Guide to Cookware Shapes & Sizes - Types of Pots & Pans and Their Uses

Guide to Cookware Shapes & Sizes - Types of Pots & Pans and Their Uses

Whether you are whipping up the perfect potato soup or sautéing an authentic stirfry, you need the right cookware on hand to bring your culinary visions to life. When it comes to choosing which pots and pans fit your cooking style, the most important thing is to learn the purpose of each piece. In this article, we'll review the most popular cookware on our site, what they are made of, and what they are made to do, and Chef Austin will give his recommendations, so you can make an informed decision.

 

---

Top 5 Essential Types of Pots & Pans for the Kitchen

---

 

These types of pans that are the do-it-all workhorses. Having at least one of each of these versatile pots and pans will allow you to cook the majority of recipes effortlessly.

 

Skillets & Frying Pans - These pans are defined by their shallow, sloped sides and long handle and are available in various sizes and shapes, from small egg skillets to larger 15” family-size frying pans.

Best for: Frying foods. The sloped sides of skillets and frying pans make it easier to use a turner to flip food as well as using the one-hand sauteing method, that is grabbing the handle and flicking your wrist to toss the ingredients, all while distributing heat over the wide, shallow base.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Dedicated Egg Pan - "Go with non-stick for eggs. Eggs are notorious for clinging to your pans. I personally use the Swiss Diamond XD 7" Fry Pan and it really is the best non-stick pan I've ever used."

Larger Fry Pan - "I like Hammer Stahl's stainless steel for high-heat sautees, 10"-12" is a good size. If you make a lot of pancakes, hash browns, or delicate fish, consider also getting a large a non-stick fry pan from Swiss Diamond."

Cast Iron Skillet - "This Field Company cast iron skillet is a perfect pan for shallow frying chicken in and gets the ultimate sear on steaks and burgers. They handle high-heat very well."

 

Sauté Pans - These pans are distinguished by their long handles and vertical sides that keep ingredients from spilling while you stir. These pans come in various sizes and are made of everything from cast iron to aluminum.

Best for: Multi-tasking. Sauté pans can be used to sauté, fry, simmer, and sear all kinds of foods. The vertical sides are good for keeping ingredients in the pan when stirring or for dishes that require simmering like risotto and pan sauces. Sauté pans will typically come with a lid which is required for some recipes, so always check that before choosing the right pan for your kitchen.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Large Saute with a Lid - "The sauté pan is the most used pan in my kitchen. If I need to brown lots of hamburger or cook down a bunch of spinach, my sauté pan has those tall sides to hold everything in. This model from Heritage Steel has tall sides makes this pan perfect for risotto. I also my stainless steel sauté to sear steaks occasionally and to simmer beef stroganoff in."   

 

Stock Pot - This type of pot is has a large flat-bottom with very tall sides and typically features two small handles and a lid. They are measured in capacity and come in sizes from 6-quarts up to 20-quarts. It's generally advised to have at least an 8-quart stockpot to handle the majority of recipes.

Best for: Boiling water, cooking pasta, making stocks and broths, soups, chili, and jambalaya.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

8Qt Stock Pot - "Great size that can boil plenty of water for pasta or potatoes. Good for households of 2-4 people."

16Qt Stock Pot - "Larger size that's great for feeding large crowds homemade chili and good for a water bath canning. Good for households of 5+ people." 

 

Saucepans - These types of pots are round and have tall vertical sides and a lid. They have a long handle and sometimes a small looped handle on the other side to help when transporting. Saucepans are very versatile and it’s a good idea to have a small, medium, and large size on hand.

Best for: Making sauces, poaching eggs, making rice, making or reheating soups, and boiling water.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

1Qt Sauce Pan - "This smaller size is good for heating up a can or two of green beans or corn."

2Qt Sauce Pan - "This middle size is good for heating up jars of spaghetti sauce. Also good for reducing gravies."

3Qt Sauce Pan - "This larger size can make a pot of stovetop mac & cheese or oatmeal for the family." 

 

Dutch Ovens  - These pots are heavier than regular cookware and are made out of denser materials, such as stoneware and ceramic. They are round or oval-shaped with tall sides, a fitted lid, and feature two handles along the sides for easier gripping.

Best for: Slow cooked meals. Ideal for roasts, coq au vin, stews, casseroles, braised meats, soups, hams, and whole birds. Designed to retain moisture and heat evenly, foods cooked inside a dutch oven will be more tender than those that are baked or satéd.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Check out Chef Austin's Top 3 Dutch Ovens Review to see the best Dutch ovens to choose from. 

 

---

Specialty Pans to Consider

---

These are pans designed for specific cooking techniques or recipes. Having specialty pans in your cookware collection will allow you to create a wider variety of recipes with ease and ensure that you have the best cookware for your specific cooking style.

 

Grill Pans - This type of pan is heavy-bottomed with a distinctive ribbed surface and a long handle. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some grill pans come with a matching ribbed press that helps to create grill marks on both sides of your food.

Best for: Searing burgers, steaks, and chicken. The ribbed pan gives your food distinctive grill marks and can be used for sautéing and making pressed panini sandwiches.

Chef's Recommended Essential Cookware: 

Le Creuset Oval Signature Enameled Cast Iron Skillet

 

Griddle - This pan is a large square or rectangular pans with little to no sides and a long handle or two short handles on each side. Griddles have a smooth surface and may also feature a grill-section for more versatility.

Best for: Making a lot of food at once on the stove. The griddles size allows them to stretch over more than one burner and therefore makes cooking in bulk easy.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Swiss Diamond XD 11” Square Griddle - "Here is a single burner griddle pan. It has virtually no sides so it's easy to flip pancakes or load it up with hash browns."

Cuisinart Double Burner Griddle Nonstick - "This griddle fits over two burners to maximize space for bacon and pancakes all at once!"

 

Wok - This pan is a popular piece of cookware for numerous Asian recipes. Traditionally this type of pan is a cone shape pan with a long wooden handle that would be put over a very hot fire to quickly cook food. Modern woks may have two small handles and are made of a variety of materials.

Best for: Asian recipes from stir fry to curry, and many more. Woks use very little added fats or fluids, so it can create healthier meals when used properly. The wok vessel is very thin to heat up to high temperatures quickly and are most effective when used on gas stoves.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Helens Asian Kitchen 12" Wok - "I like this wok because it has a wooden handle that will stay cool as you toss and stir your veggies and tofu over high heat."

 

Saucier - The shorter cousin to the saucepan, sauciers have shorter sides and a wider base with a long handle and a lid.

Best for: Making sauces that take a little more work. Creating a roux in the wider pan is easier as whisks and spoons fit and maneuver inside the pan comfortably.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Cuisinart Chef's Classic Stainless Steel 1-Quart Open Pour Saucier

 

 

Braisers - Resembling dutch ovens in material and function, Braisers are shorter and designed to cook foods submerged in liquid.

Best for: Braising, cooking foods that require simmering on the stove while covered, or cooking on the stove and transferring to the oven. Commonly used in recipes for beef short ribs, brisket, or risotto, and their design is perfect for serving up meals family-style.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials:

Le Creuset 2.25 Qt. Signature Braiser - "Le Creuset's braiser has a heavy lid to keep in moisture while cooking. This size is good for making servings for 2-4 people."

Le Creuset 5 qt. Signature Braiser - "This is the same braiser as above, just in a larger size when you need to feed more people. This would be perfect for making servings for 5-9 people."

 

Roasting Pans - These pans are large and rectangular like a casserole dish with low raised sides and small handles on the side. This pan comes in a wide variety of sizes and many will come with a wire rack to keep ingredients off of the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.

Best For: Cooking large items such as whole chickens, a whole turkey, or a large roast. Also good for casseroles and pasta bakes. Roasting pans can be used on the stovetop or in the oven giving them a good deal of flexibility.

Chef Austin's Cookware Essentials: 

All-Clad Small Stainless Steel Roasting Pan Set | 14" x 11" - "This All-Clad roaster is nice because you can actually use this on your stovetop to cook veggies or sear meat and then take it straight to the oven. This model also comes with a rack for larger birds like turkey or duck." 

 

---

I know what kind of pan I want, what material should I choose?

---

 

So you know you which pans you want but now comes the second decision; should you get stainless steel or enameled cast iron? Find the perfect materials for your pans in our Best Cookware Material - Best Pots & Pans for the Kitchen Guide.

 

 

---

Learn More: