Home & Kitchen with Caraway
Key Takeaways
Understanding how different pans function helps you cook more efficiently, safely, and with better results.
The materials your pans are made of matter for both your health and the planet.
Investing in the right pans makes everyday cooking easier, cleaner, and more enjoyable.
Let’s be honest: cookware can get confusing fast. You start with one trusty pan, and before you know it, you’re side-eyeing six others, wondering if they’re actually different or just marketing in disguise.
At Caraway , we’re all about helping you cook smarter and safer, starting with what’s in your cabinets. Because when you understand the purpose behind each pan, choosing the right one (and knowing how to care for it) becomes a whole lot easier and healthier.
Whether you’re just getting started or trying to level up your kitchen gear, this guide breaks down the 10 types of pans worth knowing.
A good pan isn’t just a cooking vessel—it’s a tool that helps you do a lot more in the kitchen than you might think. And depending on what you’re cooking (and how you want to cook it), different techniques can help you get the most out of what’s in front of you without sacrificing your health or your time.
Below are some of the most common cooking methods you can use with the right pan and a little know-how.
Frying involves cooking food quickly in a small amount of oil, usually over moderate heat. This method is great for achieving crispy textures and golden-brown finishes, making it ideal for foods like eggs, potatoes, fish fillets, and pancakes.
While frying is often associated with excess oil, choosing the right pan can drastically reduce the amount of fat you need. With careful temperature control and minimal oil, frying can yield tasty, healthier dishes that don’t sacrifice flavor or texture.
Searing is a technique where food is cooked briefly over very high heat to create a delicious, caramelized crust. This method seals in juices and enhances flavor , especially for proteins like steak, chicken, or fish.
It’s also fantastic for vegetables, creating a flavorful exterior while preserving nutrients inside. The secret to successful searing lies in proper heating, letting the pan get nice and hot first helps ensure your food develops that crisp, flavorful exterior without overcooking.
While baking often brings to mind cakes, muffins, or bread, many savory dishes can also benefit from being cooked in a pan inside your oven. Think baked casseroles, lasagna, roasted veggies, or chicken dishes.
Using a pan for baking allows for even heat distribution, ensuring your meals are thoroughly and evenly cooked. It’s also a convenient way to prepare meals that require minimal hands-on effort, making home-cooked dishes more approachable and nutritious.
Braising is a two-step cooking method that begins with browning your ingredients over medium-high heat and then slowly simmering them in liquid at a lower temperature. This gentle cooking technique is perfect for tougher cuts of meat and hearty vegetables, tenderizing ingredients while intensifying their flavors.
Braising results in dishes rich in flavor without excessive fat or oil, perfect for nutritious comfort foods like stews, pot roasts, or vegetable medleys.
Grilling in a pan lets you replicate that delicious charred, smoky taste you love, without needing a barbecue. It’s perfect for preparing meats, vegetables, sandwiches, or even fruit.
This method typically uses high heat and minimal oil, making it a heart-healthy way to add flavor and texture. Cooking food quickly at high temperatures also helps maintain nutritional value, ensuring meals remain healthy, vibrant, and delicious.
Now, let’s talk about the pans themselves. Not all cookware is created equal, and understanding the core types can help you build a kitchen setup that actually supports the way you cook.
Here are some of the common types of pans and what they’re best for:
Frying pans, also called skillets, are the go-to for quick, everyday cooking. They're wide, shallow, and have gently sloped sides that make flipping, stirring, and sliding food out a breeze. Perfect for searing proteins, sautéing veggies, or making a lazy weeknight stir-fry.
If you're aiming for crisp results with less oil and zero sticking, a naturally slick surface makes all the difference. Traditional non-stick pans often contain chemicals like PTFE and PFOA that can release toxins when overheated. Ours? They skip the toxic stuff entirely and are naturally slick, so your food lifts easily, even with minimal oil.
These flat, rimmed pans are the workhorses of the oven. They're great for baking cookies, roasting vegetables, crisping up tofu, or making a full sheet-pan dinner with whatever’s in your fridge. Their wide surface allows for even heat exposure, which is exactly what you want when aiming for that golden-brown finish.
Pro tip: If you’re looking to reduce single-use foil or parchment paper, opt for a ceramic-coated sheet pan . It keeps food from sticking without the added waste, and it cleans up fast—no overnight soaking required.
A braising pan or Dutch oven is deep, heavy, and comes with a lid. It’s designed for one-pot meals that start on the stovetop and finish in the oven. Think stews, soups, braised short ribs, or anything that needs time to get tender and flavorful.
In real life, this is your weekend hero: load it up with seasonal veggies, legumes, or proteins and let it do its thing. Just make sure the one you’re using is made from clean, durable materials, especially if it's going in and out of the oven. You want long, even heat retention without worrying about toxic metals or coatings sneaking into your food.
Saucepans are smaller, deep pans with tall sides and a handle, typically used for sauces. But they’re also perfect for boiling grains, reheating leftovers, or whipping up a quick oatmeal. The high sides help prevent splatters and keep liquids from evaporating too quickly.
If you’re cooking with acidity (like tomato sauce or lemony grains), it’s important to choose a saucepan that won’t react with the ingredients. That’s where a non-toxic stainless steel or ceramic-coated option comes in handy—it lets you simmer and stir without unwanted flavors or questionable materials leaching into your meal.
At first glance, sauté pans might look a lot like frying pans, but they’ve got taller, straight sides and a bit more surface area. That design helps keep liquids in the pan, making them perfect for one-pan meals, sauces, and anything that starts with a sear and ends with a simmer. You can shake, stir, and deglaze without worrying about spilling over the sides.
A good sauté pan should feel sturdy but not clunky, and heat evenly so nothing burns before it's ready. If you're cooking a dish that builds flavor in layers (like a veggie curry or a mushroom risotto), this is the pan to reach for. Just be mindful of the material: avoid coatings that can’t handle moderate heat or might react with acidic ingredients.
Woks are built for speed . With high, sloped sides and a smaller base, they're ideal for stir-frying over high heat. The design helps ingredients move around quickly so you can cook without over-oiling or overcooking. It’s the ultimate in fast, fresh, nutrient-packed meals.
Traditional woks are made of carbon steel and need regular seasoning, but there are modern options out there that don’t require constant upkeep. Either way, you’ll want to use heat-resistant oil and preheat properly before tossing in your veggies or proteins. Keep it moving and cook in small batches to avoid steaming your food instead of crisping it.
Griddle pans are large, flat, and often ridged—designed to mimic the grill while keeping things stovetop-friendly. They’re your best bet for pancakes, grilled cheese, fajitas, or anything that benefits from an even surface and a solid sear. Because they cover more surface area than a standard pan, griddles make multitasking easier.
Our Square Griddle Pan goes even further with a shape that offers nearly double the cooking space of a classic Fry Pan, making it perfect for flipping eggs, burgers, and anything in between. The non-stick surface keeps cleanup easy, so you can spend more time eating and less time scrubbing.
Roasting pans are deep, rectangular, and designed for the oven. They’re perfect for big meals like a whole chicken, batch-roasted vegetables, or a bubbling gratin. Their open shape allows hot air to circulate, helping everything cook evenly while developing that golden, crisp finish on top.
A great roasting pan should feel sturdy and handle high heat without warping, especially if you're deglazing with wine or citrus. Our roasting pan comes with a stainless steel wire rack and our signature slick coating, so you can go from holiday feasts to Sunday dinners without dreading the cleanup. Clean cooking, squared away.
Grill pans bring the outdoor grilling experience indoors, minus the charcoal and weather forecast. These pans have raised ridges that mimic grill grates, giving your food those signature sear marks while allowing excess fat to drip away. They're great for burgers, veggies, chicken, or anything you want to char without firing up the actual grill.
Grill pans get really hot, so it’s important to use a pan that can handle high temperatures safely. For best results, preheat the pan thoroughly and press food down gently to get those satisfying grill lines. Bonus: less oil is needed since the food cooks with contact on both sides.
This is the catch-all category for pans made with a specific task in mind. Think muffin pans, loaf pans, circle cake pans, or even paella pans. These tools are all about precision: they help your recipes cook evenly, hold their shape, and turn out exactly how they’re supposed to.
When it comes to bakeware , safety matters just as much as performance. Choose bakeware that holds up under high heat and doesn’t cling to your food or your conscience. And don't underestimate the value of an easy-to-clean surface, especially when you're working with sticky batters, cheesy bakes, or sugary glazes.
The material of your cookware affects how it heats, how it handles different ingredients, and most importantly, what it might be releasing into your food. Many traditional non-stick pans are made with chemicals like PTFE, PFOA, and other PFAS (a.k.a. "forever chemicals ") that can leach into your meals, especially at high heat.
At Caraway , we skip all of that. Our ceramic-coated and stainless steel cookware is free of toxins, heavy metals, and synthetic coatings. It's safer for you, better for your home, and more sustainable long-term.
Good cookware can last years if you treat it right. Always let your pans cool before washing, use gentle sponges (nothing abrasive), and skip the dishwasher unless your pan is specifically rated for it.
For non-stick surfaces, avoid cooking sprays and metal utensils, which can wear down the coating faster. When storing, stack with care or use a pan protector to avoid scratches. A little intention goes a long way in keeping your pans looking (and performing) like new.
If your pan is warping, flaking, rusting, or developing scratches that won’t clean off, it's probably time to part ways. For non-stick pans, you should also keep an eye out for peeling or discoloration, which can affect both performance and safety.
Cookware doesn’t have to be complicated. When you understand how different pans work—and what they’re made of—you can cook with more confidence, less guesswork, and way fewer chemicals.
At Caraway , we’re not here to overwhelm you with options. We’re here to help you choose better. That means non-toxic materials you can trust, thoughtful designs that actually work in your kitchen, and products that make clean cooking feel effortless.
So, if you're building your setup or just upgrading the essentials, we hope this guide gave you the clarity you need to shop (and cook) smarter. Because when your tools are clean, safe, and built to last, the rest kind of falls into place.
Sources:
What Is Braising? How to Braise Meats and Vegetables | MasterClass
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