Aluminum: Aluminum is a great material for cookware as it is lightweight, fairly strong and a good conductor of heat. Aluminum works well for sautéing and frying foods because if its heat responsiveness. Aluminum is also fairly inexpensive when compared to other cookware materials. However, uncoated aluminum will quickly collect scratches and look unsightly and with time it reacts to acidic and alkaline foods, causing it to corrode. Coated aluminum however, is much more acceptable and a better option.
Hard Anodized Aluminum: This is aluminum that has been given a special finish to protect it from corrosion. Hard anodized pans usually combine a high quality non-stick interior coating, as the hard anodized surface is not inherently non-stick. It is a good choice of material to look for in pots and pans for all most any type of cooking, the only disadvantage being it's not dishwasher safe.
Cast Iron: Cast iron cookware is inexpensive to moderately priced. It is fairly heavy and conducts heat evenly. It heats slowly but once it is hot it holds the heat well. This makes it good for deep frying and slow-cooking. It can be used on top of the stove and in the oven. Drawbacks to cast iron are that it rusts, stains and becomes pitted when exposed to air, moisture and certain foods.
Copper: Copper is one of the more expensive materials used to make cookware. It is very responsive to heat as it is the best conductor of heat. Copper has about ten times the heat conductivity of stainless steel and glass, and twice that of aluminum. One problem with copper is that it interacts with everything it comes in contact with. To make the copper pots and pans safe to use, they are lined with tin, silver or stainless steel to protect any surface that would come in contact with any food.
Non-Stick: This type of cookware has a coating applied to them that prevents food from sticking and makes clean up easier. The non-stick surface is really an advantage when cooking some foods especially sticky foods and it also reduces the amount of fat that is normally required when cooking. The disadvantages are that they may become too easily damaged by spatulas, spoons, forks, etc., especially metal ones, and that their durability has a short life expectancy. Even the newest non-stick coatings will begin to lose their resistance to sticking after only a few years; sooner if the pan is constantly overheated or cleaned in the dishwasher or with harsh detergents.
Stainless Steel: It is the most versatile material to use because it keeps its bright shine and has good tensile strength, preventing it from denting easily. Stainless steel is a good material for any type of pan because it does not corrode and does not react with alkaline or acidic materials. Its primary disadvantage is that it is an even poor conductor of heat, so that constant movement of the food is required in order to cook it evenly. To make stainless utensils better equipped for heat conductivity and distribution, an important layer of conductive material, such as copper or aluminum, is often added to the bottom of the pan and, sometimes, all around the pan. The heat conductive quality of stainless is about one tenth that of copper and about one fifth that of aluminum.
Porcelain: Porcelains can usually be used on the stove, in conventional and microwave ovens, and even under the broiler, provided there is ample liquid inside. They can also be used for storage in the refrigerator or freezer, are virtually non-stick, and are dishwasher safe. Porcelain enamel is applied as a coating only on pots and pans made of other material, such as cast iron or aluminum. It prevents them from corroding or reacting with the food being cooked. A pan coated with porcelain on the inside cannot be used for sautéing or frying but will work as a saucepan and can be used in the oven.
Tempered Glass: Available as flameproof and ovenproof glassware. Both types of glassware hold heat well but are not heat responsive. The flameproof glassware, which is fairly expensive, can be used in the microwave, on the stovetop and in the oven. It heats unevenly, resulting in hot spots that cause food to stick. Ovenproof glassware can be used in the microwave and in the oven, but if used on the stovetop, it must be used with a diffuser.
Popular Brands of cookware: Some of the widely known and popular brands of cookware are- Calphalon, KitchenAid, Cuisinart, Pinzon, Farberware, Anolon and Circulon.
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