Cookware sets- tips on choosing them to best match your kitchen and your needs

In my last job, I worked for an importer that started from cookware 50 years age and over the years evolved into kitchenware and home-ware but Stainless Steel cookware are his true, first love, and some of that did rub onto me.

Buying a cookware set is a good idea in various mark points during a life: when you start an independent life, when you leave your parents, get married, upscale or downscale your house.

The best set is one that with minimal cost will offer maximum solutions. They will not cover all your cooking needs, bust most manufacturers have other supplementary pieces from the same design, should you choose for all your cookware to be identical confirm this point before buying the set.

If this is your first set, and will be the starting point for your cooking career I recommend the Stainless Steel pots as they are the most durable, and will live after all your “Rookie” mistakes. For your mistakes you might have to pay with energetically scrubbing the burnt remains from the bottom of the pot but that’s a small price for a good education through practice.

For advanced cooks I advise pampering with a non-stick coated Hard Anodized set. They are more delicate, but if you know how to cook you’ll be really happy with the small amount of cooking oil needed, and the short time you spend, easily cleaning it.

Note that coated cookware cannot be heated up to very high temperatures, so keep them over a medium heat and let them soak up some heat before you start cooking on them. If the coating is ceramic you will need a small amount of oil (about a tea spoon) to make sure you maximize the non-stick effect.

Buying a set can save you a lot of money- but make sure if fills your cooking needs and requirements.

The smallest set would be a pan and a pot. If you have a camper or trailer, that would be a good solution for a wide variety of dishes.

A basic, yet fulfilling set, should have: A big pot that is both wide and deep (for a meal of any type meat with whatever vegetables). A medium narrow soup pot (narrow means less evaporation), a smaller wider pot (suitable for potatoes or anything else you will need to mix and turn) and a medium sized frying pan. I also like to have a small spouted pot (for boiling a glass of milk or two eggs) and sauté pans (as they also have a suitable lid, that is useful for braising and stewing)

Important pieces you are not likely to find in a set- cast iron pans, wok/stir fry pans and roasting pans. Those are important if you do cook a large variety of dishes in your kitchen and are easily purchased separately as it might be better if you buy them from another material with different specifications.

Make sure the handles are comfortable and steady and do not conduct heat from the pot to your hands (unless you often put the Stainless Steel pot into the oven, in those cases choose a handle that doesn’t limit your use of the oven, even if you do have to use protecting silicone gloves.

A glass lid is nice to have but it doesn’t limit the temperature of the oven in which it can be placed. If you store the pot in the refrigerator don’t put the pot with the glass lid directly over the fire, the Stainless Steel pot can handle it but the glass might explode into the food. Allow glass lids to heat and chill slowly and with care.

Enjoy!