Ceramic vs. Stainless Steel Cookware – What’s The Difference?

Eating healthy is one of the best choices that you can make. The difference in the quality of life and the energy boost that comes with eating healthy is tremendous. But you can pick the right kinds of food and eat them in the right kind of way while using the safest cooking methods, but if your Cookware is not safe, you’re still in trouble. 

Choosing which kind of vessel to make your food in is one of the most important decisions you can make, and there are plenty of options to choose from. But too many options can often make us indecisive and can cause us to make irrational decisions. Choosing the right vessel made from the right material will improve your health and improve the taste and texture of the food you make. 

Two popular options when choosing Cookware are Stainless Steel and Ceramic. According to a survey, the overall sales of Stainless steel cookware amounted to 655.2 million US dollars in 2019. Another survey found out that ceramic coated Cookware retail sales were around 47.3 million US dollars. We already have a winner if we look at the numbers, but we will go deeper and find out the key differences between these two. 

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an alloy made using iron and Chromium (approximately 11%). The presence of Chromium changes the composition of iron in a way that prevents it from rusting and makes it more heat-resistant. Chromium also forms a protective film on top of the iron, preventing oxygen from coming in contact with the iron and forming rust. 

This property of stainless steel is why it has been used to make Cookware for a long time now. It is believed to be the first material to be commercialized. You can find utensils and Cookware made from stainless steel in various shapes, sizes and forms.

But It would be best to keep in mind that the stainless steel used in making Stainless steel cookware contains other minerals, including chromium carbon, manganese, nickel, and silicon. The result of using these minerals is a shiny, sleek, and attractive material that can be used to make classy Cookware. 

Production Process

Stainless steel Cookware is produced in two ways. One way involves using pure stainless steel to make the whole Cookware, and the other way involves using other metal like copper as the inner core and then covering it with stainless steel. “But what is the need for using other metals as the base?” you may ask. 

The reason is simple; Iron has a very structured arrangement of atoms. When one atom absorbs heat and starts vibrating at a faster speed, the atom next to it starts vibrating at a faster speed as well, and eventually, all of this vibration (or energy) is transferred from one atom to the next. This means that iron is a good conductor of heat. 

But when we add other elements to the structured arrangement of Iron atoms, they get disturbed, and the heat transfer is affected. So using a copper core ensures that the heat is transferred effectively. The Cookware made from pure Stainless Steel is only one layer thin for this exact reason. 

Versatility and Designs

Stainless steel is a common material that you can find in almost every kitchen. And even if you look in your kitchen, you’ll find that the possibilities are limitless when we talk about the variety of shape, size, and design. But you might notice that Stainless steel is frequently used to make various pots (both large and small) and pans, and you might also find several baking trays made from stainless steel. But it is rare to see a Dutch oven in stainless steel. 

Ceramic

Ceramic Cookware is of two types. It can either be made from pure ceramic or baked clay or a cooking vessel with a ceramic coating. Ceramic is usually made using a unique combination of minerals, quartz-sand, and clay. All of these raw materials are mixed and shaped in a way the vessel is supposed to be shaped, and this is then heated at high temperatures to harden it.

The glaze is a shiny substance that professionals use to coat the Ceramic. Glaze ensures that that the ceramic is looks shiny and glossy. The producer might choose different glazes colors to make different colored Ceramic cookware. 

Ceramic Cookware is now more diversified than ever; you can buy different varieties of the Ceramic Cookware, including non-stick ceramic Cookware, which is also known as the modern (or new) ceramic Cookware and usually comes with polymer coating. The interior is made using a durable metal (usually aluminum). This metal is then coated with a specific polymer that gives the aluminum a ceramic appearance.

Versatility and Designs

Ceramic Cookware, both the traditional and modern non-stick type, come in various shapes and sizes. You can find them as pots, pans, Dutch Ovens, trays, mugs, Knives etc. Modern Ceramic Cookware is more versatile as it can make a lot more things than traditional Ceramic. The reason for this is simple; you can just add a layer of glaze on almost every utensil made from aluminum instead of making the whole thing from scratch. 

You may think that glazing might be a shortcut, and it might have some hidden disadvantages, but that’s not the case. Because glazing can be used to add different patterns and colors to the utensils and Cookware, and using them can make your kitchen appear alive and beautiful. As we’ve already mentioned, Ceramic Cookware is used to make various utensils; this means that it can be used for many purposes. 

You can use Ceramic Cookware for frying, boiling, roasting, deep-frying, baking, and sautéing, among other cooking methods. Ceramic is also used inside ovens to withstand a high temperature of around 2000F. 

So What the Difference Between Ceramic and Stainless Steel Cookware

• Ceramic Cookware has very good heat distribution, while Stainless Steel Cookware’s heat distribution is poor. 
• Ceramic Cookware is often used in ovens, while Stainless Steel Cookware is rarely used for that purpose. 
• Ceramic Cookware has the non-stick ability (Modern ones), while Stainless Steel Cookware doesn’t. 

Sources

• TwoKitchenJunkies
• WeZaggle
• MadeInCookware