All of the experts I spoke to recommended saucepans made from stainless steel, aluminum, or copper. This is because both copper and aluminum heat up quickly and uniformly, which, as well as being time-saving, means there’ll be no uneven hot spots in the pan as you cook. Stainless steel is durable and easy to keep clean, so your pans will keep looking good for their whole, lengthy life span. It’s also easy to get similar-looking stainless steel pans from various companies as you add to your collection over the years so your cookware won’t look mismatched. Copper pans do tend to be pricier and require more maintenance but can look truly stunning, so you may find it worth the splurge.
One expert also told us about saucepans with a nonstick coating. If you tend to find pans harder to maintain, or you want to cook with less oil, this could be a good option for you. However, nonstick coatings tend to wear out after a few years, which makes the pans they come in no longer usable. One last thing to think about is the material of each pan’s handle: Pans with wooden handles, for example, can’t go in either the dishwasher or the oven.
