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Types of Pots and Pans Every Chef Should Know

Pots and Pans 101

Resourceful cooks make the most of the pots and pans they have, whether that’s an entire set of cookware or a lone sauté pan. And whether or not you’re a MacGyver in the kitchen, you don’t need an arsenal of fancy pans to make the vast majority of dinner recipes out there. The basics we’ve covered here can take you incredibly far—and if you’re up for expanding your collection, we’ve got suggestions for those, too. (Do you really need a wok? Asking for a friend.)

What Is a Sauté Pan Used For?

What Is a Sauté Pan Used For?

What Is a Skillet Used For?

What Is a Skillet Used For?

What Is a Nonstick Skillet Used For?

What Is a Nonstick Skillet Used For?

What Is a Saucepan Used For?

What Is a Saucepan Used For?

What Is a Stockpot Used For?

What Is a Stockpot Used For?

Other Types of Pots and Pans

Ready to grow beyond the basics? A cast-iron skillet is a wondrous piece of equipment; read more about it here. A griddle—aka a big, shallow, square frying pan, is terrific for grilled cheese, burgers, bacon, and eggs. And it’s a godsend if you’re cooking brunch for a crowd, as you can fit so much on to it. A roasting pan is indispensable for roasting birds (whether chicken or turkey) or large cuts of meat. And then there’s the million-dollar question: Do you need a wok? Well … it’s not an easy question to answer, but we’ll say this: With its high walls and graduated heating zones, a wok comes in clutch for much more than stir-fries. Two surprising uses: Use it to help evenly distribute sauce onto food, or keep it off the heat completely and deploy it for mixing up a chopped salad like a pro.

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