Cookware Buying Guide

With all of the different types of cookware out there today, it can be difficult to pick the best cookware set that will work for you and your family. We want to help take the mystery out of buying new cookware and teach you the benefits of each type of material and share other helpful cookware tidbits.

Choosing the Right Size

Answering these questions will help you determine the correct number of pieces to look for in the perfect cookware set.

How many people are you regularly cooking for?
What types of foods do you cook the most often?
How much storage space do you have?

If you are regularly cooking for only a couple of people and have limited cabinet space, you may not need more than one large sauce pan and dutch oven. However, if you are usually cooking for a larger family, bigger pots and pans may be necessary. Also – if you like to cook meals that require more than one sauce or ingredient on the stove at once, you may consider purchasing a larger set with more pieces.

Popular Cookware Materials

Heavy-Weight Steel heats evenly every time and is very easy to clean. However, we recommend washing heavy-weight steel cookware by hand instead of in the dishwasher.

Aluminum cookware is lightweight and heats quickly as well as evenly to avoid hot-spots.
Examples of Aluminum cookware sets are: Ginny’s Brand 24-piece Essential Cookware, Rachael Ray 14-Piece Gradient Aluminum Cookware with Porcelain Enamel Exterior

Stainless Steel cookware is often preferred by chefs because of it’s durability. Stainless Steel cookware may not heat as quickly as other types of metals, but it does retain heat longer than others.
An example of a Stainless Steel cookware set is: Ginny’s Brand 10-piece Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Cast Iron cookware is heavier in weight and is similar to Stainless Steel in that it heats a little more slowly. However, it does retain it’s heat longer and distributes it evenly. Cast Iron is great for cooking foods that require a longer cooking time. An example of a Cast iron cookware set is: 5-piece Cast Iron Cookware Set

Other Cookware Benefits to Look For

Oven Safe: Think of all the times where everyone in your family will be eating at different times. With oven safe cookware, you can just pop the pan directly in the oven to keep it warm for the rest of the family! Pay special attention to the cookware’s temperature limit. Some cookware pieces are only safe in the oven up to a particular temperature.

Dishwasher Safe: Not all cookware sets are dishwasher safe. We share our recommendation for cleaning in the cookware product description. Make sure to read your new cookware set’s manual and share the cleaning instructions with all of the dishwashers in the family to help your new cookware live a long and helpful life.

Cookware Storage: If storage space is limited, watch for cookware sets that nest and stack easily and take up less room in your cabinets!

Buying cookware can be so exciting and hopefully these tips are helpful. Enjoy!