Every home needs cookware. The right cookware will make it easy for you to prepare meals that everyone will enjoy. Considering that people take several meals in a day, you will find that you use the cookware in your kitchen very often.
With continued use, the cookware will deteriorate and lose their quality. This will necessitate a replacement but there are a few things that you can do to increase the lifetime of your cookware and get them to serve you for a long time.
The best cookware is not cheap and this is another reason why you need to learn how to maintain your cookware in the best condition. In this article, I highlight 5 simple hacks that you can implement in your kitchen to improve the lifespan of your cookware.
Useful Tips to Increase the Lifespan of Your Cookware
Here is what you need to do to be able to use the cookware in your kitchen for a very long time;
1. Get the right cookware
This is the first thing that you need to do if you want to be able to use a cooking set for a long time and probably even pass them on to your kids. A good cooking set is made in a durable material that is able to withstand the rigors of daily cooking.
The non-stick coating on the pans will also not peel off easily and this will allow you to cook the dishes that you love with ease.
I invested in a top quality cooking set some years back and I can say that it was one of the best decisions I ever made. Of course, I paid a little bit extra for the set but what I got in return was years of excellent service.
2. Don’t use metal utensils on your cookware
People love metal utensils for the shine and luster but you should not use them on your cookware if you want to increase their lifespan. Metal utensils will scratch the surface of your cookware and this will eat into its structure. Your cookware will gradually lose their thickness and this will affect their ability to distribute heat effectively.
Other than this, metal spoons will leave ugly scratches on your cookware and their appearance will deteriorate as a result. The best utensils to use in this case are those made of wood or plastic. Wood and plastic are gentle on metal surfaces and this will ensure that there are no ugly scratch marks on your cookware.
3. Use the proper cleaning method
How you clean your cookware will also affect their longevity. The wrong cleaning method will affect the structural integrity of your cookware and this way, you will not be able to use them for a long time.
Harsh cleaning agents like bleach and steel wool eat into the surface of your cookware and with time your cookware will be thin and useless.
The non-stick coating on the cookware will be no more and food particles will stick to the surface as you cook. It is for this reason why you need to use the right cleaning method when washing your cookware.
A soft sponge with gentle dishwashing soap would be ideal for the simple stains. For burnt spots and oil residues, soak the cookware in warm water and use baking soda to remove the tough stains.
This will ensure that your cookware is spotlessly clean all the time for an enhanced cooking experience. The damage to the pots will also be minimal and this will greatly increase their lifespan.
4. Store your cookware properly.
Storage is another important aspect that affects the durability of your cookware. The right storage will keep your cookware in the best condition for long and save you the unnecessary costs of cookware replacement. The best way to store your cookware after use is to hang them loosely on hooks.
This will prevent the pots and pans from colliding and damaging the surface. The constant collision between cookware also leaves ugly dent marks on them and with time, the dents will get bigger and you will not be able to use the cookware again. The non-stick coating will also get scratched and peel away.
5. Use the proper heat setting
When preparing meals in your kitchen, you need to make sure that you are using the right heat setting so as not to damage your pots and pans. Cookware usually have specific heating requirements that should be followed so as to preserve the cookware in the best condition for long.
Non-stick cooking pans, for example, should be used on low or medium heat. Anything other than this will damage the non-stick coating and the peels will get into your food as you cook.
Most cookware usually come with the manufacturer’s recommendations on the preferred heat setting and this should act as your guide on how to use the cookware to prepare meals.
Alternatively, you can perform the butter test to determine the right heat temperature. Add some butter to the cookware and let it heat for a while. If bubbles occur, the heat is correct but if the butter burns and turns brown, the heat is too much and you will have to reduce it.
Conclusion
It is quite costly having to replace the cookware in your kitchen every so often. It is for this reason why you need to adopt the best practices when using your cookware.
This article on how to increase your cookware’s lifespan with these 5 simple hacks shares useful tips that will help you in that regard.
