| Stainless steel cookware sets and individual pots and | | | | utensil will be. The next term for thickness is called |
| pans purchased at the Bargain-Marts may or may not | | | | gauge. Gauge can be hard to understand. The |
| actually be bargains. Sure you will know the price you | | | | measurement in gauge works the reverse of normal |
| paid for the product, and how that price compares | | | | thinking. The larger the number of gauge the resulting |
| to the other Marts in town, but did you get a deal? | | | | material will be thinner. A 16 gauge material is 1.3 MM |
| The only way to know the value of your stainless | | | | thick, an 8 gauge material is 3.25 MM thick and a 4 |
| steel cookware set purchase is to know the basics | | | | gauge material is 5.18 MM thick. |
| of cookware language. In this article we will discuss | | | | We have now talked about all three measurement |
| material thickness and how this translates to quality in | | | | systems, inches thick in thousandths, millimeters and |
| the pot or pan. After you get the very basics of | | | | in gauge we will see where these units are used. If |
| cookware terms, you can then make better | | | | you are buying aluminum cookware or cast aluminum |
| purchasing choices. The information we will cover in | | | | cookware the thickness will be in gauge. Most |
| this article includes stainless steel cookware, aluminum | | | | stamped aluminum cookware in the mass market is |
| cookware and cast aluminum cookware whether | | | | 10 gauge on fry pans and a thinner 12 gauge on |
| purchased in sets or individual pots. | | | | saucepans. Better quality aluminum cookware would |
| Sometimes the Marts due in fact have very good | | | | use a heavier 8 gauge on fry pans and 10 gauge on |
| deals on quality cookware products. This may not | | | | other pieces. Cast aluminum cookware is equivalent |
| always follow the brand name rules that at first | | | | to 6 gauge. Consumers are moving up to more |
| come to mind. Most brand name products have | | | | durable fry pans in recent years - either 6 gauge or a |
| different product lines, and these lines usually are of | | | | very heavy 4 gauge. Bargain basement lightweight |
| different level of quality. The good news is if you | | | | fry pans with "generic" non-stick coatings are usually |
| buy brand name products, even the low cost lines, | | | | 12 gauge or 14 gauge. This is too thin to provide any |
| you will be getting a product that is normally much | | | | length of time in service. The first time the heat is |
| better quality that the better or the best of the | | | | high under these fry pans the bottoms could warp, |
| non-brand name cookware. The brand name | | | | the contents burn or both. If you are buying stainless |
| producers do not want you to associate their name | | | | steel cookware the measurement of thickness will be |
| with low-quality products. If this association happens | | | | in millimeters, (if the manufacturer is in the USA it |
| you will not be a repeat buyer of that brand. If you | | | | may be listed in thousandths of an inch). The |
| go into a store or even a web site and the | | | | standard for top of range stainless steel cookware is |
| manufacturer's name is not readily seen or | | | | 0.6 MM. Premium department store brands will have |
| advertised, the buyer should be cautious. | | | | stainless steel cookware in the range of 0.7 MM to |
| Manufacturers of quality products want the | | | | 1.0 MM thick. Low end stainless steel cookware is |
| consumer to know their name. | | | | generally 0.5 MM thick. If you have the choice |
| Now let get started on some cookware terms and | | | | between two pots one is 2.59 MM thick (0.102 inches |
| the very basic knowledge you will need to know. As | | | | or 10 gauge) and the second is 5.18 MM thick (0.204 |
| I mentioned above, we will begin with thickness of a | | | | inches or 4 gauge) the best pot for even heat |
| pot or pan and the terms used. Metal thickness can | | | | distribution is the 5.18 MM pot. |
| be stated in inches (thousandths), millimeters, or | | | | If you look at the bottom of your stainless steel |
| gauge. Since many manufactures are now in Europe, | | | | cookware or your aluminum cookware and you see |
| they sell to Europe as well to the USA; those brands | | | | discolored, almost black shaded areas on the surface. |
| will be rated in MM or millimeters. Do not let metric | | | | If the pot does not set flat due to being warped, |
| measurements scare you; 1.0 MM is 0.0394 inches | | | | the likely cause is the utensil has had too much heat |
| thick, a 0.5 MM is one half that thick or 0.0197 inches | | | | applied for its' thickness. Once the utensil is warped it |
| thick and 2.0 MM is twice that thickness or 0.0787 | | | | will never be able to transfer heat uniformly. |
| inches thick. The higher the MM rating the thicker the | | | | |