Nonstick, teflon, copper bottomed, steel and aluminum. What does it all mean?
NOTHING. IGNORE IT. Unless you’re cooking for your career, ignore all the hubbub and mishegas of the pan economy. All you need for home cooking are the following:
1. an egg pan
2. A saute pan
3. A pasta pot
4. A Wok
5. A frying pan
An egg pan is a small nonstick pan for cooking eggs. It has tapered sides and is really a one-of-a-king requirement for a kitchen. It is definitely possible and doable to cook eggs in regular pans, but as a homecook, a non-stick egg pan is what you want. Just remember, not all non-stick pans are egg pans. Egg pans are usually no more than 6 or 7 inches in diameter.
A Saute pan and a frying pan are similar. They are both around 12 inches in diameter and they both have flat bottoms. They look like the bigger brother of an egg pan. The difference between a saute pan and a frying pan is that a saute pan has straight sides which gives it a depth of anywhere from 2 to 4 inches. A frying pan has rounded edges so that things can slosh around in the pan and roll out of the sides if you tilt the pan. A saute pan is used for things that will be simmering slowly and also be cooking quickly. High heat and medium and heat are where these babies work best.
As for a frying pan, crank the heat up all the way. Its a one-and-done quick rinse pan for speed.
When I call something a pasta pot, what I am referring to is a tall sided, flat bottomed pot with two handles on either side near the rim. A pasta pot can be anywhere from 12 inches wide and 12 inches tall to 20 inches wide and 30 inches tall. They can hold anywhere from 6 quarts to 20 quarts, and are useful for soups and – you guessed it – boiling water for pasta.
I included a Wok on the must have list just because if you are someone who likes to cook certain dishes, using another pan to replace a wok is going to make your day a hell of a lot harder. This is definitely a place to splurge and save yourself some headache.