is two times as hard as stainless steel cookware, but can easily be discolored by dishwashing detergents. This is why most manufacturers suggest hand washing hand anodized cookware instead. Moreover, you will also need to oil its surface to keep from sticking.

Stainless steel. Compared to copper or aluminum, stainless steel is easier to maintain and is rust-free. It no longer needs polishing or scouring. However, this type of cookware is a poor conductor of heat. To allow better distribution of heat as well as to avoid hot spots when put over flame, aluminum or copper disks are usually added to the bottom of these pans. The thicker the disk, the better the heat distribution. Go for a copper and aluminum disk that is 1mm and 3mm in thickness, respectively.

On the other hand, larger pots that are usually intended for boiling fluids no longer require even heat distribution thus a disk is no longer necessary. Non-stick cookware has the stainless appeal as well as the ease of non-stick cooking. There are three types of stainless steel cookware namely, 18/10, 18/8 and 18/0. This type of cookware contains nickel. The higher the nickel content, the better its quality.

Cast iron. This is a poor heat conductor but retains and distributes heat evenly. Cast iron can scratch food unless you apply shortening on the cooking surface and then baking it for about 2 ½ hours. Enamel-coated cast iron software is also available, which no longer scratches food or requires ‘seasoning'.

Glass. This is a poor heat conductor which easily leads to hot spots. Because of this, glass cookware is mostly used for casserole dishes and as lids.

Also, there are other attributes that you need to consider when buying cookware. Check the cookware's material, construction and thickness to make sure that heat is evenly distributed. The handle should also make you comfortable when using it as well. Handles are available in glass, metal, plastic and wood. Metal is the most durable but may heat up on the range top. Meanwhile, wood and plastic stay cool over burners but may only go from stovetop to oven at low heat while glass handles typically keep cool over burners as well. Moreover, handle attachments come in rivets, welding and screw-on. Rivets are the most durable but can be hard to clean while screw-on is the least durable type.

In addition, check whether the cookware is dishwasher safe. Consider non-stick cookware, as this is easier to clean up and promotes healthier cooking with lesser use of oil in cooking. Lastly, go for a brand that offers warranty on their cookware.

With the right cookware, you can cook your dishes easier and even tastier.

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