How To Buy Ceramic Cookware
The word ceramic has been applied to a wide range of pottery products from terracotta to the finest bone china. Cookware is just one of the categories used by stores to describe the end use of a range of ceramics.
For the discerning shopper selection of cookware is primarily based around fashion. For example Mexican food might well be brought direct from the oven in brightly coloured dishes decorated with peppers, spices and other vegetables reflecting the type of food we might eat..
However the technical features of the cookware are much harder to identify. First what type of ceramic is it we are buying? Is it terracotta,earthenware,stoneware, porcelain or bone china? Often it just says cookware on the box but this alone means nothing as it is just another broad term implying it is a ceramic!
Established brands of cookware design their ceramic to resist cracking on heating or cooling. They do this by creating a special body formula and controlling the materials, shape and processing during manufacture. The technical property they measure to assess the performance of cookware is called the ‘thermal shock resistance’. There are international test standards used to confirm the suitability of the ceramic for cookware use. These include EN 13834 and EN12983-2. So look out for these standards.
So if we know what type of ceramic we are buying-what does it mean?
Stoneware, porcelain and some types of terracotta can all be designed for use as cookware. English bone china, however because of its basic properties, is not suitable for cookware use.. Porcelain is probably the most versatile in terms of product design and shape, allowing high strength delicate shapes to be manufactured. Producers of Terracotta, stoneware, and earthenware, however,compensate for the lack of inherent strength by making chunkier pieces. All types of ware can be highly decorated with colour so this is not the differentiator.
So the shopper of cookware has a choice of chunkier rustic designs or whiter more delicate designs!
But what about the technical jargon on labels?
‘Oven safe’ can be defined in some way using the above standards, but often the manufacturer will indicate on the packaging its suitability for in oven use only or suitability for both in oven and on hob use. The consumer therefore must be wary of this and look for the small print.
What about microwave safe? This term indicates the suitability for use in microwave ovens. As a general rule most high fired ceramics (without metal decoration) which meet cookware standards are suitable for use in microwave ovens. The consumer still however needs to be wary of the small print which can indicate special requirements or procedures needed when using ceramics in microwave ovens.
The chemical resistance of cookware to food acids and the potential leaching of lead and cadmium is also worth considering. Generally cookware made from porcelain or stoneware has a high intrinsic chemical durability and is often labelled ‘unleaded’ or ‘lead-free’. But this is not always the case. Top brands provide reassurance to consumers by indicating that they have been tested to FDA or B.S. standards for leaching of metals such as lead or cadmium.
The detergent resistance of cookware is determined using the European standard EN 12875-1 or equivalent USA ASTM standard. Minimum compliance is generally considered to be sufficient to allow labelling with ‘dishwasher safe‘. The astute shopper therefore needs to understand that there are considerable differences between brands all labelled as dishwasher safe. Look out for additional reassurance like a minimum 5 year performance guarantee!
In summary, shopping for cookware can be much more enjoyable. Armed with a little technical knowledge it can be so much easier to choose cookware that is both fashionable and long lasting.! Look out for those additional guarantees and read the small print before making that expensive purchase. Give at least equal weighting to the technical performance as to the fashionable design when choosing your cookware.
More information and other technical articles on Pottery And Ceramics can be found at my website http://www.pottersfriend.co.uk. Go now to sign up for my free newsletter.
About the Author
Educated to a Masters degree level in Materials Science and Technology, my love of ceramics has lasted over 27 years. A member of the Institute of Materials, Mining and Minerals, I have travelled the world to help potters deveop new products or find solutions to body, glaze and decoration faults. Regarded as an expert in glaze technology; I have been challenged by the biggest names in the the pottery industry.
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