Cookware Buying Guide

Know Your Cooking Environment

When purchasing cookware it is essential to know your cooking environment. This enables you to not only get the best performance out of your cookware, but also ensures that your culinary investments are maintained in a way that maximises their life span.

What you need to consider when buying cookware…

1. Suitability/Purpose

When selecting cookware it is important to take into consideration the following points:

- Is the cookware suitable for your oven, hob or cooker?
- Is the cookware suitable for the type of food being cooked?
- Is the cookware microwave or dishwasher safe?

If these questions are making the purchase of cookware more complex than you first imagined, never fear, our buyers guide will simplify things and help you make the right choice.

2. What hob types are there?

Gas hobs are the most common hob found in the UK kitchen. Gas hobs give instant heat, are easy to control, and provide good heat distribution at the base of cookware. The standard gas hob has four gas burners of varying size and an ignition switch. A more stylish alternative is available in the form of a gas glass hob whereby ceramic glass is positioned underneath the gas burners. This also makes cleaning the gas zones easier. Five-ring gas hobs are also available. Gas hobs must be installed by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

Ceramic hobs are traditionally electric-powered but alternatives are available in the form of ceramic induction hobs and gas glass hobs. Ceramic hobs heat up quickly and are easy to clean but are not as effective at heat distribution as cooking on gas.

Induction hobs use a magnetic field created between the pan and a coil underneath the hob’s glass surface to heat up. Since the hob only transfers heat to the pan and not the cooking surface the possibility of burning yourself is significantly reduced and dealing with spilled food that has burned on the surface is eliminated. Although fast to heat up and thermally efficient, induction hobs are limited to cookware that is ferrous – meaning they are only compatible with cookware that contains iron. They also generate a low level of noise due to the internal cooling fan. Since induction heating relies on magnetic fields such hobs may be unsuitable for those with pace makers or other electrical medical implants. An electrician is required for induction hob installation.

3. Can it be used in the dishwasher? Is it microwave-safe?

The dishwasher is no longer the privilege of the professional kitchen, and nowadays it is just as common to find one in the domestic setting. As a result, you may be forgiven for assuming that all cookware is dishwasher proof, but this is not the case. In order to ascertain such information the first port of call is to check the packaging or underside of the item. To make things easier click on our 'Use & Care' tab on our product pages or check our product copy to see which products are suitable for dishwasher use.