Want The Best Cookware For Electric Stove? We Have 5 Top Choices Here!

When it comes to cooking, the equipment you choose matters very much. The right tools can aid you in creating delectable dishes day after day. For best results, you want to make sure you choose the right cookware for your existing appliances.

You’re looking for not only cookware for your electric stove, but for the best cookware for your electric stove. One cannot simply burn their mac and cheese in a $2 saucepan from their nearest Target. 

Cookware is available in abundance all around us - some good, some not so good. Some will leave your food tasting like something out of Gordon Ramsay’s kitchen, some will leave it tasting like something made by a distracted toddler.

While some of that may be down to user skill (we can’t all be Michellin star chefs, after all), some of the quality issues may be down to the cookware you are using on your electric stove.

Best Cookware for Electric Stoves

Generally, there’s three different types of electric stoves. The classic electric coil stove, the contemporary smooth top stove made of glass or ceramic, and the induction stove.

While an induction stove is technically electric, the method used for cooking food is distinct from traditional electric cooktops and specifically requires cookware that has some type of iron.

Different cooktop surfaces work better with different materials. So, for instance, rougher materials are not ideal for smooth top stoves. So stainless steel may be a better choice than say, cast iron.

To create dishes to the best of your ability, we have written this list of the best cookware for electric stoves to help you. Read on below to find a buyer’s guide to help you to further narrow down your decision. 

Best Cookware for Electric Stove: A Buyer’s Guide

So those are just a few of the best cookware options on the market for an electric stove.

But how do you choose what will be the best option for you? Here are just a few things that you should think about.

Materials

There are a range of different materials that work well on electric stoves. Stainless steel is a great choice, as this material is both stable and durable, and it does a good job of conducting heat.

Likewise, anodized aluminum is a decent choice because it conducts the heat faster than most other metals, so the cooking is even.

What about copper bottom cookware? You can use copper bottom cookware, but you should take note that if the copper overheats it could end up leaving permanent residue on your stove top, which of course isn’t ideal.

If you are opting for porcelain or enamel cookware then you should make sure that the kind you choose has a thick, flat bottom. You also need to be very careful that you don’t boil the cookware completely dry because it could end up marking your stovetop.

You can also use cast iron cookware too. 

Flat Bottom

A flat bottom may not be the most important thing upon a first assessment, but it’s actually a key thing to consider. Your cookware and stove are likely to be more effective at cooking when the pans have flat bottoms.

Usually electric stoves have a flat surface, so the pans should have a flat surface to match this. Your cookware should align well with the stove that you are using, and this element can largely affect how quickly your food works.

You are less likely to lose heat when the two are aligned, which means the food cooks faster. Cookware that has a flat bottom also isn’t as likely to scratch your stovetop. 

Number of Items

When you are looking for the best cookware for your electric stove, you may think at first that the best thing to do is to buy the set with the most pieces. This isn’t necessarily the case.

Sometimes it’s actually a good idea to get a smaller set. The set should include all of the pots and pan sizes that you would generally use on a regular basis. You can then pay a little bit of extra money for a brand name that you know you can trust. 

Quantity doesn’t necessarily mean quality! It may also be a good idea to start off with less pieces and then add onto the number as you go along. 

You should also check what pieces are included in the set before you buy it. A set may sound like it has a lot of pieces, but you may just end up with an abundance of lids which isn’t the ideal situation if you have limited cupboard space. 

Non Colored

You may be eyeing up that luminous yellow cookware, but we advise you to stay away. No, it’s not because we are boring!

The heat of the oven is likely to affect the color of the pans. This means that stunning color you see now may not be there after a couple of uses.

Non colored cookware is the best choice, to avoid potentially having weirdly patchy cookware in your house. It doesn’t look too great for dinner parties. 

Weight

Having a heavy bottom pan can be a little bit problematic in certain situations, but you also don’t want to get the most lightweight cookware out there.

This is because cookware that is lightweight is more likely to move when you are cooking, which can be dangerous on an electric stove. A heavy pan will stay in the same place for the most part.

In fact, heavy cookware is great for conducting heat which means that food in these pans is more likely to cook faster.

On the other hand, you don’t want anything too heavy because the glass on your stove may end up denting, and carrying the cookware after cooking can be more difficult

Non Stick and Enamel Coatings

Non stick cookware is incredibly popular at the moment, but there are pros and cons to buying non stick cookware. Some have claimed that nonstick cookware isn’t actually safe.

More recent research has suggested that this is not the case so long as you don’t overheat the cookware. So, you should try to avoid preheating the pan. Cheaper pans will also overheat much faster.

Nonstick is fantastic for a number of reasons. To start with, when you use a nonstick pan you don’t need to use as much oil, butter and other things that you would normally need to ensure that your pan doesn’t overheat. This can make food a lot healthier.

It’s also a lot easier to clean them too because things don’t stick to the pan. They don’t cost a whole lot of money either. 

Enamel coatings can have a similar effect. Essentially, enamel coatings will help to make sure that the metal beneath the pan won’t rust or tarnish when you are using it. It also helps to create a surface that's less sticky. 

Durability

In an ideal world, you want your cookware to last a long time. After all what’s the point in buying something that will last less than ten minutes?

You can usually check out other customer reviews to see how durable a cookware set is, but often brand name is something to look for.

Cookware sets with big brand names attached are usually a safe bet because you know they will be reliable for a long time. 

Price

Setting a budget is an important part of buying cookware for an electric stove.

Normally you wouldn’t want to spend too much money on an item, but cookware is certainly one of those things that are worth spending a little bit of extra money on. A good cookware set will last for many years to come.

Try to avoid setting an incredibly low budget, otherwise you may find yourself with a cookware set that just isn’t good, and will leave your food tasting terrible.

You also don’t need to spend a fortune on 90 different items that you will never need. Think about what you need and what your priorities are, and budget from there.

Lids

There are two key lid types - stainless steel and glass.

Glass is a safe choice usually. These lids are usually made out of strong tempered glass that isn’t likely to crack should the temperature change all of a sudden.

If you choose one of these lids you should try to get one with a metal border, because these further reduces the chances of the lid shattering. The lid should also have steam vents to prevent pressure build up.

Stainless steel lids are also a good choice. These lids are durable and can be cleaned in no time. They are ideal for coping in a range of temperatures.

The only issue is that you can’t see through a stainless steel lid, which makes it harder for you to monitor your cooking in real time. Stainless steel lids also don’t insulate very well, so the vast majority of people will opt for glass lids instead when they are boiling water.

Stainless steel lids also don’t come with steam vents either, which means that pressure build ups may cause the water to make a mess all over the top of your stove. 

Handles

There are two main materials used to make cookware handles - stainless steel or silicone.

The handle should also have an ergonomic design to ensure that it doesn’t slip out of your hand when you use it. It should be comfortable to hold and it should allow you to move it around without worrying you’ll drop it all over yourself. 

It’s worth getting a pan with handles that will be cool to the touch - you can check out the product description to see if your cookware offers this feature.