The different types of cookware: your buying guide

Turn up the heat again and again with cookware that’s built for your most adventurous recipes. High-performance pieces will last you many years of delicious meals and make a great investment for your home. Whether you’re equipping your kitchen from scratch, replacing a saucepan set or choosing speciality pans, use our guide to learn which types of cookware suit the way you love to cook.

The different types of cookware and their uses

Hone your passion with the right type of pot or pan for every recipe. Whether you like to sear and sizzle at high heat, take batch cooking from hob to oven or experiment with curries and stir-fries, master your next recipe with cookware that suits your style.

Saucepans

A kitchen essential for boiling water, heating food and making sauces.
Lids retain heat and enable faster boiling.
Some feature a non-stick surface for easier food release and cleaning.
Lids with air vents let steam escape, preventing boil-over.
Glass lids allow you to keep a close eye on your ingredients.
Some are available with time-saving internal measuring guides.
Some feature useful draining lips for emptying water and pouring sauces.
Most are oven-safe up to a maximum temperature.
Saucepans usually feature a long single handle, but larger sizes often include a short helper handle for easier lifting.

Our saucepan range includes pans in various sizes that are compatible with induction stoves, and are even available as sets.

Frying Pans

A kitchen staple for frying, browning and searing food.
Shallow sides with flared edges enable easy food redistribution while cooking in the pan.
Most have a non-stick coating for easy food release and washing up.
Not available with lids.
Frying pans usually have a long single handle. Some larger sizes have an additional helper handle for easier lifting and oven use.

You can explore our range of frying pans here, including our Flow, Hard Anodised or Eclipse range.

Milk Pans

A smaller type of saucepan that’s ideal for heating liquids and making sauces.
Most feature draining lips or sides which are useful for emptying and spill-free pouring.
Non-stick options provide easier food release and cleaning.
Not available with lids.

We offer a variety of milk pans, including our Stellar Rocktanium, 14cm Milk Pot, Flow 14cm Milk Pan and Stellar Eclipse, 14cm Milk Pan.

Sauce Pots

A type of saucepan with higher sides designed for easier heating and mixing of sauces.
Some are available with time-saving internal measuring guides.
Some feature lids for faster boiling and to retain heat at the table.
Handles are designed for easier grip and pouring at the table.

Many of our milk pans can also be used as sauce pots, such as the Hard Anodised 14cm Milk/Sauce Pot and the Profile 14cm Milk/Sauce Pot.

Saute Pans

Typically larger than a frying pan with straight sides and a deeper volume.
Used for frying, braising, poaching and making sauces.
Wide and shallow design is useful for reducing sauce-based recipes.
Often available with lids to retain moisture.
Often oven-safe for hob-to-oven recipes.
Have a single long handle and sometimes an additional short helper handle for easier lifting.
Most are available with a non-stick surface for easier food release and washing up.

Saute pans are a kitchen essential for searing, browning and basting food. Explore our saute and skillet pans here.

Grill Pans

Designed for high heat retention and distribution.
Sharp edges ridges ‘sear’ into the food, creating chargrilled flavour with characteristic barbecue-style stripes.
Excess fat and juices are caught in the ridges while food grills.
Pouring lips allows for easy draining.
Usually have a large surface area for cooking multiple portions.
Are typically designed oven-safe with long stainless steel handles.
Often feature a non-stick surface for easy food release and cleaning.

Create a mouthwatering char on your food with our grill pan range.

Woks

Deep with rounded edges for fast stir-frying and browning chopped food.
Available with or without lids. Lids can be used for steaming and slower cooking once food has been fried.
Usually have long single handles. Sometimes available with a short helper handle for easier lifting or two short handles for oven use.
Non-stick options provide easier food release and are easier to clean.

Discover our high-performance wok range and really turn up the heat.

Casseroles & stockpots

Ideal for slow cooking and tenderising food.
Lids retain moisture and heat.
Feature two short handles for easy lifting and oven use.
Most can be used both on the hob and in the oven.
Non-stick surfaces provide easy food release and clean-up.
Wide pots are ideal for curries, stews and casseroles.
Taller pots are known as stockpots - great for soups and stocks.

Explore our range of casseroles and stockpots, featuring best-sellers like the Flow 24cm Casserole and Profile 24cm Stockpot.

Steamers

A type of saucepan with higher sides designed for easier heating and mixing of sauces.
Some are available with time-saving internal measuring guides.
Some feature lids for faster boiling and to retain heat at the table.
Handles are designed for easier grip and pouring at the table

You can find all kinds of steamers in our Steamers & Poachers range here.

How many pots and pans do I need?

How many pots and pans you need will depend on a number of factors. Are there dishes you like making that require a certain piece of cookware? How much space do you have to store the cookware? Each piece of cookware serves a purpose, and it can help you unlock new recipes and elevate your cooking. So, the number of pots and pans you need will depend on how often you’ll use your pans for different tasks.

If you’re looking to build a functional cookware collection, why not begin with one of our Cookware Sets? With a range of options for different combinations of high-quality pots and pans, you can use it as a starting point for your collection or a comprehensive set.

Choosing the right cookware for your hob type

When buying cookware, remember to check that your kitchen equipment is compatible with your hob. And get the best results with our tips on using pots and pans with different heat sources.

Every range from Stellar is designed for high performance on all hob types.

Induction

These highly efficient hobs can reach very high temperatures in seconds. They’re made from smooth, ceramic glass and feature a magnetic induction coil which transfers heat to cookware. Pans suitable for Induction must be ‘induction ready’ with a flat magnetised metal base such as stainless steel. Always heat pans gradually rather than using the ‘boost’ function and use a low-medium setting to avoid any damage to your cookware.

Read our guide to induction cooking here.

Gas

You can use any type of pan on a gas hob. Make the best use of your energy by matching the size of the pan base to the size of the heating area. Adjust the flame so it doesn’t extend up the sides of the pan, avoiding any damage to pan handles.

Solid hotplate

Solid hotplates feature electric heating coils beneath each ring, enclosed in a sealed metal plate. They transfer heat to pans without any food or liquid spills coming into contact with the electric elements. Use flat-based pans with thick, high-conductivity bases for the best heat transfer.

Ceramic

A ceramic hob is another type of electric hob, featuring one smooth surface of ceramic glass which covers the heating elements beneath. Always take care to lift rather than slide pans to avoid damaging the hob surface.

Halogen

Halogen hobs use infrared light to create heat. Lamps are situated under a glass covering, transmitting heat and light upwards. Pans with a thick, high-conductivity base are recommended.

Solid fuel

Cookers such as Aga and Rangemaster generate heat for both cooking and warming the home. They’re very similar to hotplate hobs but normally have a greater heating surface area. Durable pans that can withstand high temperatures work well with these hobs.

What do cookware symbols mean?

You might have noticed small symbols when buying cookware, either on the packaging or the products themselves. These provide information about what a pot or pan can or can’t be used for and advice about cleaning and caring for them.

They aren’t universal and will differ across different manufacturers. But they’re designed to be understood at a glance and there’s likely to be some crossover. When shopping for cookware, you can use these to determine if a pot or pan will be suitable for your kitchen. If you have an induction hob, you’ll need to ensure the pan is induction-compatible.

Below, we’ve shared a complete list of the symbols used for Stellar cookware.

The best cookware materials

From traditional stainless steel to more contemporary hard anodised, there’s a variety of cookware materials to choose from. Understand the benefits of each and get adventurous in the kitchen with cookware you can rely on.

Coated Aluminium

A type of saucepan with higher sides designed for easier heating and mixing of sauces.
Some are available with time-saving internal measuring guides.
Some feature lids for faster boiling and to retain heat at the table.
Handles are designed for easier grip and pouring at the table.

Hard Anodised Aluminium

Heat is conducted fast and evenly through the base and up the sides of the pan for consistent and efficient cooking.
Highly resilient hard anodised pans feature an outer surface that is extremely hardwearing and long-lasting – twice as durable as steel.
Most feature a non-stick inner surface which requires little or no oil while cooking.
Most are oven-safe.
Easy to hand wash.
Not suitable for the dishwasher.
Contemporary charcoal finish.

Our Hard Anodised range is our most durable cookware collection, with features to enhance your cooking experience.

Stainless Steel

High-quality stainless-steel pans feature a thick high conductivity base made with a layer of aluminium for even heat distribution and stable, efficient cooking.
A durable and long-lasting material designed for a lifetime of use.
Corrosion resistant, easy to clean and maintain - dishwasher safe.
Oven safe.
Classic finish suits every type of kitchen.

Tri-Ply

Pans are crafted from three separate metals to offer exceptional efficiency and controllability. The inner and outer layers are different grades of stainless steel, sandwiching a high heat-conducting metal such as aluminium or copper.
Pans heat up and cool down more quickly than a traditional stainless steel pan giving you more control over your cooking.
Pans use less power to warm up.
Heat radiates from the base and up the sides of the pan for a consistent internal temperature.
A high-grade stainless steel outer layer makes tri-ply pans a durable and long-lasting choice.
Corrosion resistant, easy to clean and maintain – dishwasher safe.
Oven safe.

Our Eclipse range features our premium try-ply cookware, including our Eclipse 24cm Chef's Pan and a 5-piece saucepan set.

Non-stick surfaces

Non-stick surface options are available on aluminium, hard anodised, stainless steel and tri-ply pans.
High-performance non-stick pans require little or no oil thanks to technology that ensures easy food release while cooking.
Quality non-stick pans are highly scratch-resistant.
Easy to wash and maintain.
Typically dishwasher safe but hand-washing is recommended to ensure longevity of the non-stick.
Only nylon or wooden tools should be used to avoid damage to the non-stick surface.

Safest materials for cookware

In the past, some cookware contained PFOA, a harmful chemical that created a non-stick effect. Now, there are strict regulations that determine what can be used to make cookware, but it’s still worth doing your research when buying cookware. When you buy from Stellar, you can be assured that all our cookware is PFOA-free, non-toxic and safe to use.

To ensure your cookware remains safe and is long-lasting, you should follow care advice like not using above temperature limits, avoiding using metal implements on non-stick surfaces and following cleaning recommendations.

Stellar Cookware Ranges

We offer a variety of cookware options, including classic stainless steel and contemporary non-stick along with draining, grilling and speciality options. Timeless in performance and design, all Stellar cookware is suitable for every hob type and comes with a lifetime guarantee.

We’ve broken down our ranges into their key attributes and capabilities, so you can easily find the collection that fits your kitchen.

Click to shop all the Stellar cookware ranges

FAQs

What’s the difference between a pot and a pan?

There is some crossover and people may refer to pots and pans as different things, but generally, a pot is normally deeper with high sides and features grab handles and a lid. Pans are normally shallower with a longer handle and are used for cooking foods that require surface contact with heat.

Can saucepans go in the oven?

Some saucepans can go in the oven, but it depends on the materials they’re made with. It’s important to check the manufacturer’s instructions for whether a pan is oven-safe and the temperature it can be heated to. All of Stellar’s saucepans are oven-safe to at least 180°C.

How are saucepans measured?

Saucepans are normally measured using their diameter. To do this, take a tape measure and measure from the inside rim of one side to the inside rim of the other side.

How to store pots and pans?

This depends on your kitchen’s layout and how much room you have. Hanging racks can be a great way to keep your pans separate and easy to access. If you’re stacking them in a cupboard, put smaller pots inside larger ones to create a nesting effect. You can also turn lids upside down and place them inside a pot to keep sets together and create a flat surface to stack on top of. If you’re stacking pans with a non-stick coating, put a protective layer in between them to avoid the coating being scratched when the pans move around.

Inspiration Categories