8 Rustic Cookware

As you prepare to splurge on brand new cookware, here are some considerations to help you make your pick:

What cookware should I buy?

Kettles are a kitchen staple for us Brits, as are roasting pans for Sunday roasts and a frying pan for fry ups. A cookware set will ensure cohesiveness, but you may want to mix materials, such as ceramic pans with stainless steel pots and a cast iron skillet.
At a minimum, your cookware set should include large and small pots and saucepans with lids, a grill pan and a non stick or ceramic frying pan.

What specialty cookware should I buy?

A high-quality dutch oven can be a beautiful addition to your kitchen and with good care will last a lifetime. A wok is a mainstay for many kitchens, and can be used for a wide range of tasks such as stir frying, steaming, deep frying and poaching. Similarly, a paella pan is a versatile item that is useful for both stovetop and oven use. If you have an induction hob, you may want to purchase induction pans for best results.

What cookware material works best?

Should you buy stainless steel, copper, aluminium or cast iron cookware? This is an age-old question that all depends on your budget and cooking concerns. Stainless steel is nonreactive, heavy-duty and fairly affordable, which may suffer from uneven heat distribution. Copper pots look beautiful and offer more even cooking but are a more expensive choice. Aluminium is lightweight and budget-friendly, though less durable than heavier metals, while cast iron heats evenly and is extremely hard-wearing, and will need extra care and preparation.