In this video, I answer the
question I get most often: “What are the essential pots and
pans that every kitchen needs?” I give you my recommendations
on shapes, sizes, and brands. I also share a few pans that aren't
essential but are nice to have as you add to your collection over time.
So if you're starting completely from scratch or you’re ready to throw out your
old pans and invest in better quality, more functional pieces, keep watching.
The first piece every kitchen needs is a quality stainless steel frying pan, also
referred to as a stainless steel skillet. This is your workhorse pan. You can use
it for nearly any ingredient and it will last forever. This pan has sloped sides, a
long handle, and a large cooking surface. You can use it to sear meats, saute
vegetables, shallow fry chicken, and much more. It won't react with acidic ingredients,
and the fond and brown bits that get stuck to the surface can be deglazed and
simmered down into a delicious pan sauce. Look for a fully-clad pan that's around 3
mm thick. Fully clad means the pan has a conductive core layer of aluminum or copper
throughout the pan, including the sides. The alternative is disc bottom, meaning
the pan only has this conductive layer at the base. Fully Clad pans are
more durable and heat more evenly. I prefer pans with flared rims
because they make it easier to pour liquids and slide food onto a plate. Avoid rounded handles as
those can rotate in your hand. I recommend a 12-inch pan because it can handle
large amounts of food without overcrowding. But if you live alone or don't have the space
for it, a 10-inch pan is a good option, too. For frying pans and the other stainless steel
pots and pans I talk about in this video, All-Clad, Made In, Heritage Steel,
and Demeyere are excellent brands. If you want to save money, Goldilocks, Misen, and
Legend are affordable brands that perform well. The next pan you need is a stainless steel saute
pan. The difference between a frying pan and a saute pan is that frying pans have sloped
sides and saute pans have straight sides. Because of the taller L-shaped sides, saute
pans can handle more volume and liquid-heavy meals and do a better job containing
splatter. They're great for braising, shallow frying, and, of course, sauteing. The downside of the straight sides
is that liquid doesn't evaporate as quickly. And since you need the surface of
the meat to dry out to get a good crust, searing in a saute pan is less
effective than searing in a frying pan. Most come with a lid so you can stuff
large amounts of greens, like kale, in them to steam and cook down. And
they usually have a helper handle that makes them easy to pick up and move,
even when they’re hot and full of food. Saute pans come in several sizes,
but I recommend 3 to 4 quarts for most people. These sizes are large but
still maneuverable and easy to store. Every kitchen should also have either a
stainless steel saucepan or a saucier. Saucepans have a flat bottom, straight
sides, a narrow opening, and a long handle. Sauciers have a curved bottom,
sloped sides, and a wider opening. Both are great for making sauces, pasta,
grains, braises, and small batches of soup. Although I use both regularly, I prefer a
saucier because the rounded bottom makes stirring, whisking, and cleaning easier.
With saucepans, ingredients tend to stay in place, which increases the risk of burning and
sticking. And the corners are difficult to clean. I recommend a 2-, 3-, or 4-quart saucepan or
saucier. The 4-quart gives you extra room to avoid overcrowding foods like pasta,
but the 2-quart version is better for hard-boiled eggs and quick meals like mac
and cheese since it boils water faster. 3-quart is a nice balance between the two.
One reason you might want to go with a smaller saucepan is because you also need a stock
pot. These pots are similar to a saucepan but they’re larger with taller sides,
wider openings, and two small handles. This will be the largest pot you buy, and I recommend getting one
that’s between 6 and 8 quarts. You'll use your stock pot to cook soups, stocks,
large quantities of rice, and pasta. You may not use it daily or even weekly, but I still consider
it essential. Sooner or later, you'll need to make large quantities of food and cooking multiple
batches in a smaller saucepan isn't practical. Although I recommend fully-clad stainless
steel cookware in most cases, stockpots are one exception where you can get by without
it. The circulating liquid helps distribute heat effectively and food doesn’t often
directly contact the sides of the pot. So, there's less risk of scorching or uneven
heating even without the clad walls. A 12-inch cast iron skillet is another
essential piece of cookware. The main difference between this cast
iron skillet and the stainless steel frying pan I mentioned
previously is how they heat. Cast iron doesn't heat up as fast or evenly
as stainless steel, but due to its thick construction, it has far superior heat retention.
It’s the ultimate cookware for searing because it can hold temperature stable and not cool down
when you place a piece of cold meat in it. But you can do much more than searing.
You can use this skillet for roasting, sauteing, frying, and even
baking cornbread and pizza. To prevent rust, you need to
season cast iron occasionally, which involves coating it in a thin
layer of oil and baking it in the oven. As layers of seasoning build up over
time, the cooking surface becomes slick, which makes it easy to cook eggs without sticking. The main downside is that cast iron
doesn’t go well with tomatoes, wine, vinegar, and citrus. These acidic ingredients
can strip the seasoning and react with the metal, leaving behind a metallic taste in the food. Lodge and Calphalon make good quality
and affordable cast iron skillets. But Stargazer is an excellent option if
you're willing to spend more. It has a longer handle and a smoother
cooking surface than these other brands. Every kitchen should have one 10- or 12-inch
non-stick pan to cook eggs. I know I said you can cook eggs in cast iron, but a non-stick pan is, by
far, the easiest and most convenient way to do it. No matter what brand you buy, the
non-stick coating will eventually wear out, food will start to stick,
and you'll need to replace the pan. That's why I recommend using it exclusively
for eggs and keeping the heat low to medium. If you’re concerned about the chemicals in
traditional non-stick pans, brands like Caraway and GreenPan have a ceramic-like coating made
from Silicon Dioxide, which is essentially sand. Don't waste money on non-stick saucepans,
stockpots, and saute pans. Liquid-based meals don't stick, so there's no reason to buy
larger pots and pans with a non-stick coating. And don't spend too much money on a
non-stick frying pan because you'll have to replace it eventually. Brands
like Misen, Tramontina, Calphalon, and All-Clad Essentials make affordable
aluminum non-stick pans that get the job done. A rimmed baking sheet or sheet pan is another
essential. It's helpful to have two of these so you can roast multiple foods at once without
mixing flavors or overcooking one of them. These pans are great for cooking large quantities
of ingredients that need to spread out flat and bake or roast in the oven — for example, pizza,
chicken wings, broccoli, potatoes, and squash. You can also use a baking sheet to catch drippings under a cutting board or on the
lower rack under a smaller pan. Go for the half-sheet size which measures
about 18 inches by 13 inches. The 1-inch rims contain ingredients, so they don't
slide off when you move the food around. These pans are made of either aluminum, steel,
aluminized sheet, or aluminum with a non-stick coating. I recommend aluminum without the
non-stick coating because it heats more evenly than steel and can withstand higher temperatures
than non-stick. Plus, it’s safe under the broiler. A roasting pan with a rack is only
essential if you cook chickens, turkeys, roast beef, ham, and other large
meats. Otherwise, you can roast smaller meats in a cast iron skillet, stainless
steel frying pan, or rimmed baking sheet. I recommend a 14 to 16-inch roasting pan with 3-
to 4-inch walls. If the walls are too shallow, juices can splash over the sides. But walls that
are too high prevent air from circulating, and the food won't cook as evenly. Make sure
the roasting pan you buy comes with a rack. The rack allows heat to circulate so the meat
cooks evenly and doesn't stew in its own juices. Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Ovens like
this one from Staub are incredibly versatile. You can use them to make soups,
stews, sauces, braises, and even bread. Because they have thick cast iron walls, they
retain heat incredibly well. So meatballs, short ribs, chicken thighs, and any other
meals that require browning and braising, frying, or low and slow cooking
do really well in these pots. Plus the enamel coating is non-reactive
so you can cook tomato sauce, chili, and other acidic foods without any issue. You could argue that a Dutch oven is not essential
if you own a stock pot since both are large pots with tall walls, large openings, and lids. But
I suggest getting both for the same reasons I recommend buying stainless steel AND cast
iron skillets. Dutch ovens are heavier and retain heat better than stock pots. Therefore, they are
better for browning, searing, braising, slow cooking, and any meals that require
a steady temperature for long periods. Plus, the heavy lids do a better job locking
in moisture and keeping meals tender. In terms of size, a 5 to 7-quart Dutch oven is
ideal for most kitchens. They make round and oval Dutch ovens, but I prefer round because
they fit better on standard cooktop burners. I've tested several Dutch ovens, and the best
brands are Le Creuset, Staub, and Made In. Those are the essentials, but if you have
the space and budget, a carbon steel skillet, an enameled cast iron braiser, a carbon steel
wok, and a copper skillet are nice to have. A carbon steel skillet is the lightweight version of a cast iron skillet. But
owning both isn’t necessary. A braiser is like a Dutch oven but with
shorter sides and a wider cooking surface. Woks have tall sloped sides that
prevent splatter and allow you to regulate the heat as you rotate ingredients
from the hot bottom up to the cooler sides. Copper skillets heat up rapidly and
respond quickly to temperature adjustments, but they're not essential because stainless steel
pans can deliver similar results at a much lower cost. If you’re ready to start your cookware
collection, I’ll link to my favorite essential and nice to have pots and pans in the
video description. Those are affiliate links so I’ll earn a commission if you click
and buy, but at no extra cost to you. If this video was helpful, check out this
video where I break down the biggest mistakes people make when buying stainless steel
cookware. And don't forget to click the logo to subscribe to the channel. Thanks for
watching; we'll see you in the next video.
