The choice of cookware can sometimes be so overwhelming that it’s difficult to know where to start. No matter your price range, cooking style or cooktop, Cookware Brands has narrowed the choice to the 5 most essential shapes to have in your kitchen. These 5 pieces maximise versatility allow you to cook almost anything. Once you decide on the shapes you need, then you can start narrowing the choice based on durability, quality, cooktop suitability and price. |
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Frypan/SkilletUsed for: Frying and searing Shape: A pan with short sides that can be bowl-shaped or angled and a long handle. Curved sides allow you to “flip” food more easily, while angled sides give a larger surface area on the bottom and make it easier to slide food (like fried eggs) straight onto a plate Most popular: The most popular sizes are 24cm and 30cm. Anolon also make a 34cm skillet in the Endurance+ collection which is perfect for larger meals Hot tip: Frying pan sizes are measured at the top, so look at the surface area at the bottom to see how much cooking surface you will have Shop Frypans
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SaucepanUsed for: Boiling, steaming, simmering Shape: A pot with straight tall sides, a lid, and a long handle. Some larger sizes such as 20cm saucepans have a second short handle to help you lift the pan. Most popular: The most popular sizes are 18cm and 20cm as they allow you to cook a variety of dishes such as pasta, steamed vegetables and sauces. Hot tip: Think about the types of dishes you most often cook as you often need to have more than one size of saucepan. If you prefer to buy just one size, choose a 20cm/a3.8L Shop Saucepans |
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StockpotUsed for: Boiling and Simmering large volumes Shape: A tall pot with a lit and two short handles that usually holds between 5 and 15 litres of liquid. Most popular: The most popular sizes are 24cm stockpots that don’t take up too much surface area on the cooktop, with a capacity of either 5.7L or 7.6L. Hot tip: Perfect for soups and large-batch cooking. If you simmer food a lot, consider a glass lid that allows you to monitor food. Shop Stockpots |
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Sauté Pan/SautéuseUsed for: Quick cooking, frying, simmering Shape: A pan with straight shallow sides that often comes with a lid. A pan with a long handle is called a sauté pan, while a pan with two short handles is called a sautéuse. Most popular: The most popular sizes are 24cm, 28cm and 30cm pans Hot tip: While the word Sauté is French for “to jump” and the pan is designed for quick cooking, it is one of the most versatile shapes in the kitchen. Look for a piece that is oven safe as an alternative to a roasting pan, or use it to make large batches of sauce. Shop Saute pans |
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RoasterUsed for: Roasting Shape: A rectangle-shaped pan with shallow sides and two handles. Most popular: Non-stick roasters have increased in popularity because of their versatility and easy cleaning properties. Roasters that come with a rack are also popular to elevate the food above the cooking surface for better air circulation and even cooking Hot tip: Check the size of your oven when choosing a roaster as not all ovens can accommodate all roaster sizes. Shop Roasters |
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