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The most common type of pan is the saucepan - it can be used for such a wide variety of cooking techniques that some people will purchase a set of 3 saucepans and use them for almost all their cooking.
They are primarily designed for boiling and simmering and are not actually the best pans for making a sauce in! A pan with sloping sides and/or more rounded corners is preferable as it is much easier to stir or whisk a sauce in.
Most saucepans have straight sides with relatively square corners, although
some ranges do have much more suitable shapes for making sauces. When choosing saucepans a few things to bear in mind are:
- Size - how many people are you likely to be cooking for? The most common sizes of saucepans are 16, 18 and 20cm, but pan depths vary from range to range and so the actual capacity of the pan will differ. You may want something smaller or bigger depending on your needs.
- Shape - although most saucepans are round, there are some key differences that might sway your decision.
If you do want to use a standard saucepan for making sauces (and especially sauces that need a lot of stirring or whisking while cooking) make sure you get a saucepan with shallower, rounded corners at the base so you can get a whisk or spoon into every part of the pan.
Pouring lips are a nice feature - some pans have a funnel type lip on either side (for left or right handed use) while some have an all-round lip so you can pour from any angle.
- Weight - as with any pan, the Materials used and the Manufacturing Methods will determine its performance, suitability for different hob types and dishwashers, weight and longevity. It is down to personal preference as to what sort of weight is desirable.
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