In the market for the best saucepan set you can find? Finally had enough of that much-loved but much-scratched pan you’ve been using for years?
If you’re a frequent or particularly enthusiastic cook, it makes sense to invest in a solid set of pots and pans, whether you're looking for a budget buy, a solidly dependable non-stick set, pans for everything from boiling to frying, or a saucepan set designed to last a lifetime (or until you've scratched it to pieces, again).
So, we've gathered the best of the best saucepan sets to save you the legwork.
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WHAT IS THE BEST SAUCEPAN SET YOU CAN BUY?
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Our list comprises eight different saucepan sets. In first place is the for good reason. Made from aluminum, these pots and pans are non-stick, dishwasher safe and they're good looking, just to top it off. Read on for more on this and the rest of our top picks.
Not got time to read our entire guide? We've listed our top three saucepan sets along with their cheapest prices below. You'll be boiling and frying in no time. Well, your food will.
HOW TO BUY THE Best SAUCEPAN SET
Where to buy the best saucepan sets
Which material?
Bog standard aluminium pans may be perfectly good as a first set for a young person flying the nest and striking out on their own, as they’re inexpensive and light to carry, and are good conductors of heat. However they don’t tend to have the lasting power of more expensive materials, and will likely need replacing within a few years.
Hard-anodised aluminium pans, on the other hand, have a surface that has been electrochemically treated to resist wear and tear, and unlike uncoated aluminium, can handle acidic foods. Like their uncoated cousins, however, they are lightweight and heat up quickly with no hot spots.
Stainless steel is the most expensive of the materials commonly used for saucepans, but if you’re happy with the expenditure, it pays off in the material’s durability, non-reactive nature, and the fact that it’s dishwasher safe, which some hard-anodised pans may not be.
Induction compatible?
If you have an induction hob, you might have struggled over the years to find a compatible saucepan set that also performs well, but you’ll be pleased to know that almost all of our picks are induction-compatible. We’ve made a point to mention where pans are, or aren’t, compatible with all hobs, but if you’re concerned, be sure to check the manufacturer’s website.
THE BEST SAUCEPAN SETS
For the effortless meeting of style and function, the bags our top spot.
Looks
While it goes without saying that looks aren’t everything when it comes to what performs in the kitchen, it’s hard to deny the instant appeal of these pans: with delicately speckled shells and smart reflective hardware, they make an eye-catching addition to any cupboard.
Practicality
They’re suitable for use on induction hobs, their curvy handles are comfortable to hold, and perhaps best of all, their toughened aluminium ‘Neverstick2’ coating is designed to let you cook without butter or oil for healthier dinners, without the trade-off of spending hours scrubbing.
Shop more saucepan sets at John Lewis & Partners
The isn’t so much a traditional saucepan set as an all-in-one cooking and serving solution.
Looks
Not the best looking of our pick, some might think, but we like the plain, streamlined style of this saucepan set. They're stainless steel and feature a plastic handle that clips on or off, meaning they can transition from hob to table seamlessly.
Practicality
Offering easily the most versatility of any of our picks, this saucepan set includes three handleless pans and a separate clip-on handle, which just so happens to be oven-safe, meaning you can take it from hob (including induction) to oven, and then straight to the table.
The removable handle, plus the fact that the three pans nest inside each other neatly, means they take up less space in the cupboard or dishwasher than your average pan set, so for those with tiny kitchens, or those creative home chefs who do a lot of multi-phase cooking, they’re well worth considering.
Find more Tefal products at Amazon
The price for this three-piece saucepan set might, on first inspection, be eye-watering, but there’s a very good reason that commands it, as it's a stone-cold kitchen classic. To prove they can walk the walk, they also come with a lifetime guarantee, and are induction hob compatible.
Looks
A mix of black and stainless steel, although slightly plain, this saucepan set is hugely practical, so what it lacks in style it makes up for in terms of ease of use and versatility.
Practicality
Unlike most Le Creuset products, which are made of hefty cast iron, these pans bring together the finest features of both stainless steel and hard-anodised aluminium for saucepans that represent the best of the both worlds, offering durability and conductivity.
Shop more Le Creuset products at Amazon
Judge are famous for their stainless steel cookware, and these pans more than live up to the company’s long-standing reputation for quality and durability.
Looks
With an attractive mirror finish and unusual bell shape that sets them apart from much of the competition, this looks great on the hob, in the cupboard, or hung up to be shown off.
Practicality
Their biggest attraction is the thorough, even heating that those stainless steel bases offer, meaning less potential for accidentally burning that otherwise beautiful béarnaise. That the set also comes with a frying pan, and for around £120, represents superb value. However, some reviewers have reported that their pots and pans scratched easily – just something to be wary of.
Shop more Judge products at Amazon
In a slightly different configuration to our previous five-piece saucepan set from Judge, this versatile set of Lakeland pans eschews the fourth saucepan in favour of a second, smaller frying pan. This can come in very handy for achieving those perfect over-easy eggs at the same time as attending to a family-sized fry-up.
Looks
Plain, but perfectly practical-looking, this five-piece set is glossy black, and features black heat-resistant handles, too.
Practicality
Safe for use on all hobs, and oven-safe to 180ºC, these are very user-friendly, also upping the capacity with their extra-tall design, offering triple layer non-stick interiors for easy cleaning, and heat-resistant handles for even easier handling.
Shop more pots and pans at Lakeland
This hard-anodised saucepan set combines the know-how of cookware experts Tefal and ultimate foodie Jamie Oliver for a properly chef-friendly addition to the arsenal.
Looks
Similar looking to our above pick but half the price, these are black, made from aluminum and feature riveted stainless steel handles.
Practicality
Their solid aluminium core is designed to offer quick, even heating with no risk of hot spots; the non-stick coating is reinforced with ultra-tough titanium particles, promising to be fantastically durable even in the face of everyday use; and the sturdy riveted handles employ silicone inserts for a comfy grip. A versatile and long-lasting set for enthusiastic cooks, we think.
In high-grade stainless steel and tempered glass, these pans are clearly beautifully built, but more than that, they’re simply… well, beautiful.
Looks
The matt taupe finish, curvy two-toned handles and unusual lid-top loop all go to show that saucepan sets aren’t always as samey as we might have once thought, and that these beat the competition hands-down for gorgeous design.
Practicality
Not just a pretty face, these use an encapsulated stainless steel base for effective and even heating, while the sides remain cool to the touch and the silicone handles stay comfortable, even while you're showing off those pancake-flipping skills.
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The very definition of cheap and cheerful, this colourful comes up trumps with our best pans for students.
Looks
Green in colour, these pans are made from aluminum and black inside. The handles are also black, too.
Practicality
Reviewers were blown away by the quality of the non-stick coating, commenting on how easy the saucepans and frying pan were to clean, and were particularly taken with the cupboard-brightening lime green shade, a far cry from the usual grey and black. To find a decent quality five-piece pan set for this price, not to mention ones that are properly non-stick and suitable for use on induction hobs, is an unexpected treat.
Find more saucepan set offerings at Dunelm
MORE COOKING RECOMMENDATIONS:
- Still looking for that perfect frying pan to add to the arsenal? Take a look at our list of the best non-stick frying pans.