Your choice of cookware is what determines how healthy your cooking will be. You’ve been probably told stainless steel cookware is better than ceramic cookware, or vice versa. But how true or false is that statement? Struggling to make that cookware type decision? Our detailed and close-up review of stainless steel vs. ceramic cookware is here to help you decide!
You have finally made up your mind that it’s finally time to get another set of cookware. Ceramic? Stainless steel? Or, if not, something else in mind? Which one exactly should you be getting?
While ceramic cookware is becoming popular each day because of its safety, many people are still stuck with their old-age stainless steel regardless. Not ruling out other popular cookware types, but stainless steel vs. ceramic is a cookware battle that has been going on for some time now. It’s a tough decision to make, however!
It should be clear, however, that each cookware encompasses its benefits and drawbacks, which you will have to consider before making your choice. Your choice might be made easier by your personal preferences, but you still need to be in the know of what you will be getting from each of the cookware.
Wondering which one surpasses the other? Below is an in-depth breakdown of everything you need to know concerning stainless steel and ceramic cookware, to help you make an informed decision!
Contents
Stainless Steel Cookware Overview
Stainless steel cookware has been in use since time immemorial, and it’s here to stay. With proper care and maintenance, the cookware can last you for decades! You will be able to pass it down to your generations because of its longevity!
What is Stainless Steel Cookware?
You probably know how your stainless steel cookware looks like, but what exactly is it? What is it made up of? Tough question, right? Well, this remarkable cookware material originates from an alloy of different materials. They include chromium, nickel, iron, carbon, manganese, and silicon.
Why blend pure stainless steel? Why can’t it be used by itself as cookware material? You’re probably asking yourself these questions. Stainless steel is blended with other metals for one reason: to improve its overall cookware properties. These include the durability, stability, and safety of the final cookware.
For instance, the purpose of nickel and chromium addition to pure stainless steel is to make it exceptionally anti-corrosive. This means it won’t stain or rust over time. For precision, chromium and nickel are added in an already specified ratio of 18 (chromium) to 10 (nickel).
This type of stainless steel is likely the one in your kitchen, as it’s the most preferred, compared to other types. Its durability, anti-reactivity, and aesthetics are unmatched. However, different stainless steel types also deliver excellent results, as well.
Benefits
- Highly Durable. This is what sets stainless steel cookware ahead of the curve, compared to other cookware types. The chromium and nickel addition makes stainless steel rust-resistant, non-porous, and reduces its ability to chip off. The result? The cookware becomes super tight, as the common cookware issues are done away with. This hence results in the excellent durability of stainless steel cookware.
- Easy to Maintain. I bet you don’t like complicated maintenance procedures that come with some other cookware types. With stainless steel, the case is different. Maintenance is simple and easy, precisely because of the absence of a coating that’ll get you worried.
Besides, stainless steel is rust-resistant; thus, no seasoning would be required. Cleaning of this cookware is also simple, as it only requires the regular and simple cleaning to maintain it. You don’t have to scratch your head about a specialized cleaning technique, as its also dishwasher safe! - Excellent Cook Ability. Fully clad stainless steel cookware possesses top-notch cooking performance. This is because of the superior heat conduction and retention. This results in uniform cooking that even its ceramic cookware counterparts can’t match!
- Non-Reactive to Food. With stainless steel, you don’t have to fret about the type of food or ingredients you’re preparing. Stainless steel is non-reactive to food, be it acidic or alkaline, hence safe for use. The non-reactive nature prevents the leaching of harmful chemicals into your food. Besides, there is no impart of metallic taste or discoloration on your food because there’s no pitting or scratching.
- Environmental Friendly. Stainless steel cookware is your best shot at saving the environment. This is because it’s a green product. This means that it’s easy and 100% recyclable into other useful products because it doesn’t feature a coating of any toxic material.
Therefore, there’s no production of any toxic fumes or run-off. The impact on the environment is thus minimum when compared to other cookware materials. Faster cooking as it heats up pretty fast. It uses less energy as it heats up fast.
Drawbacks
- Not Nonstick. The inability of stainless steel cookware being nonstick is its major drawback. With every food you cook, it is likely to stick on the surface. However, the case is different when cooking over high heat with stainless steel cookware. The cookware performs well with high heat cooking methods such as sautéing, boiling, or deep-frying.
To prevent food from sticking on your stainless steel cookware, you will have to use extra oil as it forms a temporarily nonstick surface. This will prevent your delicate foods from sticking on the surface. However, you will end up using a lot of oil, which is unhealthy and costly in the long run. - Poor Heat Conduction. Stainless steel is a known poor conductor of heat by itself. This thus necessitates the inclusion of an aluminum or copper core to enhance its heat conductivity. Without this, then your cooking surface will tend to have hot spots as pure stainless steel conducts heat poorly.
Other notable drawbacks include:
- Challenging to clean when the food sticks to the pan.
- Must use oil when cooking.
- Prone to discoloration, mainly when used on high heat.
- The nickel might be a concern if you have nickel allergy.
Best Use For
Stainless steel might prove to be not that user-friendly. However, it has its best uses, which involve high heat cooking methods such as boiling, deep-frying, sautéing, searing, and braising. Also, you don’t have to worry about using it in your broiler, stove or oven as it’s compatible with all of them! For the oven, however, your stainless steel cookware handles need to be heat-proof.
Ceramic Cookware Overview
Ceramic cookware is a recent addition to the nonstick cookware market. It’s an eco-friendly and safer alternative than its Teflon counterpart. It’s durable as well, though not as tough as stainless steel cookware.
What is Ceramic Cookware?
Ceramic cookware is made from organic materials, hence it is considered among the safest cookware. Ceramic cookware in the finishing stage is polished with a glaze. It is a coating that’s fused to the ceramic cookware through firing. Glaze serves to decorate, color, and make the cookware waterproof. Two types of ceramic are used to manufacture ceramic cookware. These include:
- 100% Ceramic. This is entirely made from baked clay. The upside? This ceramic type doesn’t react with any food whatsoever in the cooking process. However, there’s a downside that comes with this ceramic type. Fully heated clay is easily breakable hence makes the cookware prone to breakages.
- Ceramic Coated. This ceramic type involves laying down an enamel ceramic coating on a metal tool, in most cases a transmit iron, for example, stainless steel or aluminum. This type of ceramic coating is also safe as well, but not as safe as the 100% Ceramic type because of the metal tool.
Benefits
- Nonstick Coating. Regardless of the type of ceramic cookware, the cooking surface is usually nonstick. This thus eliminates the use of large amounts of cooking oil and butter to prevent food from sticking on the cooking surface. Moreover, you won’t also be using those cooking sprays which pose health hazards!
- Non-Toxic.. The safety of ceramic cookware is the most notable characteristic as some questions arose years back after Teflon was found to contain PFOA, which is toxic. Ceramic cookware coatings are known to be safe even when under high heat. The coating is all-natural and doesn’t include common toxins such as Lead or Cadmium. It’s also PTFE and PFOA free. When damaged, ceramic cookware poses no health risk as well, as there are no toxic substances that will leach in your food.
- Easy to Clean. Just like most nonstick cookware, ceramic cookware is no different. Cleaning is a breeze, as it only requires general simple washing with warm water, mild dishwashing soap, and rinsing with a cloth or paper towel. Besides, the fact that its nonstick means cleaning is easy.
- Non-Reactive Ceramic cookware is also non-reactive. This, therefore, means it’s perfect for cooking both acidic and alkaline foods. The non-reactive nature also allows you to store foods after baking.
Other ceramic cookware benefits include:
- Ceramic cookware has an aesthetic appeal.
- Lightweight and user-friendly.
- It can withstand high temperatures of up to 700oF.
- Even cooking as ceramic distributes heat evenly without any hot or cold spots.
- Anti-Scratch hence retains its state as it ages.
- Durable and sturdy hence long-lasting.
- Environmentally friendly.
- Ceramic coated cookware type is relatively affordable.
Drawbacks
- Unsuitable for high heat cooking. Ceramic cookware is unsuitable for high heat cooking. This is because the high heat will probably damage it. It’s only suitable for low to medium cooking. This limits your cooking flexibility as you’re restricted to using the cookware for specific foods only.
- Reduced Lifespan. Ceramic cookware has a relatively short and reduced lifespan when compared to stainless steel cookware. The reason? Ceramic cookware is fragile and breaks easily. The moment your ceramic cookware crushes on the floor, and that’s the end of its service life! Sad, right?
- Utensil-Specific. Like their other nonstick counterparts, ceramic cookware is utensils specific. This means that metallic utensils are more likely to break this fragile cookware or damage the ceramic coating. Want to keep the coating in great shape? Then use plastic or wood-based utensils.
Other ceramic cookware drawbacks include:
- Not dishwasher safe as the harsh detergents and dishwashing cycles tends to destroy the delicate ceramic coating.
- Nonstick quality tends to fade as the cookware ages.
- 100% ceramic cookware isn’t induction-compatible as it’s not magnetic.
- Prone to chipping.
Best Use For
Ceramic cookware is best used for pies, casseroles, and gratins. Moreover, the cookware can be used on a gas range, electric stovetop, broiler, grill, and oven. This is because of its ability to withstand extremely high temperatures. However, the critical temperature depends on the coating type, lid, and handle used.
Cooking Over High Heat
Stainless steel
Despite being durable, pure stainless steel isn’t the best in the game on matters of heat conduction. As such, stainless steel is not a good option for cooking over high heat. This is because of the more excellent heat insulation for cooking over high heat that stainless steel cookware possesses.
Moreover, stainless steel also responds slowly to heat, which is unsuitable for cooking over high heat. Stainless steel is manufactured clad with aluminum or copper to be able to cook over high heat. These materials also on their own aren’t ideal for cooking over high heat despite having excellent heat conduction.
This is because rapid heat conduction quickly results in burning the food or overcooking it. Hence, a combination of stainless steel cookware with lighter materials which have a higher heat capacity like aluminum or copper makes it perfect for cooking over high heat.
Ceramic Cookware
On the contrary, ceramic cookware isn’t a suitable choice for high heat cooking. This is because they are unable to withstand prolonged periods of cooking over high heat. Moreover, cooking over high temperatures results in food sticking on the surface. This discolors and damages the ceramic coating surface.
As such, it’s always recommended to cook over low or medium heat when using ceramic cookware to protect the nonstick ceramic coating.
Comparison
Stainless steel cookware is tougher as compared to ceramic cookware. This means that it can withstand the high heat it’s subjected to as compared to the ceramic cookware, which only works with low or medium heat. You can thus throw all your foods that require high heat cooking procedures like deep frying and sautéing to stainless steel. The cookware will handle them comfortably, without a twitch!
Heat Conductivity
Stainless steel
The heat conductivity of pure stainless steel is below average. The cookware won’t conduct heat quickly to the food, thus slow cooking. The temperature across the cooking surface will not be even as well, which results in uneven cooking. Moreover, the low heat conductivity also means the cookware isn’t that responsive to heat changes.
The remedy? A copper or aluminum core is embedded within the stainless steel to make it fully clad. The two have high heat conductivities, which stainless steel lacks. This makes fully clad stainless steel a better high heat conductor than pure stainless steel.
Ceramic Cookware
Ever wondered why your ceramic cookware never cracks in the oven but does so when on a stovetop? It all boils down to one thing; Heat Conductivity. The reason is that ceramic cookware features a low thermal conductivity. The heat is thus transferred at a slower rate across the ceramic material. This leads to the temperature gradient formation between the very hot surface that’s against the burner and the cooler surface on the opposite side.
The moment the gradient exceeds its normal range – the ceramic cookware cracks. Because the stress on the material is too much to handle. However, in the oven, there is uniform heat conduction across the cookware. This means there would be no temperature gradient; hence, your ceramic cookware won’t crack.
Comparison
A direct comparison between fully clad stainless steel and ceramic cookware sees the latter having a low heat conductivity as compared to the former. This is as a result of the aluminum or copper core inclusion in stainless steel cookware. The core is what increases the overall heat conductivity of the stainless steel. Pure stainless steel still has a higher rate of heat conduction than ceramic as well.
Heat Retention
This is how long material can retain or hold in heat once it conducts. Heat retention capacity correlates with the mass of the cookware. As such, a thick and heavy pan retains heat better and for a more extended period.
Stainless Steel Cookware
The heat retention capacity of stainless steel cookware varies greatly. For instance, pure stainless steel cookware has an exceptional heat retention capacity despite its poor heat conduction. This means they will gain heat slowly and retain that heat for long, as they also cool down very slowly. For fully clad stainless steel, the core metal is what determines the heat retention capacity.
For example, aluminum and copper are known to have excellent heat conduction. This means that they will, on the other hand, manifest poor heat retention as they lose the heat quickly as well. When either of these metals is clad with stainless steel, then the cookware will also have poor heat retention.
Ceramic Cookware
Ceramic cookware has an even slower rate of losing heat. This is because they are heavy and take time to heat through. This means that they retain heat pretty well hence are suitable for slow cooking like preparing stews. Moreover, the excellent heat retention makes them ideal for browning and using in the oven.
Comparison
Generally, ceramic cookware is thicker and heavier than their stainless steel counterparts. This thus makes them have greater heat retention than stainless steel cookware. However, for fully clad stainless steel, the core material is what will influence the overall heat retention capacity.
Reactivity
You’ve probably come across a recipe that demands the use of either a reactive or non-reactive cookware. And this made you shake your head! Didn’t it? Was it electrons? Ions? We have it figured out for you!
Reactive Vs. Non-reactive: The Difference
A reactive cookware is one that encompasses metals that are likely to interact or react with certain foods or ingredients. For example, aluminum, unlined copper, and cast iron. Cookware made out of either of these materials is an excellent heat conductor. However, you should avoid preparing very acidic or very alkaline foods in them. The reason?
This is because these metals surface releases their respective metal atoms into the food, which then alters the flavor of your dish by imparting a metallic-like taste. Moreover, they will also discolor your food.
By now, you can guess what non-reactive cookware is. Right? Non-Reactive cookware doesn’t have any interaction or reaction with food at all. This means it can be used anywhere in the kitchen. Stainless steel, glazed ceramic, and glass are the most common non-reactive materials used to make non-reactive cookware. Enamel coated and anodized aluminum cookware is also non-reactive.
However, once the non-reactive enamel or aluminum oxide is scratched and the barrier gets broken, then the protection ceases to exist. The food will then react with the now exposed reactive metal.
Comparison
Stainless steel cookware is non-reactive, and that’s why it’s the one that comes into contact with the food. However, pure steel is reactive. Ceramic cookware is considered non-reactive, as well. This means the cookware will not in any way change the appearance and taste of your food. However, once the coating has been compromised for ceramic coated cookware, then they cease to be non-reactive and useful. 100% ceramic cookware is a better non-reactive option when compared to stainless steel, however. This is because of the absence of any metal whatsoever
Durability
Stainless Steel Cookware
Stainless steel is way more durable than most cookware, and ceramic cookware is no exception. The chromium and nickel addition makes stainless steel rust-resistant, non-porous, and reduces its ability to chip off. This results in stainless steel cookware being super tough, as the common cookware issues are done away with. This, therefore, makes stainless steel cookware durable.
Ceramic Cookware
Ceramic cookware has a relatively short and reduced lifespan. On the contrary, they aren’t as durable as stainless steel. This is because ceramic cookware is fragile and breaks easily. The moment your ceramic cookware crushes on the floor, and that’s the end of its service life. This is not the case with stainless steel cookware.
Care and Maintenance
Care and maintenance for your cookware are necessary for them to last long. Proper care and maintenance will see your cookware last you years, with no need for frequent replacement. Cleanup, the type of utensils to use, and seasoning are the standard care and maintenance practices for both stainless steel and ceramic cookware. Let’s explore them in detail!
Cleanup
Ceramic Cookware. First things first, ceramic cookware is way much easier to clean than stainless steel cookware. The main reason for this is because of the nonstick surface. All it takes is hot soapy water and a soft sponge, and the surface is clean! Then rinse and immediately wipe dry, and that’s it! In some cases, a simple wipe using a paper towel is enough. While some ceramic cookware brands are dishwasher safe, it’s not recommended by most manufacturers. This is because the detergent dishwasher is harsh, and together with the cleaning cycles, this eventually ruins the nonstick coating.
Stainless Steel Cookware. Cleaning stainless steel cookware can vary depending on the type of food you’re cooking. For instance, with burnt-on foods, cleaning even becomes tougher. You will have first to soak the cookware and then proceed to use steel wool and cleanser. For most foods, however, stainless steel isn’t that difficult to clean. Use hot soapy water to wash, then rinse and dry right away to prevent the formation of water spots. The upside of stainless steel is that it’s entirely dishwasher safe. However, handwashing is usually recommended.
Utensils Type to Use
Ceramic cookware is utensils-specific. This means that not just any type of utensils can be used on the surface. You will be required to use either nylon, silicone, or wooden utensils, instead of the conventional metallic utensils. This is to avoid scratching the surface with the metallic utensils. Once the coating is scratched, you will be required to replace the cookware! As such, for great performance and longevity, use non-metallic utensils on ceramic cookware.
For Stainless Steel cookware, not much is demanded in terms of the type of utensils to use. Metallic utensils are compatible with stainless steel. Every other utensil also works well with stainless steel cookware, as well. There are no specifics regarding the type of utensils to be used on the surface, as everything works pretty well.
Seasoning
Ceramic Cookware. Most manufacturers recommend ceramic seasoning cookware before the first usage and then occasionally after that. One teaspoon of vegetable oil is enough to season your ceramic cookware. Using a soft cloth, you gently wipe the oil on the surfaces’ interior. While nonstick sprays may be a thing for ceramic cookware, this is a no go zone! This is because the spray builds up over time, thus damaging the nonstick ceramic coating, making food to stick on your cookware.
Stainless Steel cookware also requires a bit of seasoning. A nonstick cooking spray is sprayed across the cooking surface, or a small amount of cooking oil, butter, or margarine is added while the pan is still cold. The cookware is then placed under medium heat (1-2 minutes) before adding food. Avoid high heat, as this tends to cause food to stick on your stainless steel cookware.
Best Care and Maintenance Practices
Stainless Steel Cookware
- Use non-abrasive cleaners such as vinegar and baking soda to remove burnt food.
- Avoid using strong abrasive cleaners and scrubbers and scouring pads as these tend to scratch the stainless steel surfaces.
- For removal of water spots and minor stains, make your cookware damp and then use baking soda with an already moistened sponge to rub-down the stains or water spots.
- Only add salt to boiling water to avoid pitting corrosion.
- Do not put extremely hot cookware in cold water, as this will cause your cookware to warp.
Ceramic Cookware
- Avoid storage-related damage through the elimination of cookware contact by placing paper towels, napkins, or pan protectors between the cookware when not in use.
- Avoid chipping the cookware.
- Stick to low or medium heat as high heat can destroy the ceramic cookware
- Don’t sear or broil meats as these techniques require high heat.
- Use the ideal burner size to avoid heat contact with the sides.
- Avoid rapid temperature changes as this will cause warping and destruction of the nonstick coating.
Induction Compatible Cookware
You’re probably thinking about getting that induction cooktop, but there’s one big question. Is your cookware induction ready? Don’t know how to tell? Well, it’s quite simple. Just stick a magnet at the bottom of your cookware. If it firmly clings, then the cookware is induction ready and can be used on an induction cooktop. That’s it!
Ceramic coated cookware is induction ready and can be used on an induction cooktop. This is because an iron pan is embedded within the ceramic coating layer. However, when the core metal isn’t iron or is a non-magnetic material, then the ceramic cookware ceases to be induction ready. The key is always in the magnetic component. 100% Ceramic, on the contrary, is not induction ready. This is because there is no magnetic metal incorporated within the ceramic to facilitate induction. Ceramic by itself isn’t magnetic hence cannot be used on an induction cooktop.
Stainless Steel Cookware is induction ready as well. This is a result of the iron present in stainless steel, which is magnetic hence making it induction-compatible. For fully clad stainless steel, however, induction compatibility will be determined by the nature of the core materials. For instance, aluminum and copper are not magnetic; hence, when used as the core in stainless steel cookware, the cookware won’t work with an induction cooktop. A magnetic core like cast iron and steel, on the contrary, would mean that the cookware would be induction compatible.
Which Cookware Material is Safer for Health?
Why You Should Avoid Toxic Cookware
Toxic cookware is known to consist of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). These chemicals have been linked to various health risks and environmental problems. This is as a result of the toxic fumes that they emit when the nonstick cookware is used for cooking over high and elevated temperatures.
Reasons to avoid toxic cookware:
- Long-term exposure to air polluted with toxic fumes from these chemicals results in you developing Teflon flu.
- PFOA is well known to be carcinogenic and cause developmental problems in humans.
- The nonstick coating of toxic cookware can chip or flake off and be ingested with the food. This poses a health risk, especially for those with allergies. Besides, once the cookware is chipping, it may also release harmful compounds.
- The toxic fumes emitted when toxic cookware is overheated beyond their set temperature. It can kill pet birds, as their respiratory systems are fragile, compared to ours.
- The toxic gases are also known to pollute the environment as well.
On the brighter side, PFOA was phased out in 2013 and has not been used in the manufacture of nonstick Teflon cookware anymore. However, with all the risks associated with toxic nonstick cookware, it’s safe to avoid them completely.
Which is a Safer Option?
Both stainless steel cookware and ceramic cookware are safe for your health. However, with stainless steel, there are several series, and each has a different construction. A small scratch on stainless steel cookware may result in leaching of small metal particles into your food.
Moreover, most stainless steel alloys contain chromium and nickel. The nickel can pose health concerns if you have a nickel allergy. Besides, if nickel is consumed in large quantities, there is a risk for heavy metal poisoning.
Metal pitting with stainless steel cookware is also common, especially when it’s heated at high temperatures. This can also trigger metal leaching into your food. Quality stainless steel cookware sets have strong bonds of the alloy; hence are quite strong. No leaching of these metals would occur; therefore are quite safe. Always go for quality to avoid potential risks.
Ceramic cookware is also safe, but it’s a safer and healthier alternative compared to stainless steel cookware. The ceramic coating on cookware isn’t formulated with PFOA or PTFE, which are well-known nonstick chemicals found in Teflon. Instead, ceramic coatings and cookware are made from inorganic, 100% natural minerals. There are no risks of metals or chemicals leaching into your food or even the environment.
Ceramic cookware is usually glazed in a kiln instead of applying a nonstick coat or dipping in a nonstick coating. The glazing makes ceramic cookware completely safe! Ceramic cookware is 100% safe, free of dangerous toxins, and environmentally friendly as well, which makes it rank among the healthiest cookware options.
Cost Comparison
We all know quality is expensive. As such, it’s crystal clear that stainless steel cookware will be costlier than ceramic cookware. For as little as $100 or under, you can easily get an excellent ceramic cookware set. However, for stainless steel cookware, you will be required to churn out hundreds of dollars. But in the end, investing in quality cookware is always worth it, as they would last you a lifetime!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q. Is it safe to use scratched ceramic pan?
A. No. This is because a scratched ceramic pan would expose the underlying metallic core. If the core is reactive, which more likely is, then you will be getting food with a metallic-like taste and discoloration as well. Moreover, a scratched ceramic pan won’t conduct heat well. Once your ceramic pan is scratched, it’s advisable to get rid of it as soon as possible.
Q. Is ceramic pan better than Teflon?
A. Yes. Ceramic cookware isn’t formulated with PFOA or PTFE, which are well-known nonstick chemicals found in Teflon. Instead, ceramic coatings and cookware are made from inorganic, 100% natural minerals. This means there are no risks of metals or chemicals leaching into your food or even the environment.
Q. How long do ceramic pans last?
A. Ceramic pans have reduced longevity than stainless steel pans. Under normal conditions of continuous usage, ceramic pans can be safely used for 3 to 5 years. How effectively your ceramic pans are taken care of will also determine how long it will last.
Q. Can you ruin a ceramic pan?
A. Yes. There are a couple of ways in which you can ruin a ceramic pan. For example, by using metallic utensils, cooking over high heat, and haphazardly storing the pans and pots on top of each other without any protection in between. All these practices will scratch and flake the ceramic coating off your pan, meaning it wouldn’t be useful anymore. Engage in all these practices, and you’ll be sure to ruin your ceramic pan.
Q. Is stainless steel toxic when heated?
A. Not at all. High-quality stainless steel cookware features much safer materials as compared to low-quality alternatives. Besides, stainless steel isn’t made from any organic compounds. As such, there will be no toxic gases given out when heated. To be on the safe side, go for high-quality stainless steel cookware.
Q. Is a stainless steel pan better than nonstick?
A. In terms of convenience, stainless steel pans aren’t better as compared to nonstick. Moreover, for options like preparing delicate foods like eggs and flaky fish varieties, nonstick pans are the best. Besides, unlike stainless steel, nonstick pans don’t need much cooking oil, fat, or butter to prohibit food from getting stuck on the surface. This comes in handy when you’re after healthy cooking and eating habits! However, in terms of durability, stainless steel pans carry the day.
Conclusion: Which Cookware Material is Right for You?
A comparison between stainless steel and ceramic cookware sees each having excellent benefits and only very few drawbacks. For both cookware, the benefits that come with them outweigh their drawbacks. This, therefore, makes it even harder to declare one set as the absolutely best.
You can as well have both of the cookware, for maximum utilization. You can decide to have a complete set of one kind and only a few pieces of the other cookware type. There’s absolutely no law that prohibits you from having both cookware sets!
However, in the case that you’re unable to get both, your choice will depend on your current needs and your cooking experience as well. For instance, if you’re after cooking over high heat, then stainless steel cookware would be the best option, as compared to ceramic cookware.
On the other hand, if you’re still learning and not that experienced, ceramic cookware will serve you just well. This is because it’s convenient and easier to use, unlike stainless steel. If you’re an already experienced cook, stainless steel cookware is then your best shot.