Wendell T. Webber
Cast Iron
One of cast iron's great advantages is that it's so heavy―and therefore retains and distributes heat nicely. Of course, one of its great disadvantages is that it's, well, so heavy. Along the same contradictory lines: It lasts forever with proper care and seasoning, and for some this can take forever. (Seasoning means oiling and baking the pan to give it a nonstick surface naturally.) But one big advantage is affordability: A 10-inch cast-iron skillet costs about $14, while the same size stainless pan can cost up to $140.
How to identify: A cast-iron pot is extremely heavy and looks as if it should be hanging in Laura Ingalls's kitchen.
When to use: For nonstick sautéing or cooking dishes that need to go from stove-top to oven, such as potato gratin and frittatas. Also use it if you have to fry large pieces of meat straight from the refrigerator, because cast iron will not cool. Why does that matter? "When you've lost the temperature, you've lost the ability to sear and caramelize," says John Ash, a culinary teacher and the author of Cooking One on One: Private Lessons in Simple, Contemporary Food from a Msater Teacher (Clarkson Potter, $38, amazon.com).
When not to use: While conventional wisdom says not to use cast iron with acidic foods because it releases a metallic taste, Ash says this reaction is barely perceptible and actually adds iron to the food.
How to clean: Use a nonabrasive sponge and water. Never use soap or steel wool.
See Real Simple's Guide to Storing Pots and Pans
Wendell T. Webber
Unlike uncoated cast iron, these pots don't require seasoning, and they're attractive enough to go from stovetop to tabletop. Like regular cast iron, they're heavy and have superb heat-retention properties.
How to identify: An enameled cast-iron pot or pan is going to be the heaviest one hanging from the rack. The enamel interior is often white. Some are enameled only on the exterior (like the skillet pictured). The most popular enameled cast-iron pot is a Dutch oven.
When to use: As soon as the weather turns chilly―comfort foods and enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens go hand in hand. Cast iron retains a relatively even temperature over a long period, so it's perfect for making soups and stews. A thinner aluminum pan on the same burner over the same temperature will accumulate heat, and the food will stick or burn on the bottom. Also, like regular cast iron, this is a good choice for recipes that require stovetop-to-oven cooking.
When not to use: When you're in a hurry. Like regular cast iron, it retains even heat for long, slow cooking, but it takes the pan a long time to get to that point. When you have to sauté something fast, this is not the pan you want.
How to clean: Pans with metal or plastic (not wooden) handles can be put in the dishwasher. Or wash enameled interiors in hot, soapy water using a sponge scouring pad (never metal).
From Real Simple: The Best Materials for Pots and Pans
Wendell T. Webber
Stainless steel is a poor conductor, but paired with an inner core or a base of aluminum or copper, it's the wonder metal of cookware. Stainless pots can be used for any kind of cooking, since they're nonreactive (meaning the metal doesn't interact with the food or affect the final flavor). It's incredibly easy to clean them.
How to identify: They're usually the brightest, shiniest ones in the pantry. The more affordable stainless pots have aluminum or copper disks bonded to their bases. (For optimum performance, the disk should cover the entire base.) The most expensive stainless cookware has the layer of aluminum or copper sandwiched between the steel on the base and up the sides. Such a pan's base may be stamped CLAD, which signifies the manufacturing technology, not the brand All-Clad.
When to use: Although you can use stainless pots for almost any kind of cooking, they're especially good for browning or for recipes that require gauging the color of a broth or a sauce. The light metal makes a neutral backdrop for what's going on inside the pot.
When not to use: Boiling water in a stainless stockpot with a heat conducting-disk forged to its base will take longer than boiling in an anodized pot, because the sides never get very hot.
How to clean: Stainless steel can withstand dishwashers and abrasive cleansers without scratching or denting.
More from Real Simple:
Non-stick Aluminum, Hard-Anodized Aluminum, and Copper Pots
How to Clean Cookware
Top 20 Kitchen Tools
