Pots and Pans You Should Own

• Cast iron: Affordable and a terrific conductor of heat, but very heavy. Cast iron also reacts with acidic foods and can sometimes impart a metallic taste (though for more money you can avoid this problem by buying cast-iron pots and pans lined with an enamel surface). If properly seasoned, cast iron actually improves with age, becoming increasingly nonstick. To season a cast-iron pan:
  • Coat any new pan with a very thin layer of animal fat, such as bacon grease.
  • Bake the coated pan at 250–300°F for 1–2 hours.
  • Never wash a cast-iron pan with detergent or scouring pads. Instead, scrub the pan clean while it’s still warm.
• Stainless steel: Sturdy, nonreactive, and pleasing to the eye, but expensive and a relatively poor conductor of heat. Cladded stainless steel costs more but improves heat conduction by sandwiching a layer of aluminum between layers of stainless steel.
• Copper: Very study and a great conductor of heat, but reactive with acidic foods and very expensive—even more expensive than stainless steel.
• Aluminum: Light and relatively inexpensive, but weak and easily warped, and also reactive with acidic foods. Some aluminum pans are anodized, which renders them nonreactive, strengthens them, and extends their life significantly.
• Nonstick or Teflon®: Coated with Teflon®, a surface material added to pots and pans to prevent most food from sticking. Though these pans make cleanup easier, there is substantial evidence suggesting that the chemicals used to make nonstick or Teflon pans may be carcinogenic. If you do buy nonstick pots and pans, use only plastic or wooden utensils on them—metal utensils will damage the coating.

Skillets and Sauté Pans

• 8" to 12" stainless steel sauté pan: A versatile pan that allows you to cook food quickly over high heat and to add liquid for braising or sauce-making. Since it’s stainless steel, it won’t react with acidic foods. Choose a model that comes with a lid.
   
  
• 8" or 10" nonstick aluminum skillet: An all-purpose skillet that handles sautéing and cooking eggs with equal ease. If your budget allows, consider purchasing an anodized aluminum skillet.
   
  
• 12" cast-iron skillet: A heavy, dense pan that is an excellent conductor of heat. Once hot, it retains its heat even after you place cold items (such as large cuts of meat) in it. This quality makes it a great tool for searing and caramelizing (adding a brown crust to the surfaces of foods).
   
  
• 14" steel or cast-iron wok: A pan used for stir-frying. Only copper, steel, and cast-iron woks are capable of maintaining the very high temperatures required to stir-fry foods properly. If you have an electric stovetop, you’ll need a flat-bottomed wok. If you have a gas stovetop, a round-bottomed wok is preferable because it allows for better heat distribution. However, it’s always wise to place a wok ring around your stovetop burner and rest the wok on top of the ring to keep the wok stable while you cook.
   
  

Pots and Saucepans

• 3- to 4-quart saucepan: A squat pan with a long handle. The 3- or 4-quart size is perfect for most single people: it lets you boil pasta, cook rice, simmer soup, steam vegetables, and reheat foods, among many other tasks. Families or individuals who cook frequently for guests should own several saucepans, both larger and smaller than 3 quarts. Choose models that have lids and ovenproof handles.
   
  
• 8- to 12-quart stockpot: Also called a saucepot or soup pot, a tall, high-volume pot used to make stocks or extra-large batches of soup or pasta. Make sure the model you choose comes with a lid. If you’ll be making pasta frequently, consider purchasing a stockpot with a built-in strainer.
   
  
• 6- to 8-quart Dutch oven: A short, round or oval pot that can be used both on the stovetop and in the oven. Dutch ovens are generally made of cast iron or enameled cast iron. They’re heavy, sturdy pots that last for decades if properly maintained (read the manufacturer’s instructions carefully before using) and are great for many cooking methods: sautéing, deep-frying, braising, stewing, and even baking.
   
  
• Roasting pan: An essential tool for roasting chicken, turkey, or other large cuts of meat. Roasting pans come in a variety of sizes. Select the largest pan that will fit in your oven and make sure it has sturdy, fixed handles. If the pan doesn’t come with a roasting rack for holding poultry or roasts, buy one that fits snugly in the pan.