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While skillets and pans are easily mistaken for one another — and can be used interchangeably in a pinch — the actual cookware items do have their differences.

Because of its wide base, a sauté pan is significantly heavier than the equivalent skillet, often necessitating the addition of a helper handle on the opposite side of the main handle to facilitate lifting and moving. While this weight is no problem when the pan is sitting still on the stovetop or in the oven, the lighter weight of a skillet makes it superior for shaking and stirring to promote even cooking of vegetables or pieces of chopped meat.

With tall sides and a wide base, sauté pans pack more weight. Larger sauté pans may even come with a secondary helper handle, which is a small loop handle attached opposite the main long handle as well as a cover or lid. This is helpful, as the weight of larger sauté pans is difficult to move around, especially since they can hold plenty of food. 

This article will provide an in-depth comparison of fry pans and French skillets, including their designs and uses, so you can understand the differences between them.