The Only Kitchen Cookware Buying Guide and Tips You Will Need:
Finding a right cookware set for your home can be confusing task as there are so many choices out there today. Choosing a best cookware from massive information, would almost like finding a needle in a haystack. But it does not have be confusing as we have done extensive research to show you quick steps for you to find and buy right cookware for you. There are many types of cookwares, with different features, many brands to choose from that fits your cooking and life style. We will show you not only steps to pick right one and will give you our top recommended choices that has worked for our team of testers. Hopefully, making it easier to pick and choose the best cookware for your kitchen, your way.
Step 1: Know your cooking style
Do you cook a lot, or would you like to cook more at home? Do you like to use less fat, oil? Maybe some non-stick material would be a better choice for you. Are you just replacing one broken piece from your set or buying a whole set? If you are going to buy many cookware pieces, we recommended buying a whole set instead of purchasing individual pieces as it can cost you twice the money to get all pieces individually.
What type of cooking range you use will make difference on your cookware too. For example, for smooth top ranges, flat bottom cookwares are the best. For induction cooking range, stainless steel and curve bottom cookware tend to work better.
See Choosing Best Cookware Feature Guide for more details on what makes great cookware experience.
Our recommendation:
For most of people, buying a basic set with with a few extra cookware pieces as needed will work. Buy quality, flat bottom, multi-ply and thick layer cookware that you can afford that can last a long time. We recommend to buy a few good quality cookware (read not necessarily the most expensive ones) that are top rated and well liked by experts and consumers alike.
See our review of Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless-Steel 12-Piece Cookware Set
Step 2: Select a type of cookware material
There are a few type of metal cookware materials to choose from, as listed below. We will look at each one with basic information about the material type, its advantages and disadvantages of cooking with these types of cookware, and our team’s recommendations. Please click below to find more details on each type.
| Stainless Steel |
Non-Stick | Copper | Cast Iron |
| Hard Anodized | Multi-Ply or Clad | Aluminum | Enamel Cast Iron |
Click here to read our Cookware Material Guide
Step 3: Picking the right cookware pieces
Many of us may own a cookware pieces such as pans and pots to pick in our cookware set to start our cooking experience at home. Most basic set will include a couple of sauce pan, skillet, pot, dutch oven and frying pan, and stock pot. Are there specific pieces for specific cooking task that works better? What is the difference between a frying pan and a skillet?, what can you cook in sauce pan? and many other such questions can be answered in this step where we will look at individual cookware pieces as follows;
Click on how to choose Cookware Pieces Guide for details information on above listed individual cookware pieces.
Step 4: Choosing the brand
What cooking brands has to do with choosing a best pieces for you? A lot, some brands constantly provide best quality and affordable cookware that professional chef and regular cooks love and use. Some brands may offer limited or even life time warranty to stand behind their products and have a great customer service. Here are some of the top name brands for cookware;
- All-Clad
- Calphalon
- Anolon
- Circulon
- Cuisinart
- Farberware
- Rachel Ray
- Emeril Lagasse
- Kitchenaid
- Le Creuset
- Staub
- Lodge
- Emile Henry
Click on our detailed guide Top Cookware Brands to Trust to find out about all top brands and what type of cookware they offer and other details.
Also check out Learning About Cookware Brands.
Step 5: Shop for cookware
You can buy it from a few of the reputable and top online merchants selection for getting best value for your money and time. Many of these retailers offer often discount, free shipping perks check these out.
1. Amazon.com
Amazon sells many everything including great cookware, other kitchen related products, and much more. You can always find what you are looking for in amazon.com site. Amazon often time has best prices among other online competition.
2. Best Buy
Best buy has many items, including cookware and small appliances for your kitchen. They also Free Shipping on Hundreds of Thousands of Items, Exclusions Apply. Check website for more details.
Check out our Best Online Shopping Sites To Save You Money
Step 6: Cook delicious and healthy food
Once you have the right cookware set in your kitchen, open up your grandmother’s recipe book or other great cookbooks and whip up some delicious and yummy meals to share with family and friends. Get healthy and create happy memories!
Here are some great cook books for every level cook!
1. Betty Crocker Cooking Basics: Recipes and Tips to Cook with Confidence (Betty Crocker Books)
2. Joy of Cooking: 75th Anniversary Edition – 2006
Also check out;
Top Favorite Cookbooks For Vegetarians
How to encourage your picky eater kids to eat healthy
Great Cooking and Health Related eBooks
Step 7: Learn but Relax, Don’t try it do it all at Once
Learn about cooking and cookware as much possible to be a better chef at home. You will save money and get healthy when you cook more at home.
Check out our
Frequently Asked Cookware Questions and Answers
Knowing Chef’s Cooking Terminology
How to Get Best Nutrition For Vegetarian Diet
When you get tired or have too much to do, you can simply get an take out or have a Personal Chef for an Evening: Give Gift of Experience and sit back and enjoy.
Happy cooking!