Enameled dishes: the best manufacturers, selection criteria

Enamelware familiar to everyone for several decades has not yielded to its position in the arsenal of housewives, still ahead of the popularity of newfangled materials such as heat-resistant glass and high-quality alloys. Pots and other containers made of this heat-resistant material are optimal for preparing a wide variety of dishes, and with careful consideration they can serve faithfully for a very long time.

According to statistics, from the very beginning of the new century in Russia, although slowly, but growing sales of dishes. At the same time, this tendency is especially pronounced with respect to kitchen utensils made of a wide variety of metal alloys and coated with special enamel. The secret to the popularity of such products is due to several factors:

• the universality of kitchen utensils - they are suitable for cooking first, second and third dishes;
• a wide selection of shades and designs - everyone will be able to choose such dishes that will fully match the style of the kitchen room;
• relatively low prices, so the purchase of such dishes will not break a noticeable gap in the family budget.

Despite the abundance of advantages of enameled dishes, many still perceive it as an indispensable attribute of the kitchens of the Soviet period. This view is completely in vain - technology does not stand still, therefore Today, the considered category of goods is made only from the highest quality materials: cast iron, carbon steel or stainless steel, and the enamel is applied to protect the metal from corrosion and rust.

In the manufacture of pots with enamel coating, manufacturers most often use a rather impractical method of applying the mixture - such dishes are inexpensive, but the coating quickly erases, cracks and chips appear on it. The products of reliable brands are made in a different way, usually by immersion technology - you can distinguish similar dishes by price, as well as by the presence of 3-4 dots of dark color scattered on the outer surface of the pots in those places where fasteners were fixed before processing.

Thanks to the inclusion of various oxides, you can get dishes of a wide variety of colors. So, when mixing the mixture components with chromium oxides, a red color is obtained, and blue can be achieved by including tin oxides in the coating structure.

The main advantages of enameled dishes include:

• increased resistance to alkalis and acids;
• enamel is easily cleaned using the most common cleaners and a soft sponge;
• the coating has pronounced heat-resistant properties that persist throughout the entire period of use;
• cookware is suitable for both traditional gas and electric stoves, and for induction hobs;
• affordable price;
• aesthetic design.

However, there were some shortcomings:

• dairy and viscous products can burn during cooking in a similar container;
• when cleaning with abrasive products and metal brushes, the coating is damaged;
• enamel does not tolerate temperature extremes that lead to cracking.

Do not forget that the enamel is relatively brittle, so when it hits or falls, it often breaks off, and chipped coatings are one of the most common problems when working with pots and teapots.

As experienced housewives testify, enameled dishes have many advantages in comparison with similar products from cast iron, uncoated stainless steel, as well as from aluminum and other raw materials. Pans made aluminum, when interacting with organic compounds begin to darken, therefore, when stored in them products quickly lose their attractive appearance.

Ceramic dishes when used, it requires mandatory use of a flame divider, in addition, the cost of such dishes exceeds the price of enameled containers by several times. Cast iron utensils can be cleaned exclusively by hand, as when using dishwashers it quickly rusts. Medical steel It takes too much time to heat up, so over time, stains and unattractive spots appear on the surface.

Very often enameled pans are compared with analogues stainless steel - Both materials are equally represented in the kitchens. However, stainless steel pans with thin walls deform fairly quickly, and with thick ones they are very expensive.

Stainless steel kitchenware is often supplemented with plastic handles and holders on the lid, which makes it impossible to use the container in the oven.At the same time, such cookware cools longer and is resistant to chemicals. When choosing this or that product, the list of dishes that you are going to cook also plays a role.

It is believed that the highest quality enameled dishes are products from Japan. However, this is a fallacy - as in the case of Russian manufacturers, Japanese products may also be of low quality. therefore, attention should be paid primarily not to the country of manufacture, but to the brand. Of the well-established industries, the following can be distinguished.

One of the largest Japanese companies engaged in the production of cookware with enamel coating. Outwardly, it is well recognized by the abundance of patterns and floral ornaments on a light background. Such dishes are of high quality, which is due to the use of glass enamels with the addition of powdered sugar.

A series of these dishes is designed in the Provence style, therefore it differs in the use of delicate colors and an abundance of romantic floral patterns. Enamel for making such pans is made from the highest quality and natural materials.

Finnish cookware is in great demand, and the Thermosol brand, which is one of the world leaders in the market for the production of kitchen utensils, is especially in demand. The basis for the manufacture of enameled dishes is carbon steel, and it is covered with a dense layer of enamelwhich withstands fairly high temperatures without any deformation or damage to the integrity of the coating.

In Europe, Metrot dishes (Serbia) have been in high demand for a long time, the main advantages of which include exceptional quality, environmental safety, stylish colorful design. The enamel coating is made of natural materials, applied in an even layer, and does not require special care. Under this brand not only pots are produced, but also teapots, Turks and the most ordinary ladles and scoops.

The best user reviews earned products from Germany.

By the way, domestic manufacturers also make dishes, which in quality are almost inferior to their imported counterparts. Among the most popular are “Novomoskovsk tableware” and “Lysven enamels”. A distinctive feature of the products is high quality that has been maintained for almost a hundred years.

Among other domestic enterprises, the following two can be noted.

• "Enamel" - This is a company from Magnitogorsk, which specializes in the production of high-quality and very interesting, from the point of view of decor, dishes. Through the use of high-tech equipment, the manufacturer has the ability to maintain the cost of dishes at an affordable level.
• Steelmal - A subsidiary of a large metallurgical magnate Severstal. The dishes of this brand are presented in the widest assortment and are distinguished by truly European quality.

The purchase of kitchen utensils and utensils is a very responsible occupation, so you need to be serious about your choice. Experts give several recommendations to distinguish quality enameled dishes from its cheap and short-lived counterparts.

• The enamel layer should be smooth and shiny.
• If you notice stains, various swellings, cracks, chips and partially exposed metal on the coating, feel free to refuse to buy, the benefits of the food cooked in it will be small, perhaps even dangerous.
• If you choose thick-walled enameled dishes, then it will be much more resistant to shock, but at the same time it will weigh much heavier.
• Pay attention to the method of applying the material - by spraying or by immersion. The second, without a doubt, is more preferable.
• When buying enameled dishes, be sure to look inside the container and evaluate the shade of the coating - normally it should be white, grayish-blue or black. But if you have a coating with yellowness or a reddish tint, then most likely it contains chemical compounds that are potentially dangerous to the human body.

Housewives are often interested in the question - is it possible to bake food in an enameled pan. It is possible, but at the same time, the established temperature regime and coating quality are of great importance. Not all enameled pots can be put in the oven.

• Only baking dishes with thick walls are suitable for baking, the coating must be undamaged, and no cracks or chips should be visible.
• Do not put the pan directly in a red-hot oven, it is better to heat it gradually.
• Enameled dishes can be used only at temperatures up to 250 degrees.

An equally urgent question is whether it is possible to pickle food in such a pan. The fact is that usually certain concentrations of organic acids are present in marinades, so not every metal will be suitable for such purposes.

Read the recommendations for the use of such utensils.

• Before the first use of enameled utensils, it must be tempered. To do this, a concentrated saline solution (2 tbsp. L salt per liter of water) is poured into it and brought to a boil. After which they cool naturally and wash.
• The enamel should not be exposed to sudden changes in temperature, otherwise it may crack.
• Do not leave enameled pots and other containers in the cold, as enamel destruction begins in the process of water crystallization.
• During cooking, do not tap the sides of the container with a metal spoon or a scoop.
• Keep in mind: dishes with a large capacity do not need to be placed on a weak burner.
• If something happens and food burns in your new pan, do not despair. Just fill it with a solution of salt and water at the rate of 1 tbsp. l 1.5 liters and leave for 2-3 hours, after which you can easily wash all adhering leftovers with a regular sponge.
• To remove carbon deposits and clear the pan from scale at home, you can use the powders "Comets" and "Pemolux." First you need to wash the pan, apply a cleaning powder to the stains, rub the hard side of the sponge and leave it in a bowl of hot water for a couple of hours, after which it is simply washed off under running water.

Subject to all the rules of operation of kitchen utensils with enamel coating, it will serve you and your family for a very long time, maintaining its original appearance.

For more information on how to clean enameled pans, see the next video.