Hard Anodized vs Stainless Steel: Which is the Best?
This is a question that comes up quite often, especially when people are considering purchasing cookware.
The answer depends on what you intend to use the cookware for and your personal preference.
Hard Anodized Brief Overview
The hard anodized is the most popular and widely used type of cookware. It’s made from aluminum that has been coated with a special process that creates a very hard, durable surface that is resistant to scratches and dents, as well as corrosion.
Hard anodized cookware can be used on any cooking surface including induction. It’s dishwasher safe and can be used for any cooking method including broiling, baking and sautéing.
The hard anodized is available in a variety of colors from bright red to black. The most popular color is dark gray because it’s easy to clean and looks great.
Stainless Steel Brief Overview
Stainless steel cookware is another popular option, but not quite as popular as the hard anodized. Stainless steel is also very durable and scratch resistant, but it’s not quite as hard or resistant to dents and scratches as the hard anodized cookware.
The biggest downside to stainless steel is that it’s not compatible with induction cooktops and it can’t be used in the dishwasher. It does have a very long lifespan, but you will need to take good care of it to keep it looking nice.
Stainless Steel vs. Hard-Anodized Aluminum: Key Differences
Stainless steel and hard anodized both have their advantages and disadvantages, below we will compare the two so you know which one is best for your cooking.
Cooking Performance
The first and most important difference between stainless steel cookware and hard-anodized aluminum is cooking performance. Stainless steel will heat up slowly, but it will also retain heat very well. Hard-anodized aluminum heats up quickly, but it cools down just as fast.
Stainless steel can also reach higher temperatures which is great for searing meat. It also distributes heat evenly and is great for cooking delicate foods like eggs, sauces, and soups.
Hard-anodized aluminum does not reach high temperatures like stainless steel, so it’s not as good for searing meat. It is great for cooking foods that require a lot of stirring or mixing though because they won’t burn on the bottom like they can in stainless steel.
Cleaning and Maintenance
Stainless steel cookware is often touted as the best option for cooks who want to avoid having their pots and pans rust. However, stainless steel can be a problem in some kitchens because it can be difficult to maintain and it is always a struggle to keep the cookware free from scratches.
This has led many cooks to turn towards hard-anodized aluminum, which is easy to clean and is resistant to scratches.
The cleaning process for the two types of cookware varies depending on what type of food was cooked in it.
With stainless steel, If you have cooked eggs, fats or other stickier foods in your stainless steel cookware, you will need to soak the pots and pans before washing them. If they are still dirty after soaking, then you can use a mild abrasive cleanser.
The best way to clean hard anodized cookware is by hand washing it with warm water and soap, or if you want to be more thorough, you can use a plastic-bristled brush.
Durability
The durability of a surface can be determined by the type of material it is made out of. Stainless steel and hard-anodized aluminum are two different types that have different levels of resistance to wear and tear.
Stainless steel is a metal alloy composed of iron, chromium and nickel. This type of material is used in cookware and other kitchen utensils because it is resistant to corrosion caused by water or food acids. However it’s not the most resistant to wear and tear out of all the materials available for cookware.
Hard-anodized aluminum is more resistant to wear and tear than stainless steel, but it is not as resistant to corrosion. In-fact hard-anodized is one of the most resistant cookware materials to wear and tear.
Price
The most noticeable difference between stainless steel and hard-anodized aluminum is the price. Stainless steel cookware costs significantly more than anodized aluminum. If you are looking for a quality product but cannot afford the price of stainless steel, consider hard-anodized aluminum.
Reactiveness
Another advantage of anodized aluminum is that it is non-reactive, unlike stainless steel. Stainless steel reacts with acidic foods such as tomatoes and lemons and can also react to food that contains certain spices. This reaction can result in the leaching of flavors into your food and the formation of a metallic taste. Hard-anodized aluminum does not react with food and is safe to use for cooking acidic foods.
The non-reactive nature of hard anodized aluminum is also a positive for those with sensitive stomachs or allergies. This type of material will not react to food, unlike stainless steel and cast iron cookware which can leach metal into your food.
FAQ
Is anodized aluminum dangerous?
Many people believe that anodized aluminum is dangerous because it contains lead and mercury. This is not true.
Anodized aluminum is not dangerous because it does not contain mercury and lead as other metals do. Anodizing, the process of coating metal with a thin layer of aluminum oxide, is a completely safe process.
The anodizing process does use electricity, but no chemicals are used in the process. The only by-product of the process is a small amount of water vapor.
Which is better hard anodized or aluminum?
The construction of hard anodized cookware is more complex than the process for aluminum, which increases the price. Hard anodization starts with a metal such as aluminum or copper heated to a high temperature and then dipped into an acid bath. The metal is then stretched and baked in ovens, where it forms a hard outer coating of aluminum oxide that protects the underlying metal.
The hard anodized coating is thicker than the one on aluminum, so it conducts heat more slowly and distributes it better. Aluminum has a thinner layer of oxide that can chip off, and it is more reactive to acidic foods.
Hard anodized aluminum is just an upgraded version of aluminum, built to be more durable, and with better cooking performance, although the price tag does increase. So hard anodized is better than aluminum.
What is non-stick hard anodized?
Non-stick hard anodized cookware is coated with a hard, non-stick layer that helps to make food less likely to stick. The surface of the pan is made from aluminum which has been anodized to create a hard and durable non-stick surface.
