Gear

These 7 Pots and Pans Are All You Need in the Kitchen

Picking the right cookware can be a soul-sucking research project, but don’t give in to temptation and buy a set. Here’s a short list of unique essentials.

Buying a pan set is tempting. You can go from zero to fully equipped with a single click, everything on your stovetop will match, and maybe they'll even stack neatly when you put them away. You could also put a whole pricey set on a wedding registry and hope that some big spender is feeling generous.

Ya know what, though? Don't. Like knives, finding a one-size-fits-all solution that works for you is near impossible. You probably already have a couple of pans kicking around, potentially creating needless duplicates. You could also end up with more or less than you want. Plus, one company's fantastic skillet does not guarantee the quality of its saucepan.

Here's an alternative: Just get what I've got. My collection certainly has its quirks—I don't own a saucepan, for example—but I make a living with this setup and have no problem working around these limitations. These picks have all stood the test of time in my kitchen, but I encourage you to get only what you need, when you need it. I've broken things down from top to bottom starting with absolute essentials, offering a few alternatives, and ending with few things I'm still experimenting with.

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  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Go-To Skillet

    Lodge 12-Inch Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Skillet

    This relatively inexpensive cast-iron pan would be the first one I'd grab in a fire—a surprisingly real possibility these days! It's almost indestructible, sears incredibly well, and is spacious and deep enough to use for a shallow fry. Preseasoned is now standard, and while you can't throw it in the dishwasher, you don't have to treat it with kid gloves. Washing it with soap and water is fine.

    $36 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Dutch Oven

    Le Creuset 7.25-Quart Enameled Cast-Iron Signature Dutch Oven

    This one's an heirloom, big and beautiful. I love it for winter braises, stews, or cooking up a big batch of lentils. In exchange for a bit of special treatment (no dishwasher and no using metal utensils with it), you get a thing of beauty that you'll never outgrow. Go big and get a larger size, which really shines when making big meals for friends and family. Is the price too steep? While Le Creuset is the iconic Dutch-oven brand, it's hard to ignore the fact that Lodge's handsome and well-reviewed offerings cost about a quarter as much.

    $400 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Williams Sonoma 

    A Versatile Vessel

    All-Clad d5 Stainless Steel Essential Pan

    Here's a curve ball that's not a typical pan-set pick, but I've grown to love it. The Essential is a jack-of-all-trades, sold through Williams Sonoma. Sauté with it and appreciate the way its high walls prevent grease from splattering on your countertop, use it like a flat-bottomed wok, enjoy how much lighter it is than your cast-iron skillet, and, in my case, use it in place of a saucepan. I've even put it in the oven, using it as a capable Dutch oven substitute. Best part? It's dishwasher safe.

    $150 at Williams Sonoma
  • Photograph: Lodge

    Something to Bake With

    Lodge 3.2-Quart Cast-Iron Combo Cooker

    If you are a bread maker, this is your pan. It is cheap, durable enough to last a lifetime, and good-looking in its own peculiar way. Francisco Migoya, the guy who wrote one of the world's definitive guides to breadmaking, calls it his favorite pan to bake a loaf in at home. You could also use it as a skillet and a Dutch oven, but even if you only use it to make bread, it'll be worth it.

    $50 at Lodge
    $40 at Target
  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Big Stock Pot

    Cook N Home 12-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot

    With the gear I propose here, you could get away with boiling water for spaghetti in your Dutch oven, but I'd get an uneasy feeling in a home without a big pasta pot. It is great to have these on hand for a weeknight puttanesca or a big batch of mashed potatoes during the winter holidays. It's also nice for sous vide dinners, corn on the cob, and as a lobster pot. There's no need to go overboard here. To wit, I had no idea who made mine until I flipped it over for this story and discovered the brand is defunct. Our friends at America's Test Kitchen like this 12-quart from Cook N Home. At less than $50, it feels like the right choice.

    $47 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Amazon

    A Necessary Evil

    T-fal 12.5-Inch Professional Nonstick Fry Pan

    I have a bone to pick with nonstick pans. They might be affordable and supremely functional, but, damn, how did we condition ourselves into thinking we can just pitch these things every couple of years when the nonstick surface wears down? Then again, they are ideal for cooking eggs, fish, and other delicate items that tend to stick to other pans. I have issues with the T-fal I've owned for a few years, and it's particularly so-so on induction burners, though some of the best-rated nonstick pans don't work on induction at all. Size here is a personal preference. I like a 9-inch when I'm making eggs for myself and the 12-inch for two or more. Recently, I've started testing out Cuisinart's Carbonware nonstick, but whatever you end up with, please baby these babies so they last a long time.

    $39 at Amazon
  • Photograph: Amazon 

    Something Experimental

    Matfer Bourgeat 9.5-Inch Black Steel Round Fry Pan

    If, like me, you struggle with nonstick (see above), and are willing to dote on a newcomer, try carbon-steel skillets. I have two from Matfer Bourgeat that I'm testing: one smaller, one larger. Well-seasoned carbon-steel pans get you close enough to nonstick to try to make the switch. They sear exceedingly well and are lighter than their closest cousin, the cast-iron pan. The downside? They're fussy. Seasoning the pans is a process. (Hint to manufacturers: I'd love to hear more about preseasoned pans if more of you start making them!) In my experience, keeping them seasoned is tricky, and sometimes you can scrub some of that seasoning right off in the sink. It's an ongoing experiment chez Joe, but one that feels like it's worth trying.

    $36 at Amazon
Food writer Joe Ray (@joe_diner) is a Lowell Thomas Travel Journalist of The Year, a restaurant critic, and author of "Sea and Smoke" with chef Blaine Wetzel.
WIRED Contributor
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