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We hear the term often, but what does it mean? And, is it right for you? Heavy Duty Tin Foil
There’s no shortage of choices of cookware materials available: From cast iron to nonstick, every type of pot and pan has its devotees and its benefits. One type of cookware you don’t tend to hear as much about — but that is still thoroughly deserving of your attention — is hard anodized. The term sounds technical, but it’s actually pretty straightforward. What exactly is hard anodized cookware, and should you be choosing it for your pots and pans? Let’s find out.
Hard anodized cookware is all about durability, longevity, and ease of cleaning. “When metals used in cookware are anodized, the surface becomes stronger, resistant to scratching, and easier to clean,” explains Chicks With Knives founding chef and educator Rachael Narins, who has also served as a spokesperson for both All-Clad and Le Creuset brands of cookware.
The process of anodizing involves oxidizing the outer layer of metal; usually, the material of choice is aluminum, but hard anodized cookware can also be found in stainless steel and ceramic. Because anodizing makes cookware resistant to scratching and tougher in structure, hard anodized pans may last longer than their non-anodized stainless or aluminum counterparts. It also develops a level of nonstick quality, even if a nonstick surface isn’t added. Some hard anodized cookware is also available with nonstick coating, offering you the durability of its oxidation with even less sticking.
Anyone who wants pots and pans that will last a long time but not require a ton of upkeep is a match for hard anodized cookware. “The best thing about anodized cookware is that it is designed to be easy to clean,” Narins tells us. If you currently use stainless steel or aluminum pots and pans, the shift to hard anodized won’t be a dramatic one. And if you’re most comfortable with nonstick cookware, it’s also made in that format.
How does this type of cookware compare against others? Here’s our breakdown.
Because of its anodizing, hard anodized cookware has a darker appearance than stainless steel, which is more traditional and metallic looking. Stainless steel is better for searing proteins over high heat, but hard anodized is ideal for gentler preparations, such as making eggs.
These two materials look similar, but nonstick cookware is treated with an added coating to prevent sticking. Because of that, it will scratch more easily and can’t be used at as high of heat as hard anodized can. If you choose hard anodized cookware that is nonstick, you’ll reap the benefits of nonstick cookware with the added durability of anodizing.
Hard anodized cookware requires much less upkeep than cast iron, which needs to be seasoned frequently and cannot sit in water without rusting. Food is less likely to stick to hard anodized cookware than it is to cast iron, but cast iron imparts a unique flavor to food that hard anodized does not.
Hard anodized cookware is perfectly safe. “When purchasing cookware, look for anodized as a food-safe option,” suggests Narins, who explains that “the metals don't lift into food.” If purchasing hard anodized cookware that has been treated with a nonstick coating, opt for nonstick pieces that don’t employ the PFAS family of chemicals.
At super high heat levels, hard anodized can begin to break down. It’s also not the most durable cookware, so keep in mind it doesn’t have the same lifespan as stainless steel or cast iron. And while it can heat up quickly, which is a plus, it can easily burn foods (or the chef), so a watchful eye is required when using this type of cookware.
Hard anodized cookware is low maintenance, but it isn’t dishwasher-safe. “After cooking, use a non-abrasive cleanser and make sure to lift any discoloring,” Narins recommends. Using a dish brush for scrubbing is fine, but avoid anything with metal tines, as they can scratch the cookware’s surface.
Ready to jump into the world of hard anodized cookware? Here are three great sets to get you started.
We tested the T-fal Nonstick 12-Piece Cookware Set in our search for the best nonstick cookware set. They were easy to clean, lightweight, and retained heat well. The frying pans even make cooking foolproof, thanks to rings in the center that turn red when the pans are sufficiently preheated.
This hard anodized ceramic set was one of our top ceramic cookware set choices, thanks to its ability to conduct heat quickly — it brought water to a rolling boil lightning fast — and its fair price tag. Though not dishwasher-safe, we appreciated its quick cleanup since food rarely stuck during testing.
The All-Clad Hard Anodized Set is a great option if you only want to add a few pans to your cookware collection, not an entirely new set. Despite how sturdy and heavy-duty these two pans are, we felt comfortable maneuvering them during our best egg pan test. We never experienced any sticking, and after months of use, our editors still report its coatings are just as slick as they were right out of the box.
Aluminum Cutting Disc Contributor Ariane Resnick is a special diet private chef, a certified nutritionist, and a lifestyle writer with two decades of culinary and literary experience, and her work has been featured in Simply Recipes, The Spruce Eats, Clean Plates, Huffington Post, Verywell, and more. For this piece, she consulted with Rachael Narins, founder of Chicks With Knives and past spokesperson for All-Clad and Le Creuset.