When you’re cooking up a storm, it’s important to be sure that your cookware is safe to use for food preparation. You should be focused on making the most delicious meal you can, not worrying about potential nasties in your tools! In this article we’ll look to answer the question of whether ceramic titanium cookware is safe and if it deserves a place in your kitchen.
What is Titanium Cookware?
The phrase ‘titanium cookware’ can, confusingly, refer to two different things. Pure titanium cookware doesn’t contain any additional metals and is tough, durable and lightweight. These qualities make pure titanium the ideal choice of pots to cook with on camping trips. On the other hand, pure titanium doesn’t conduct heat evenly so isn’t the best choice for everyday cooking in your kitchen.
The other type of titanium cookware is better described as titanium infused cookware. A core of aluminum is added to overcome the poor heat distribution of 100% titanium. Unlike titanium, aluminum is a very efficient heat conductor and guarantees event heat distribution when cooking.
What is Ceramic Cookware?
Ceramic is, again, a term that can refer to more than one type of cookware.
What most people refer to as ‘ceramic’ cookware isn’t actually ceramic at all. Instead, it typically refers to pots and pans made from other metals such as stainless steel or aluminum, coated with a nonstick layer. This layer is the ceramic element of this type of nonstick cookware.
The other, less common, usage of the term ‘ceramic cookware’ refers to pots and pans that are made out of natural clay and fired in a kiln.
What is Ceramic Titanium Cookware?
Ceramic Titanium Cookware refers to pots and pans that are made from titanium but have a layer of ceramic applied to the cooking surface. Compared to titanium cookware that doesn’t have this finish, the cooking surface of ceramic titanium pans have a slightly shiny appearance.
Why would cookware manufacturers add this additional layer to titanium pots and pans? Well, as we’ve mentioned a ceramic coating adds enhanced nonstick properties to the pan – properties which titanium doesn’t naturally have.
A ceramic nonstick layer can be found in either pure titanium pots and pans or titanium infused cookware.
Benefits of Ceramic Titanium Cookware
Durability. Titanium is tough. Really tough! In fact, titanium has the highest strength-to-density ratio of any element on the planet. This means that even lightweight pots and pans made from titanium will withstand almost anything that you throw at them. However, it’s worth keeping in mind that the ceramic coating isn’t nearly as durable as titanium. Special care does need to be taken to avoid chipping the nonstick surface.
Quick heating. Titanium is a great conductor of heat, and will reach high temperatures in a short space of time. Titanium cookware can reduce the amount of time needed to boil water or pre-heat, potentially reducing your cooking time. Add an aluminum core to the mix (as with titanium-infused cookware) and that heat is distributed evenly across the pan.
Enhanced nonstick properties. Whilst pure titanium cookware has a lot of great benefits, food can get stuck or burnt to the bottom of the pan when cooking at high temperatures. The addition of a ceramic coating gives the pan a nonstick surface which makes cooking and cleaning a much more enjoyable process.
Reduced need for oil. The enhanced nonstick properties of ceramic titanium reduces the amount of oil or butter that you need to use, enabling more healthy cooking.
Easy to clean. Another benefit of the nonstick surface of ceramic titanium is that it’s easier to clean. It’s obvious really – because food doesn’t stick it’s much easier to wash off!
Concerns Around Ceramic Titanium Cookware Safety
We’ve spent some time exploring the benefits of ceramic titanium cookware, and it all sounds great. However, we started this article by asking whether or not ceramic titanium cookware is safe or not. So, why might there be cause to worry about the safety of this cookware?
Aluminum leaching. One of the most common concerns we see around titanium cookware actually applies to titanium infused cookware in general. The worry is that aluminum from the core can leach into food when cooking and contribute to health problems. However, the coating on a high quality ceramic titanium pan is non-porous. This will help to prevent any metals seeping into your food.
Safety of ceramic. What about the safety of the nonstick coating? Well, lower quality cookware can use a coating that contains potentially harmful materials. To avoid this it’s best to always buy US-made cookware that is free of PFOA. Be sure to check the label and manufacturer’s information to make sure that the nonstick surface doesn’t contain any other harmful materials.
So, is ceramic titanium cookware safe? Whilst there are some valid concerns about safety, you can largely avoid these by following the simple steps we outline below.
Precautions When Cooking With Ceramic Titanium Cookware
Avoid using metal utensils, instead opting for wood or silicone. Doing this will help you to avoid chipping the ceramic coating. Aside from reducing the nonstick capabilities of your pan, holes in the nonstick coating may allow metal from the pan to leach into your food when cooking.
When you’re done cooking, wash your cookware by hand rather than in the dishwasher. This is because dishwashers can be abrasive and damage the cooking surface of your pan.
Overall one of the best precautions you can take to make ceramic titanium cookware as safe as possible is to take care when buying. We’ve mentioned it already but the point can’t be stressed enough – always check the manufacturer’s information. Look for domestically made cookware that specifically does not contain harmful materials such as PFOA, nickel or any other heavy metals. The main culprits when it comes to harmful cookware tends to be the more cheaply made pots and pans. To give yourself peace of mind it’s nearly always investing the extra spend to secure cookware from a manufacturer with a reputation for quality.
Should you Buy Ceramic Titanium Cookware?
Provided you take care when buying and follow the precautions we’ve listed above, ceramic titanium cookware is a great option for your kitchen. If you’re looking for cookware that is durable whilst being easy to use and maintain, an investment in high quality ceramic titanium cooking equipment will serve you well.