subject: Stainless Steel Vs. Non-stick Cookware A Comparison [print this page] The hands down most popular type of cookware in America is the nonstick variety. It constitutes more than sixty percent of the market, with the other forty percent being variously divided between stainless steel, ceramic, copper clad, cast iron, and a few others. Of these, stainless steel is the second largest market segment, and is a popular choice for a variety of reasons.
Despite the fact that cooking purists swear by cast iron, it has long been fading in terms of overall market share, now being relegated to niche status, though it should be said that the fans of cast iron are really loyal, and the stuff lasts forever, so its not hard to see why.
In comparing the two though, stainless steel vs non-stick cookware, we find some points of interest.
First, in terms of price, a stainless steel cookware set will generally be less expensive than its nonstick counterpart. This isnt always the case, and its always possible that you can find a really great deal on the net, but in general, youll find that the statement holds true, so if youre a budget conscious shopper, then stainless might be just what youre looking for (and if youre curious, have a look all clad, or Cuisinart stainless steel cookware setsgreat value for the money!).
That said, despite what the manufacturers tell you on their websites, stainless still cant really compete in terms of ease of cleanup with nonstick. Yes, youll read that stainless steel is nonstick, but its just not soat least, its not nearly as nonstick as Teflon, or otherwise coated, traditional nonstick cookware, so dont buy into the hype. If you go the route of stainless steel cookware, youre going to spend more time on cleanup. Thats just part of the tradeoff.
On the other hand, stainless steel is a whole heck of a lot more durable than the fragile, coated nonstick cookware on the market. Itll last longer and hold up better under repeated, long term use.
Be careful though, and dont get sucked into purchasing sets at the extreme low end of the price spectrum. Most of these are actually mostly cheap aluminum, and prone to warping after repeated use and uneven cooking, which can completely wreck your meals.
Stick with the big, well known brands and read consumer reviews carefully before making a decision, but dont write stainless steel off before giving them a look!
