Shop With Me: Kitchen Cookware Basics
When I started living on my own, I really never gave much thought to my cookware. It was usually something second hand or some cheap off-brand set that looked good. Quality wasn't my concern, as long as it did the job. Over time, as I've gotten older, I did start to be a tad more mindful of the different types of cookware I owned, but still never really investing too much.
My very first cookware set was a Christmas/housewarming present I received right before moving to Washington. When we moved into our first apartment on the west coast, we finally opened the set. It was a 10-piece set (same brand) that seemed to cover all of our cooking needs. I gave very little to no thought to the type of cookware it was. What did I know? Cookware was always just cookware to me. My entire life, I saw my parents use the same aluminum cookware (similar). I couldn't tell you the first thing about ceramic nonstick vs cast iron vs stainless steel. Getting this set as a gift felt like a total adulting upgrade... but as the saying goes, when you know better, you do better.
It's been over 5 years since I received that set and we've changed cookware just as many times - getting either new sets or new a la carte pieces. With each purchase (and replacement) I learned a little something new about cookware, however, it wasn't until I worked for Williams Sonoma that I really began to understand that not all cookware is created equal.
We'd began making more intentional strides in our cookware choices when my husband bought our very first cast iron skillet = a 10" Lodge skillet from Cost Plus World Market. I didn't know the first, second, or third thing about caring for cast iron, but man, did it feel like such a grown up purchase! Buying our home and then renovating our kitchen, however, was the catalyst I needed to finally do my research and invest in cookware that would last and that would serve all of our cooking needs long term. With so many cookware types and brands available, there's a lot of information to sift through... like A LOT.
Factors we prioritized for selecting cookware are -
our cooking style & frequency
our cleaning preference & how to care for the cookware
our budget & the price per item over time
When it comes to a lot of things, I am not a fan of sets, and that includes my cookware. I prefer a la carte pieces that actually align with our needs; however, I knew I would be open to cookware sets since we'd likely be starting from scratch.
Cookware Material
Just to get it outta the way, y'all should know I do not like to cook. Never have. My interest in cooking is purely outta necessity, not enjoyment. MY husband, on the other hand, he enjoys it. He can get in there, without a plan, and whip up a meal; whereas I need a recipe & to mentally prepare. That being said, I'd like to that that we're moderate cookers. We're definitely not heavy cookers - we're not cooking every single meal, cooking for a big family, or entertaining guests. Working at Williams Sonoma taught me that choosing the right material for the way we cook would be paramount.
Based on our lifestyle, the materials we prefer are ceramic nonstick, seasoned cast iron, and stainless steel...
ceramic nonstick - versus non stick - for its non stick properties, as well as being great for quick, healthy, and high heat cooking
seasoned cast iron - versus enameled cast iron - for its heat retention properties, in addition to being able to last an extremely long time while getting better with time (with proper care of course)
stainless steel - versus carbon steel or copper - for its ease of use, in addition to being super responsive to heat changes and dishwasher safe
As mentioned, other options are non stick, enameled cast iron, carbon steel, copper, and copper core. There are a lot of overlapping properties with all of these materials, so it was also about the affordability and/or accessibility of the items we'd need as we build our cookware collection.
Cookware Usage
I've already told y'all we're not master cheffing it up here at the hygge ranch, so thinking about usage, for me was more about what each piece is actually used for. Up until this point, we were using whatever came in the set for whatever we needed... not necessarily for its intended purpose. This usually meant over using some pieces while never using others. Talk about a waste of money and space right? We didn't know a dutch over from a stock pot, or a brainer from a fry pan. We just knew this one over here made rice and that one over there made eggs. Keep in mind, this was also not long after I'd completely revamped our small kitchen appliances & got rid of the majority of our single use appliances - rice cooker, pressure cooker, etc. I wanted to get the most use out of every item we'd be bringing into our new kitchen, with the same intentionality of the renovation.
My training as a Williams Sonoma visual merchandiser came in clutch when building our cookware collection. The big question we asked ourselves was, "what's this piece for... and do we ever cook that?"
My Cookware
Our cookware collection includes a couple of fry pans, sauce pan, sauté/essential pan, dutch oven, roasting pan, stock pot, multi pot, grill pan, wok, and a couple of griddles. Our collection includes the internet famous Always Pan from Our Place & I currently have my eye on their new Cast Iron Always Pan. This combination of cookware aligns with all of our cookware needs & it's a combination of the aforementioned materials we selected.
Cost: Sets vs A La Carte
Most people think that buying a cookware set is easier - be it on the selection process or just on their pockets - than purchasing pieces a la carte. In general, I've never been a fan of sets. Sets, typically, force you to purchase things you don't like or need alongside the things that your do want. We did combinations.
The only set we own in the GreenPan™Reserve Ceramic Nonstick 10-Piece Cookware Set, which includes 2 fry pans, a sauce pan, a sauté pan, a "casserole" pot, and a stock pot. This set has since been "revamped" and release in other colors - we have the black & gold set - and some of the newer sets have a 2nd sauce pan instead of a stock pot. Given how much we use our sauce pain in comparison to our stock pot, I would've def taken the extra sauce pan in a heartbeat. We've also since expanded to set by adding their new 10" and 12" fry pan set (our 10-piece set incl. 8" and 11" fry pans). Everything else is pieces we've purchased over time based on our evolving culinary needs. I'm most proud of how our cast iron collection has grown over the years, and especially in the past year - 10" skillet, mini skillet, round griddle, square griddle, grill pan, melting pot, au gratin pan, and grill press.
At this time, there's no need for us to get anymore sets. There are a few more individual pieces we're coveting, however, nothing that's a pressing need. When the time comes to pull the trigger - if we do - we'll go through the same process of prioritizing based on need.
It's also worth it to mention that we have a few honorable mentions that aren't traditional cooktop pieces, however, they're important parts of our cooking arsenal. We use our Instant Pot at least once a week - usually more - for a variety of meals; and we especially love using it with the Instant Pot Air Fryer Lid, eliminating the need for an additional appliance (air fryer) in the kitchen. Our Samsung PowerGrill Convection Microwave has also been a great cooking companion, with auto cook functions for precision cooking. We got the built in microwave installed during our renovation, upgrading from an overhead microwave. There are days when, between the microwave & the Instant Pot, we can make an entire meal without ever touching the cooktop.
When it comes to shopping for cookware, what you prioritize is gonna have to be in alignment with your lifestyle - your needs, your budget, etc - however, having some fundamental knowledge in places will make the whole process easier, whether you're an expert or a novice. No matter your skill level, everyone deserves quality cookware pieces to make their time in the kitchen as stress free as possible.
With only a couple of weeks before we're thrust into the holiday season - aka the season of cooking and hosting and entertaining - is getting new cookware on your agenda? Check out my cookware shopping list on Amazon.
