Most department and home specialty stores carry cookware, and the choices can be slightly overwhelming, especially when considering price, durability and all the different sizes. Is there really a big difference between brands of pots and pans?

We decided to ask a couple of professionals — area head chefs Mike Gosselin of The Falls restaurant in Auburn and Erik Person of Cafe Nomad in Norway — and, according to them, cookware does matter when it comes to quality.

Both Person and Gosselin say they use All-Clad copper core cookware at home. “It’s a big investment, but it makes a huge difference as far as the control of the heat,” said Person.

“Good quality cookware does count for something,” said Gosselin. “They’re a little pricey, but worth it.” 

In most commercial settings, the stoves are high powered. At home that
isn’t usually the case. The cookware with a copper core and heavy bottoms provide
better heat conductivity and consistency, the chefs said, which means better cooking control from start to finish.

“If you use a thin aluminum pan, as soon as you put a steak on there all that heat is gone,” said Person. “The meat is just sitting there waiting for the temperature of that metal to come back up.”

Person said the concept can be compared to putting ice on both a stainless steel countertop and on a marble one. The thicker, denser marble will retain the cold far longer than the stainless steel will. A less expensive set of pots and pans will not cook as evenly or as well, and they won’t outlast a better quality product like All-Clad or — as our chefs also recommended — Emerilware.

“(Using) better pans, you’re not having to turn up the heat to compensate for the loss, and then all of a sudden burning something,” said Person.

All-Clad cookware has a copper core that extends from the bottom of the
pans up through the rims, which, Person said, retains heat throughout the
whole pan. But at over $100 for most pieces, few households will have a complete set. So just which pieces are must-haves? It all depends on the type of cooking a person typically does. Gosselin recommends a large (10- to 12-inch) skillet, a four- and a six-quart sauce pan, as well as a dutch oven. 

“You can do so many things with a dutch oven,” said Gosselin.

Person, on the other hand, said just starting with two high-quality pieces that are versatile can make a big difference. A large (12-inch) skillet or three-quart saute pan, and a two- or three-quart sauce pan are versatile enough to get most everyday cooking done. Cast iron shouldn’t be overlooked either, as it is the original heavy-duty cookware.

There is another recommended alternative if All-Clad’s price tag is still a little too steep, according to our chefs: Emerilware, stainless steel edition. It’s less expensive than All-Clad, but uses similar technology.
The pans all have the heavy, copper-lined bottoms, and while that liner
doesn’t extend through the sides and the rims, it is still a superior
choice for home cookware, they said. 

Non-stick and Teflon are pans options as well, but both Gosselin and Person say to look for cookware that has non-stick surface baked on rather than sprayed on. It will last longer and heat better. They also advise really knowing the food you’re cooking and what temperature is required. For example, the rule for great eggs is to use low heat and cook them slowly, said Person.

Next week:

The magic revealed: Dara Reimers of The Bread Shack shows us how she makes those amazing croissants. Warning: Don’t try this at home.

Today’s tip

To keep that expensive cookware in tiptop shape, our chefs recommend:

• Make sure you use either wood or high-heat plastic (nylon) utensils.

• Clean your cookware by hand, NEVER put items in the dishwasher.

• Use a plastic scrubber for stuck-on food. No steel wool. 

Mike Gosselin, Head Chef at The Falls in Auburn, recommends All-Clad cookware for the at-home-chef.