How to choose a saucepan for a gas, electric or induction cooker?

To learn how to choose a saucepan, it is not enough to focus only on attractive design and the famous name of a well-known brand. From some nuances of purchase, imperceptible at first glance, depends on the time and convenience of using such an important kitchen accessory.

Which saucepan should I choose?

The quality of the dish and the ease with which it is prepared depend on the right choice of kitchen utensils. The pan is among the actively used items, so it must have increased wear resistance. It is important to consider the material from which it was made by the manufacturer, the availability of handles and covers. Among the criteria that make it possible to determine which pans are the best, is the type of hob. The dishes that are suitable for one type of plate are incompatible with the second, but consultants in stores are silent about it. There are the following types of plates:

• gas;
• electric;
• induction.

Which saucepans are better to buy for a gas cooker?

Plates with gas heating are considered the most common because of the ease of connection and cheapness in comparison with other models. This explains the fact that the dishes for them are the easiest to find, because almost all of its refractory varieties are suitable. In this case, no special knowledge is needed to understand how to choose cooking pots with a gas type of cooking. For her, the best solution will be the following types of dishes:

1. Cast-iron. The iron alloy for this cookware combines with carbon, silicon and phosphorus at a temperature of 1400 degrees, so the pan can withstand many hours of languor of berries and fruits or thick soups.
2. Glass or made of hardened ceramics. To avoid the risk of deciding how to choose a saucepan that can split during heating on a gas fire, you need to purchase a divider.
3. Enameled. The metal pan is enameled by pouring, which protects the food from contact with steel and oxidative reactions.

How to choose pots for induction cookers?

The process of choosing dishes for a plate heated by a strong magnetic field can be considered an exciting activity. It is not necessary to guess which pots for a plate with induction are better, if you take a magnet to the store. For any specimen you like, you need to attach it to make sure that the dishes can be bought. If the magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan - it is allowed to use. In this way, you can make sure that aluminum, glass and ceramics do not fit absolutely. The list of recommended materials for the pan includes:

• stainless steel;
• cast iron;
• aluminum with a ferromagnetic coating.

Which pans are suitable for electric cookers?

The surface of the electric heating plate can easily be traumatized by heavy elements of the pan with the edges sharpened or deformed during production. Therefore, in response to a question about which pans are better to buy for an electric stove, experts recommend paying attention to the cast, not stamped dishes. It is better if it meets two more criteria:

1. The optimum thickness of the walls should be 5-6 mm. No matter how you want to choose a saucepan with a light weight, it will warm up too quickly and its contents will burn or form a high foam.
2. The diameter of the bottom must correspond to the circumference of the burner. If the bottom is larger or smaller than the heating element, the food will be cooked slowly and will turn out to be dry, rather than juicy.

What material is better than pots?

The question of the superiority of one material for the dishes over the others is philosophical. In order to understand how to choose a good saucepan from quality material, you need to soberly assess the frequency of future use, financial possibilities and the number of family members. The number of traditionally reliable materials for the pot often used in cooking and quenching includes:

• stainless steel;
• aluminum;
• ceramics;
• refractory glass;
• Teflon;
• cast iron.

Casseroles in aluminum

Aluminum dishes were considered the most common in the Soviet Union, because it was cheap and easily cleaned of contaminants. This material quickly conducts heat, which saves gas and electricity, while virtually no corrosion. Pans made of cast aluminum, in contact with fruit and lactic acids, supply toxins to food, if not choose it taking into account such recommendations:

1. Safe coating. The stone or alloys of iron do not allow aluminum to release poisons into the food being cooked.
2. Short-term storage in dishes. The reaction of the metal with the products comes with prolonged contact, so after the completion of cooking, the food should be transferred to another container.
3. Cleaning by soft means. Aggressive chemicals disrupt the integrity of the pan coating.

Pots made of ceramics

In favor of any kitchen inventory of this material says its absolute environmental friendliness and safety for humans. Ceramics does not emit any impurities and odors, so it is not necessary to decide which pans are better, with or without coating. It is resistant to frequent operation, mechanical damage and abrasion. True, ceramics also have their drawbacks:

1. Friability. This is the main flaw: if you do not try to choose a strong pan, it will still break when falling to the floor. Strong strokes, for the same reason, leave the chips on the material.
2. Slow warm-up. In ceramic ware, there is no sense in cooking eggs or sausages, because this process will take too much time because of the thick walls of the container.

Stoneware pot

The utensils can be entirely made of stone or covered with a layer of stone crumbs. In the composition of the stone, there is no perfoforanic acid, which occurs in artificial materials and tends to accumulate in the liver and kidneys. Anyone who knows how to properly choose a pot with a stone coating, will advise to pay attention to such aspects:

1. Necessity of using oil for extinguishing. Quality dishes made of stone give the advantage of frying and frying dishes without adding fats.
2. Method of washing. The denser the layer of stone crumb, the less is required to remove contaminants from the surface of the walls and the day. The best quality specimens can be cleaned with a clean cloth.
3. Wear resistance. On the packaging of dishes should be indicated that it withstands a minimum of 50,000 scratches.

Pots made of glass

The unaccustomed appearance of transparent glass pans frightens off many mistresses who refuse them because of their seeming frailty and impracticality. As a material for them, a strong refractory glass is used, which does not crack even when falling. A pan made of heat-resistant glass does not impart any foreign taste and smells to the food prepared in it. The main criteria for choosing reliable dishes should be:

• the presence of a cover;
• thick walls and bottom;
• resistance to sudden changes in temperature.

Pan with titanium coating

The main feature of titanium coating is its exceptional resistance to damage and everyday wear. Titanium is not applied by spraying, but is fused into metal, so it can not be erased when cleaning with a sponge and abrasive powders. Find out which pans are best to buy, you can by asking the seller about such features of a specific model as:

1. Presence of an anticorrosive covering which will help to protect utensils from darkening of stains and cracks.
2. Safety of use of metal cutlery. Sometimes when faced with the search for an answer to the question of how to choose a pan, the buyer learns that the titanium layer is too thin and with apparent strength can be damaged by a metal spatula or ladle.

How to choose a stainless steel saucepan

The assortment of stainless steel pots can be called scanty in color and decoration on the background of the diversity of design of other options. From the point of view of practical application, and not appearance, it is not necessary to think which pans are best for a long time: stainless steel is the only material that is not afraid of chipping and burn-out. Tips for choosing stainless steel cookware are as follows:

1. It is better to buy household utensils in specialized stores, otherwise you can run into a forgery from another alloy, which does not guarantee such properties.
2. Do not be guided by the low price, because stainless steel simply can not cost cheap.
3. To ensure a uniform and rapid heating, the lid must fit snugly against the rim of the pan - this must be checked immediately before purchasing the chosen model.

Cast iron pots with enamel coating

Utensils made of cast iron are similar in their properties to stone utensils, but only on condition that they do not have an enamel coating. In order to understand how to choose an enamel pan with a layer of enamel, and not with a counterfeit coating, you only need to look at the inside surface of the pan. It should have a glossy black, white or color coating without roughness and flow. On it there should not be a single cleavage - this is a direct indication of the prohibition to heat.

Classification of pots by size

In a household, even a person living alone needs a set of several pots. It is unreal to cook in the same dish borsch, sausages and compote. Classification, taking into account the size of pots, will help decide which of them to buy:

1. 1-1.5 liters. In saucers of such a modest amount, boiled sausages, eggs for breakfast or children's porridge.
2. 2-3 liters. The average saucepan is used more often than others, because it can cook a lunch for 2-3 people, warm up soup or bring ready-made semi-finished products.
3. 4-5 liters. In a large or rarely cooking family, a saucepan of this size will save time on frequent cooking.

What kind of saucepans are the best?

Quality cookware for the cooker can hardly be found in the low price segment, which includes Russian and Asian producers. Goods with a premium or medium price tag - the best pots, which firms they would not have been. Those who still need specific brands, it is worth exploring the range of such brands as:

1. Tefal. Dishes with non-stick coating and a heating sensor are treated with a special mineral, which reliably prevents the penetration of hazardous substances from metal into food. This is the leader in sales, winning from year to year in the ratings of household appliances.
2. Ballarini. The Italian company is among the leaders because of the special composition of raw materials for kitchenware - a mixture of aluminum and copper. Those who are not sure that they know how to choose a pan for all occasions, the manufacturer advises universal models with a granite covering.
3. Pyrex. The dishes of this brand have removable pens, which make it possible to turn an ordinary pan into a baking dish.
4. Essa. Stainless steel, serving as the main material for the dishes, is not oxidized during cooking jam and preservation.
5. Tramontina. The Brazilian company specializes in the production of dishes for electric and induction cookers.