How Do I Choose the Best Porcelain Cookware?

Cookware can be made from numerous types of materials. Porcelain cookware is often the choice of chefs who require versatility and even heat distribution while cooking. It’s an excellent option no matter what type of range it’s used on, as it is a highly conductive material that helps compensate for electric stoves’ tendency to create “hotspots.” It’s particularly popular cookware for glass top stoves, as it’s more lightweight than cast iron but still provides a chemical-free nonstick alternative to Teflon. That means you can safely use it even in high-heat applications without worrying about unintended additives making their way into your family’s food.

When choosing porcelain cookware, there are a few factors to consider. These include choosing between a pre-packaged set and individual pieces; determining the quality and price of available pieces; and buying from a store versus ordering online.

The first thing to consider when choosing porcelain cookware is the amount needed. If a chef is in need of many cookware pieces like pots, pans and skillets, then it is usually best to go ahead and purchase an entire cookware set. The benefit of this method is that it tends to save money in the long run. The drawbacks include being stuck with only one brand and perhaps having to purchase unnecessary pieces.

If a chef only needs a few particular pieces of cookware, then it's usually better to buy the pieces individually. It is then possible to pick and choose pieces from different brands. Also, instead of being limited to the items that come in a standard set, purchasing each item on its own means the chef can choose the perfect cookware for specific culinary tasks.

The quality of porcelain cookware also needs to carefully investigated before making a purchase. An effective method of determining the quality of differing brands is to conduct an online search. Check out several unbiased reviews of cookware products and carefully weigh the pros and cons of each. Asking the opinion of friends or acquaintances who are familiar with porcelain cookware is also a simple way to gain insight.

The price of the cookware should also be taken into consideration. Brands can differ substantially in cost, so it's usually a good idea to shop around at three or four stores or websites. This should provide a better idea of the average pricing and reduce the possibility of paying too much for a particular product.

Making a purchase from a physical store or ordering online is another decision to be made. The benefits of in-store shopping are the ability to evaluate products up close and avoid shipping and handling charges. On the downside, there is often a limited selection.

The pros of ordering online are a wider selection and sometimes lower prices. The cons are that one is unable to physically evaluate the product and there are often additional shipping and handling charges involved. In addition, the chef must wait for delivery before actually putting the porcelain cookware to use.