Glass vs. Metal Cookware

Glass

• Glass has extremely low heat conductivity. This causes uneven heating and slower cooking when using range-top suitable glass cookware on a gas or electric burner. However, once it heats up, it retains the heat longer. When used to cook sauces and soups on a burner or to bake food in the oven, it will keep the food warm longer after it is removed from the heat source. Glass cookware is generally designed for serving as well. Induction burners will not heat glass cookware.

Copper

• Copper cookware has the highest heat conductivity. It cooks food more quickly in the oven than glass or other types of metal. Stove top gas and electric burners do not need to be as hot when cooking with copper pans as they do for other metals or glass. Copper cookware also cools down more quickly than glass or other metals, making them less useful for serving and keeping foods warm. Copper pans can be tarnished by acidic foods and should not be washed in a dishwasher. Induction burners will not heat copper.

Aluminum

• Aluminum has about half the heat conductivity of copper. It heats food quickly with lower burner temperatures, but not quite as quickly as copper. Aluminum retains heat slightly longer than copper, but it does not have nearly the heat retention properties of glass. Cast aluminum cookware retains heat and keeps food warm longer than rolled aluminum cookware. However, rolled aluminum cookware weighs less than cast aluminum. Induction burners will not heat aluminum. However, aluminum pans with a layer of stainless steel on the bottom may work on induction burners. They can be checked with a magnet prior to purchasing. If the magnet sticks to the bottom of the pan, it can be used on induction burners.

Iron and Stainless Steel

• Iron and stainless steel have about one-third the conductivity level of aluminum. They require a slightly higher burner temperature than aluminum and copper but will keep food warm longer. Steel cookware is also sold with a layer of aluminum or copper in the base to improve heat conductivity and provide a more uniform heating surface. Iron pans will rust if not seasoned and cleaned properly and should not be used to cook acidic foods. Induction burners heat iron cookware quite well. Stainless-steel pans may or may not heat on induction burners. They should be checked with a magnet prior to purchase.