All guides

Each guide answers one buying question and shows the figures behind the answer.

3 guides

Heavy copper stockpot with a tinned interior and two riveted iron loop handles on a white cloth

How to choose

Choosing pans that are still in use in ten years

Material, hob type and cost per year decide which pans survive. The comparison that makes a dear pan the cheap one, and the Irish rights behind it.

Updated 3/11/2026 · 10 min

Photo: FiveRings at English Wikipedia · Public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Open-plan kitchen with matt dark cabinets, built-in oven and a wooden dining table with velvet chairs

Running costs

What premium kitchen pieces cost per year to own and to run

Ownership divided by years, plus the electricity the kitchen uses at the SEAI household price of 38.4 cent per kWh, plus what Revenue charges on an import.

Updated 3/11/2026 · 9 min

Photo: Shixart1985 · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Wooden wall rack holding glasses, carafes and hanging mugs above a sink and draining rack, white tiled wall

Maintenance

Looking after copper, cast iron and stone worktops

Thermal shock and acid do most of the damage in a good kitchen. The manufacturer's own limits, the cost of upkeep per year, and what counts as a fault.

Updated 3/11/2026 · 10 min

Photo: Shixart1985 · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons