Saute pan sizes are numerous, and it’s hard to decide which one suits your needs. When I bought my first saute pan, I only looked for good quality and functions and paid no attention to the size. I couldn’t be so wrong.
Size is as important as any other criterion when choosing the right cookware. A saute pan with a desirable size should cover all your cooking needs. A pan with the wrong size will lead to inconvenience and frustration in cooking.
Now let’s dive into the subject and find the dream size of saute pan for your kitchenware collection.
Some Background Of Saute Pan
Saute pan has a large flat surface, straight and shallow sides, with a long handle that often comes with a lid. Sometimes, it has flared and rounded sides, but it’s not common. Some saute pans feature a helper handle for easier carriage.
The Origin Of The Name Saute Pan
As you can tell by the name, saute pan is designed for sauteing. The word “sauté” is derived from the word “Sauter” in French, meaning “to jump or bounce” in reference to tossing while cooking. (1)
Saute in cooking terms means to cook ingredients briefly in extreme heat with a bit of butter or oil. You can see chefs tossing the food in the pan back and forth in intense fire or flipping the food by tossing it up in the air. That’s the spirit of sauteing.
Every feature of a saute is suitable for sauteing. Even look-alike cookware like a frying pan and skillet can’t completely replace a saute pan.
Learn what sauteing is and how to apply it to cook your food.
What To Look For In A Good Saute Pan?
There are several criteria that you should consider on getting a saute pan. Size is among the most important factors. A too-large pan for small or few ingredients will waste time and energy; a too-small one will risk undercooking the food.
You should determine the desired size by considering what you want to cook with it. Are you making family-sized meals or frequently throwing home parties?
Size
The size directly has an impact on the quality of your dishes. It can decide whether your dish is finger-licking good or a nightmare creation.
For example, using an extra small saute pan to reduce sauces may burn the bottom, with the surface being undercooked. When choosing a big pan, the heat will be distributed to a larger area, making it a waste if you just cook with little content in the middle.
Like most cookware, saute pan is also measured in quarts, the volume of liquid it can contain. Here is a brief table to learn the regular sizes of saute pans.
Be noted that these statistics are just to give you a general idea of size and diameter proportions. Some designs don’t follow this rule.
The size of a saute pan ranges from 3-12 quarts with corresponding diameters. A 3-quart saute pan (2.8 liters) with 10 inches in diameter can weigh up to 4.3 lb.
A 4-quart saute pan (3.8 liters) with a 10.5 – 12 inches diameter can weigh up to 6.0 lb. While a 5-quart saute pan (4.7 liters) with 14 inches in diameter can weigh up to 7.0 lb.
On the other hand, a 7-quart saute pan (6.6 liters) with 16 inches in diameter can weigh up to 9.0 lb. Meanwhile, an 8-quart saute pan (7.6 liters) with 17-18 inches in diameter can weigh up to 10.5 lb.
A saute pan can reach up to 12 quarts and 20 inches in diameter with a weight of up to 15.0 lb.
People mostly use 3-8 quart saute pans for household use, while bigger saute pans are for commercial kitchen use.
Material
Saute pans come in various materials: stainless steel, non-stick, aluminum, multi-clad, and other materials.
Regarding materials, there are some qualities that you should look for: durability, heat conduction, reactivity, and weight. Here are some popular materials to choose from.
Stainless Steel
Stainless steel saute pans are extremely durable and resistant to scratches and dents. It has good heat conduction and can handle high heat, unlike non-stick material. Stainless steel is good at distributing heat to cook the food evenly.
Stainless steel is also non-reactive. It does not react with substances in foods when cooked with high heat.
Non-Stick Coating
Saute pan is also made of aluminum with a non-stick layer coated inside called non-stick material. It prevents food from sticking to the bottom of the pan. The utensil is also lightweight and easy to use.
However, non-stick is prone to scratches and damage. Using metal utensils with great force can unintentionally scrape off the non-stick layer. Citrus food like lemon, vinegar, wine, and pick can corrode the layer, causing it to peel off. (2)
Get to know how stainless steel and cast iron perform in cooking.
Aluminum
Aluminum is many people’s favorite choice because of its affordability. Aluminum is very lightweight and easy to handle. The material is extremely good at heat-conducting, which is why it’s the core of tri-clad or multi-clad cookware.
Also, aluminum is quite soft, making it likelier to have scratches and dents. Another problem with aluminum is that it’s reactive to foods. It can cause foods to alter their colors and flavors.
Multi-clad
Multi-clad consists of multiple combined materials (up to 7 layers) to get the most advantages from each material. The multiple layers make it heavier and more resistant to impact or stains.
This material usually includes an excellent heat-conducting aluminum core with stainless steel being the outer layers and cladding on the sides. Multi-clad is more expensive than most materials.
How To Choose The Right Saute Pan Size For Your Kitchen?
The first thing to consider to get the right saute pan size is your practical needs. You should calculate the number of servings you want to make with the pan, similar cookware you have at home, how often you use it, and the size of your stovetop.
Amount Of Serving
To know the number of servings, you will need to know how many people you cook for and what they’re eating.
For example, if there are 3 members in your family, you can opt for a fourteen-inch or 5-quart saute pan. A pan of that size can cook approximately three to four servings. You can use a bigger one, like seventeen to eighteen inches, to serve more people.
Usage Frequency
If you use the saute pan frequently, go for a more durable and easy-to-clean option. I recommend stainless steel here. It’s a well-rounded material with a reasonable price.
Size Of Owned Cookware
It’s not very optimal if you buy similar cookware like a frying pan and a saute pan of the same size. If this cookware can be used interchangeably, in most cases, the new saute pan you’re going to buy should have a different size than the one you have at home.
Doing that will make you more flexible in your cooking and save more storage space in the kitchen.
Size Of Your Burners
Concerning size, choosing a saute pan that is compatible with your stovetop is important. If you choose a small pan for your burner, you will encounter some problems. Firstly, it wastes energy since the heat is not fully concentrated in the pan.
Secondly, the excess fire will heat the handle, making it super hot. You may accidentally grasp the handle while stirring or taking the pan off the stove and get burned. So, always choose a saute pan with the right size for your stove.
Saute Pan’s Special Features
A saute pan has many unique features that enable it to do amazing work. Not many cookware allows you to do fluid flips, air tossings, and other cooking tricks like a saute pan.
However, if you have not maxed out those skills, just try to avoid burning stuff. Here are some features a saute pan can offer.
Stovetop Compatibility
Flat and disc-based cookware, like saute pans, are suitable for flat cooktops. Cookware that is not flat is easy to spin, unaligned, and wobble, leading to unevenly-cooked foods. Moreover, the heavy disc-shaped base diffuses heat better and minimizes hotspots.
A flat bottom will stabilize your saute pan and facilitate the shaking motion.
Relatively Tall Sides
Most saute pans offer a high L-shaped side to prevent the ingredients from splattering out, even with extreme stirrings and whiskings. The tall sides are also suitable for making sauce with sauteed meat or chicken.
Long Handle
A saute pan is not itself without a long handle to hold it in place while doing all the stirrings. Some saute pans come with a helper handle on the opposite side to assist you in moving or pouring the hot content out of the pan.
The handle is also heat-proof to prevent you from getting burnt. Most heat-proof handles consist of stainless steel with plastic wrap outside. Some are made of different types of metal than the pan, with less heat conductivity.
Learn about the differences between a saute pan and a frying pan to use the right cookware.
Best Brands For Your Saute Pan
Sometimes, a brand is an easy and trustable criterion when it comes to choosing a saute pan. A good brand always brings you the best products of quality. Here are some brands you can choose from.
All-Clad
If you have some knowledge about cookware brands, you may know that All-Clad is one of the most trusted cookware suppliers out there. If you want a high-quality saute pan, check out this All-Clad 4403 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded 3-Quart Saute Pan.
It’s super versatile, with a large surface for searing. Classic tri-ply construction made with an aluminum core and 2 layers of stainless steel makes it extremely durable. Or go for this All-Clad 6405 SS Copper Core 5-Ply Bonded 5-Quart Saute Pan for bigger servings.
Blue Diamond
Founded in 2018, Blue Diamond has brought to the cooking world unbelievably good products. The most prominent product is their diamond-infused ceramic non-stick cookware. Take a look at this Blue Diamond Cookware Diamond Ceramic Nonstick 5QT Saute Pan.
You can use metal utensils on this pan without a second thought. The material is extremely good at heat conducting. If you’re looking for a smaller one, you can opt for this Blue Diamond Cookware Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Ceramic Nonstick, 3.75QT Saute Pan.
Cuisinart
An affordable brand with good quality products for you is Cuisinart. They offer a wide array of products that chefs and consumers love. Try this high-quality Cuisinart Chef’s Classic 5.5-Quart Saute Pan Nonstick-Hard-Anodized.
You will be surprised by its delicate design and utility. If you’re looking for a stainless option, go for this Cuisinart Professional Stainless Saute with Cover, 6-Quart. The high-impact bonded base heats fast and distributes heat evenly.
Le Creuset
Le Creuset is a premium brand that is famous for its delicate, enameled cookware. If you are looking for a quality product, check out this Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick PRO Saute Pan With Glass Lid, 3.5 qt. It’s for lifetime usage and is good for many cooking purposes.
This Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Iron Handle Skillet is also good if you are looking for a saute pan alternative.
FAQs
You have learned a lot about choosing the perfect saute pan for your needs. Let’s go further into this topic in these related queries:
Be Wise On Choosing The Right Saute Pan Sizes!
Buying cookware is not something you do every day. You should be wise in choosing the right saute pan and consider all the factors to make the best decision. Don’t be too thrifty with your investment in cookware since they indirectly influence the quality of your life.
Besides size, you should be mindful of materials, designs, handle, lid, and additional features. I hope you can find the best saute pan to add to your collection.
Before you leave, please let me know your tips on choosing the best cookware. Don’t forget to share this with other cooking enthusiasts too!
References
- Coating (2022) Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation.
- M; S.M.I. (no date) PTFE-coated non-stick cookware and toxicity concerns: A perspective, Environmental science, and pollution research international. U.S. National Library of Medicine.
