The advantages of stainless steel cookware, including the waterless cookware, are due to the many good qualities of stainless steel itself. Stainless steel cookware is:

• Durable – They don’t scratch or dent as easily as other types of cookware.
• Resistant to corrosion.
• Not harmed by the acids in many foods.
• Not porous – They don’t let metal (or a metallic taste) out into the food.
• Shiny and keep their beauty – They work with any kitchen décor.
• Easy to clean without being coated with Teflon, which can blister and flake off.
• Able to “brown” food, unlike cookware coated with Teflon –This actually contributes to the food’s flavor and the flavor of pan sauces created from the residue left in the pan.
• Dishwasher safe.

Stainless steel, on its own, has a drawback for use in cookware, however – it doesn’t distribute heat very well. Primarily for this reason, most good stainless steel cookware will be created from stainless steel combined with other elements in multiple layers. These extra layers also make for more heavy duty cookware.

Tri Ply (3-ply) stainless steel cookware consists of an inner and outer layer of polished stainless steel with a solid aluminum core which extends from top to bottom. The aluminum core allows for even heat distribution and avoids hot spots.

The 5-Ply stainless steel cookware consists of 5 layers of metal. The inner and outer surfaces are stainless steel with aluminum, carbon steel and stainless steel between. The aluminum layer allows for even heat distribution and avoids hot spots.

The 7-Ply stainless steel cookware consists of seven layers of metal. The inner and outer surfaces are stainless steel. The middle 5 layers consist of a carbon steel core for even heating, another stainless steel layer, and 3 aluminum / aluminum alloy layers for heat distribution and bonding.

Please note that the 5-Ply and 7-Ply construction may not be that thickness all over, as that could make the cookware too heavy. Good quality cookware would have at least 3 layers all over, one being a good heat conductor. The extra layers may be on the bottom only, possibly in a special capsule. Individual manufacturers may vary the composition.

The newer designations of 9-Element and 12-Element construction are similar to 7-Ply construction. They utilize capsule bottoms with various combinations of metallic elements – I’ll leave it to the scientists to explain the merits of each element.

If you have or are considering getting an induction stove, be aware that not all cookware will work well on them. There needs to be a magnetic property involved. If not indicated in the cookware advertising, you may need to ask.

Rest assured, though, that none of the above constructions of stainless steel cookware are necessarily inferior or superior to another. They all may cook a little differently from each other, and professional chefs may favor one over the other, but most users usually love whichever kind they buy.

Waterless cookware – or ‘minimum moisture’ cookware – is made of a high grade of stainless steel and is constructed so that the lid almost forms a seal with the pot. It is designed to heat quickly at a medium temperature. When the proper cooking temperature is reached, a valve that vents some of the steam will ‘tell you’ it is time to turn the temperature to low to finish cooking. Waterless cookware is also greaseless cookware.

In the past, waterless cookware sets were so unique that they were sold primarily at in-home demonstrations and trade shows – some are still sold that way. They were also quite expensive — $1,500 or more! Now, quality waterless cookware has become more common and is available to the general public at affordable prices.

Here are some of the additional benefits you can expect from stainless steel waterless cookware:

• Save Money – Due to better heat distribution and lower temperatures, there is less food shrinkage and less fuel used in cooking.
• Save Time – With the lower temperatures, “pot watching” and stirring are eliminated, and food cooks much quicker.
• You can even cook vegetables and fruits without peeling.
• You can also cook with minimal grease – very helpful for those of use trying to lower the fat and cholesterol in our diets.
• Save and Improve Flavor – Foods cook in their own natural juices and taste better.

Karen Griffin is the owner of Cookware Kingdom online store. For more information, visit http://www.cookwarekingdom.com. Email is available online.

I consider myself somewhat of an amateur chef. I learned alot by watching many of the gourmet cooking shows that are on television. I also subscribe to several gourmet-cooking magazines. Plus it also helps when your bother in-law is professional chef.

I purchased my first gourmet cookware set many years ago. I bought this set because it was one of the most highly rated sets and very popular at that time. I also could use the cooking utensils that I already had. I didn’t have to worry about scratching it like you do with a non stick set. I figured this would be the only cookware I would ever need and I would just add to it as needed. However, over time, I found this not to be the case and this would not be the only set I would ever have.

I found that the best cookware to choose really depends on the dish or meal that you are going to prepare. As an example, if you’re preparing a low fat meal you would most likely use a non stick skillet to cut down on the amount of fat in the dishes you prepare.

If you were making meals that started off with sautéing or browning first and then finished the cooking in the oven, I would use cookware that was oven safe and could go from the cooktop burner right into the oven. This also saves time on clean up because you’re using less pots and pans when you cook this way.

When grilling or preparing meals outdoors I prefer something very durable like cast iron. It is also my skillet of choice when making fried chicken. A lot of people would shy away from cast iron because it had to be pre-seasoned before you could being cooking with it. However nowadays many manufacturers of cast iron cookware sell it already pre-seasoned and ready to use. Cast iron is probably one of the oldest cookware sets around. Many grandmothers and great grandmothers had this type of cookware for a lifetime.

In Summary: After many years, it has been my experience that there really is no one “do all” set of cookware. In my opinion it really depends on the type of meal you are preparing and the type of cooking you are doing.

For more information on cookware sets here. Or visit http://cookware.resourcesandinfo.net a web site dedicated to all types of cookware including gourmet cookware.

Many stainless steel pans have some aluminum in them. This is to help conduct heat from the flame to the food. Some of the cheaper stainless steel pans have the aluminum at the bottom of the pan and no where else. While this is great for helping to heat the bottom of the pan and the bottom of the food, it does not help with the over all heating of the pan. Higher quality pans will have aluminum on the sides of the pan as well as on the bottom this makes for much better heating and cooking overall.

Pans that have the aluminum sandwiched between heavy gauge stainless steel makes for the best stainless steel cookware on the market. You will also pay a premium for this high quality cookware. This is because of the specialized manufacturing process that bonds the aluminum and stainless steel together for optimum heat conductivity in the pan.

Some of the best”>http://cookware.resourcesandinfo.net/Articles/Cookware.php”>best stainless steel cookware will even use magnetic stainless steel, which makes it ideal cookware for people who have the latest induction cooktops. Durability is important for those who spend a lot of money on a single pan, and even more on whole sets of the best stainless steel cookware. This durability extends to the handles, lids, and the pan itself.

Another important feature that appears in some of the best”>http://cookware.resourcesandinfo.net/Articles/Cookware.php”>best stainless steel cookware is a high quality non-stick surface. By having a good non-stick quality on the pan you will use less oil in your cooking process and this will also make clean up a breeze. Some of the newer non-stick surfaces will also allow you to cook with metal cooking utensils.

To find out more about cookware, visit http://cookware.resourcesandinfo.net/Articles/Cookware.php where you will find everything you need to know about the best stainless steel cookware.