Setting up your kitchen seems pretty easy in theory. Once you go shopping for your kitchenware, that’s when you realize that you have plenty of stuff to choose from. There are a thousand different kinds of bakeware and cookware that will leave you thinking WHAT DO YOU ACTUALLY NEED? Seeing all those fancy and complex kitchen utensils rob you of your power to make a decision. Most people end up buying stuff that they do not even actually need in their daily lives. That is basically due to a lack of experience and knowledge.
Cooking and baking might seem alike to some people, but the truth is, both vary entirely in nature. The baking process is quite different from the cooking process. People put cooking and baking in the same category. This is why they tend to use the same kitchenware for both these processes. This may seem cool for a short time period but after some time you realize that you’ve been using your kitchenware wrong all that time! In simple words, cookware is anything that is good to go on a stove and bakeware is anything that is safe to go in the oven.
What to look for in your bakeware and cookware
The materials that are safe to put in the oven are usually the ones with a heat-resistant quality. These mostly include glass, pottery, silicon, and different types of metal pans including cast iron. These types of objects tend to heat slowly and evenly so as to cook the food thoroughly without burning it.
Types of bakeware and cookware
Cooking ware is made up of materials like iron, steel, copper, etc. It is usually considered to be more versatile as compared to bakeware. This is because it’s safe to be used on a stovetop as well as a fire pit. The different types of cooking ware and bakeware come with a lot of advantages and disadvantages.
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Cast iron
Cast iron is considered to be one of the best materials for cookware as well as bakeware. It has a phenomenal heat-conducting quality. It is one of the few materials that are completely safe to be used on the stove as well as in your oven. Cast iron cooking utensils are also used to cook food on fire pits as it is the most durable type of kitchenware. The best quality of cast iron is that once it gets hot, it remains hot for a long period of time due to its thick sheets, this makes the food cooking process much easier and faster.
One downside of cast iron kitchenware is that it is very heavy which results in difficulty handling these utensils. Also, due to the heavyweight, cast iron objects are considered to be hard to clean and maintain.
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Enameled cast iron bakeware and cookware
Enameled cast iron is a modification of regular cast iron and comes in different colors which make it more attractive. The enameled cast iron is also a material that can be safely used on the stove as well as in the oven. It has excellent heat conducting qualities and works well under high temperatures.
The associated disadvantages of enameled cast iron are that it does not come with a non-stick coating, nor does it develop a non-stick characteristic. This characteristic makes cast iron unfavorable for many users as people tend to use kitchen utensils that are convenient and easy to clean.
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Stainless steel
Stainless steel is a very common material used for manufacturing cookware. This type of cookware is being used for ages now and is favored by many due to its durability and reliability. Stainless steel is a stove-friendly material and can not be used in the oven for baking purposes. Additionally, without the reinforcement of aluminum and copper, the stainless-steel objects tend to conduct heat poorly.
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Non-stick cookware
The non-stick cookware is the most commonly used cookware today as it is very easy to handle and clean. If managed properly, non-stick cookware has a long life and durability. However, this type of cookware is also believed to be a cause of many diseases. It generates a certain type of chemical fumes which is not good for the human body.
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Glass and ceramic
Glass and ceramic are the most favored types of bakeware as they perform the function of both baking and serving. Both these types of bakeware allow heat to spread evenly and are durable if handled with care. Glass especially, is considered to be non-reactive and is therefore favorable to cook any type of food.