is balsamic vinegar n simple vinegar very different?!

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very, very different!

One is aged and one is not ... it affects the concentration of vinegar and the overall taste

Simple vinegar is acetic acid ... fermented from ethanol (i'm not too sure if it's ethanol), but am sure it's acetic acid. Very basic in form.

Balsamic vinegar is made from fermented grape must (from the beginning process of making wine). It is aged slowly (key difference) in barrels ... and absolutely stays there for minimum 3 years

Balsamic vinegar is sweeter and has a different and more mellow taste, whereas simple vinegar is very strong compared to balsamic

For taste purposes, you won't get the same result, but it wont change whatever you're making ... like using baking soda vs baking powder or salt vs sugar

For substitutions, you can use red wine vinegar, white wine vinegar, champagne vinegar and so on. Those vinegars are not aged and therefore are usually stronger in flavour and therefore closer to simple table vinegar

As for the above comment on caramel, most balsamic vinegars (if made properly) DO NOT have caramel ADDED to them (caramelised sugar or whatever, is natural. It helps stabilise the vinegar and occurs naturally during the process). The majority of balsamic vinegars in store ARE made the real way, even though the quality is not as good ... a good balsamic vinegar for a basic home cook/kitchen should cost about 10-15 dollars, not more than that. Balsamic vinegar is very simple and general, so you shouldn't have to pay alot. Balsamic vinegar comes in 3 years, 12 years or 25 years. Anything else, is fake.

All you have to do is look at the label. You should not see more than 2-3 ingredients

italian cook, have spent time in reggio emilia (region/city where most of the world's balsamic vinegar is made)

Most balsamic vinegar sold on supermarket shelves isn't the real thing. Its basic vinegar with caramel color and flavor added. The real stuff is usually fairly expensive.

You're fine subbing out the balsamic with whatever you have (as long as the recipe doesn't call for reducing the balsamic vinegar into a syrup). You can add a touch of molasses or sugar to compensate for the slight sweetness of balsamic vinegar if you like.

They're very different. You can't substitute balsamic with simple.

similar but different