Cooking can be considered as an art, and your pots are the paintbrushes that will define the overall appearance and of course the taste of your final product. Luckily there are several options to choose from to suit everyone’s needs and budget.
However, just as owning a top-quality brush doesn’t make you a good artist, not all pots are suitable for a gas stove in your home kitchen. So, before spending on that expensive brand of pot you’ve been eyeing, read on the following tips and guidelines to help you understand and select the best pots for gas stove.
Materials and Types of Pots
Pots come in all kinds of shapes, sizes, and materials. This makes buying a little confusing for consumers, especially for beginners. It is very important to know what you’re getting yourself into, and how it can affect the way you cook.
There are 7 common used pot materials on the market and they are listed below:
- Stainless Steel
Everybody seems to be familiar with this material as it is one of the most common types of pots available online. They are very classic and long-lasting. Uncoated stainless steel pots are a good choice for braising and browning. Stainless steel pots are usually sold in sets along with other cookware, tacking nearly all cooking chores in your kitchen.
They are very easy to care for. You can use it using a dishwasher. What’s good about this metal is that it can offer fast and uniform heat. They do not react with food, hence safe, especially when cooking for children. Stainless steel is compatible with induction cooktops and oven. However, if you buy an uncoated stainless steel, you might still need to add a nonstick pot in your cookware collection.
- Nonstick Pots
Who loves cooking pancakes and eggs? If you do, durable nonstick pots are perfect for you. This is for the health conscious too! There is no need to put on too much oil when cooking. Nonstick pots are excellent for preparing low-fat dishes.
And since food doesn’t stick to the cooking surface, they are very easy to clean! Most nonstick pots are ideal for use on any kind of cooktop, including induction. They are likewise over-safe for up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, but double check the handle material.
Some, but not all, nonstick pots are safe to be used with metal utensils. It is still better to avoid scratching the surface material. Not all pieces are safe with dishwashers. Also, food doesn’t brown well in a nonstick pot as compared to stainless steel.
- Enameled Cast Iron
This perhaps not as popular as the other materials, but enameled cast iron pots are perfect for frying, browning, searing, and sautéing. These classic, colorful pieces can be used on different stovetops and even in your oven. Covered pots are also great for roasting, stewing, and braising.
This kind of pots heats slowly and evenly. They can retain heat very well. You can be assured that they won’t react on food even on acidic ingredients. What’s good about this material is that it is also corrosion resistant.
Some people do not like buying enameled cast iron pots because they are heavy. Sometimes, can also chip, especially when not cared properly.
- Uncoated Cast Iron
This material is a good substitute to nonstick cooking pots. Cast iron is very durable and can be preheated to temperatures that can brown meat. What’s good about this material is that it also suitable for oven use at higher temperatures, which are not safe for nonstick pots.
However, this type of pot is not compatible with dishwashers. Others find it hard to clean. You also have to season the pots to maintain them well. Rusting is possible if you leave the pot in a damp environment.
- Carbon Steel and Blue Steel
These two materials are well loved by professionals because of their efficiency and durability. They are designed for high-performance cooking. These pots can be used on any kind of cooktop, including induction. You can clean it simply by using paper towels.
However, this also needs seasoning to avoid rusting. They shouldn’t be cleaned in a dishwasher.
- Copper
Who doesn’t eye on a set of copper cookware? This perhaps is one of the most popular materials used for pots. They provide easy and even cooking and cool down very fast. This material suits almost all kinds of cooking techniques – sautéing, frying, simmering, high heat searing, and more. Almost all of its models with iron or brass handles are safe for oven use.
But not all people like it because they are a little expensive. Copper is likewise very reactive, hence needed to be lined with a nonreactive metal like stainless steel. You can’t use copper on an induction cooktop and it has to be cleaned manually.
- Aluminum
Aluminum is likewise very popular among cookware. It is a very good heat conductor, lightweight, and comes with a good price. However, this metal can discolor your food and make them taste a little bitter. To resolve this issue, anodized aluminum has to be used as a coating.
Buying Tips
The decision will truly depend on one’s personal needs and preferences, no one likes to buy a pot that appears good but is quite hard to use and maintain. So, what pot should you buy? The next 3 questions will help you decide.
- What Material Will Best Fit A Gas Stove?
This should be the very first question you should ask yourself before purchasing any cookware. Will the product work on your gas stove? Remember, heat is an elusive thing, and using a wrong item on it can make your dish undercooked.
Gas stoves may not be the most appealing, but it is much more easygoing when it comes to accommodating various kinds of pots. Nearly all kinds of materials can be used with a gas stove, but which one does the job better?
Copper pots are highly recommended because they are very efficient. But you have to be ready to have a strenuous arm workout. Your next choice should be a copper core pot with a stainless steel coating. Stainless steel and cast iron will work just fine on a gas stove.
Non-stick pots are tricker to use on a gas stove. High heat can easily damage the pot’s base. You may have a hard time balancing small pots on the grills of a regular gas stove. To be safe, lean towards buying medium or large-sized cookware.
- What Will You Be Cooking?
Yes, this is an important question. Think about a burnt sugar scraping the cooking surface of your pot. Heat can cause chemical reactions that can alter the taste of your food and eventually affect your cookware. You have to consider some things when preparing certain foods.
When cooking acidic foods, use non-reactive materials like stainless steel, glass, or ceramics. They are resistant to chemical changes in acidic food under high temperatures.
Aluminum, copper, and iron are good heat conductors, but they react well with acidic ingredients, giving a metallic taste or even actual metal traces in your food.
Do you have a sweet tooth? If yes, stainless steel and copper are your must-haves. These are perfect for melting sugar.
The color of the stainless steel will make it simpler for you to judge the caramelized color of the sugar. Copper, on the other hand, is very responsive. It heats and cools down easily, perfect to avoid burning the sugar.
- How Many Pots Do You Need?
Every kitchen needs some pots, but the question is what kind, and how many? It all depends on who you are cooking for.
Unless you are a chef, you don’t really need an extensive range of pots. There’s only so much you can cook for your family, and too many items in your kitchen will just make your space messy.
Aside from saucepan, saute pan, and fry pan, you might want to consider getting 3 kinds of pots:
- Stock Pot: Stockpot has a flat bottom with extremely tall sides. It comes with a tight-fitting lid and handles on both sides. This is perfect for preparing soups, blanching vegetables, and boiling pasta.
- Dutch Oven Pot: This one has a wide cooking surface. It is round in shape with high sides. Its cover is usually dome shape. This type of pot is suitable for braising, stewing, deep frying, and baking. It can likewise be used when making soups.
- Casserole Pot: This one has a more distinct feature. It’s a long flat pot with moderately high sides. It is available in different shapes – square, rectangular, or rounded. If you are doing the slow cooking, braising, and baking, this is the perfect cooking pot to use. This is also perfect if you’re making one-dish meals.
Best Pots for Gas Stove
1. Cook N Home 5 Quart Stockpot
For only less than $21, you can enjoy high-quality cooking features from a stainless steel stockpot. This product was designed beautifully and is very easy to clean. It has an aluminum disc layer at the bottom, allowing heat to be distributed evenly while cooking. This gives off a perfectly cooked dish. It comes with a tempered glass lid with a vent, which makes viewing of food easy. There’s no need for you to worry about accidentally getting your hands burnt because this item comes with a handle wrapped in silicone. It cools down quickly for easy and comfortable grip.
This Stockpot from Cook N Home will surely last for years even with regular use. It has a riveted handle for durability. This works pretty well on a gas stove, but can’t be used in the oven. Cleaning can be done manually or with a dishwasher.
2. T-fal 12-Quart Stockpot
Are you always cooking for the family? If yes, this will surely be a great addition to your home kitchen. For a little over $18, you can now use this stockpot with the 12-quart capacity to cook your family’s favorite dish! It has a non-stick cooking surface, giving off healthy cooking results as there is no need to use too much fat for cooking.
It has a glass lid that will make it easier for you to monitor the cooking progress. Its vented holes will allow steam to escape to avoid boiling over. And since it is made from aluminum, it conducts heat very well and works efficiently on gas and electric stoves.
You can use this inside an oven with a temperature not exceeding 350 degrees Celsius.
3. Excelsteel 16 Quart Stockpot
For only $30.17, you can get a 16-quart stainless steel stockpot perfect for large cooking. Its encapsulated base will produce heat evenly and faster. It will boil over within just a few minutes. The tempered glass lid will allow east monitoring. It has a vent on the lid allowing some heat to escape to prevent boiling over. No need to worry about burning your hands, its cool stainless steel handles will keep you safe at all times. This is perfect for making soups at night during a cold weather. You can prepare stocks too!
This spot can perfectly fit a gas stove with no wobble as its base is very flat. Clean up was very fast and easy!
4. Farberware 8-Quart Stockpot
For only $34.99, you can get hold of this timeless kitchen classic pot that will stand the test of time. This pot has a stainless steel protector surrounding a thicker layer of aluminum at the center for better heat distribution. It is very easy to clean using your hands or a dishwasher.
What’s unique about this stockpot is its bell-shaped straining lids and phenolic handles! It’s suitable for oven use as long as the temperature will not go beyond 180 degree Celsius. This product, unlike other brands, has thicker, rolled pans to ensure durability.
With its exceptional style and appearance, this will surely look great in any home kitchen.
5. HOMI CHEF Matte Finished Stock Pot
How often will you see a stockpot that has French kitchen inspired design and a matter polished body? This piece is certainly one of a kind and will add great value to your home kitchen. With its well-thought design and materials, this pot is perfect for simmering soups or stocks and cooking pasta, risotto and vegetables.
It’s also nickel free, non-toxic, and non-allergenic. This makes it a perfect cooking pot for everyone, including children. This stainless steel pot does not have any coating, hence free with any head hazards. Its 3-ply construction in the base, which consist of a single layer of pure aluminum placed in between two stainless steel layers, will ensure maximum heat absorption and distribution, making cooking faster and energy efficient. This pot can be used in nearly all kinds of cooking tops.
Enjoy all of these features for only $39.99.
Conclusion
Now that you have learned more about how to find the best post for gas stove, you’re ready to make a purchase! Remember, invest your money a good-quality pan made of the best metal perfect for your gas range. There’s no need for you to buy a complete set. Instead, select pots individually and choose those that will work best with what and how you will cook.
