The 5 Must-Have Pans Every Home Cook Should Start With

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Initially setting up a kitchen is undoubtedly overwhelming. Yet, before you can cook even the simplest foods, you'll need to purchase pots and pans. And with so many materials and sizes available on the market, it's all too easy to buy a vessel that's subpar or unnecessary — one that will likely end up underused or forgotten down the line.

So to help navigate all the options, Chowhound spoke exclusively with celebrated chef Geoffrey Zakarian for his advice on the matter. As a successful restaurateur, chef, and television star — as well as food council chair for New York City's City Harvest program — he's certainly well-versed about which pans are necessary.

His recommendations condense all the options to five must-have vessels. In addition to their application, the size and material are considered, too — no need to crowd the pantry with varying diameters or volumes that aren't necessary. And Zakarian even recommends what maker to buy: Tramontina. Noting his affinity for Tramontina, Zakarian says "it's a hundred-year-old brand that is a great value," going on to add that "it's very well-made," too. The pots and pans he recommends are available in accessible retailers like Costco, Home Depot, and Sam's Club, so you'll just need to make one shopping journey to get your culinary journey started. 

Even if you seldom participate in intensive cooking, a large pot is a culinary essential. Whether it's simply boiling water or simmering a soup, the vessel serves the most foundational tasks. And if that's not enough, there's one dish that alone makes investing in a large pot worthwhile: pasta. According to Geoffrey Zakarian, "You need to have a 12-quart pot so you can make pasta." 

Using a small pot may be the worst way to cook pasta, leading to unwanted clumping and mushiness. Meanwhile, a capacity of 12 quarts or more will let you easily prepare a couple of pounds of the beloved starchy food so that it is perfectly-cooked. Plus, you can also always use the vessel to assemble aptly-named one-pot meals, mixing up large batches of chili, pilaf, or other hearty fare.

Furthermore, don't sleep on the pay-off of owning a large pot to make broths or stocks to use in your cooking. A wonderful way of using meat, poultry, and plant excess, this flavorful technique both nourishes on its own or builds a foundation for further dishes like soups, sauces, and stews, too. So invest in a thick, robust pot for the job. Zakarian's preferred brand Tramontina has a 12-quart stainless steel covered stock pot for a well-built option.

When it comes to stovetop sizzling, Zakarian advises to purchase a cast iron or ceramic pan. The former carries a dedicated following for good reason; its heating characteristics, durability, and versatility are nearly unparalleled. With proper seasoning, the coating becomes nonstick as well. Plus, it can get very hot and has the ability to distribute heat evenly, hence why a cast iron pan is so important for good seared steak. And contrary to popular belief, the pan is usable on any stove type, including a glass-top range so long as you're careful and gentle when doing so to not scratch its surface.

Cast irons do tend to run heavy, and aren't ideal for acidic applications; so a ceramic pan makes for a worthy complement or alternative. Such a pan material can also withstand high temperatures, comes with a coating that prevents sticking, and (unlike non-stick) is oven-safe. Cast iron beats ceramic at searing hot temperatures, but if you're not one to crank up the heat, then the difference is negligible.

Plus, such a vessel isn't only for sauteing; there are the advantages of braising, too. You'll be able to achieve a beautiful color and crust on the stovetop, and then place the pan in an oven stress-free. As a result, Zakaraian recommends models with five inches of depth and a diameter of 18 inches for spaciousness. While Le Creuset is a good option, the chef is particularly fond of Tramontina for these pan models, too, which he notes can be bought for a fraction of the price from stores like Costco.

Next up, a cooking vessel that's likely to become your day-to-day kitchen go-to: a stainless steel pan. Endlessly versatile, you can safely use this pan for a range of stovetop needs. There's no need to worry about high temperatures like with non-stick, and they're safe to use with acidic foods, too.

Stainless steel covers the bases of sauteing, braising, searing, and even frying. As opposed to cast iron, this pan type comes with more nimble temperature control,  and you can cool the vessel quickly once it's hot. As a result, a stainless steel ideal pan is ideal for assembling technical applications like sauces — ingredients can sear on high heat initially, then you can lower the temperature and let them simmer. This also benefits tender vegetables and certain seafoods as you can easily prevent them from overcooking.

Geoffrey Zakarian vouches for the 12-inch size as a must-have kitchen candidate. It's the pan you'll use to prepare a side or sear up a simple protein for a weeknight dinner. Unfortunately, stainless steel's main downside occurs once cooking concludes: Food often sticks onto the surface, necessitating some gritty manual scrubbing to thoroughly clean the pan. However, you can turn a stainless steel skillet into a nonstick pan by vigilantly preheating as well as pre-seasoning with oil before placing in any food.

While the aforementioned pans will form the bulk of your cooking, a few ingredients require a more delicate vessel. That's where the extra smooth non-stick pan comes in. The treated surface aids with cooking finicky ingredients like seafood, pancakes, eggs, omelets, and as Geoffrey Zakarian notes, "anything that you're cooking slow." He recommends opting for a smaller non-stick pan, one that's eight or 10 inches. 

A non-stick pan is slick because its cooking surface is covered in a fluoropolymer coating, which creates a frictionless surface and simultaneously prevents negative reactions between the food and pan (think acids and cast iron). As a result, you can preserve the fragile structures of certain ingredients and use less oil during cooking. Such qualities make this pan especially beloved by new cooks; there's simply less fuss involved with gentle cooking.

That said, the non-stick coating comes with limitations: This pan type shouldn't be used at high temperatures. Never reach for this vessel to brown foods; it's the worst pan to sear a steak for good reason. In fact, unlike stainless steel or cast iron, a nonstick shouldn't be heated without food altogether, as this could lead to toxic effects. Throw in the fact that many models can't go in an oven — and any surface wear and tear necessitates replacement — and it's clear why this delicate pan should be reserved only for equally delicate foods. However, as long as you note the rules for non-stick clean and care, it's a pan worth having for specific uses.

Finally, while it may be the smallest in capacity, there's lots of benefits to a small pot, too. When stocking up the kitchen, it can be easy to think grand in size, but don't forget the most casual intentions for a pot. A small pot — around four quarts — serves as the ideal auxiliary vessel amidst more elaborate preparations in larger utensils: Think melting, heating, and boiling small quantities of ingredients at a time. The compact size also makes handling the pot less unwieldy, lowering the barrier to use.

Maybe you need to melt some butter for basting, toast a few spices, or just heat up a bit of sauce; this pot provides the right amount of space. Plus, it comes in especially handy for solo cooks preparing single-serve dishes, reheating liquid-based meals, or cooking a small amount of rice. And don't forget its advantages for beverage making. According to Geoffrey Zakarian, it's a good pot to have in which "you can boil milk or make hot chocolate," and you can also use it to quickly heat apple cider or simmer a batch of tea. And since there won't be many pesky adhesive foods prepared inside, the incredibly easy clean-up cements it as a kitchen staple.