Ceramic vs Metal Pot

Why Is It Okay to Lick Ceramic in Cold Weather, But Not a Metal Pole?

Have you ever found yourself outside in the cold and wondered why licking a ceramic mug or plate seems harmless, but licking a metal pole could be an instant disaster? The answer lies in the metrics that determine how materials interact with heat. In this article, we’ll explore how these metrics relate to the materials we use in cooking and why ceramic soup pots can be a better choice than cast iron for your kitchen.

Licking a metal pole in cold weather is a bad idea because metal has low thermal mass and low thermal resistance, meaning it quickly conducts heat away from your skin, rapidly drawing the warmth from your tongue and potentially causing it to freeze to the metal. In contrast, ceramic has higher thermal mass and thermal resistance, meaning it doesn’t absorb heat from your tongue as quickly. Ceramic heats up and cools down more slowly, so it doesn’t draw heat away from your skin at the same fast rate, making it safer to touch or lick in cold conditions without the risk of freezing.

A ceramic pot is better than cast iron for cooking because it has a higher thermal mass and thermal resistance, which allows it to absorb and store more heat over time. When cooking dishes that require slow, consistent heat, like soups and stews, ceramic pots provide a steady and even temperature throughout the cooking process. The heat retention of ceramic ensures that the food is cooked uniformly without drastic temperature fluctuations, which is key for flavor extraction and texture. Once heated, ceramic pots maintain their temperature, allowing for longer cooking times without the need for constant adjustments.

In contrast, cast iron, while excellent for high-heat cooking, has lower thermal resistance compared to ceramic. It heats up slowly and unevenly, meaning it can be prone to hot spots, which can burn food. Cast iron also loses heat quickly once removed from a heat source, making it harder to maintain consistent cooking temperatures, especially for long cooking periods. This makes ceramic a superior choice for slow cooking, as it offers better temperature control, more even heat distribution, and the ability to maintain warmth for longer without overheating or cooling down too quickly.

Please see the video at the beginning of this post for a comparison. We put the same amount water to both cast iron pot and our Ancient Secret ceramic pot. We boil the water and turn off the heat. As you can see, our Ancient Secret pot kept the water boiling for longer, because ceramic has greater thermal mass and resistance.