# What's different between different brands of cookware?



## kenny1999 (Apr 11, 2019)

am I right that as long as I know what materials they are made up of and the  dimensions is okay for me, then it doesn't matter what brand it is right?

I am only interested in stainless steel pan because I believe that easy-to-clean pan could be very dangerous to health over time especially if it's scratched. 

What are the different types of stainless steel and which one is the best and safetest? I remember there are different numbers or grades, I don't remember clearly


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## Andy M. (Apr 11, 2019)

The stainless steel used in all major brands of cookware is safe. The type of ss is chosen for its hardness/durability and in some cases, induction cooktop compatibility.

Rather than being concerned about they type of ss, I recommend you concern yourself with the the quality of the pan's construction. How thick the ss is, if it's try-ply, how thick is the center layer, are the handles comfortable and sturdy, does it have a tight fitting lid, etc.


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## caseydog (Apr 11, 2019)

SS pans, and ceramic coated pans are very safe -- by any standards. Both are relatively non-stick if you use them right. 

With SS, you may want to focus on "try-ply" pans. They have a layer of aluminum between two layers of SS. That helps distribute and moderate heat. I single layer of SS can be more difficult to work with. 

There are many brands of try-ply SS pans out there, with a wide variety of prices. 

CD


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## pepperhead212 (Apr 11, 2019)

kenny1999 said:


> am I right that as long as I know what materials they are made up of and the  dimensions is okay for me, then it doesn't matter what brand it is right?
> 
> I am only interested in stainless steel pan because I believe that easy-to-clean pan could be very dangerous to health over time especially if it's scratched.
> 
> What are the different types of stainless steel and which one is the best and safetest? I remember there are different numbers or grades, I don't remember clearly


Those numbers you are probably thinking of are listed as 18/10 and 18/8 - percentages of  chromium and nickel, the higher the numbers, the harder and more stainless.  I don't see the grades like 305 and 316 on food stainless - I see these for screws for my workshop, and, again, the higher the more stainless.  400 grades are magnetic, which is what the outer layer is of induction ready pots is, but they just say induction ready.

Many cheaper pans out there have a sandwich disk just on the bottom, not up the sides, as the better ones.  The heat goes up the thin sides, and burns the food frequently.

ATK did some severe tests on these pans, one of which was to heat it up over high heat, then plunge it into ice water - not something any of us will be doing at home!  But this severe temperature change can cause warping of the metal.  And some cheap pans are manufactured with a "hump", which is supposed to flatten out when heated, though this doesn't really seem to work.

A good, affordable  brand I found, when I replaced a number of my pans with induction capable pans, is *Cuisinart*.  I also got some good pans from Williams Sonoma - induction capable skillets, with NS ceramic coating.  Not sure how this stuff does in the long run - too soon to tell.  But it's the better option to PTFEs, which I assume is what you are concerned about, with "easy to clean pans".


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## Addie (Apr 11, 2019)

I am with pepperhead on the name brand of Cuisinart. It is affordable and cooks food in a reasonable manner as long as you don't burn food it in on a regular basis. My son burnt one of my Cuisinart pans and I ended up using a fine grade of sandpaper to remove the last remnants of the burnt food. The steel wool pad just wasn't able to do the job I was looking for. The sanding had no undesirable effect on the function of cooking food in it again. 

Grant you they have the tri ply only on the bottom. But I don't really find that a drawback. Just using a lower heat on any of the foods you are cooking, and you will have no problems with Cuisinart.


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## asma_sh18 (Jul 7, 2019)

Stainless steel pot or pan with 18/10 or 18/8 grade stainless steel is safe for healthy cooking. And I don't think that a scratched stainless steel pan is risky for healthy cookware. However, brands really matter when you are looking for durability and outlook design.


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