In my lovely kitchen, as you can see, I have a variety of pots and pans. Some work better than others therefore I use them for making different things.
It can be very difficult to decide which kind of pot or pan to purchase. And there is no need to purchase a large set unless you use each piece. Below is a chart I made to help show the differences.
Price and weight are self explanatory. Heat represents the metal’s conductivity. This is important because a metal with high conductivity will cook food more evenly as well as will react quickly to temperature adjustments.
Durability is how long the pot or pan will last. Copper is more susceptible to dents and scratches while Cast Iron can withstand a great deal of bangs and bumps.
Reactivity occurs when certain foods take on the flavor of the metal. Aluminum that is not treated by anodization will have this occur with acidic foods.
I hope you find this helpful and good luck searching for the next piece of your cookware family!