The essential pans for your kitchen
The pan is a staple piece of cookware in both domestic and commercial kitchens everywhere. While most are familiar with the common frying pan, there are many other types of pans available on the market, making it a challenging purchase for new cooks. There are many different options of pans available to meet your cooking needs, some that are more versatile than others to allow you to cook a range of dishes or ingredients. Below we break down the most popular types of pans and which pan is the most suitable to use for the kinds of cooking you are doing and your needs.
Frypan / Skillet
The term frypan and skillet are often interchangeable, used to describe cookware that is designed for frying, scrambling, sauteing or searing. It features a flat base with sides that curves outward. The slanted sides make it easy for stirring or performing the famous jump-flip action that we all see in commercial kitchens. This cooking action efficiently redistributes the food in the pan making sure that your food is evenly cooked when tossed together. Furthermore, the sides allow you to effortlessly slide the food out of the pan and onto a plate when it is ready.
Being one of the essential pieces of cookware to have in the kitchen, it is made available in a wide range of sizes and material. You will find frypans made from stainless steel, cast iron or non-stick with each material having its own set of characteristics.
Features of a Frypan / Skillet:
- Wide and flat base
- Slanted sides – slide food out of the pan with ease
- Long handle
- A basic piece of cookware to have in the kitchen
- Available in a wide range of sizes
- Stainless steel, cast iron, non-stick options available
- Ideal for frying, scrambling, sauteing or searing
Grill Pan
If you love grilling meat, chicken or fish but find it tedious to barbecue or are living in a space like an apartment where you can't easily, a grill pan is just what you need. Unlike the regular frypan, a grill pan is specially designed to give you those tantalising char grill marks thanks to the raised ridges on the pan’s base. It elevates the meat, allowing fat to render into the grooves resulting in professional-looking char marks minus the grease. Furthermore, a grill pan will serve you better for grilling sliced meat and vegetable as opposed to potentially losing bits and pieces to the barbecue.
Cast iron remains a popular material choice for grill pans due to the long list of benefits of cooking with cast iron. The amazing heat retention and even heat distribution of cast iron results in an evenly cooked meat that will be tender and juicy. On top of that, all cast iron grill pans are oven safe, allowing you to seal in flavours and heat as it finishes off in the oven. It is also a campfire favourite as you can use it to cook a delicious meal over a campfire.
Features of a Grill Pan:
- Round and square options available
- Long handle
- High ridges elevate meat, rendering fat into the grooves
- Professional-looking char grill marks without getting out the barbecue
- Available in a wide range of sizes
- Ideal for steak, burgers, grilled meat, fish or vegetables
- Perfect for those with no outdoor space for a barbecue
Saute Pan
Some still find it tough to distinguish the differences between a frypan and a saute pan. This is due to the uncanny similarity between both cookware. Both feature a wide flat base that can be used to sear, brown and fry. The key difference between the two is the sides of the pan. Saute pans have relatively tall straight sides as opposed to the sloped sides of a frypan.
If you are looking for a versatile pan for whipping up a quick meal, it is advisable to invest in a good saute pan. It is ideal for a quick stir-fry, searing of meat and sautéing vegetables. The high straight sides of the sauté pan also make it ideal for dishes loaded with gravy or sauce as it keeps liquid from splattering. The extra volume will also allow for combining of ingredients such as vegetables to a curry or pasta into a sauce to stir through.
Features of a Saute Pan:
- High straight sides
- Wide flat base
- A versatile cookware
- Long handle (some comes with a second helper handle for easy handling)
- Available in a wide range of sizes
- Ideal for searing, browning, sautéing, stir-frying, or making sauce-based dishes
Chef’s Pan
The go-to multi-purpose cookware for most professional chefs, a chef’s pan combines the best of both a pan and a pot. A chef’s pan is characterised by a wide base, curved sides and medium depth that facilitates stirring, whisking, or basting. The tight-fitting lid complements the chef’s pan to help seal in moisture while cooking or to keep food hot until it is ready to be served. Available in a variety of materials (stainless steel and non-stick being popular choices), a chef’s pan is ideal for cooking family meals, a risotto or a large stir-fry thanks to the generous surface area. The handles on each side will also make it easier for maneuvering on and around the stove.
Features of a Chef’s Pan:
- Wide base – generous cooking area
- Medium depth
- High curved sides – great for whisking and stirring sauces
- Hoop handles on each side for easy transfer
- A tight-fitting lid to retain moisture while cooking
- Available in a wide range of sizes
- Suitable for sautéing, stir-frying, braising, or one-pan recipes
Now that we have covered the basics on the different types of pans that you can get, allow us to run through some of the popular materials that they are readily made from.
What is the best material for pans?
Stainless Steel Cookware
A popular material used for cookware, stainless steel is highly durable, non-reactive and resistant to rust, scratches, and corrosion. A mirror-polished stainless steel pan is also visually attractive as it is functional. It is important to note that stainless steel on its own does not conduct nor distribute heat very well. Other materials such as copper or aluminium are typically placed at the bottom of the pan or used as a core material and encased in a layer of high-quality stainless steel as these materials conduct and retain heat better, offering more consistent cooking results.
Benefits of Stainless Steel Cookware
- Durable and long-lasting
- Does not react with food – great for cooking acidic dishes
- Easy to care for
- Oven safe (depending on handle material)
- Does not chip or rust
- Perfect for searing, braising, and sautéing
Nonstick Cookware
Non-stick pans are commonly made from materials such as stainless steel, copper or aluminium and coated with a layer of non-stick compound. A lot of bad press has been given to Non-stick cookware over the years because of the binding chemical PFOA (Perfluorooctanoic acid) being toxic. They also have a reputation for losing their non-stick properties over time. For these reasons, it is imperative that you invest in a good brand such as Scanpan, Woll or Swiss Diamond Cookware as these brands are PFOA-free and have been producing top quality non-stick cookware for years.
Unlike cheap non-stick pans that wear quickly with use or have questionable properties about their composition and whether they are healthy to use, investing in quality non-stick cookware not only ensures longevity and safe cooking but more enjoyable cooking experiences and results too. A high-quality non-stick coating offers durability and effortless release of food when cooking. It is also the go-to cookware for frying delicate food such as eggs and fish. Furthermore, it requires little to no oil making it perfect for cooking healthy, low-fat dishes.
Benefits of Non-stick Cookware
- Little to no oil required when frying
- Perfect for frying delicate foods such as eggs, fish, crepes and pancakes
- Effortless cleaning
- Does not react with food – great for cooking acidic dishes
- Distributes heat evenly
Cast Iron Cookware
Raw cast iron cookware is one of the oldest materials of cookware used and is still popular today. It is virtually indestructible, versatile, conducts and retains heat very well and can be used on any stovetop, including induction. These features make cast iron a top cookware material amongst professional and home cooks all over the world. Furthermore, a well looked after cast iron pan makes a popular heirloom that can be passed down from generation to generation.
A well-seasoned cast iron pan is a great alternative to the non-stick pan as it develops a natural patina over time. Many health-conscious people that are averse to using non-stick cookware prefer to use raw cast and enameled cast iron as it is considered a Low Tox option with a natural non-stick from the seasoning process. One can easily fry eggs and omelette on a well-seasoned cast iron pan without worrying about losing a chunk of it. Cast iron can reach higher cooking temperatures and is proven to be great for frying, searing, roasting, braising and even baking! It is also a popular choice of cookware for those who love camping.
Benefits of Cast Iron Cookware
- Hardwearing and versatile
- Develops a natural non-stick patina over time
- Conducts heat very well
- Amazing heat retention
- Energy-efficient – requires only low to medium heat
- Suitable for use on all hob types, including induction
Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
Giving raw cast iron a stunning enamel layer finish not only makes it look beautiful on the dinner table but also blesses it with additional benefits. Enameled cast iron offers the same features as raw cast iron alongside the benefits of being rust-resistant, the ability to cook acidic dishes and won't require seasoning to maintain its non-stick properties. The enamel provides a low-tox, natural non-stick that is easier to use but cannot be used on a high heat like raw cast-iron.
Those who love the benefits of cooking with cast iron will enjoy cooking tomato or citrus-based dishes with ease, as the citric acid when used on raw cast iron results in a change of flavour as the iron gets released from the pan. Furthermore, the stunning colours make it a great stovetop or oven to table piece, so you can sear, cook and serve with just one piece of cookware.
Benefits of Enameled Cast Iron Cookware
- Even heat dispersion
- Amazing heat retention
- Energy-efficient – requires only low to medium heat
- Suitable for use on all hob types, including induction
- Resistant to rust
- No pre-seasoning required
- Ability to cook acidic dishes
With a plethora of recipes out there for you to try, there are certain dishes that a particular pan will cook to perfection. Although some pans are multi-functional, it is important to know the differences and understand which pan will fulfil your different cooking needs, be it perfectly fried eggs, a beautifully seared fish fillet or those tantalising char-grill marks on your steak.
Next Read: The Best Frypans for 2020
