Teflon. PTFE. Reactive Metal Surfaces. You’re probably aware of these things by now. Both you and I are looking at the same things when buying a new pan or cookware set. We just can’t help but be overly cautious in buying things that we use for cooking. In the search for the best type of cooking material, I always end up settling for one of the best and safest cooking surfaces on the planet: ceramic cookware. And for that reason, I chose the best ceramic cookware in the market and made a guide on what ceramic cookware are through a series of Eurocast Cookware Reviews.
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- Best overall Eurocast cookware set: Eurocast Chef’s Set
- Best Eurocast frying pan: Eurocast frying pan
What is Ceramic Cookware?
This refers to cookware made of clay which is then baked in a kiln. There are two types of ceramic cookware: pure ceramic and glazed.
- Pure ceramic or kiln-baked cookware are pots and pans made of pure clay. They are hand-crafted and baked in a kiln.
- Glazed ceramic cookware are those that have a metal base (usually made of aluminum) coated with a ceramic lining and polished.
Why Are Ceramic Cookware Popular?
Ceramic is gaining popularity nowadays because of its high resistance to scratching. Ceramic cookware are also very modern or -chic, giving your kitchen a trendy and functional style.
What exactly makes ceramic cookware so different from other materials used for cooking? Ceramics are very popular back in the ancient period as luxury kitchenware and chinaware because it is made of refined clay, earthen elements (e.g., carbon, silicon), and powder. They were status symbols because they were formed and decorated by hand.
Since then, ceramics have been in constant production until it made its way to being glazed on our cooking pots and pans. But other than the great appeal it provides, there are other reasons why a lot of users have high regard for ceramic cookware.
Non-toxicity
Toxicity is a primary concern for our cookware because we don’t want any harmful chemicals from entering our system. Most synthetic surfaces like Teflon contains dangerous chemicals that are absorbed into our food. One such hazardous chemical is PTFE. Ceramics, on the other hand, are very safe because they are made of naturally occurring elements.
Non-stick
Glazed ceramic cookware are polished, making them non-stick. The surface is very ideal for cooking eggs, sauteing veggies, and the like ‒ with as little oil as possible. Using ceramic cookware, our food easily slips off the surface and slides onto our plates with a beautiful glaze.
Non-reactive
Since ceramic is made of compounds that occur naturally, they don’t react to almost all types of food. We don’t have to worry about cooking something acidic like food with tomatoes and citrus.
Environment-friendly
Ceramic cookware is considered as ‘green’ cookware. It doesn’t contain any synthetic chemicals that are harmful to the body and the environment. It is also considered to be a healthier alternative since it requires less use of oil and fats.
Considerations in Choosing Ceramic Cookware
I’m pretty sure you want to know what you should be looking for when buying ceramic cookware. Here are some factors to consider before you add any ceramic cookware to your cart and checkout.
Choose Government Approved Labels
This may make your selection much more expensive, but it is definitely worth it. Ceramics made on metal may often contain lead. In as much as ceramics are supposed to be non-toxic, clay may contain lead. However, if the cookware is manufactured in America, this means that it must follow the standards set by the FDA where toxic chemicals or components should be eliminated before considering the materials used to manufacture the cookware.
Eurocast is a brand that is popularly faked. Without a government stamp or label, you are most likely holding an imitation in your hands.
Choose the Metal Base Used
This is a tough one. Oftentimes, metal bases are made of aluminum. Though aluminum is an excellent material in cooking it does not easily bind well with ceramics. This means that your ceramic cookware may be prone to more chipping. Still, aluminum is a good conductor of heat allowing you to cook better on a ceramic-glazed aluminum pan. Other metal bases like stainless steel will make it hard for the pan to stay hot and retain its heat. Considering the metal is tantamount to choosing what material is best in heating up the ceramic cookware.
100% Ceramic Layer
Unfortunately, some manufacturers would add lime to the clay used in making the ceramic glaze. This makes the ceramic very fragile, which would make the cookware easily chip or break, and even flake off. Kitchenware like these will be sold for a much more affordable price, but they won’t last long in your kitchen. Choosing a 100% ceramic coating means that you have a piece of kitchenware that will last for a very very long time.
Introducing Berghoff Eurocast Cookware
Berghoff’s Eurocast cookware is a European brand that stretched its expertise in making ceramic cookware to the American continent. Berghoff is a cookware brand that designs its cookware with utmost care to provide its users with a complete cooking experience. This brand has a lot of various cookware lines and Eurocast is just one of them.
Eurocast has one unique feature: the ceramic glaze. To answer the demand for safe cookware ‒ free from all toxic chemicals like PTFE, PFOA, that come with synthetic nonstick surfaces, Berghoff designed a ceramic-glaze collection. In addition, it is also free from lead (a chemical that often comes with clay). Eurocast is a professional ceramic cookware line that provides kitchens with ceramic cookware that can handle the use and abuse of busy cookeries. It is also a line that offers a home kitchen the power to experience the epitome of gourmet cooking right at the comforts of your own home.
Berghoff Eurocast boasts about its five unique design styles: Leo, Gem, Ron, Essentials, and Outdoor. Everything is practically made of ceramics, from knives to baking accessories and cookware ranging from pots to baking sheets.
Leo
Leo is designed for the youth. Why not? Who wouldn’t like a set that fits perfectly in a bachelor’s kitchen? This is also great for newlyweds and for cooks looking for a cookware with sass and personality.
Designed with funk, Leo is Berghoff’s line meant for lighter cooking usage. Ceramics have a tendency to lose its polish when it is not often used. Leo is designed to keep its glaze for much longer and retain its beautiful quality. The polish is thinner with a matte finish. This prevents the glaze from fading.
The Leo line includes kitchen knives, Ovenware, and Kitchen Accessories. The kitchen knives are beautifully-crafted full ceramic blades that complement the earthy yet playful colors of the baking pans, sheets, and baking accessories like molds, spatulas and bowls. You’ll be surprised to know that even the molds are made of ceramics.
Gem
This is my favorite line (we’re going to talk about this series in my reviews below). The Gem line is made for industrial use. It is sturdy and very strong to handle heavy usage. It is also very functional because the cookware from this line is made to have detachable handles.
The gem line uses a black colored ceramic glaze. Aside from durability, the Gem collection focuses more on functionality and comfort. The designs of this line are quite unique as well as other features like ear handles, tapered sides, and chic covers.
The Gem line features only pots, pans and ovenware. The ovenware excludes the list of accessories like molds, spatula, and the like. This is the line that is made to cater to both professional and home use.
Ron
Not everyone enjoys a decorative art pieces of cookware in a home kitchen. If you like going for function over design then the Ron Berghoff line is just the choice for you. Ron follows a minimalistic design that fulfills more than the basic cooking needs of a kitchen both in ceramic and stainless steel choices.
The Ron collection is the classic line for Berghoff where it features the traditional look of Belgian cookware using ceramic glazed pots and pans. This line plays with the natural use of wood, utilizing it with metal to create the ultimate cookware. It has cookware made of a metal-ceramic-glaze base and a wooden handle. This collection is a complete series having kitchen knives, kitchen accessories, and pots and pans.
Essentials
The name says it all; this is the complete series that has everything you need in a kitchen. Let Berghoff accompany you in every step of preparing and cooking your food. From cutting your meat, preparing your veggies to when you cook and bake up until you serve and eat your food, Berghoff’s Essentials collection has it all for you.
This line uses metal, wood, and ceramic to create kitchen knives, cookware, tableware, kitchen accessories, and cutlery. You don’t have to worry about looking for various wares to fill your kitchen; you can have an all-in-one selection that is affordable, durable, and practical just at the tip of your finger.
Outdoor
Complete your outdoor cooking with an all-exclusive collection. This is a barbecue collection having all the things you need to prepare an outdoor barbecue. Complete with an outdoor ceramic grill, outdoor kitchen, or table barbecue, you can choose from this line to have the ultimate barbecuing experience.
What Makes the Eurocast Collection Awesome?
There are many reasons that make the Eurocast series amazing and here are just some of them:
The use of Ferno Ceramic Materials
This is the specialty of Eurocast where they manufacture titanium-based ceramic cookware. This makes the cooking surface more durable and chip-free. Though the surface may get scratched over time, it is comparatively better at holding its surface against metal utensil scratching than any other ceramic cookware in the market.
Anti-warp Property
Ceramics do not warp or change shape no matter how long or how hot you are cooking it in. Ceramics are semi-porous, allowing air to flow through the material and preventing it from getting misshapen in extremely hot temperatures. When glazed over a metal base, the metal also takes the shape of the ceramic like a mold and that’s why even the metal mold won’t warp because the ceramic keeps the shape of the metal intact.
Higher Cooking Temperature Limits
Most metal cookware change their shape under high temperature. And most metal cookware have a maximum cooking temperature of 450ºF. Ceramics can go up to 500ºF on any cooktop and even inside an oven.
Versatile Cooking
Like stainless steel cookware, you can cook anything using ceramic pots and pans. And what’s great about this is that it can work both as cooktop cookware or ovenware. So, from making lasagna, stews, deep-frying, and baking bread, you can use ceramics without any problems. In fact, you can even use it to cook food inside a microwave without worrying about any chemical reaction or the like.
Easy and Low-Cost Maintenance
After long and constant usage of your ceramic cookware, the nonstick properties will eventually wear off and dissolve. But don’t worry. Unlike peeling nonstick surfaces, ceramics can gain back its nonstick properties by seasoning it yourself.
Can Cook Anywhere Feature
With a metal base, you can cook food using any stove. You can easily cook with this type of cookware on glass cooktops, inside the oven, over an open fire, on induction stoves, and even atop vitro-ceramic stoves.
Safe Storage Feature
Eurocast comes with a well-designed set of cooking ware. The pans have a detachable handle that makes it easier to store them inside drawers or cabinets. This ceramic cookware is also stackable allowing you to save on tons of space.
The Best Berghoff Eurocast Cookware
Choosing the best collection or cookware from Berghoff’s Eurocast cookware is pretty hard since all of them are very durable and strong. So, let me help you out and see which items you really need to have from Berghoff with my Eurocast cookware reviews.
Eurocast Professional Fry Pan
Every kitchen needs a frying pan. It’s one of the most essential tools in your kitchen. It can do more than just frying food, namely:
- Sauteing
- Indirect grilling
- Steaming
- Roasting
- and more
Physical Specs:
The Eurocast frying pan has a 10¼” diameter making this a decent sized frying pan that can cook up to 5 qt of food. The pan is wide with tapered sides, allowing you to slide your food off the pan with ease especially when you are cooking eggs, pancakes, and the like. The pan is also very lightweight despite its size. It is pretty easy to handle especially with a one-handed cooking operation style.
The pan comes with a handle lip at the opposite end of the handle for you to effortlessly carry it around for support. You can cook large portions in it, too.
The pan is designed with a double layer of ferno ceramic coating giving it a sturdy surface that is fit for cooking food slowly.
Special features:
The Eurocast Frying pan is highly resistant in stain and soot formation. What’s great about this pan is that it can handle high heat and intense flames where the soot will easily slide off the pan. The titanium base is also excellent for helping you regulate the heat in cooking.
Cooking Recommendations:
If it’s brand new, make sure to wash the pan first before use. Dry the pan entirely and give it a gentle season. This will help prolong the life of your frying pan, and it will also help strengthen the ceramic surface.
To lightly season the pan follow the steps below:
- Start by rubbing a thin layer of vegetable oil (or any kind like canola oil, olive oil, etc.) with a paper towel.
- Put the pan on a stove and turn it on low heat to allow the pan to seal the oil on the ceramic surface.
- Once the oil hits its smoking point, take it off the stove and let it cool.
- Wipe the excess oil and wait until the pan is completely cool.
- Once cooled, it is now ready for use.
PROS
CONS
Overall:
Fry pans are versatile cookware that can work well on electric coil stoves and fulfill a lot of your cooking needs. What I particularly love about this pan is that it is deep enough to allow me to deep-fry or cook large portions of food at a time. This is also perfect for frying food that splatters oil like fish.
Eurocast Professional Deep Saute Pan
Though the difference between a fry pan and saute pan is subtle, it is essential to the dishes that you are cooking. While you involve a lot of movement (like tossing and stir-frying) in a frying pan, a saute pan is designed to prepare your food in a toss-in manner. Thus, saute pans are ideal in high fire cooking and non-stew slow cook meals. This is ideal for those who love making less-greasy meals.
Physical Specs:
The Eurocast saute pan is a jumbo 6¼“ square pan. The large size is perfect for searing massive cuts of meat or whole fish. Since the pan is quite deep, you will be able to make soup stock and reductions. The great thing about this pan is that you don’t have to get another pot to make sauces.
It has a double ferno-ceramic layer with a cast iron base and a pyrex glass lid for extra durability. The pan is also at least 3” deep, making it versatile for other recipes. The pan also comes with two spouts on opposite sides.
Special features:
This saute pan is designed with vertical sides that prevent quick evaporation. It helps lock in the moisture, keeping your fried food less greasy but juicy and tender. The pyrex glass lid is heat-resistant and can withstand high temperatures of up to 400ºF.
Whenever you make stocks, stews, soups or reductions, you can quickly pour the sauces into another container using its mess-free spouts on the sides. The lip eases out any fluids to flow out of the pan without much trouble. And like all Eurocast pans, the handle is detachable, allowing you to use it as a serving plate or as a baking sheet.
Cooking Recommendations:
The saute pan allows you to cook in high-heat making it a great searing or browning pan. Since the pan is naturally non-stick, it is still advisable to give a gentle seasoning to prolong the non-stick properties of the saute pan.
The ceramic surface is a no-grease no-water surface only if you use the glass lid. It is difficult for some to achieve the perfect sear but in using Eurocast, here are two ways you can sear your food to perfection:
Searing with oil:
- Heat the pan.
- Dip a paper towel in oil and rub it throughout the surface of the saute pan including the sides.
- Put the meat or fish to sear for about 5 minutes on each side.
- To continue cooking, cover the saute pan to lock in the moisture making the meat or fish tender and juicy.
Searing without oil:
- Heat the pan until it gets hot (to test, just try to feel if there is hot air coming from the pan).
- Put the meat or fish in the pan to sear.
- After a minute, give the pan a wiggle to make the meat slide off the surface of the pan.
- Flip the meat after 2 more minutes of searing and cover it with the glass lid.
PROS
CONS
Overall:
The fry pan and saute pan are different mainly in purpose due to the difference in the metal base. The saute pan is designed for heavy usage and is still considered a must-have in your kitchen.
Eurocast Professional Casserole Pot
The casserole is now making a healthy fitness comeback with great cooking benefits that are perfect for any health nut. This is the best pot to have if you love making casseroles and baked stews or slow-cooked meals. The casserole pot is a good cookware and serving dish to have and own.
Physical Specs:
This 10” wide (including the handles) and 8” tall pot can hold up to 4 qt of food. It comes with ear handles for better handling. It also comes with a pyrex glass lid that is safe to use in an oven. Unlike typical cast iron pots, it is lighter in comparison. It is also thicker than most of the Eurocast pots and pans and is ideal for slow-cooking.
Special features:
Built mainly for cooking food inside an oven or over indirect barbecuing, the casserole pot also works well as a serving dish. With its classy metallic black hue, it can be a beautiful centerpiece to stew and even a great serving dish for salads.
This 8” casserole pot is pretty thick making it perfect for overnight open-fire cooking. It is also an excellent pot for baking bread, cakes, and roasts. It is so durable that it could withstand high heat, allowing you to cook your food with or without a lid.
Cooking Recommendations:
The casserole pot doesn’t need much when it comes to cooking. It allows you to prepare your food directly into the pot prior to popping it in the oven. It can help you save tons of space as well as less mixing bowls to wash.
Whether you are cooking on a stove or in the oven, the casserole needs proper cleaning every after cooking. Although it is non-stick, slow-cooking makes the food stick at the bottom of the pot. I recommend that you transfer the food onto a different container then pour lukewarm water into the pot while it is still hot. Leave it for 10 minutes or until the food at the bottom of the pot unsticks.
PROS
CONS
Overall:
This is a great pot for those who love to host parties. It can hold a large amount of food as well as provide you with a great looking serving dish.
Eurocast Professional Stock Pot
In an attempt to bring the modern industrial look and feel to the kitchen, Berghoff’s Eurocast Gem line brings you a modern-day stock pot. This stock pot is designed to look sleek and sturdy to compliment your beautiful kitchen.
Physical Specs:
Eurocast brings you yet another deep dish pot with a capacity to hold up to 3 qt of food. It comes with a tempered glass lid for cooking in high heat without causing the lid to break. The glass has drain holes that allows you to separate the liquid from the solid contents for certain dishes. The stock pot is made with stock aluminum for lighter weight. In addition, it has permanently attached open handles for carrying around.
The stockpot lets you deep-fry massive cuts of meat, bake bread, boil pasta, and prepare goods as well as make amazing slow-cooked meals. This pot is great in cooking food under low-constant heat for a very long time. What’s great about it is that it doesn’t wear out or warp.
The aluminum cast promotes quick and even cooking throughout the pot. This is great for making stews and you can also use it for baking. Like other cookpots, this also makes a great serving dish. Unfortunately with an aluminum cast, once you scratch out or peel off the ceramic layer, the pot is utterly unfit for cooking. Since aluminum is highly reactive, once you scratch off the nonstick layer, the food will react to the exposed aluminum layer causing dangerous chemical reactions to leach into your food. I have provided steps so you can prevent this from happening.
Cooking Recommendations:
With a cast aluminum, it means that the exterior of the pan (once scratched) will start to react to acidic foods (like lemons and tomatoes). It will cause the aluminum cast to weaken, preventing even cooking throughout the pan.
The best care for the stockpot is by handwashing it with warm soapy water. Never use steel wool or scouring pad for scrubbing since it can cause scratching on the surface of the pan.
PROS
CONS
Overall:
For those who love quick and easy-cook meals, this is exactly the pot that you need. It is the perfect cookware for induction cooktops. Even frying can be done using this amazing stock pot.
Eurocast Professional Chinese Covered Wok
The Chinese wok is a magical tool that allows you to cook food in just a few minutes. Ideal for speedy cooking and designed for great frying techniques, the wok is your go-to cookware for fast cooking.
Physical Specs:
With a wide surface and deep tapered sides, the wok can easily hold food without spilling the contents. It is 4” deep and 12” wide but it is still very easy to handle, allowing you to make quick movements for high-speed cooking. It also comes with a sturdy stainless steel lid to allow you to simmer your food easily.
Special features:
The wok is nothing short of amazing when it comes to stir-frying. The cast aluminum provides even cooking all the way up to the sides of the wok making sure that the food you cook is prepared in just a few minutes.
Cooking Recommendations:
Before using this wok for the first time, it needs to be seasoned for lasting nonstick quality. I recommend that you use wooden utensils when cooking in it. You can still use metal utensils but it will end up scratching your pan in the long run.
PROS
CONS
Overall:
This wok may not be popular but it is an amazing cookware under 300 that promotes a different style of cooking. It is popular in making Asian dishes and is also great for preparing healthy vegetable dishes. This is definitely one of the best yet high-quality woks made by Eurocast that will remains in your kitchen for years.
Eurocast Professional Cookware Set
To start with, I’d love to share this awesome Gem collection set with 9 pieces. It has every basic cookware that any kitchen needs. The set contains:
- 8” and 11” frying pans
- 9.5” round saute pan
- 1.2 qt saucepan with glass lid
- 3.2 qt and 5 qt stock pots with glass lids
Physical Specs:
The set is made with a double-layer of ferno-ceramics and cast iron with a ferrous plate to promote quick heating. The cast aluminum also gives way to even cooking throughout the entire cookware, making it a great set of wares for various recipes. In addition, the pans have detachable handles that allow you to use the pans for baking or serving food in.
Special features:
All the pots and pans are deep so you could cook large portions at a time. They are made for heavy use with a ferrous plate at the bottom of each pot or pan for extra strength making sure that they will stay in your kitchen for a good couple of years.
All the glass lids also come with drain holes. This way, you don’t have to use a colander to separate the fluids from the rest of your food. In addition, all the set pieces (including the lid) are oven safe and they are also compatible with all types of cooktop.
Cooking Recommendations:
I highly recommend that you season all set pieces of the Chef’s set. will last longer especially if you season them all. And yes, that also includes the pots. Adding a light seasoning will help protect the nonstick layer of the cookware.
I also recommend that if you are cooking at high temperatures, it is best to remove the handles because they can get hot and the plastic lining of the handles will start to smell if you cook at temperatures higher than 400⁰F.
PROS
CONS
Overall:
I love the Chef’s set because it is a premium line that does not offer any dangerous chemicals that will affect the food you are cooking. It is also a great cookware for gas stoves especially if you plan on making slow-cook meals.
Comparing the Best Eurocast Cookware
Cookware | Size | Metal Cast | Removable Handle | Current Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 10¼“ x 10¼“ x 3” | Titanium | Yes | |
| 10¼“ x 10¼“ x 3” | Cast Iron | Yes | |
| 9” x 8.5” x 7” | Cast Iron | No | |
| 9” x 8” x 6” | Cast Aluminum | No | |
| 14½” x 13¾” x 4.8” | Cast Aluminum | No | |
| Each piece has different size | Ferno-Ceramic and Cast Iron | Yes for some pieces |
My Final Say
In my opinion, the Eurocast cookware is an amazing brand that promotes healthy cooking with the use of its signature ferno-ceramic surface. I highly recommend the Eurocast frying pan as its flagship cookware because it is the ultimate nonstick ceramic cookware in the Eurocast Professional Gem Line. in my Eurocast Cookware reviews, I also included a Chef set that is made for the professional kitchen. Though it comes at quite at an expense, the Eurocast Chef’s Set is definitely the premium line that will provide a home and professional kitchen the greatest set of non-stick non-toxic cookware.