When selecting a cookware set there are things you need to have and things you want to have. You need to decide what material, how many pieces, etc. Your knowledge and cooking expertise will play a huge role as well. An amateur chef would not use complicated equipment.
If you plan to even cook Mac & Cheese in your kitchen you will need the basic essentials for cooking.
Skillets are essential for sautéing and your easy skillet dinners. I would recommend having three different sizes such as a seven inch, ten inch and eleven inch. That way if you need to brown beef and sauté mushrooms for spaghetti, you don't have to wait for one or the other.
Saucepans are great for heating up various sauces, you can also use them to heat up vegetables as well. As with the skillets you really should have two different sizes with these as well. One quart and two quart are good enough for any cooking project you have.
Kettles or stockpots are the best for cooking pasta, stews, or any other fairly large portion of food. You really only need one of these, but two is not bad either. You want to make sure that it is at least six quarts to ensure that it is big enough.
Cookie sheets are great for, obviously, cookies. But they are also great for things such as chicken and garlic bread. One of these is enough, but having two or three is a good idea if you are making a large batch of cookies.
Utensils are your basic tools when cooking. I definitely would recommend having more than enough of these. You will definitely need a ladle, large spoon, slotted spoon, spatula, slotted spatula, rubber spatula, spaghetti fork, and whisk.
You will almost always need a strainer. I recommend a metal non wire strainer, simply because they are easier to clean. People find it is more difficult to clean a mesh strainer because food is constantly getting stuck in the mesh. And I would steer clear of plastic because it melts at high temperatures.
Measuring cups and spoons are the most important tool to have when cooking from scratch because it requires lots of measuring. You will need at least a two cup liquid measuring cup. You will also need 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 teaspoon and tablespoon measuring spoons and dry measuring cups.
Mixing bowls are great to have and you can never have enough. I would definitely advise having at minimum a small, medium, and large mixing bowl.
Some extras to consider would be cake pans, casserole dishes, and mixers.
You will definitely also want to look at which material you prefer to use. The most common are stainless steel, copper, cast iron, and hard-anodized. Stainless steel is superior quality and lasts longer, but comes at a price. If you went with stainless steel you want the base lined with copper since copper has higher heat conductivity. Copper is good, but easily corrosive and expensive. Cast iron is cost effective, but hard to maintain. So you want to be sure to keep up with it to avoid rancid build up. Hard-anodized is very durable and resistant to corrosion, but is prone scratches.
Just remember when picking out your cookware you want to make sure you have the essentials and look for the most cost effective set that works for you and your family.
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