COOKWARE DESIGN 101
We here at AXA love to brainstorm and collaborate with clients to create innovative, different cooking vessels that are both durable and great value. You can always come to us with your concepts and ideas, or an existing item that you’d like us to duplicate or improve upon. However, if this is your first time manufacturing cookware, here are some basics you’ll need to know:
MATERIALS
Cookware is all about the ideal combination of material and design for the right cooking purposes. AXA cookware is available in a variety of styles, shapes, and materials, giving you an extensive range of options. Each material category has its individual characteristics and features, with their own unique properties.
Stainless Steel
AXA is most widely known for its Stainless Steel cookware. Stainless steel is an extremely versatile cookware choice; it is ultra-durable, dent and scratch resistant, non-reactive and dishwasher safe. It is also easy to maintain the mirror finish. Cooking performance is increased when it is layered with good heat conductors like copper and/or aluminum to the bottom of the pan.
Copper
Of the many different metal materials offered, Copper is one of the best heat conductors. The metal is great for transferring heat rapidly and evenly throughout any pan, and it also cools rapidly once it is off the heat. It is important to note that it is a reactive metal, which means it is recommended to cook nonreactive foods with unlined copper pans. Stainless steel-lined copper is a very good choice for sauté pans, baking dishes, gratins, saucepans fondue pots, and poachers so you can take advantage of the fast heating and the stainless steel would be nonreactive to foods.
Aluminum
Aluminum cookware is relatively lighter weight than Copper and Stainless Steel cookware. It is a better heat conductor than Stainless Steel and is widely used in the restaurant industry.
Coatings
AXA is well acquainted with manufacturing ceramic and traditional non-stick coatings. Over the years, we have collaborated with Dupont, Whitford, Weilburger, and many other non-stick brands to bring you the perfect coating to fit your needs. Our in-house coating spraying line guarantees that we have full control of your product’s manufacturing from forming to finishing.
BODY CONSTRUCTION
The use of Copper and/or just Aluminum layers allow for quick and even heat distribution. Aluminium acts as an adhesive that binds layers together.The overall shape of the cookware stands out, as it is most distinct and eye-catching feature even from far away. We offer a wide range of vessel shapes as to cater to our customer's preferences. Not only is there aesthetic value involved but also each vessel shape attributes its own cooking feature. For instance, the heated air circulation works very well in a belly shaped vessel due to its curvature.
BASE CONSTRUCTION
The presence of a base in cookware can improve stability, thereby preventing warping. It also assists to distribute the heat more evenly while cooking. This is primarily used with single-ply cookware and generally is not applied to multi-clad product.
HANDLES
Handles are arguably the most differentiating feature of a cookware set. There are a number of different materials you can choose from, and each has its own distinctive look, feel, functionality, and price point.
The most traditional of cookware handles, wire handles are very straightforward in functional utility. It is simply a stee wire or bar bent into handle shape. This option offers clean lines as well as cost effectiveness in your cookware. | AXA pioneered this technology in 2000 in conjunction with a golf club manufacturer. A cast steel handle is the most elegant of solutions, with a solid metal bar formed in any way your imagination can take you. This option provides the most durability and solid support a handle can have. | A great budget option, hollow steel handles are simply sheet steel folded into a handle shape. This application allows for maximum air flow through the body of the handle, offering a cooling functionality while maintaining a metal look. |
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In 2001, AXA furthered its cast handle R&D and was amongst the first to produce hollow cast steel handles for the domestic cookware manufacturing industry. A hollow cast steel handle is everything you wanted in a cast steel handle in terms of form, function, and beauty, but with a hollow center to minimize heat transfer from the vessel to your hand. | The most tradtional of non metal cookware handles, bakelite is essentially plastic. While it has the highest heat resistance performance due to the nature of the material, bakelite has the lowest maximum temperature capability - bakelite is not recommended for oven use. However, you can achieve the widest variety of colors, finishes, and textures with this versatile material. | The newest addition to the cookware handle family, silicone allows for both high heat resistance (oven and dishwasher safe!) and colorful, interesting patterns and textures. Due to its malleable nature, silicone must be combined with metal structural support in order to be a functional application. |