Tim Gorman asked:




The latest rage in cookware selection is celebrity endorsed pots and pans. Everyone from Emeril Legasse to Martha Stewart have their own line of cookware. Whether you want the high end selections of Emeril or Rocco or you prefer the Martha Stewart more budget conscious “Everyday” collection, so you can cook with the stars.

Wolfgang Puck's has his “Bistro Collection“. You can only purchase this set through the home shopping channel There is a 4-millimeter aluminum disc in the base of the pots and the handles are hollow, stainless steel.

Of course not all celebrity endorsed cookware makes the cut. For instance Good Housekeeping test kitchen did not give Martha‘s Everyday collection of cookware a thumbs up. Unfortunately for Martha Stewart, her line of cookware did not fare to well in the consumer report kitchen. The editors at Good Housekeeping have tested nearly every type of pot and pan imaginable. They have tested everything from skillets and saucepans to Dutch ovens and roasters. It should be noted that the Martha Stewart Everyday collection of cookware costs considerably less than the other celebrity choices.

One of the test that is conducted by Good Housekeeping is for heat conduction. Heat conduction is the most important factor in cookware construction (per the testing committee). They test other items but if the cookware fails this test then what is the point?

The Martha cookware did not fare very well . The report concluded that the Martha Stewart cookware 12-inch nonstick skillet retained heat poorly. The skillet got too hot over high heat The skillet heated too slow over a low flame. Editors say it burned onions in their sauté tests.

Legasse endorses Emerilware which performed well in all the categories. The brand name that stands behind him has excellent cookware. Emerilware Cookware is constructed from heavy gauge aluminum with a tough enamel exterior for long-lasting style in the kitchen. The cookware has a durable enamel.

Rocco DiSpirito , star of the Food Network series, introduced Rocco Cookware “for
serious chefs“. The collection is the first cast aluminum cookware collection with a porcelain interior and exterior The cookware has his signature fashion colors and bold design. Additionally, Rocco is debuting a collection of pressure cookers and new low-pressure cookware sets that take "cooking under pressure" to the next level.

For non-celebrity cookware, heavy gauge stainless steel is the best high-end cookware. Stainless steel is a good choice for use with gas ranges and the cookware is oven-safe to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. The nonstick version is a very good good choice.

Low cost nonstick cookware made of hard-anodized aluminum with a nonstick coating is lighter in weight than the more expensive brand. This cookware is not dishwasher safe. This cookware is 400-degrees Fahrenheit. Copper pots and pans are among the most expensive kind of cookware,. Gourmet chefs love copper for their superior heat conduction. Copper pots need to be lined with tin or low maintenance stainless steel.

The cookware you choose whether celebrity or non celebrity should fit your budget and your lifestyle. There are so many choices available that when a celebrity endorses a product , it makes our choices easier.

Home Alarm

David Daniels asked:




Tri Ply displays one of the worlds most popular and functional cookware concepts. Tri Ply is basically two or three different metals that are laminated or bonded together to obtain the advantages of the two metals in one piece of cookware.

The metals most often used to create this high quality cookware are stainless steel, aluminum and copper. This type of cookware is often more expensive but is very durable and conducts heat faster and more evenly. The two main types are with just a base or disc inserted in the bottom and on your top quality cookware the inside layer goes up the side as well as at the base.

The most popular type of tri ply is stainless steel with aluminum. This type has an aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. The construction of this type of cookware starts in the raw material stage, with sheets and blanks. The aluminum is laminated between two sheets of stainless steel and then molded into the desired shape.The highest quality of this type is when 18/10 stainless steel is used to cover the aluminum core with 18/8 and 18/0 being of slightly lesser quality due to the different amount of nickel and chromium used to make the stainless steel. This type of cookware, because of how it is constructed is expensive but worth the money since it lasts so long. It is great for all types of cooking and most brands can go from the stove top to the oven.

One thing to keep in mind when buying this type of cookware is that you can get the same high quality product without having to spend your life savings. There are quality cookware companies out there that can give you the same great product, made with the same materials as the top brands. Just be sure that you read up on the materials used and how it is made. The big companies know they are popular and will charge you more for their name so be careful.

Another type of tri ply cookware is made with copper, aluminum and stainless steel. It starts the same way as the stainless steel/aluminum kind but has copper laminated on the outside instead of stainless steel. It has three layers with copper on the outside, aluminum in the middle and a stainless steel interior. Copper is used for it's conductivity as well as the aluminum since stainless steel alone is not a good conductor of heat. The process of making this type of cookware is also expensive, a little more so than the stainless steel and aluminum type. It is better for the stove top because of the insulation properties of the copper. Copper does react with food and will discolor it and can even be toxic with some foods which is why most copper cookware is lined with tin, nickel or stainless steel. Despite this fact it is still a top quality product. Having copper cookware will also make a statement in your kitchen with it's classy look and mirrored finish.

As with all cookware products, as stated earlier, you want to do a little homework. Sometimes the big name brands are not the best buy for the money. You can look at what they offer for the price and compare. With a little knowledge you will most likely find a quality cookware set for about 30 to 50 percent cheaper than the big guys without compromising on quality.

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David Daniels asked:




Stainless steel cookware is probably the most widely used of all the different cookware types. It starts as iron and has up to 8 different alloys added to it. This determines the quality of the product. Chromium and nickel are most commonly added. Chromium provides resistance from rust and corrosion while nickel adds additional rust resistance as well as hardness and adds to the high polish characteristics.

You might have noticed the numbers 18/10,18/8 and 18/0 listed on some cookware or silverware sets before. Basically this is the amount of nickel and chromium in the product. Typically on the high end products you will see either 18/10 or 18/8. 18/0 is found on the cheaper low end products and are of lesser quality. Products must have at least 11% chromium to be "classified" and nickel is not necessary. Good stainless steel cookware has 18% chromium and 8% to 10% nickel. This gives you the mirrored finish and high polished shine. 18/0 does not have nickel and therefor has a dull finish and is prone to some rusting and spotting.

Here is a simple test that you can do on your cookware to find out what you have:

Put a magnet up to your pot or pan, if it sticks you have 18/0 stainless steel, if it does not stick it is either 18/8 or 18/10. This is because of the nickel in the alloy. What the nickel does is neutralize the ferrous properties of the iron in the stainless steel alloy. Since there is no nickel in 18/0 it lets the magnet stick to it.

Some good advantages of stainless steel are that it is extremely durable. Depending on what class of stainless steel you have is related to how durable it is. Remember, the more nickel the stronger and more durable it will be. It is nonporous and extremely hard which is good because it will not absorb food or odors. The smooth surface makes it easy to clean and is dishwasher safe. It is also dent and scratch resistant and does not react to food. It is also easy to maintain the mirrored finish.

One bad thing about stainless steel is that it is a poor conductor of heat unless it has more than 1 ply. 3 to 5 ply will allow for better conductivity. "Ply" simply means layer, the more layers the better the conductivity. This only holds true because the layers are actually made of different metals which conduct heat better and are coated with stainless steel. Usually these layers or "discs" are made from either copper or aluminum.

Stainless steel is one of my favorites. Always make sure you get your cookware with riveted handles or molded into the base as one piece.

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