Kitchen Tools

When you are selecting your pans, you have to decide if you go the way of nonstick pans or another kind of pan, such as stainless steel, aluminum, or cast iron.

Nonstick pans are a great solution for beginners since they don’t stick as much and are very low maintenance. On the other hand, they are not as durable: they have problems reaching higher temperatures, and some researchers associate some of them with increasing the risk of cancer.

Other groups of pans require seasoning from time to time, but perform better, can handle higher temperatures, and generally speaking, are more durable.

There are many kinds of pans but let me talk about 3 most common kinds that will cover all your needs:

1. Fry pans

• Shorts edges from all pans.
• More specific info about fry pans below this section or here.

2. Sauté pans

• Edges are often narrow and taller than on a fry pan.
• More specific info about sauté pans below or here.

3. Stir fry pans (works)

• It is the deepest pan of all with the tallest sides.
• More specific info about stir fry pans below or here.

How to select the best pans?

• Buy a professional grade that is NSF certified – if it’s made for restaurants, imagine how long it will last in your household with lighter usage (most likely your kids will gladly inherit your pans 😊).
• Buy a pan made from stainless steel with an aluminum-clad bottom for best performance, equal heat distribution, and great durability.
• Buy pots that are oven-proof – can be placed in the oven for greater versatility.

Which to buy?

• Every household should have at least one large fry pan and one large sauté pan (each with a diameter of 12″ or more) and also one small fry pan (with a diameter of 7-8″), which will be used for preparing eggs or smaller portions.
• Optionally, it is great to also have one large stir fry pan, but if you budget is limited you can substitute a stir fry pan with a sauté pan for most applications (12″ or larger).