A s the late American writer Laurie Colwin put it so brilliantly in her essay The Low-Tech Person’s Batterie de Cuisine, “Pots and pans are like sweaters: you may have lots of them, but you find yourself using two or three over and over again.” And here’s the thing: whether it’s pans or clothing, the most useful ones are those which fit your lifestyle best. The Guardian’s journalism is independent.
We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. “Your choice of pans should reflect your actual cooking habits, not an idealised version of them,” agrees the Guardian’s columnist Yotam Ottolenghi.
So if you pan-fry or sear, braise or regularly knock up soups and sauces for one or many, these are the pans the UK’s top chefs suggest keeping in your arsenal. “I’ve been using Ninja non-stick frying pans for around a year now, and I love them. The flat bottom ensures lots of room to fry, and the high sides mean the pan is flexible enough to cook curries in.
I always buy 28cm pans because you can cook for four, and all lids fit, which is endlessly satisfying.” Buy: £27.99 johnlewis.
com “Really, you only need one or two everyday pans. The shallow casserole saute pan from Le Creuset is my top pick, perfect for searing, deglazing, and simmering stews. They’re sturdy, reliable, and built to withstand a lifetime of use.
” Buy: from £249 lecreuset.co.uk “This is a hot topic because we had a wide 32cm pan, which we called .