Southland's Guide to Choosing Cookware for Your New Kitchen

One of the most exciting things about buying a new home is outfitting it with new furniture, electronics, and other items. And, for those who love to cook, nothing is better than picking out some new cookware to go with their brand new kitchen.

But, with all of the cookware available on the market, how can you tell that you're choosing the right type to go with your new kitchen? Here's Southland's guide to choosing cookware to help get you started.

Types of Cookware

Today's cookware typically comes in four different types - cast iron, stainless steel, aluminum, and copper, and each offers its own pros and cons.

Cast iron cookware offers several key advantages, including affordability, excellent heat retention, and unbeatable durability. This type of cookware has been used for hundreds of years and unlike the others, it can last that long as well. It's not perfect, though. Cast iron is the heaviest cookware available. It also requires regular "seasoning" in order to help reduce rusting and potential interactions with some foods.

Stainless steel cookware is desirable because of its gleaming luster. This type of cookware is durable, resistant to rust, affordable, warp and scratch resistant, and it retains its shine. The major problem with stainless steel is that is not the best heat conductor, so if you're shopping for stainless steel cookware, just be sure to choose one with an aluminum or copper core.

Aluminum cookware accounts for more than half of all cookware being produced today. The reason is because it is an excellent heat conductor. Aluminum cookware is also extremely lightweight and available in the widest range of colors and styles. But, one of the biggest problems with this material is that can be scratched and dented rather easily because it is a soft metal. Aluminum can also interact with certain foods. As a result, most cookware made from it is coated with aluminum oxide or another non-stick material.

Copper cookware is hands-down the most expensive cookware available, but thanks to its exceptional heat conduction, it is preferred by most professional chefs. It is also one of the prettiest varieties of cookware available, but maintaining that beauty does require regular cleaning and polishing.

Cookware Considerations

There are certain things you should consider when shopping for new cookware for your new kitchen. For starters, you should buy the best quality you can afford. After all, cookware is an investment and you will want your pots and pans to last, especially if you're planning on using them daily.

You should also consider the maintenance needed to ensure the longevity of the cookware. Do you want to be bothered by seasoning your cast iron pan or polishing your copper pots?

It may be tempting to simply buy a cookware set bearing the name of your favorite TV chef personality, but these sets are usually cheap, and not just in price. Instead of buying a 12-piece set, which typically includes certain pots and pans that you'll never use, invest in a few quality pieces that you will be sure to use. You'll get more value and performance for your money and reduce cabinet clutter.

Lastly, after purchasing your cookware, follow the manufacturer's instructions for caring for it. This will help ensure the cookware performs and lasts as long as expected and it will validate the manufacturer's warranty in the event something is wrong with the product.

Relocating to Georgia

Southland Custom Homes' home building in Georgia specializes in designing kitchens that are made for cooking and baking in. If you're looking for a new home that's capable of meeting all of your culinary needs and desires, then we can help.

With over 100 floorplans to choose from and an array of top-of-the-line interior appointments, Southland Custom Homes is among the top-rated custom builders of new homes in Georgia. In addition to providing a huge selection of plan options, Southland Custom Homes will work with new homebuyers to alter specific floorplans so that the finished project is exactly what the buyer wants. If you are looking custom home building in Georgia, then Southland Custom Homes will be sure to meet and exceed all of your expectations.

Southland Custom Homes is one of the premier Georgia on-your-land builders. We have model showrooms located in Macon (3956 Bloomfield Village Drive, Macon, GA 31206), Dawsonville (98 Bethel Drive, Dawsonville, GA 30534), and Marietta (265 N. Fulton PKWY, Marietta, GA 30062). Stop by today to see all that Southland has to offer!

Southland Custom Homes builds in the following locations:

Baldwin County Banks County Barrow County Bartow County Bibb County Bleckley County Butts County Carroll County Cherokee County Clarke County Clayton County Cobb County Coweta County Crawford County Dawson County DeKalb County

Dooly County Douglas County Fannin County Fayette County Floyd County Forsyth County Fulton County Gilmer County Gordon County Greene County Gwinnett County Habersham County Hall County Hancock County Haralson County Hart County

Heard County Henry County Jackson County Jasper County Jones County Lamar County Lumpkin County Macon County Madison County Meriwether County Monroe County Morgan County Newton County Oconee County Oglethorpe County Paulding County

Peach County Pickens County Pike County Polk County Pulaski County Putnam County Rockdale County Stephens County Talbot County Taylor County Twiggs County Union County Upson County Walton County White County Wilkinson County

We also build in the following cities in Georgia:

Acworth Alpharetta Athens Athens-Clarke Atlanta Barrow Bartow Belvedere Belvedere Park Brookhaven Butts Calhoun Canton Carroll Carrollton Cartersville Cherokee

Cobb College Park Coweta Cumming Dawsonville Decatur Dekalb Douglas Dublin Douglasville Dunwoody Duluth East Point Ellijay Fayette Forest Park Forest

Forsyth Gainesville Grantville Griffin Gwinnett Hall Henry Hinesville Hogansville Jasper John's Creek Kennesaw LaGrange Lake Allatoona Lake Blue Ridge Lake Chatuge Lake Hartwell

Lake Jackson Lake Lanier Lake Nottely Lake Oconee Lawrenceville Lone Oak Mableton Macon Marietta McDonough Milledgeville Milton Newnan Newton North Atlanta North Druid Hills The North Georgia mountains

Paulding Peachtree City Redan Rockdale Rome Roswell Sandy Springs Smyrna Snellville Spalding Stone Mountain Sugar Hill Tucker Union City Washington Winder