Quality cookware can be enjoyed every day and should last for years - if not a lifetime. Vera Klein rounds up the best kitchen essentials to help you invest wisely.
Some things are worth waiting for, which can be said for many things in life. Not that everything in the kitchen need be top-notch and terribly expensive, as some items are worth splurging on while others can easily be saved on. Good cookware is definitely worth investing in as in many cases it will last a lifetime and work out to be more economical than spending money on cheap, inferior pieces that constantly need replacing.
Basic kit
Many cookware and kitchenware choices will be personal, but there are some basic items every good kitchen should have:
Three frying pans: small – roughly 20cm; medium – roughly 24cm; large – roughly 30cm.
Metal roasting pan.
Three saucepans: small – one-litre capacity; medium – two-litre capacity; large – four-litre capacity.
Stockpot.
Casserole dish with lid.
Metal colander.
Stainless-steel mesh sieve.
Two chopping boards: one for bread and vegetables, another for meat and pungent vegetables, such as onions and garlic.
Ceramic gratin dish.
Metric measuring cups and spoons.
Three mixing bowls.
Grater.
Before you buy
Cookware can be made of many different materials so you’ll need to consider how you cook, and buy accordingly.
Copper
Copper is the best and most accurate distributor of heat, reacting quickly to temperature changes, which is why you’ll see it hanging in the kitchens of chefs and serious home cooks. However, good copper cookware is prohibitively expensive, and as it reacts with acidic foods is generally lined with stainless steel. It’s heavy and needs looking after as it tarnishes, dents and scratches easily, but the patina is considered part of its charm.
Non-stick
With non-stick cookware it’s not what the pan or pot is made from that’s the main issue but rather what the item is coated with. Silicone baking products aside (these can’t take the direct heat of a cooktop), most non-stick surfaces are produced with the compound polytetrafluoroethylene, commonly called PTFE, which is made using another chemical called perfluorooctanoic acid, known as PFOA. PTFE is best recognised by its brand name Teflon. Questions are being raised as to the safety of PFOA, mainly to do with the belief that toxic fumes are released when it’s subjected to high heat. If this concerns you, look for the new kid on the non-stick block called Thermolon, a ceramic-based surface that is PFOA free. GreenPan is one such range.
Stainless steel
Stainless steel on its own isn’t a good conductor of heat so quality cookware will have aluminium or copper layers in its base to produce an even heat without hot spots. The best products will also have the copper and/or aluminium running up the sides of the pot or pan. Nickel and chromium is added to steel to make stainless steel, which is a durable alloy that won’t rust or scratch easily. Look for cookware marked 18/10 (which refers to the percentage of chromium and nickel) and pass on anything rated less.
Anodised aluminium
Anodised aluminium is aluminium that has been treated in a chemical bath to produce cookware that has a hard core (harder than stainless steel) and typically a non-stick surface. Hard anodised aluminium is anodised aluminium that has undergone an extra process, making the surface even tougher. Having the durability associated with stainless steel and the even heat distribution of aluminium makes such cookware popular products. When high-acid foods are heated in regular aluminium, the metal can react causing a small amount of the metal to leach into the food, tainting the colour and flavour. Because of the non-reactive surface layer, hard anodised aluminium has a barrier between the food and the metal.
Enamelled cast iron
The best known brands on the market are Le Creuset and Le Chasseur. Cast iron is an even distributor of heat while the enamel coating means the cookware doesn’t require the more detailed upkeep of regular cast-iron pieces as it won’t rust if left wet. Enamelled cast iron isn’t meant to be used at very high heats on the cooktop and is perfect for long, slow roasts and casseroles.
These are the weightiest of all the cookware options here so make sure your cupboards or shelves are up to the storage. This is cookware worthy of passing on to your children.
Luxury appliances
Appliances may not be absolutely necessary but they can certainly make life easier. Unless an appliance you use regularly breaks down, always wait for the sales when it comes to buying quality appliances. The lead-up to Mothers’ Day is usually good as many items will be discounted or come with enticements. The popular mixers from KitchenAid, for instance, often come with an extra piece of equipment around May that would normally have to be bought separately. Past offers have included pasta-maker and ice-cream-bowl attachments.
Look for appliances that offer a long warranty and can be serviced locally should they need future maintenance: two good signs that the pieces were made to last rather than be added to landfill in the very near future. For example, the top-end Magimix food processors come with a 12-year guarantee on the motor.
Ask yourself some questions when deciding what works for you. For instance, if you have a food processor, do you really require a blender, too? Would a coffee machine pay for itself if you gave up buying a morning take-away coffee? Keep an eye out for:
Stand mixer.
Coffee grinder, used exclusively for spices.
Food processor.
Stick blender, good for soups.
Toaster.
Electronic scales.
Knives
“Nothing is a more personal choice than the brand of knives. Ask any chef and they will tell you they remain loyal to one brand,” says Meagan McNeil of Sheldon and Hammond, a distributor of cookware. “Much of it depends on the desired weight of a knife. If the user prefers a lighter blade that creates less stress on the hand for repetitive tasks, Global and Furi are ideal. “These knives are based on an Asian design and are generally constructed from one piece of material with little weight in the handle. If the user prefers a heavier handle then their desires would take them to the heavier German-style constructed handles like that of Mundial and Victorinox.”
Michael Robertson of specialist kitchenware shop Chef And The Cook in Camperdown, Sydney, says the only way to decide which knife is right for you is to test it. “The knife must feel absolutely perfect in your hand,” says Michael. “Don’t grip it like a pistol but put your forefinger down the side of the blade which gives you a guide when cutting.”
Give knife-block sets a miss when purchasing as professionals agree we don’t need that many knives. Instead, aim for one chef’s or cook’s knife that starts at around 18cm in length, a paring knife for vegetables and garlic and a serrated knife for bread. “Treat each purchase separately,” advises Michael. “You may find you go for three brands.”
Consider these your three basic knives and add others as necessary, as only you know how you like to cook.
Baking extras
Once the basics are covered, start collecting kitchenware suited to your needs, which in many cases will involve baking.
Three cake pans, ranging from small to medium.
Loaf pan.
Muffin pans.
Cake cooling rack.
Wooden rolling pin.
Tart tin with removable base.
Ceramic gratin dish.
Baking trays.
Pastry weights.
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