An Insider's Guide to Buying Pots and Pans

You may think that buying new pots and pans is a straightforward process, but if you do you must not have been to your local kitchen supply store for a while. Modern kitchen supply and department stores offer a large variety of pots and pans made from different materials, in many different styles, and with ranges of durability and storability. It would be wise before you invest a significant amount of money in a new set of pots and pans to do some comparative shopping at different types of outlets.

One of your main considerations when buying new pots and pans should be what materials are used in their manufacturing. A thicker form of anodized aluminum or stainless steel is often used to produce high-end cookware, as opposed to the cheaper forms used to produce less expensive pots and pans you would find at a discount store. There is no need to invest in the heaviest gauge aluminum for average cooking, but you would do well to avoid the thinnest pots and pans. If they dent easily that means they can also be easily penetrated. Bottom-heavy pots and pans, cookware made from the thicker forms of anodized aluminum or stainless steel will resist a kitchen accident much better than their thin metal equivalents.

You may want to buy one or two pieces at a time if you are really serious about investing in quality cookware. For example, if you need a new non-stick frying pan consider your cooking habits and invest in the pan size that matches it best. You may find that you are more satisfied with a ten inch skillet for general cooking than an eight inch or 12 inch skillet.

The same rule of thumb applies to sauce pans. Judge what size you need by your personal cooking habits. All cooks need a large pot for pasta or steaming vegetables, but not everyone wants a two quart sauce pan when all you want is a limited amount of sauce for your pasta. Though pots and pans often come in sets, why pay for extra cookware you don't really need but you still clean and store?