Dan Abel wrote:

As you say, the way the pan is made is most important. Still, it's
interesting to look at the basic metal also.

Aluminum is one of the most expensive of the common metals. It runs
something under a dollar a pound (US dollar). It is a also the lightest.

Copper is a little more expensive, more like a dollar a pound.

Steel is about twenty cents a pound.


Good information to have, thanks. That's the cost of the raw
ingredient. What about differences in cost for forging the metal into
cookware? Usually, the cost of the ingredients in only a small part of
the cost of the finished product. There's also: labor, transportation,
equipment to make the product, supply and demand considerations. (If
gadgient metal is less expensive in its raw state and less expensive to
produce, but no one wants it because they prefer widgient cookware, the
cost of a finished widgient pot in a gourmet store might be less because
the factory is producing widgient pots by the hundreds of thousands
where they're only producing gadgient pots by the hundreds.)


Like everyone else, I had to make decisions on what cookware to own
based on cost, what I already had, what I like, and shelf space. I
don't have a different pot for every dish. I have heavy stainless pots
and pans, one quite heavy cast iron fry pan, an iron and enamel dutch
oven, and I bake in glass.


--Lia