The Best Saucepans (2024), Reviewed by Our Experts

The name “saucepan” might describe the piece of cookware we’re talking about here, but it doesn’t do it justice. Sure, the best saucepan will come in handy for your once-in-a-while tempered chocolate and béchamel sauces—but it is something you will use almost every day you cook, and a good one is vitally important to any cookware set. Saucepans are true kitchen workhorses, ready to get to work for your morning oatmeal, instant noodles, steamed rice, even just heating up that jar of Rao’s.

The best saucepans

Saucepans tend not to get as much attention as the sexier, more sought-after pieces of cookware like Dutch ovens and cast iron skillets, but they’re arguably one of the most important items to have in your kitchen—and there’s a lot to consider when shopping for a good one. Is the best material aluminum, copper, or stainless steel? Is it ever a good idea to get a saucepan with a nonstick coating? Should you go with 3-ply or 5-ply? And what does ply mean anyway? Below, we get into all the details and share the top picks from our range of experts.

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The best saucepans according to the Bon Appétit test kitchen

The consensus of the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen is that the best saucepan is actually a saucier, which has rounded sides instead of straight ones. But why, you ask? For starters, senior food editor Shilpa Uskokovic explains that a gentle curve makes it easy to move around with a spatula or whisk. Food director Chris Morocco agrees with the rounded sides sentiment: “It gives you the ability to toss things in there like a mini wok and the corners are softer, so things don’t get trapped and burn in them as easily.”

The best saucepan overall: All-Clad D3 Saucier

While there are many great sauciers to choose from, deputy food editor Hana Asbrink says you cannot go wrong with the All-Clad D3 saucier. It’s made from aluminum and stainless steel, which makes it compatible with every kind of stovetop, including induction cooktops. Its tri-ply construction means it has an aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. All-Clad makes a thicker 5-ply pan (more on that below) but tri-ply is typically enough for consistent, even heat that won’t scorch your sauces. Also, importantly, it’s less expensive than its heavier duty cousin.

Specs

Diameter: 8.5”
Depth: 4.6”
Handle length: 7.5”
Weight: 2 lbs.

The best budget saucepan: Misen 3-Quart Saucier

If you really want the best bang for your buck, test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin highly recommends the Misen 3-quart saucier. She uses it at home and adores everything about it. She loves its rounded sides, flared rim, and sturdy handle, all of which make it easy to work with. Like the All-Clad this one is oven-safe—but it’s also dishwasher-safe (All-Clad pans have issues in the dishwasher). The only downside (which isn’t really a downside) is that it’s thicker and heavier than the All-Clad above, so it comes to temperature more slowly. On the other hand, at the time of writing, it retails for 33% less.

Specs

Diameter: 9”
Depth: 4”
Handle length: 8”
Weight: 3.3 lbs.

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Our team of product testers consider All-Clad the “Cadillac of cookware” for a reason. The brand’s pots and pans are beautifully-designed and proven to provide even heating. You can expect them to serve you for decades. So we weren’t surprised when the All-Clad D5 stainless steel saucepan came out on top in product testing against 23 other models. This saucepan’s hefty 5-ply construction is made with alternating layers of aluminum (which allows it to heat up quickly and evenly) and stainless steel (which offers maximum durability). The high-quality metal bonding, along with a heavy bottom, means no hot spots and heightened precision when working with delicate liquids, like caramels and custards. Similar to the rest of the D5 line-up, the saucepan’s clad core goes all the way up the sides, providing even heat retention all around, as opposed to just at the base. This pan excels in every task including boiling, browning, braising, and sautéing. But what really sets it apart is its ergonomic design. Testers touted its thick heat-resistant handle, which didn’t require oven mitts to hold and is flat and angled rather than rounded, making for a more comfortable grip. They also appreciated the pan’s oversized helper handle on the opposite end and its flared rim, which provide greater stability and fuss-free maneuvering and pouring.

This stainless steel pan is as close to perfect as it gets, but no piece of cookware is without faults. While the D5 design and engineering is unmatched, product testers noted that the edge of the rounded lip at the top of the saucepan is exposed, which means the core can deteriorate over time. To prevent this, we really recommend hand-washing it. If you’re looking for a saucepan that you can toss in the dishwasher, this is not the one for you; we’d point you to the Misen up above. Also of note is the price tag. This baby is expensive thanks to its additional two layers of cladding. But if you want the most reliable, highest-quality saucepan on the market this is it.

Specs

Diameter: 8.8”
Depth: 6.4”
Handle length: 9”
Weight: 3.6 lbs.

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To chef and author of The Korean Cookbook Junghyun Park, the most important factors in a great saucepan are even heat distribution and an ergonomic design. Luckily, he says, “In the modern age, I think the general saucepan can fulfill these basic requirements.” And because saucepans inevitably need to be replaced quite often in restaurant kitchens, he also highly factors in its value. At New York City’s James Beard Award winning and multiple Michelin star holder Atomix, he uses the De Buyer stainless steel saucepan. “Five-ply may be better quality, but three-ply is also great; it provides even heat distribution and performs well in the kitchen,” he adds. “​​It provides great value compared to other luxury products, and is also easy to use and maintain.

It really performs in a high-end professional setting—the Atomix team uses them during service for everything from warming up sauces and purees to lightly pan-frying vegetables. When used for everyday cooking at home, you can expect them to last you several years. Their only downside is that unlike the All-Clad and Misen options above, neither of these come with lids (but you can purchase a stainless steel lid separately; glass lids aren’t available for this series).

Specs

Diameter: 7.875”
Depth: 6.3”
Handle length: 7.4”
Weight: 3.9 lbs.

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What should I look for when shopping for a saucepan?

Similar to stockpots, sauté pans, frying pans (and all the best cookware, really), the most important features of a saucepan are good heat conductivity, good heat retention, and even heat distribution. You want a pan that heats up and cools down quickly because that will give you more control when working with finicky sauces. Your best bet will be a 3-ply or 5-ply fully clad saucepan that’s made with high-quality aluminum and stainless steel. This material combination is safe to use at high heats, oven- and induction-friendly, extremely durable—and of course, great at retaining and distributing heat. They’re also a lot more affordable than saucepans made with, say, copper cores, which are not compatible with induction cooktops.