Walking into a cookware section in any home supplies store can be overwhelming. There’s a huge range of different finishes and materials available nowadays but what is the difference between them? Which is the best and which are the safest options?

Copper, teflon, stainless steel — so many options to choose from. One of the most obvious defining features is the price. Is that high price worth it? As a college student, you probably want to make sure you get the most bang for your buck and hope you’re not being ripped off. You want something that’s going to be long lasting and can withstand the test of time. However, working out whether you should invest in high-cost cookware really comes down to your budget and if the cookware you’re going for is worth the price for what you’re desiring to do with it.

You also need to think about the safety of cookware. You will be using it at high temperatures, over long periods of time so you need to ensure it’s not damaging your food and health into the future.

Every home cook needs good cookware, but not knowing which material to choose can be stressful.

So what should you look for in cookware? This post will help you understand the differences between them so you can choose the type of cookware material that is the best choice for you.

What Is The Best And Safest Cookware Material

Want to know the pros and cons between the various cookware materials for pots and pans? Let’s take a look at how they stack up with each other below.

Cast Iron Cookware

Pros

• Your cast iron cookware will be in your life for a long time. This stuff is made to last so although the price can seem high, you won’t be replacing your frying pan constantly as it wears out. It’s very high quality.
• The iron can leach into food cooked in cast iron. Which, despite the sound of it, is actually a good thing. Especially if you’re low in iron.
• Once hot, cast iron cookware is great at holding that heat in, which makes it great for cooking at high temperatures. This means that you can transfer from stovetop to oven easily.
• There are different types of cookware made from cast iron – from pans to a dutch oven (one of the most popular cast iron dutch ovens is from Le Creuset).

Cons

• Cast iron cookware is not cheap. But, it will last decades. So if you purchase it now you will probably never need to buy another frying pan again. How crazy is that?
• There is a very particular way that you need to clean your cast iron. It’s not onerous, but you just need to learn it and look after your pans. They’re an investment, remember.
• Cast iron cookware is not designed to work well with acidic foods such as tomatoes, lemons, or cranberries. You can end up with color and flavor leeching into your delicious food. Other cookware such as stainless-steel, enamel-coated or glass is much better for this type of cooking.
• It can take a while to heat up, so don’t be looking for instant high heat.

Ceramic Cookware

Pros

• Most ceramic cookware isn’t actually completely ceramic. It’s made of metal and a ceramic coating is added which makes it more long-lasting than it would be otherwise.

Cons

• You will need to wash this type of cookware by hand to maintain it.

Stainless Steel Cookware

Pros

• Made up of nickel and chromium, stainless steel lives up to its name. It’s resistant to rust and corrosion making it long-lasting without stains showing up.
• It distributes heat well across its entire surface, no matter where the heat is coming from which makes it great for things like griddle cooking and flat baking sheets.
• One of the best cookware to cook acidic food like tomato sauce

Cons

• You will need to use a cooking spray of some sort to ensure a nonstick cookware finish on stainless steel pans. Otherwise, you’ll be scraping food off the bottom of the pan.

Non-stick Cookware

Pros

• Easy to cook with and you’ll have a speedy clean-up. The whole point of nonstick pans is to make sure the food is not cooked onto the surface which means your fried eggs will be easy to flip and you can clean up in no time, which also makes it great for beginner home cooks.
• You can find cheap nonstick pans and other nonstick cookware options in almost all stores.

Cons

• May contain PFAS chemicals, which are man-made chemicals found in non-stick cookware. Often called “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment and body for extended periods due to their resistance to degradation. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, “Exposure to PFAS has been linked to a range of health concerns, including developmental effects, increased cancer risk, and reproductive harm.” 
• The non-stick coatings, generally Teflon, has been linked to several serious health conditions including thyroid disease and lung damage. They have since evolved the chemicals used in manufacture but there hasn’t been sufficient time to see if this has made the products safe in the long run.

Carbon Steel Cookware

Pros

• made from an alloy of iron and carbon
• Lightweight, easy to handle
• Durable, can withstand high temperatures
• Heats up and cools down faster than cast iron
• requires seasoning to develop a naturally non-stick surface
• Versatile, can be used for frying or baking

Cons

• Not dishwasher safe. Requires handwashing and proper seasoning to prevent rust
• Reactive with acidic food like tomato sauce and citrus, which can potentially strip away at the seasoning and leave a metallic taste
• Cast iron and carbon steel differ in that carbon steel has the potential to for heat to not be as evenly distributed

Aluminum Cookware

Pros

• Lightweight, which is great if you’re moving a lot between home, college, and new apartments.
• It’s affordable, also important if you’re setting up a new apartment for the first time. There are a lot of things you’ll need to buy, so decide if you want to invest in cast iron forever pieces or if aluminum is going to be more practical for you at this stage.

Cons

• There have been concerns that aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer’s, although these claims have never been proven.
• The aluminum can leach into your food, but if you look for anodized aluminum you should be safer.
• Aluminum cookware is not designed to work well with acidic foods such as tomatoes, lemons, or cranberries. You can end up with color and flavor leeching into your delicious food. Other cookware such as stainless-steel, enamel-coated or glass is much better for this type of cooking.

Copper Cookware

Pros

• Copper cookware does conduct heat well and spreads it out evenly.
• Similar to cast iron, copper can leach into your food which can have beneficial effects.

Cons

• Copper cookware sets can leach unsafe levels of copper into your food.
• Unlined copper is unsuitable to use on an everyday basis and often the linings of tin or nickel aren’t any better for you.

Glass Cookware

Pros

• Dishwasher safe and non-porous making them easy to clean
• Glass is a naturally nonstick surface
• Versatile – can be used for baking, storing, or reheating
• One of the best cookware to cook acidic food like tomato sauce

Cons

• Doesn’t conduct heat as well as metal
• Can shatter with thermal shock or sudden temperature changes
• Not suitable for all stovetops (or grills), specifically induction stovetops
• Must be handled with care to avoid breakage

What Is The Healthiest Cookware Material?

If you’re on the hunt for the most nontoxic cookware you can buy, you’ll want to stick to stainless steel, cast iron or carbon steel — basically things that don’t have a coating on them. Look for pots and pans that don’t have toxic, synthetic non-stick coatings. 

Ceramic is said to be considered the safest option for frying, especially delicate foods like fish or eggs. Stainless steel is ideal for cooking a wide variety of food at high temperatures like with stir fry dishes. To sear meat, cast iron is your girl.

All of these options are the healthiest, non-toxic options for cookware. Some may even add additional nutrients in your meals. When cooking with these options, you don’t have to worry about the leaching of harmful chemicals getting into your food. Each of these options are all tried and tested to be durable, long-lasting and may also offer health benefits. For example, cast iron can naturally supplement iron in your diet. Also, traditional cookware, like clay pots, stone, and copper steel can help retain more nutrients in food compared to some modern alternatives.

Cookware Tips

Cast Iron Cookware

• Never use in the dishwasher. Instead, wash with mild dish soap and dry.
• Cast iron isn’t naturally nonstick, it’s the oiling and seasoning that creates a layer that’s impenetrable. So make sure you are seasoning regularly.
• Always heat the pan before adding anything to it. Otherwise, if you add it cold, it may stick! The same goes for adding stuff to your dutch oven.

Ceramic Cookware

• Make sure to not use metal utensils with your ceramic cookware. For this type of cookware, look for wooden, silicone, plastic, or nylon options. This will help keep the finish smooth and make your cookware last longer.
• Don’t cut food in the pan as this can cut through the ceramic coating as well!
• Make sure you let your cookware cool down before putting it into cold water. If you want to add some water to let it soak straight after cooking, make sure it’s warmed up first.

Stainless Steel Cookware

• Make sure you get your pan hot before you add anything to it. Then add your oil. When you can see a nice sheen, you’re good to start adding your food to the pan.
• If your oil smokes, the pan is too hot. You need to let it cool down before you get busy cooking.
• Look for options with an “aluminum core” as this will help get the best heat distribution across your cookware.

Teflon Cookware (Non-Stick Cookware)

• Although this isn’t necessarily the safest cookware (before 2013, the usage of teflon cookware was linked to health concerns like cancer), you can prolong its life by not using metal utensils at all. This will help prevent the nonstick coating from chipping and ending up in your food.
• Don’t use high heat on your nonstick cookware. Stick to low or medium heat so that it doesn’t degrade the surface and it will prevent potentially toxic vapors from being released into the air.
• Skip the cooking spray when using your non stick pans. Yes, it’s super convenient to add a layer of extra non-stickiness to your pan, but it’s not helping. Nonstick cookware is designed to be nonstick, without the addition of other lubricants like oil or butter. And those oil sprays contain lecithin which will build up over time. And that new coating on your pan? It’s not nonstick. Or removable. So now your pan is basically useless. Stick with the coating or if you must, use straight oil from the bottle.

Aluminum Cookware

• Are you one of those people that throws cold water in a pan after you’ve finished cooking so that you can go and enjoy your meal, knowing that your dishes are already soaking? You need to stop. This is not good for aluminum cookware. The shock of going from hot to cold can cause damage. So instead, wait until it’s cooled down, then you can add some warm water for soaking.
• Skip the dishwasher and give your aluminum cookware some handwashing love to ensure it remains in tip-top condition for years to come.
• Make sure you’re drying your aluminum cookware properly to ensure that limescale doesn’t build up over time.

Copper Cookware

• Everything is going to happen faster with copper cookware. That means you want to get things ready to go before you start heating your pans up! Make sure you add something to the pan before you start heating — butter, oil, etc. You need something in there before it gets hot so just make a habit of doing it before you light the gas up.
• Skip the metal utensils as they may scratch the lining of your copper cookware. Instead, look for wooden or silicone options when cooking with this type of cookware, that will last just as long.
• Don’t get the copper cookware too hot (over 450 degrees) as this can degrade the tin lining, causing it to bubble, and then you’ll need to get it recovered. It can be hard to tell what temperature a gas flame is, so make sure you’re not turning it up as high as it’ll go, just to “get the pan hot”. This isn’t a smart move.