What characterizes a good pot? Aluminum, copper, cast iron, stainless steel - which cooking pot is suitable for what? Also: Cooking gadgets tested and how to really clean pots. ► More information about the show on our homepage: http://www.swr.de/marktcheck ► and on our Facebook page / marktcheck ► You can subscribe to our channel here: https://bit.ly/34ebysh ► You can find more about our eco-checkers on Instagram: / oekochecker ► Comments are welcome - but please observe netiquette: http://www.swr.de/netiquette WHICH POTS ARE THERE? Ole Trautner, head chef at the Burg Staufeneck restaurant, knows: "For high quality, we need really good cooking pots." In the professional kitchen, there is even a cast iron pot. It is rather slow, but heats up for a long time - ideal for roasts and braised dishes. Stainless steel pots, on the other hand, are light, robust, durable and therefore very popular: more than 80 percent of the pots sold are made of stainless steel. Usually 18% chromium and 10% nickel are added. Initially, a pot still gives off nickel or chromium, so clean it thoroughly before using it for the first time. Allergy sufferers should look for the designation "18/0 stainless steel" for pots without nickel. Copper pots conduct heat the fastest and can be heated up to 400 degrees - perfect for frying. Disadvantage: They are expensive and sensitive to acid. Glass pots may look chic, but they conduct heat poorly. The chef recommends four pots for home: one small and one medium, and two large pots for different quantities, one flat and one tall. Pot sets are much cheaper than individual pots, but you should still ask yourself which pots you really need. PURCHASING ADVICE Ben and Madleine from Darmstadt are looking for a pot for their gas stove. Saleswoman Ivana Markovic explains what to look out for when buying. You can use a magnet to test whether the old pots work on an induction hob. If it sticks, the pots are suitable for induction, otherwise they are not. The old ones should go in the recycling bin, not in the household waste. People who are sensitive to heat can look for cold handles that never get hotter than 55 degrees. Stainless steel does not retain heat well, which is why there are models with a sandwich base. The outer layer is made of stainless steel, the inner layer of aluminum or copper. They take longer to heat up, but they retain heat better and save energy. Multi-layer pots have five layers, heat up faster and keep the food warm on all sides, but they also cost more. A pouring rim for spill-free pouring is also useful, as are silicone parts on the pot and lid to protect hands from heat. POTS IN TEST The couple tests three pots on gas and glass ceramic. Important: place pots on hobs with the same diameter, otherwise energy is lost. Ole Trautner also takes a close look at the pots. None of them can be bent - a good sign. Weight is also an indicator of quality: the heavier, the more stable the pot. Other criteria are speed, pouring rim, heat distribution, handle temperature and heat retention. Surprising overall winner: the cheap 25-euro pot from the internet, closely followed by the 90-euro pot from the specialist shop. The expensive model (119 euros) is almost always at the bottom. POT GADGETS IN TEST The two also test a collapsible folding sieve (12 euros), a stirring aid to prevent burning (30 euros) and a flower-shaped boil-over protection (21 euros). The first impression is promising, but the protection has to be removed from the pot to stir - and the water boils over. The folding sieve serves its purpose and can be stored in a space-saving manner. The stirring aid even copes with rice pudding, and even after more than 15 minutes nothing has stuck to the bottom. HOW DO I CLEAN POTS CORRECTLY? Bianca Schuster is a domestic operations manager and tests cleaning tips for us: soak with cola, dissolve with dishwasher tablets or scrub away with coffee grounds. All of these tools only remove the top layer, the crust remains. The expert recommends the classic: baking soda with citric acid. Both are harmless to the environment, have a cleaning and descaling effect. Because of the citric acid, you should use rubber gloves. Bianca Schuster is skeptical about dishwashing sponges because they can leave microplastics in the wastewater. Instead, she uses a stainless steel scouring spiral. This protects the pot and can be washed in the dishwasher. Ben and Madleine ultimately opt for the mid-priced pot with silicone handles and a practical lid holder. The expensive model is not worth the high price to them. They are also impressed by the foldable pasta strainer because it is very useful when traveling. Authors: Sebastian Schiller, Christin Köppen, Luisa Hartl Image source: Colourbox #Cooking pots #Price #Test