Storing Your Cookware

Storage isn't where cookware usually goes wrong, but it's where a well-cared-for pan can pick up marks it didn't need. Two minutes of habit covers it.

Dry it completely first

This is the one non-negotiable. Always dry thoroughly before storing, to prevent water spots. A towel after washing, and if you want to be thorough, thirty seconds over low heat to drive off the last of the moisture. A pan put away damp will show it.

A wipe of oil before it goes away

If you're storing a pan for a while rather than using it tomorrow, a thin wipe of oil across the cooking surface before it goes in the cupboard keeps the seasoning layer intact and guards against water spots. It's the same habit that builds release in the first place — see Seasoning Your Titanium Pan in 4 Steps.

Stacking, done properly

Titanium is hard and durable, so stacked pans won't hurt each other structurally. What stacking does do is scuff the surface you've spent weeks seasoning. If you stack, put something soft in between:

• A pan protector or felt divider.
• A folded kitchen towel or a paper towel.
• A coffee filter, which fits a pan base almost perfectly.

Stack heaviest at the bottom, lightest on top, and don't build a tower so tall that pulling one out means wrestling the rest.

Better than stacking

If you have the space, hanging pans from a rack or hooks is the easiest way to keep surfaces untouched — and it means the pan you want is the one you can reach. Lids are the awkward part; a rack, a drawer insert, or standing them on edge all beat piling them loose on top of the pans.

Handles and drawers

Deep drawers work well as long as pans aren't sliding into each other every time the drawer opens. A liner or divider stops the shuffling.

Cast iron rules don't apply here

If you're used to storing cast iron, you can relax about a few things. Titanium is corrosion-resistant, so a slightly humid cupboard isn't a crisis, and you don't need to store the pan with the lid off to avoid trapped moisture — though drying it properly is still the better habit.

Boards and knives

Boards are best stored on edge rather than stacked flat, and knives want a block, a magnetic strip, or blade guards rather than a loose drawer. See Caring for Your Cutting Board and Caring for Your Okura Knives.

For the full washing routine, see Cleaning and Maintaining Your Titanium Pan.