Hands-down one of the most common questions I get, both in emails and DMs is some version of: "I need new pots and pans…what set should I buy?!"
Cookware can feel totally overwhelming with all the different materials, styles, and options out there. Everyone wants to know what's worth investing in, but the truth is, it depends on a lot of factors like how you cook, who's using it, and what your household looks like.
One thing I always recommend is skipping the big boxed sets, unless you already know and love a specific brand and want everything to match. Most sets include pieces you'll rarely use (do you really need 3 different sauce pan sizes?), so you end up paying for pans that just take up space.
Instead, I'm a big fan of building your collection piece by piece. Different materials and styles really do shine in different situations.
I'll share more soon, maybe in a blog post or IG video, breaking down the different types of cookware by material. But for today's Good List, I'm highlighting a few pieces I reach for again and again. I own a lot of cookware (occupational hazard) but I can confidently say that these few pieces handle about 90% of my everyday cooking.
Below you'll find my all-stars, and we'll keep the conversation going soon!
Enjoy, and eat something delicious this weekend.
xo, Sara
The Good List is where I share the food, finds, and everyday favorites I'd tell you about if you were sitting at my kitchen counter!
The 7qt Staub Dutch oven. I specifically love the matte black version because it always looks stunning. Shiny enamel coated colored ones can be tricky to keep clean after time so I always tell people black is the way to go!
This thing is indestructible and I use it constantly. From soups and stews on the stove top, to braising meat in the oven, to baking bread...I does it all beautifully and can take the place of several other pieces of cookware. I love the lid that has tiny bumps on it for catching condensation and evenly redistributing it.
This pan is at a high price point, and I do believe it's a quality piece that's totally worth the price tag. (If you're in Utah, check out Orson Gygi- that's where I got mine years ago.) But if it's not in your budget at the moment, a similar product at an affordable price point would be a Lodge Dutch Oven. I prefer the inside finish of my Staub, but this is also great and comes in tons of colors. I have one of these as well.
The standard large kitchen skillet is 12-inches (that's also an essential pan, we'll get to it below!) But for larger households like mine, a family of 6, that is simply not large enough for a lot of tasks- skillet meals, for example. High quality 14" skillets are a little tricky to find, but this Hexclad one is phenomenal.
It can go on the stove top as well as in the oven. It comes with a large domed lid you can see into. What I like about the hybrid non-stick/stainless steel finish is that it doesn't need a lot of special care. Meaning, my kids can use it and I'm not freaking out telling them not to use certain utensils or not let it get it too hot etc (I'm looking at you, ceramic...) I've been using it for years and have found it to be incredibly durable and dependable.
I use this pan more than any other when it comes to every day general cooking.
I purchased this skillet when it was still a kickstarter in my quest to find the best non-stick skillet. I won't go into the science and technology because you should click through to see how it's different from other non-stick skillets, it's really interesting!
This pan has zero non-stick coating on it. It's 100% carbon steel, naturally finished into a beautiful smooth non-stick surface that becomes more seasoned over time. I've cooked on normal carbon steel before and wasn't a fan. It was just too finicky for me and required some special care to keep clean. But this little beauty is different. It's super light weight, can go in the oven, and has performed as advertised.
Hop over to read more about it, but after testing quite a few non-stick skillets, this one has earned it's keep at my house!
I've had this pan for over 15 years and it's one of the most-used. The stainless steel looks just as great as the day I bought it. If you ask my kids what this is, they'd say it's the macaroni and cheese or ramen pot haha. It's 3 quarts, which I think is not too big and not too small. I'm grabbing it to boil pasta, heat soups and sauces, hard boil eggs, make dessert sauces, blanch vegetables, and more. The best feature is in the lid. The pan itself has a handy little pour spout, and the list twists around to reveal some holes. This means you can boil pasta or simmer vegetables and then just strain the water out into the sink without the need for a colander. It makes things super quick and easy and saves time while you're cooking.
It's just solid and handy, and the perfect size for so many things. I love that it's easy to hold with one hand and pour from the spout.
A stainless steel stock pot with a lid- something in the 6-8qt range. (The specific brand doesn't matter- there are tons of options at a lot of price points.) I'm guessing just about everyone already has a pot like this, so I almost didn't include it- but since I'm talking about my essentials, it needs to be in the crew. For boiling water, simmering large batches of potatoes, family size pasta cooking...though my large dutch oven above can do those tasks, a lighter weight option is much more convenient when you're needing to drain and the job doesn't require long simmering times.
If you have to choose one over the other, this pot is probably going to be the best choice for the price point and every day use.
Some product links may be affiliate links, which simply means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them. That said, nothing on The Good List is ever sponsored or part of a brand partnership - these are all things I buy myself and love enough to share with my friends (that's you!)
Sara Wells
Sara Wells co-founded Our Best Bites in 2008. She is the author of three Bestselling Cook Books, Best Bites: 150 Family Favorite Recipes, Savoring the Seasons with Our Best Bites, and 400 Calories or Less from Our Best Bites. Sara's work has been featured in many local and national news outlets and publications such as Parenting Magazine, Better Homes & Gardens, Fine Cooking, The Rachel Ray Show and the New York Times.
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