Stainless Steel Vs Aluminum Cookware | True Comparison
Kitchen utensils are made out of a variety of materials. Either aluminum or stainless steel cookware is most favored by professionals and home cooks as well. There are of course a few differences between the two. What are their differences?
If you are a home cook that cooks every single day, you might be worried about the durability of your cookware. It’s not just about the maintenance of the cookware itself. It’s also about the safety issue, coating, heat conduction, etc. that should be a concern. Hence, the things you should know about stainless steel Vs aluminum cookware will be further discussed.
Comparison Of Aluminum Vs Stainless Steel Cookware
Aluminum Cookware
● It has what they called a thermal conductivity, 16 times more than stainless steel cookware. In other words, this cookware heats 16 times faster than stainless steel cookware.
● It is inexpensive and lightweight.
● The chance of melting is very low.
● One problem is, it doesn’t go well with acidic foods. Because of that, a nonstick coating (anodized aluminum) is preferable.
● The FDA reported aluminum-based materials are safe for one’s overall health.
Stainless Steel Cookware
● Has a great cooking surface, but failed to do well at heat conduction. By this, search for a copper or aluminum surface that blends with the stainless steel.
● When used decently, it will not cause food to stick.
● It is very durable and maintains its best performance for a long time.
● Price-wise, it can be expensive and heavy. Because it is thicker and has other quality of components blended in.
● Temperature is the only thing to keep in mind. But, it can cook browned meat beautifully at the right temperature.
● Widely used pots and pans for glass top stove.
There is only a slight difference between aluminum and stainless steel cookware in terms of quality. It doesn’t mean that you should use only one type of cookware for your kitchen. Both types of cookware can be used for your cooking, depending on what food you are cooking.
For both aluminum and stainless steel cookware, you can cook whatever you like. But, try to avoid cooking acidic foods such as citrus, tomatoes, and vinegar in aluminum cookware as they may alter the flavors and changed the pots and pan's appearance. Better not take any risks when you want them stored in your kitchen for a decade.
Which One is the Healthiest Cookware, Aluminum or Stainless Steel Cookware?
If you are into eating healthy foods straight from your pots and pans, you might be wondering which one is the healthiest cookware. With all the advanced innovations of cookware is believed to carry much toxic and harmful for your overall health.
In fact, aluminum-based cookware is not the safest one for acidic food cooking. The main reason is that some people are allergic and have medical issues to things that contain aluminum. However, when you cook them the right way with the cookware, you can control your cooking to get rid of some health issues.
Another fact, there seems to be uncertain results regarding the study of aluminum cookware may cause health problems. Researchers stated that aluminum-based materials that may cause medical issues don’t necessarily come from the cookware. Because the cookware itself is resistant to leaching. Some aluminum cookware brands are built-in with a non-leached agent.
In comparison, stainless steel cookware is safe and includes fewer materials that increase the risk of health issues. Stainless steel is less prone to leach and is stable cookware. However, some researcher’s main concern about this cookware is the leaching of nickel or metal-based toxicity of some sort. Yet, not to worry, this research hasn’t been detected 100% certain.
This is not a matter of one is healthier than the other. It is a matter of how you apply your cooking into the cookware. In other words, one cookware is faster at conducting heat, while the other is good at holding heat.
Aluminum or Stainless Steel Cookware, Which One is Best?
So, aside from knowing which one is healthier cookware, which one do you think is better? Even when you think aluminum cookware is not safe, look at other people who have theirs for a decade. Some people still use them for more than 10 years.
Aluminum cookware is indeed popular cookware as of today. It is affordable and an expert in conducting heat. In terms of healthy cooking, aluminum cookware has a nonstick or more preferably called hard-anodized active agent is a plus. This agent benefits from reducing toxic chemicals of PFOA and PTFE while still providing a nonstick surface.
The stainless steel cookware, in comparison, contains chromium agent that creates a hard oxidized formula. This will benefit from corrosion-resistant, scratch-resistant, and doesn’t react to harmful chemicals. It is also durable, oven safe and lightweight.
Now, which suits you more? Read on for some tips to help you choose
● Heat Options— With aluminum cookware, food heats up faster than stainless steel. If stainless steel is your preference, you could find a brand that blends with aluminum material to get both benefits in one cookware.
● Utensil Options— Stainless steel is more absorbent to metal type utensils. Whereas, aluminum cookware needs a softer type of utensil since it’s more prone to scratching.
● Cleaning Options— Aluminum cookware needs more attention in terms of cleaning than stainless steel cookware. It is not dishwasher safe to avoid scratches.
● Price— Price-wise, stainless steel cookware is more expensive than aluminum cookware. Especially when you are looking for a better quality stainless steel with aluminum and copper-based materials.
Hope the above information helps guide you to the best cookware for your kitchen. The stainless steel Vs aluminum cookware in comparison will benefit you in different ways. Whichever cookware you choose will depend on your cooking needs. In other words, both cookware has good qualities when you go for the high quality one. Also, with both cookware, you can still enjoy your cooking time.