Stainless steel pan

More recently, the choice of kitchen utensils was small. Enamelled, aluminum or cast-iron dishes were mostly on the shelves. A stainless steel pan gained special popularity in the 21st century, due to its advantages and useful properties. And today, stainless steel cookware is in special demand among professional cooks and housewives. In this article we will talk about all the advantages and disadvantages of stainless steel cookware, introduce the rules for caring for such kitchen utensils and advise how to choose high-quality products for cooking.

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Features of the alloy and production technology

Stainless steel is an alloy of nickel and chromium with iron. In the manufacture of stainless steel utensils, steel grade 18/10 is used, where the numbers indicate the percentage of chromium and nickel.

Important! In addition to the indicated components, the composition of the alloy includes iron, 0.12% carbon and 1% of various impurities.

Steel alloys were developed much earlier and were used in the food industry mainly for the manufacture of cutlery. But pans made of such an alloy of steel are used only recently. This is due to the physical property of steel - such as low thermal conductivity, due to which the metal slowly and unevenly warms up. The invention of the encapsulated bottom radically changed the situation. Initially, the encapsulated bottom technology was used for pans, and then this method was used to make all steel utensils. Thus, stainless steel pans appeared.

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What is the encapsulated bottom?

The encapsulated bottom is also called “double”. However, the expression “double bottom” is not quite a true statement, since in reality it is a three-layer fragment of steel utensils. A copper or aluminum disk is placed between two layers of stainless steel, which heats up perfectly and distributes heat.

Aluminum in itself is not suitable for making the bottom, as it quickly burns, deteriorates and stains the stove. However, together with the steel “capsule” covering the bottom, it was possible to combine the advantages of these two materials: the heat-resistant properties of stainless steel and the heat distribution function of aluminum. It is such a bottom that is called encapsulated.

The cost of aluminum is lower than the cost of copper, so utensils made of steel using aluminum is a more economical option, and such utensils are in no way inferior to objects with a copper disc. According to GOST standards:

1. The thickness of the aluminum layer must be at least 3 mm, otherwise - the food will burn.
2. The thickness of copper can be from 1.5 mm, as this material has greater thermal conductivity.

Important! An ideal option is stainless steel cookware with a 5 mm layer of aluminum. A thicker layer will cause the dishes to warm up for a long time.

There is also an encapsulated bottom with walls, but this option does not allow the use of a disk thickness exceeding 2 mm, which means it will not give a good result when cooking.

Advantages of the encapsulated bottom:

• Prevents burning of food.
• It makes it possible to cook without the use of fats and oils.
• Keeps the maximum amount of useful properties of cooked foods.
• Saves energy due to the quality of thermal storage (heat storage). You can always turn off the pan before the cooking is complete.

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Advantages of stainless steel cookware:

• Hygiene The surface of the utensil is perfectly smooth. This advantage helps prevent the accumulation of harmful substances and germs in cracks and scratches of dishes.
• Steel dishes are not afraid of alkali and acid. When using such products, there is no negative effect on the taste of food.
• Functionality. Due to the fact that the material is not oxidized, any food can be cooked in stainless steel utensils - borscht, pickles, marinades, fruit and berry dishes. In addition, cooked food can be stored in such pans for a long time.
• Stainless steel cookware can be used on any stove - gas, electric, induction and cermet. Do not use only in the microwave.
• Durability. Utensils made of steel with proper care will serve more than one generation.
• Strength. Due to this advantage, the dishes are not subject to deformation and are not destroyed. Such dishes do not break or scratch.
• The food in such utensils does not burn, due to the thick bottom, which allows you to cook dishes without the use of excess fat.
• It is not subject to corrosion.
• Beautiful appearance that lasts for years.
• The dishes are easy to clean and clean thanks to a smooth surface.

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How to choose the right stainless steel cookware

To choose high-quality stainless dishes, you need to pay attention to the following characteristics.

Preparation method

According to the method of production, stainless steel pans are divided into:

1. Solid cast. They are made using soldering technology. The cost of this type of pots is higher, but the service life is longer.
2. Stamped. Produce such dishes by pressing. These dishes sell much better, mainly because of the low price.

steel grade

The first place in terms of quality is steel with chrome and nickel (No. 304). At the moment, there is no material that would surpass this grade of steel in useful properties. Most types of dishes are made from it. The so-called medical steel does not darken during operation, it is resistant to various mechanical damage.

Important! To find exactly the quality material, pay attention to the bottom of the pan. If you find the marking 18/10, then this means that you have the highest quality pan in your hands.

The material of manufacture of the disk between the layers of stainless steel

This factor will affect the cost of the dishes - if the disc is made of copper, then the model of utensils will cost more than a similar one with an aluminum disc, but this does not affect the quality of the dishes.

Wall thickness

The minimum thickness, according to GOST standards, is 0.5 mm. An ideal option would be a model with a wall thickness of 0.8 mm. Pots with a wall thickness of 1 mm will heat up longer and their weight is much more.

The surface of steel utensils

Steel pots with a matte surface cool faster, so they are mainly used in the restaurant business. Housewives prefer pots with a polished surface, since such models hold heat better.

Important! According to GOST standards, the surface of stainless dishes should not be damaged or deformed. By the same standards, only 3 point errors are allowed, the same as for enameled dishes.

Pan handles

Pots with removable handles have a higher price, in addition, the material of the manufacture of the handle affects the price of the product. Pots with metal, wood, and plastic handles are on sale.

Important! Metal pens on a quality product do not heat up during cooking, but plastic ones can melt and emit a rather unpleasant odor if the hostess does not keep track of the intensity of the fire.

Country of production and brand

Until recently, European manufacturers, especially Belgian and German companies (Rondell, Krauff, Fissler), were considered to be of high quality. However, domestic utensils are in no way inferior in quality, but the price of such dishes may be an order of magnitude lower.

Important! When buying goods, be sure to read the certificate. And remember that stainless steel cookware is given a guarantee, usually 2 years.

Additional tips:

1. When choosing a pan, pay attention to one more detail - the tightness of the lid. It’s good if the lid is glass or transparent to control the cooking process.
2. Do not pay much attention to such useless bells and whistles, such as a temperature sensor on the lids of dishes or copper inserts in the center of the covering layer of the encapsulated bottom. All these “chips” are absolutely useless.

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Sets of pots for the kitchen

Usually, it’s not enough for the hostess to buy one pan to satisfy the need for cooking. Therefore, manufacturers produce whole sets of pots to simplify the choice - containers of various volumes and sizes for cooking various dishes. Buying such a set is cheaper than choosing pots individually.

Important! At the forefront of this production are German Rondell pot sets, luminarc cookware sets, and the Belgian company berghoff.

If you are tired of gray, then choose colored pans or an option with colored accessories (tacks, handles or a lid holder), which are now in a huge assortment produced by manufacturers. Such a wide selection allows you to choose all the kitchen utensils for the style of any kitchen.

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Dishware Care

To preserve the beauty and functionality of stainless steel cookware for a long time, properly care for it:

• Do not put the pan on fire immediately after purchase. First, wash it thoroughly and wipe dry with a soft cloth. If you will completely wipe off the moisture after washing the dishes, then for a long time keep its shiny surface.
• Do not store food for too long in the dishes after cooking. Sour food and salt will spoil the beautiful surface of the utensil.
• For cooking, use special spatulas that do not scratch the surface of the pan.
• Try not to use the dishwasher to clean such material. Use the dishwasher only if it is specified in the instructions or hygienic certificate for the goods.
• Do not put an empty pan on fire to avoid rainbow stains-stains. If they suddenly appeared, then citric acid or vinegar will help to cope with them.
• Add salt only to boiling liquid, otherwise - white salt spots may remain on the walls of the dishes.
• Do not fill the dishes with cold water for quick cooling. The utensils should be cooled by themselves.
• Wash stainless steel pans with ordinary dishwashing detergents (liquid). It is strictly forbidden to clean the surface of stainless utensils with abrasive products.
• Do not use chlorinated or ammonia cleaners to clean dishes.
• To clean the dishes, use a non-rigid sponge that will not scratch the inside and outside walls of the pan.
• If food accidentally burns, fill the pan with warm water and add salt. Leave the dishes for 1.5-2 hours, and then wash them. You can also use a soap solution to remove food debris - pour the solution into a pan and boil it for 5-10 minutes.
• To restore the shine to the stainless steel pan, rinse it with hot potato broth and wipe dry.

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Stock footage

Since cooking utensils are not bought so often, take the choice of stainless steel pots responsibly. When buying, carefully study the quality certificate to understand whether this item is really durable and high-quality. The French say: “Good dishes are the key to a good dinner,” we offer you to be convinced of this.