green ironing board cover_wipe clean tablecloth

But to keen observers and cookware enthusiasts (that’s us!), there are some key differences. This article compares and contrasts skillets and pans and shares the best cooking techniques and dishes to use each one.

Most cookware-aficionados believe the confusion comes from the non-specific use of the generic words pots and pans. In addition to frying pans, there are saucepans, sheet pans, cake pans, bundt pans, roasting pans, and more. In a professional chef's kitchen, the word pan on its own usually refers to a Saute Pan – not a frying pan.

Copper cookware is best known for its luxurious finish and excellent heat conductivity, as well as for its price—a small copper saucepan can fetch around $200, while a stockpot can cost upwards of $1,000. This makes copper relatively uncommon as a cookware material, though many cooks swear by it.