The modern market nowadays offers a huge selection of kitchen utensils. One of the leading places belongs to pots. The choice is so great that it is difficult to navigate not only a young, but also an experienced hostess. In this article, I'll review the most commonly used pots and pans.
Enamelled pots
This type of kitchen utensils is used most often, but there is a nuance here, their use is limited to the preparation of the first (hot) dishes: soups, borscht, compotes and others. Advantages of these pans: With proper care, they will last long enough. Manufacturers offer a wider range of sizes and colors at a relatively low price. The disadvantages include: the enamel darkens over time, and with careless handling, chips and cracks may appear.
Aluminum pans
Not a single housewife can do without these pots either; they serve mainly for preparing second courses: mashed potatoes, pasta, rice, and so on. There is an opinion that storing food in aluminum pans is harmful, as food quickly oxidizes, but this is not the case. The entire aluminum pan is covered with an oxide film, and there is no interaction between food and metal. The advantages of this type of utensil: durability at a relatively low price, large size range, easy to clean. Disadvantages: darken with prolonged use.
Cast aluminum casseroles
Not every housewife can boast of the presence of such a pan, but it is simply necessary in the kitchen. Thanks to the thick bottom and sides, vegetables and meat are perfectly stewed in the pan. The strength of the casting serves as a guarantor of quality; these dishes do not deform during prolonged use, unlike thin aluminum pans. Advantages of these dishes: long heat retention, do not require special care. Disadvantages: even an empty saucepan is heavy, food can burn, relatively high price.
Stainless steel pans
Recently, they have become more and more popular. They perfectly cook porridge: buckwheat, semolina, oatmeal, barley and others. The cereals are crumbly and at the same time remain juicy. Due to the presence of a "double" bottom, food remains warm for a long time. Advantages: the handles of pots and lids are made hollow inside and they do not heat up during cooking, the dishes are durable and will not lose their shape over the years of use. Disadvantages: high price, difficult to clean if the food is burnt.
Cast iron pans
Nowadays, they are almost never used, which is a pity. Only in them can you cook real pilaf, juicy and aromatic; merchant-style buckwheat, and much more. Advantages: the alloy from which these dishes are made has a high thermal conductivity, which makes it possible to simmer cereals without overdrying them. A saucepan, if handled correctly, will serve its owner for many years. Easy to clean, just rinse and wipe dry. Disadvantages: despite its massive appearance, it is very fragile, cannot be left wet - rust appears.
Non-stick pans
This dish is suitable for preparing a wide variety of milk dishes. The coating ensures that food does not burn or remain on the bottom and sides of the pot. The advantages include: low price, easy to clean, no special cleaning agents required. There are models with removable handles that allow you to cook in the oven. Disadvantages: very short-lived, the coating is often scratched, therefore special (wooden) spoons and spatulas are needed.
