This list explains briefly the pros and cons of the principal materials from which cooking equipment is made, and provides guidance on care and cleaning. Pros Inexpensive, lightweight, conducts heat well and evenly as long as the gauge is heavy enough. Cons Reacts with substances in food and therefore will discolor certain foods or impart a metallic taste. The metal itself tends to discolor and pit. Thin-gauge aluminum warps easily and heats unevenly.
Care Wash with hot soapy water, using a scouring pad if necessary.
Remove stains by boiling in a weak solution of vinegar or cream of tartar. As for aluminum. Pros Anodizing is an electrochemical process that gives aluminum a hard, dense oxide coating that resists corrosion. Cons Dishwasher detergents cause colored anodized aluminum pans to fade. Care Wash with hot, soapy water.