10 Essential Kitchen Pot Names and Why You Need Them
In the heart of every kitchen lies a collection of pots and pans, each with a unique purpose and culinary potential. But what pots are truly essential? What types of pots do you need to master your favorite recipes and explore new culinary horizons? Let’s dive into the world of cookware and discover 10 kitchen pots names that will elevate your cooking game and equip you to create delicious meals with ease.
Even though Kate’s Best Recipes is a new endeavor, since 2009, I’ve developed and published more than 1000 recipes on my Mexican food website, ¡Hola! Jalapeño in addition to recipes in my cookbook. As a recipe developer and food writer, I am testing, photographing, and filming video tutorials every single day. All this to say, my pots and pans are hard workers.
The best pots can withstand high heat to pan-fry cod, go in the oven to make red wine braised beef, and some are large enough to sauté mushrooms without overcrowding. Yes they are an investment, but if you buy quality pots and pans they will last a lifetime.
With so many different options it’s hard to know what type of cookware and which cookware material is the best. Through all my testing (including recipe fails!), I’ve fallen in love with my collection of pots and pans. These are the kitchen pots names for the ten I use almost every single day, the brands I like the best and the why I recommend they find a home in your kitchen.
*I’m not being paid to promote any of these pots or pans, they are truly the ones I like the best. The links, however, are affiliate links and I earn a small percentage if you choose to purchase them.
See my 14 must-have kitchen tools, too.
10 Kitchen Pots Names & Uses
I’ve personally used and loved every pot and pan on this list. While there are 10 recommendations, some categories include multiple options to suit different needs. Feel free to choose the ones that best fit your cooking style and preferences. I’m not affiliated with any brands mentioned – these are simply products I genuinely recommend to fellow home cooks. (Please note: Links included are affiliate links.)
1. Dutch Oven
What I own and love: Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Chef’s Oven, 7.5qt, Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven, 4.5 qt., Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 8-Quart Oval French Oven
Quantity recommended: 1-3
I began my Le Creuset collection in 2005 with my 7.5 quart Chef’s Oven and almost 20 years later it’s still going strong. So although they are an investment, they last a really long time. I actually own 5 Le Creuset Dutch ovens and use them for different reasons. The rounded bottom Chef’s Oven I use to make no-knead bread, the smaller 4.5 quart with straight sides I use to make tomato sauce and to deep fry foods and the larger 8 quart is perfect for soups and other large braises.
Le Creuset has this handy guide to know which size is right for you:
2. Carbon Steel Sauté Pan
What I own and love: Made In Cookware – 12″ Blue Carbon Steel Frying Pan
Quantity I recommend: 1
A carbon steel sauté pan is one of the most versatile and useful pans a home cook can have. If you want to really cook like the professional chefs, this is the pan you’ll use. It is what we use in restaurant kitchens because it’s durable and lightweight with a natural nonstick surface. This fry pan also can withstand high temperatures, making it perfect for searing, stir-frying, and is oven-safe.
The 12-inch pan is the perfect size for searing meats like this skirt steak. I don’t need a wok, the tall sides make it great for stir-fry, making pan sauces and so much more. The long handle keeps you from burning yourself. It’s truly a workhorse in my kitchen.
3. Large Frying Pan
What I own and love: All-Clad 14-inch Stainless Steel Frying Pan
Quantity I recommend: 1
One of the most common mistakes home cooks make is to not give themselves enough room, whether that’s using a tiny cutting board or a pan that’s too small. When you are sautéing large amounts of vegetables or several pieces of fish, you need at least one large 14-inch frying pan to get the job done right. Stainless steel cookware is less expensive than carbon steel but still has excellent heat distribution. I love this one that comes with a tight-fitting lid.
4. Stock Pot
What I own and love: Viking Culinary 3-Ply Stainless Steel Stock Pot, 12 Quart
Quantity I recommend: 1
A stock pot is a must if you cook a lot. I use my large 12-quart stock pot at least once a week to boil pasta, blanch vegetables, make soup, and especially during the holidays to make turkey stock with the leftover turkey carcass and soak large amounts of corn husks for tamales.
5. Cast Iron Skillet
What I own and love: Lodge 10-inch Cast Iron Skillet
Quantity I recommend: 1
Cast iron skillets are such versatile pans to own and very inexpensive. If you’re on a budget, you could get away with only using this one pan. It is nonstick, oven safe, can take high heat, you can use it over the campfire or on a grill, for baking cornbread or getting that perfect sear on a steak or pork chop. The only downside to a cast-iron skillet is it is heavy but that heavy flat bottom means it has nice even heating.
6. Small Nonstick Skillet
What I own and love: Made In Cookware – 8″ Non Stick Frying Pan
Quantity recommended: 1
It is good to own a variety of pans in different materials for different jobs. Nonstick cookware like this small 8-inch nonstick pan is perfect for small jobs especially if you often cook for one. I use mine mostly in the morning to fry an egg or make a couple pieces of bacon. Or if you are cooking for one, this little pan is perfect for making 1 piece of salmon or chicken breast.
This pan has professional-grade nonstick coating that’s designed to last.
7. Sauce Pan
What I own and love: Cuisinart 1 Quart and 3 Quart Stainless Steel Saucepans with Lids
Quantity I recommend: 2-3
I use a small 1-quart saucepan for making oatmeal in the morning or butter sauces like this lemon butter sauce. A larger 3-quart saucepan is handy for boiling eggs, cooking a can of beans. Stainless steel pans are warp-resistant, durable, and won’t react with highly-acidic foods. Make sure you buy saucepans that have lids. These stainless steel sauce pans cannot be used on an induction stovetop.
8. Sheet Pan
What I own and love: HONGBAKE Baking Sheet Pan Set
Quantity I recommend: 1-3
Although a sheet pan is not considered a “pot or pan” per se, they are one of the most indispensable tools in the kitchen. I use my sheet pans daily, for roasting vegetables, baking cookies, cooking ribs, and so much more. I like to have a few different sizes for various jobs: the larger 12 x 17-inch half sheet pan is great for baking cookies, while the smaller 9 x 13-inch pan is perfect for meats and marinating because it easily fits in the refrigerator or freezer.
Baking sheets with high sides are preferable to the flat ones, they are much more versatile. I love these baking sheets because they are made from carbon steel and not aluminum which makes them sturdier with better heat retention.
9. Pressure Cooker
What I own and love: 6-quart Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker
Quantity I recommend: 1
This is not a must-have, but I use my Instant Pot at least a few times a week and it is a big help in the kitchen. I mostly use it to steam rice but I also use the slow cooker function to make our favorite split pea soup, as well as the pressure cooker function to make barbacoa, Mexican rice, and more. This is a great all-in-one piece of cooking equipment for someone who is just starting out like a college student or someone with a limited kitchen. You can really do just about everything from sautéing to baking potatoes to making stews in this one pot.
10. Pasta Pot
What I own and love: All-Clad Stainless Steel Multi-Pot
Quantity I recommend: 1
Again, not a must-have but this pot does not only make pasta a cinch but I use the strainer basket inserts for steaming, blanching vegetables, making tamales, and shrimp boils. This pot has a magnetic base so it works on any type of stove, even induction cooktops.
