Silicone kitchenware is quickly becoming a staple in most modern homes. It is highly likely that you have come across a kitchen gadget such as a spatula or a baking pan that is made from silicone. These kitchen items often feel like rubber, however, they are capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures, up to nearly 500 degrees.
People often confuse the terms silicone and silicon. Silicon is a naturally occurring element, and one of the most abundant elements on earth, second to be exact after oxygen. The silicon is a hard material can easily break apart. It is a very valuable element because of its semiconductor property, hence its use in nearly every electronic device known to man.
On the other hand, silicone is a man-made polymer compound with each of its molecules consisting of thousands of other tiny alternating molecules. These molecules are made up of oxygen and silicon atoms that are attached to numerous combinations of hydrogen and carbon particles. The length of the chain of the molecules as well as the combination used, you can find silicone as a liquid, as a gel, as a grease, and as a rubber like material. Silicone in a rubber like material is what is used in manufacturing silicone kitchenware.
Silicone kitchenware has numerous advantages. They include:
a. Silicone utensils can withstand extremely high temperatures
One of the biggest advantages of silicone kitchenware is the fact that they do not melt even under high temperature. If you accidentally leave your silicone whisk or turner in the pot for a long time while cooking, you do not have to worry about finding it melted inside the pot. These utensils also do not melt when you use them to stir very hot oil.
The scientific reason for this is silicone consists of long molecule chains that are intensely intertwined and packed tightly together. The molecules are almost too rigid to move with changes in temperature, and that is why silicone does not expand or contract easily. This is also explains why you can place hot silicone kitchenware in the fridge immediately without fearing they would crack.
b. Silicone utensils can come in a variety of unique colors
Silicone is translucent, which means it is quite easy to incorporate a multitude of colors into silicone kitchenware. Bright, multi-colored kitchenware makes them visually attractive, and they can inject some fun into an otherwise dull cooking space.
c. Silicone kitchen utensils are highly stain resistant
Silicone utensils are stain resistant owing to the non-porous nature of the material. This non-porous nature prevents the material from soaking in colors or odors, making it the perfect material for stirring spaghetti sauces as well as other deep colored foods. Their non-porous nature also makes them easy to wash and clean.
Furthermore, unlike their wooden counterparts, silicone kitchen utensils do not harbor bacterial growth, also because of their non-porous nature. This characteristic makes silicone utensils safe for contact with human food.
d. Silicone kitchenware is dishwasher safe
You can wash these utensils using the dishwasher because the detergents cannot affect the material. The scientific explanation for this is the material is chemically inert; hence, its molecules will not react with the detergent, eliminating any risk of the detergent damaging the material.
Even with all of these advantages, it is important to point out that different manufacturers create different qualities of silicone kitchenware. Silicone is made from a variety of different compounds; hence, there are numerous formulations available. Some manufacturers, in their attempt to reduce the cost of manufacturing, may create formulations that are not as high quality as you would require. At housebyus.dk, you can expect to find high-quality silicone kitchenware products from the best manufacturers around the world.