What is a cookware set made up of?

Depending on the manufacturer, the material used, and the particular series, cooking sets can come in different ranges, sizes, and pieces. The variety of cookware pieces that can be found in a set are as follows:

Frying Pans/Skillet

The 'Frying Pan' and 'Skillet' are two kitchenware terminologies that are often used interchangeably. Comparing their characteristics and usage, they have a lot of similarities that outshine their subtle differences making them pretty much the same.

The frying pan as the name gives off, is majorly used for frying, browning, etc. It is shallow and comes without a lid. Meanwhile, the skillet has a little more depth, and, a lid. It is good for ‘braising’ amongst other cooking techniques.

The frying pan comes in aluminum, stainless steel, or both combined while the skillet is usually cast-iron.

Having said that these two items are similar, know that they can be used interchangeably for braising, frying, roasting, grilling.

 A skillet. Courtesy: Pexels

Sauté Pan

This cookware is the most enjoyable for one-pot meals. It is like the bigger of a skillet as it has higher vertical sides, slightly bigger capacity, and, it has a lid. It can accommodate more liquid e.g. sauces which the skillet would not be able to do conveniently. Also, it works for sautéing and searing. The sauté pan is easy to identify amongst other cookware pieces.

A Saute Pan in front and two Stock Pots behind. Courtesy: Pexels

Sauce Pan

A saucepan has a smaller surface area with way higher walls when compared to a sauté pan. Therefore, the saucepan is good for boiling, cooking grains and pasta, sauce, and gravy in large amounts. The saucepan has the staple ‘pan kind of handle’ and some of them have an additional ‘pot-like handle’ on the other side for easy transfer from place to place.

Stock Pot

The Stock Pot is a common type of cookware that has a very large capacity. There is no standard size for this pot so it's dependent on the manufacturers' choice. As the name already tells, stock and broth are best made with this pot.

The pot has a flat base, two high vertical sides, two handles and, a lid. With its size, you should have it in mind that this pot is going to take up some kitchen space. On the good side, it can serve as storage for other pots.

Stock Pots  Courtesy: Pexels

Casserole Dish/Dutch Oven

The casserole dish and dutch oven perform the same function except stove cooking which can only be done by the dutch oven (made from cast-iron). Round, large, fitting lid, and more, this cookware is most suitable for finishing off your cooking in an oven and can be used to serve on the dining table straight from the oven because of its aesthetic appeal.

Casserole Dish Courtesy: Pexels

How do you know a good cookware set?

Generally, a good cookware set should be dependent majorly on the pieces that make up the set and secondarily, the material- personal preferences. We can not say the material is a major determining factor because there are various acceptable types, each with its strengths and weaknesses. For now, let’s focus on the pieces. The talk on materials would continue in the next outline.

The sets are packed differently but if you are after one with various pieces, then you should look out for the following:

• A skillet: An 8/10- inch skillet.
• A sauté pan/ 12-inch skillet: This piece is a highly versatile one and should come with a cover.
• One or two saucepans: you would find a larger one more useful. However, if you would be picking a set with two saucepans, a large and small size works just fine.
• A Stockpot/Dutch oven: To complete a set, one of these items is added. The chances are really slim that you would find a set with the two. You can however buy the missing piece independently if you wish.

If getting a complete set that you like is proving difficult, you can always buy the pieces separately to form your kitchen set.

Is stainless steel better than non-stick?

Stainless steel and non-stick are both very popular cookware in the Philippines however they are majorly seen as opposing choices due to individual preferences.

According to www.sfgate.com, restaurants, chefs and very professional cooks mostly use stainless steel for their cooking. Does this mean the non-stick cookware deserves no credit? No. As earlier mentioned, these two stand out for unique reasons just like the many other types. Stainless steel is preferred by this group because of its durability and long-lasting nature. On the other hand, the non-stick pan serves well for making quick meals.

Now, these two, complement each other therefore opposing the notion that one is better. Having both stainless steel and non-stick in your kitchen is a good deal however, if you are tight on a budget, opt for the one that better suits your lifestyle.

How to prevent food from sticking to your stainless-steel pan

Yes, you read that correctly. It is possible to avoid 'stainless pan sticking scenarios'! The possibility of this is pretty much interesting since it's why you might prefer non-stick cookware.

So how can you go about this? Stainless Steel doesn't conduct heat so well so you must let it stay on the stove for a while, to get hot. This is unlike the non-stick where you start your cooking before the pan gets hot to prevent the non-stick coat from eroding.

Then make sure that your food item is as dry as you can make it, for example, rinsed-out meat could be drained and patted with a towel to remove as much moisture as possible. This way, the temperature of the oil can be maintained. Also, taw out frozen foods to room temperature for the same reasons.

How do I choose cookware?

To make a selection, you consider your needs primarily. This would be in terms of size and weight, pieces, comfort, etc.

Like we explained a little earlier, your lifestyle; how and what you would use it for should all also be factored in. The type of cookware material you get would be dependent on this.

Size and Weight.

Thinking about the available storage space in your kitchen is a crucial part of your decision making and this would direct the size you would opt for.

As for the size, understand that heavy-weight cookware heats up differently from a mid- or light-weight. The heavyweights give evenly heated surfaces but are very bulky and vice-versa for the light-weight. Hence, a mid-weight would be just enough balance. However, if you can cope with the bulkiness (and maybe higher cost) of the heavyweight cookware then, go for it.

Lids and Handles.

These accessories deal majorly with convenience. Monitoring your cooking is easier with a glass lid since you don’t have to open up every now and then to look into your pot/pan. The food cooks better with the steam retained moreover, you save your skin the unnecessary heat.

The same goes for ‘handles’. Whenever you lift a pot off the stovetop, the load would be on the handle. That is why the cookware handle must be durable. Apart from the durability, you might need to consider the make of the handle.  This is especially important if you would be using your cookware in the oven. Now, only metal handles are oven compatible and if at all you want plastic, some models have removable plastic and rubber handles.

Pieces in the Set.

Earlier on, we stated the essential pieces of a good, complete set. If you've got nothing at all in your kitchen, then you go for those. In cases where all you need is a replacement, just look out for the set that is made up of just those.

Remember, you can always buy them singly.

Material Type.

The material-make of your cook set has to be compatible with the kind of stovetop you have, for example, an induction cooker compatible pan would have some level of iron.

It's also an important consideration if you have an already established cooking pattern. For instance, someone that works a 9-5 job most likely makes a quick breakfast e.g. fried eggs. With regular egg frying, you should get a non-stick pan.

Cleaning: Dishwasher Safety

Dishwasher safe items would make life easier and save time. If you are going to be getting something contrary, make sure you clean well for proper maintenance. The manufacturer's instructions would serve as a good guide.

What is the Price of Cookware in the Philippines?

It's expected to find cookware sets with low range prices and also, those that are expensive. For the Philippines brands, the sets range averagely between ₱3000-₱12,000.

Depending on the stores, there could also be periodical sales where you can get it at a discount. So, if you don't need one urgently, you can look out for the sales period and get your cookware set then.