You’re looking through your pots and pans and realize that it’s been a while since you’ve gotten a new set. The trusty frying pan and dutch oven that you once loved have seen better days and some of your cookware has even lost a few lids along the way.
If you’re realizing that it’s about time for an upgrade, why settle for just okay?
If you’re not sure what to look for in the best pots and pans, you came to the right place. Here is your guide to choosing the best pot and pan set on the market.
What It Should Include
Before you begin your search for the best cookware set out there, you need to think about just what you want your new set to contain.
A pot and pan set can include different items, but there are a few basics that every set must include.
These items can come in different sizes, and more extensive sets include multiples of each, but they are based around the same core items.
Frying Pan
When you think of a pan, you probably think of a frying pan.
A frying pan is a flat surface that’s perfect for cooking things like eggs, pancakes, and sautéd veggies. Every pot and pan set will include at least one of these essential pans, and some will have small, medium, and large versions.
Sauce Pan
A saucepan is pretty much exactly what it sounds like. It’s a round pan with high sides that allow for easy cooking of liquids and sauces.
These are used for sauces but can also be used for side dishes that don’t require a full pot.
Sauté Pan
Another pan with the description in the name, a sauté pan is used for, well, things that you need to sauté.
It’s somewhere between a frying pan and a saucepan, offering edges to keep liquid-based dishes in place while offering a lot of surface area for cooking more food.
Dutch Oven
A Dutch oven is similar to a large pot that you use to boil pasta, and you may have used one in the past.
Dutch ovens are the largest of the pots, with a heaviness to them and a tight-fitting lid. This pot is more heavy-duty and allows for simmering over long periods of time.
Lids
The most essential component to your cookware set is one that you may forget about: lids.
You need a lid for every pot or pan that you have except for maybe your frying pan. They trap heat and allow foods to cook faster.
Quality Materials
The key to the best pot and pan set is what materials it’s made out of. These are the three most common materials with some info on what makes them the best.
Ceramic
Ceramic pots and pans are largely considered some of the highest quality. They’re made from some type of metal that is then coated with a ceramic material to allow for a slick surface that many people love.
Stainless Steel
A common material for pots and pans to be made out of is stainless steel. Stainless steel is known for its clean, classy look and how easy it is to keep thoroughly clean and looking good.
Non-stick
Popular due to how easy it is to cook on, non-stick pots and pans can help you reduce the amount of butter or oil you cook with and avoid annoying sticking. Non-stick pans are made from a few different materials, so make sure you check out what the coating on them is made from.
The Best Pot and Pan Set Is Always Worth It
When you buy your next pot and pan set, go with the best for durability and to make sure it lasts a lifetime.
