Is traditional cookware truly a hassle - or have we misunderstood it all along?
When we think of Traditional cookware like iron, bronze, brass, or copper, one idea often pops up:
“It’s too much maintenance!”
But is it really a hassle? Or is it simply different from the modern cookware habits we are used to?
In a world that prioritizes speed and convenience, traditional cookware sometimes feels demanding. We’re used to non-stick pans that promise “zero maintenance” and stainless steel that requires nothing more than dish soap. So when we come across utensils that need seasoning or occasional polishing, we label them as “difficult.”
But the truth is:
Traditional cookware is not difficult - we have just forgotten how to care for things built to last.
Today, thousands of households are moving back to traditional cookware. Not because it is fashionable, but because it is healthy, durable, and scientifically beneficial. Let’s look at whether traditional cookware is actually a hassle or not - and why we still absolutely need it.
1. Is Traditional Cookware Really a Hassle? A Misunderstood Truth
Yes, iron can rust.
Indeed, brass and copper can lose their shine.
Indeed, brass requires tinning from time to time.
But none of this is difficult or time-consuming.
The "hassle" is only a problem when you are comparing natural materials, with real-world benefits, to artificial convenience. Modern cookware asks nothing of us - but offers nothing in return for our health either.
Traditional cookware asks for a modicum of care - and offers us nutrients, improved taste, longer-lasting durability, and health benefits in return.
Most people who switch from modern cookware to traditional cookware always report back with the same adage:
"It looked complicated, but once I used it, it was so easy!"
2. Maintenance vs. Health: What are we really choosing?
Every traditional metal has its unique natural benefits that no modern coating can replicate:
Iron
• Add natural iron to food
• Great for building hemoglobin
• Add rich flavor and perfect browning
• Builds a natural non-stick layer over time
• Highly recommended in Ayurveda
• Digestive support and metabolism
• Alkalizes food and gut health
• Enhances experience of taste
• Holds heat longer
• Keeps food warm and flavourful
• Supports nutritional stability
• Strong and durable metal for everyday tableware.
Copper
• Cleanses water
• Aids joint health, aging, and immunity
• Naturally anti-microbial
• Best material for drinking water storage
Now let's take a look at a modern nonstick option:
· Toxic chemicals are released when you overheat the cookware.
· Scratches easily
· Wastes money every 12 - 18 months
So what is the real hassle? Taking care of traditional cookware or ingesting chemicals?
3. The Care Ritual is NOT Busy Work, But of Connection
Traditional cookware isn't just for cooking.
It connects you more mindfully to your kitchen.
• Oil an iron tawa,
• Polish a copper plate,
• Re tin a brass pot.
These are not tedious; they are tangible actions that put you back in touch with what you are cooking.
Our grandparents did this without a thought - because they understood what it meant.
It is only extra "work" to us because we expect one-click convenience.
The payoff of this care is healthier and infinitely tastier food each day.
4. Longevity - Use for Generations, Not a Relationship
Modern cookware has an expiry date.
Traditional cookware does not.
• Iron - Last 50+ years
• Copper - Last forever
• Brass & Bronze - especially ours with it thickness, will last for decades
These are now one-time investments that can be handed down from one generation to another. Just think about it:
Do you want to replace inexpensive cookware every year, or do you want to get something that gets better with age?
5. Affordability vs. Value: What is the true cost of convenience?
People stray away from traditional metals as they think they are expensive and hard to maintain. But in the long run, they are much more economical.
Example:
• One iron tawa can last a lifetime.
• One copper water pot can last several decades.
• One bronze dinner set can stay for generations.
Whereas:
• Non-stick pans last 1 or 2 years.
• Stainless steel bends and warps over time.
• Aluminum can leach into your food.
In summary, traditional cookware is healthier, and it pays in the long run.
6. Simple care tips (so simple you'll wonder what you were worried about)
Here are some easy steps anyone can follow:
Iron
• Season once, and lightly maintain
• Avoid soaking in water
• Wipe dry immediately
• Oil on occasion to avoid rust
Copper
• Keep it dry
• Clean with tamarind/lemon/polish for shine
Brass/Bronze
• Avoid lemon for daily washing
• Mild soap is okay to use.
• Pitambari or tamarind for shining occasionally (not for the tin area)
If done right, total maintenance time per week is little more than 5-10 minutes. Is that a hassle, truly, for the health benefits you'll enjoy?
7. A Modern Mind-set Shift: Fast Living → Conscious Living
With greater awareness around:
• Immunity
• Toxin-free cooking
• Ayurveda
• Sustainable products
• Holistic wellness
The world is moving back to traditions.
We want to nourish our bodies through healthy eating, cooking healthy meals, and healthy living in today's day and age - and traditional cookware fulfills the mission of living a healthy life.
Traditional cookware offers what modern cookware cannot:
Purity + Nutrition + Longevity.
8. So.. Hassle or Not? The Conclusion
Traditional cookware is only a hassle if we anticipate it to be non-stick or steel.
But if we perceive it for its natural benefits and purpose, it can become the most rewarding usage in the kitchen.
✔ Better taste
✔ Natural nutrients
✔ Zero chemicals
✔ Durable and long-lasting
✔ Benefits according to Ayurveda
Traditional cookware is not a hassle - it is a return to purity, a return to health, and a return to traditions. The little care it will need throughout its use is nothing compared to the benefits it yields.
Conclusion: Tradition Is Not Trouble - It Is Treasure
In embracing traditional cookware, you are not moving backward.
· You are moving back to what works.
· You are choosing long-term health over instant ease.
· You are choosing purity over toxicity.
· You are choosing the ways of your ancestors over the ease of mass production.
· You are choosing wellness over expediency.
Truthfully, it is uncomplicated:
Traditional cookware is not a hassle. It is a lifestyle enhancement.