I have written articles on supplying your kitchen with staples, spices, cookware, and knives. Now let’s find the pots and pans you’ll need to use those ingredients and spices.
Novices and experienced cooks need the basics… Grills… Pans… Pans.
ROASTERS… You’ll want a roaster with a tall lid. The typical toaster is rectangular in shape with low sides. The low sides allow the meat to be completely covered. You also want a rack to allow the meat to hang above its juices and fat. Domed lid roasting pans are usually oval in shape and again… you get one with a wire rack for the same reasons.
HUNTS AND HUNTS… Round saucepans with tall, straight sides and flat bottoms. Saucepans can be used for everything from boiling some water, heating up some soup, or making sauces. Depending on their intended uses, they come in a variety of sizes with fitted lids. Larger pots have a long handle and a loop-type handle on the other end to help lift them off the stove.
PAN (“a/k/a” PAN)…Both have a flat bottom…short, sloped sides to make it easier to toss or flip food. Like pots over pans (and skillets), they come in a variety of sizes depending on your needs, and don’t forget a lid.
Depending on your culinary interests, you may want to go beyond the “basics.”
Any suggestion…
DOUBLE BOILER… Essentially two saucepans with a slightly smaller top saucepan that rests inside the larger bottom saucepan. Once you’ve worn one, you’ll probably become a fan. The water is heated in the lower saucepan and used to gently melt chocolate or make a delicate sauce.
DUTCH OVENS… Round or oval in shape, they come with lids and are heavy pots. Cast iron is a better quality dutch oven and preferred by cooks. Again, they come in a variety of sizes, usually measured in “quarters.” You can grill, stew, braise your favorite meats, or make your favorite soup.
PAN…Very similar to your frying pan/frying pan, but your pan may have slightly higher sides while a skillet may be shallower. As usual… get a lid and choose the size you want.
POT…A large round pot with a lid…deeper than wide with straight sides. This is the pot to make broths, your favorite soups or stews. Get one with a pasta insert to make it “all-purpose” and avoid the need for a colander or strainer.
PAN… It can be round or oval or rectangular. The pots/pans described above generally come in a metallic material. Pans can be made of metal, glass, clay or ceramic. Used in the oven, this is the pan for your tasty lasagna or other “casserole” dish. Unlike all of the above… no lid.
One final thought… Depending on your interest in cooking and your personal budget, you can get budget versions or more expensive brands. In the case of Dutch ovens and casseroles, you can find very attractive and colorful styles that go from the stove/oven to your table for an attractive presentation of your food. You work hard… you get compliments from your family or friends (as well as how good the dish tastes!).