topic Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel? in Kitchen

Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:19:32 GMT

Which do you prefer and why? Is there a reason/purpose to have both types in your kitchen? What is your recommended brand (s)?

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

gardensla — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:21:47 GMT

I'm not a huge home cook but I have a full set of stainless steel pans and they perform very well. They're just stainless--they're not coated with anything.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:28:05 GMT

On 2/6/2015 gardensla said:
I'm not a huge home cook but I have a full set of stainless steel pans and they perform very well. They're just stainless--they're not coated with anything.

I also have a set of stainless-Wolfgang's, and love the cooking results, plus easy clean up. Have a set of Calphalon hard anodized. Find that we are using the stainless more. Just wondering if there is a big benefit of one over the other type or is it good to have both?

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

millieshops — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:34:09 GMT

I don't have a full set of anything any longer - just pots and pans I like to use. Some of my pieces are leftover from my Farberware stainless set, circa 1970 (I think). In addition I have a few cheapy pans from Marshalls that work just fine and two large hard anodized, both Cooks Essential.

One problem with the hard anodized for me is that they're heavy and my right hand isn't good at dealing with their weight even when they're empty let alone filled with food. Several of mine are very large and I do use them, but my preference is for my stainless steel unless I'm making something really ugly to clean up.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

DoneTryin — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:38:09 GMT

I have hard anodized but the older I get, the more I struggle with their weight. If I had the extra money right now, I think I'd go back to plain stainless, without non-stick coating.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:40:44 GMT

On 2/6/2015 millieshops said:
I don't have a full set of anything any longer - just pots and pans I like to use. Some of my pieces are leftover from my Farberware stainless set, circa 1970 (I think). In addition I have a few cheapy pans from Marshalls that work just fine and two large hard anodized, both Cooks Essential.

One problem with the hard anodized for me is that they're heavy and my right hand isn't good at dealing with their weight even when they're empty let alone filled with food. Several of mine are very large and I do use them, but my preference is for my stainless steel unless I'm making something really ugly to clean up.

It seems like food tends to stick more to hard anodized than stainless & harder to clean. Rachael Ray states the anodized is her preferred on set & at home. Yet it seems stainless is touted as the "best" for cooking results.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:46:25 GMT

On 2/6/2015 VCamp2748 said:
I have hard anodized but the older I get, the more I struggle with their weight. If I had the extra money right now, I think I'd go back to plain stainless, without non-stick coating.

I'm finding the weight factor to be an issue with cast iron/Le Creuset. Nothing better for cooking big pots of chili, soups, etc and braised meats like delicious short ribs. But lifting the Le Creuset when it is filled is very difficult.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

chickenbutt — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:47:21 GMT

There's room for both. Of course, unless it has nonstick surfaces, your stainless steel will stick more than your hard anodized if you're not a very experienced cook.

I have some of practically everything except the really low end stuff like hardcoat (porcelain) enamel on aluminum. Hard anodized aluminum is great, though, as is stainless steel, cast iron, clad, or enameled cast iron.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Q4u — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:47:53 GMT

I have had a lot of different pans and have always preferred stainless steel, especially a good heavier weight stainless. Nothing really sticks to it, it cooks very well and even. The only thing to watch out for is having your flame too high as it can discolor the interior. I have a very large anodized chicken fryer and it looks awful after ten years of cooking with it. I always add Pam to my pans before cooking as well....

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:51:28 GMT

On 2/6/2015 chickenbutt said:
There's room for both. Of course, unless it has nonstick surfaces, your stainless steel will stick more than your hard anodized if you're not a very experienced cook.

I have some of practically everything except the really low end stuff like hardcoat (porcelain) enamel on aluminum. Hard anodized aluminum is great, though, as is stainless steel, cast iron, clad, or enameled cast iron.

I thought about selling or gifting my Calphalon anodized, but we still use it along with the stainless. Need a bigger kitchen ;-)

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 00:54:01 GMT

On 2/6/2015 Q4U said:
I have had a lot of different pans and have always preferred stainless steel, especially a good heavier weight stainless. Nothing really sticks to it, it cooks very well and even. The only thing to watch out for is having your flame too high as it can discolor the interior. I have a very large anodized chicken fryer and it looks awful after ten years of cooking with it. I always add Pam to my pans before cooking as well....

Isn't there a special cleaner or pad for hard anodized? I recall having it included in the set we purchased. I agree-seems like the anodized is harder to clean.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

debic — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 01:32:53 GMT

I have both, they're both Q brands. IMO hard anodized is good for high heat frying and things you move to the oven. SS is better for slow cooking, sauces, and stuff like that.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Chi-town girl — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 01:41:26 GMT

On 2/6/2015 debc said:
I have both, they're both Q brands. IMO hard anodized is good for high heat frying and things you move to the oven. SS is better for slow cooking, sauces, and stuff like that.

Interesting-thanks! Anything you would recommend for cleaning the anodized?

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Ibby114 — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 01:42:23 GMT

Stainless steel is much better for your health- as my hard anodized get messed up I'm not replacing the pieces!

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

jaxs mom — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 01:57:13 GMT

If the only choices are between anodized aluminum and clad stainless I'd go with clad stainless. I won't buy anodized aluminum anymore, I consider it throw away cookware. It just doesn't have the longevity I want.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Cookie06 — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 02:09:45 GMT

When you say it doesn't clean up are you speaking of the exterior or the interior of the pans?

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Carmie — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 02:10:42 GMT

I am a heavy duty home cook and I own pieces and full sets of hard anodized from every major brand out there, including QVC. What I like about hard anodized is the nonstick fry pans. They are wonderful when they are new, but like all nonstick cookware, the coating wears off. My large stock pots have the coating worn off too, especially around the top fill line where. It's not scratched or scraped off...it wore off. I purchased the hard anodized cleaner and my cookware still is darkened on the outside. The cleaner did nothing. I think the darker color is permanent and not attractive. The pans look old, but some are not.

I also own two sets of Revereware SS..one with the SS bottoms and one with the copper bottoms. I have owned these sets for over 40 years. I have used them hard and they still look like new. They are best for making soup and stews and tomato sauce. I love the sauce pans.

I clean the copper bottoms with vinegar and salt and they are still beautiful and I use a SS cleaner on the SS cookware.

If I was starting up a new kitchen, I'd opt for the best heavy duty SS I could afford (do they still make Revereware?) and purchase a set, plus at least one extra very large stock pot in SS. Then I'd buy a few fry pans in hard anodized.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

debic — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 02:56:12 GMT

On 2/6/2015 Chi-town girl said:
On 2/6/2015 debc said:
I have both, they're both Q brands. IMO hard anodized is good for high heat frying and things you move to the oven. SS is better for slow cooking, sauces, and stuff like that.

Interesting-thanks! Anything you would recommend for cleaning the anodized?

I'm not sure what people do to make them look bad, mine still look good after years. I wash them by hand and if I burn something on the outside I use a blue scotchbrite and extra soap. I know that if you put most of them in the dishwasher they discolor. New ones are dishwasher safe but I don't have that kind.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

Carmie — Sat, 07 Feb 2015 03:38:37 GMT

On 2/6/2015 debc said:
On 2/6/2015 Chi-town girl said:
On 2/6/2015 debc said:
I have both, they're both Q brands. IMO hard anodized is good for high heat frying and things you move to the oven. SS is better for slow cooking, sauces, and stuff like that.

Interesting-thanks! Anything you would recommend for cleaning the anodized?

I'm not sure what people do to make them look bad, mine still look good after years. I wash them by hand and if I burn something on the outside I use a blue scotchbrite and extra soap. I know that if you put most of them in the dishwasher they discolor. New ones are dishwasher safe but I don't have that kind.

I never have put mine in the dishwasher. I always hand wash with Dove and use a soft scrubby if there is caked on food. The outside of my pans have turned a dark color but not all over. Now they are ugly looking...gray and dark gray/blackish. The dark color is permanent and can't be removed. My husband put one small pan in the dishwasher once by accident and the outside turned light gray with a white tint. It went back to the normal color after hand washing it a few times.

I don't know what I am doing wrong either. My fry pans look the worse.

Re: Cookware: Hard Anodized or Stainless Steel?

peachesncream — Sun, 08 Feb 2015 08:08:33 GMT

I've never had hard anodized aluminum, so I can't speak to that. When we put in a stove with ceramic cooktop, the instructions warned against aluminum (as potentially scratching the glass top). I'm not sure if they meant hard anodized aluminum, or just plain aluminum. Either way, I decided to avoid aluminum pots (although I have aluminum for baking and I think it's superior for that purpose).

I've always had pots and pans of stainless steel, 3 ply with aluminum interior. The aluminum core conducts heat well, and the stainless outside and inside are easy to clean, nonreactive to food, and durable.

The set I've had for the last 20 years is by Cuisinart. It looks similar to All Clad, but is more affordable. (If you can afford it, All Clad is great!) I love my Cuisinart and have added pieces over the years. I've bought most of it on Amazon.com, although many stores carry it (Macy's, etc.).