Our guide continues with the specialty pots and pans you may want to have on hand.
Earlier today, we covered the top picks for Stainless Steel Cookware Sets and Nonstick Cookware Sets, including all the information you need to choose the cookware that’s right for you! Sometimes, though, you need a specific pot or pan for a specific use, and that’s where open stock individual pots will come in. Often, you’ll be able to get the same brand of pot to match your set, but sometimes you’ll want something else.
Is there a certain type of pot that you’re looking for that’s not listed here–and you want to know the best pick? Ask below! Or–if you have a personal pot recommendation, let us know as well in the comments below!
Best Nonstick Skillets
Mid-Level Nonstick Skillet with a nice large surface from The Peppermill
Highest Level Nonstick Skillet from The Peppermil. This fry pan sears like stainless, cleans like non-stick, is try ply for even cooking and the use of metal utensils are ok.
Best Value 12 inch Ceramic Skillet from The Kitchen Clique
Highest Level Nonstick Skillet from The Kitchen Clique
Best Stainless Skillets
- We only recommend tri-ply
- With any stainless, not non-stick pan, you must wait for the food to release before touching it. When it is ready to be flipped, it will release.
Mid-Level Stainless Skillet from The Peppermill
Highest Level Stainless Skillet from The Peppermill. This fry pan is beautiful, a heavier weight with better heat conduction. - Mid- Level Stainless Skillet from The Kitchen Clique
Best Griddles for Blintzes and Crepes
- Those who make blintzes or crepes will want a special pan that has shallow sides. There are lighter weight, less expensive pans, and there’s also better ones, such as the one made by Analon, which has a high quality nonstick finish. For the highest end, Le Creuset and Staub both have French-made pans, after all, the French are the crepe experts.
Analon 9.5-Inch Crepe Pan from The Peppermill
Strauss 8.7-Inch Crepe Pan from The Peppermill
Staub 11-Inch Crepe Pan from The Kitchen Clique
Le Creuset 11-Inch Crepe Pan – Stainless Steel from The Kitchen Clique (special order)
Le Creuset 11-Inch Crepe Pan – Enamel from The Kitchen Clique (special order)
- For the quickest cooking when you don’t want to head outdoors, you’ll turn to a grill pan over and over again. They’re super popular and will help you get dinner on the table in 15 minutes. The Cuisinart is the best grill pan for the money. If you want a high end cast iron grill pan, you can go with Le Creuset.
Cuisinart Grill and Griddle Pan Set at The Kitchen Clique
Le Creuset Signature Deep Round Grill Pan at The Kitchen Clique
If you want to cook with a cast-iron skillet for that beautiful sear, but don’t want to deal with the kashering or seasoning necessary when buying other cast iron, Magic Chef makes a skillet that comes preseasoned with kosher seasoning, with a hechsher from the OK. The pans are not as heavy as Lodge pans, which makes them easier to manage. Never clean cast iron with soap or you’ll remove the seasoning. They clean easily with just water!
Kosher Cast Iron Skillet from The Peppermill
Kosher Cast Iron Grill Pan from The Peppermill
Kosher Cast Iron Reversible Grill/Griddle from The Peppermill
- There are many different types of roasting pans, and why it’s better to cook in a roasting pan vs. aluminum tin is a topic for another post! Many people like to use the black speckled pans (I have those) and they’re excellent; they’re really the best for preparing meat and chicken. They come with covers, which is often needed. Other pans don’t have covers, and the use of foil is necessary if you want to cover.
Tramontina Roasting Pan at The Kitchen Clique - An alternative to a roasting pan is a Pyrex baking dish, or any ceramic or clay baking pans for excellent results. The Emile Henry is a top pick in the clay category–it really helps your chicken achieve superior taste (we don’t know how, it just does!)
Emile Henry 9×13 Pan at The Kitchen Clique
- Le Creuset is a French company that’s over 100 years old that makes a top of the line coated cast iron with a patented triple layer of enamel in a range of tempting colors. It’s perhaps the most expensive of all cookware out there. It’s the most durable and beautiful of all cast iron pots, and since it’s coated, the pots are kosher and there is no seasoning needed like with other cast iron. Unlike other cast iron, it also will never rust. They come in so many sizes and for so many purposes, from personal pans, up to large roasters (these can get very heavy!) They clean easily and are super at conducting heat. The covers fit very well, so all condensation happens inside the pot and food stays moist and cooks really, really well. Most people that enjoy Le Creuset have just one or two pieces, such as a Dutch Oven, rather than an entire set.
Le Creuset 5 Piece Signature Cookware Set at The Kitchen Clique
- A wok is always a good investment for making stir-fry chicken and vegetables.
Cuisinart Stir Fry Pan at The Kitchen Clique
Heston 14-inch Covered Wok at The Kitchen Clique
Black Cube Wok at The Kitchen Clique
Best Pot for Cholent (If You’re Not Using a Slow Cooker)
- Strauss Tough Pan makes casseroles that range in size from 3 to 7 quart; people really like them for making cholent or any task where you want to use a nonstick pot. They’re not so heavy, but they cook evenly and they’re easy to clean.
Strauss Tough Pan Casserole at The Peppermill
- Stockpots come in so many sizes, and the most popular brand is Tramontina, which offers a heavy gage of stainless steel and aluminum core at a reasonable price. The exterior is also brushed, which is a nice feature and it will retain heat all the way up the sides. Stockpots are usually just used for making chicken soup. It’s not necessary to invest in a more expensive pot than this.
Tramontina Professional Stainless Steel Stockpot at The Peppermill. Tramontina goes up to 24 quarts. - The Urban Collection is a good lower priced option that also comes in many sizes. Urban goes up to 17 quarts.
Urban Collection Stainless Steel Stockpot at The Peppermill - Cuisinart is also good, but the largest size they make is 12 quarts.
- Farberware Stainless Steel Stockpot at The Kitchen Clique
- Le Creuset Enamel on Steel Stockpot at The Kitchen Clique
- It’s nice to have a wide pot to lay out gefilte or Moroccan fish. Some people prefer a square or rectangular pot to lay out gefilte fish rolls efficiently. A 7 quart rectangle will hold 4-5 rolls of gefilte fish. A square pot can fit 3 side by side, but then you can put a piece of parchment paper and stack layers because it’s deep.
Tramontina Square Covered Roasting Pan from The Peppermill
Analon Wide Stockpot from The Peppermill
Korkmaz Wide Stainless Steel Casserole from The Kitchen Clique
We have 2 more complete guides for you to check out, stainless steel and nonstick.
AM says
Best 8 qt soup pot? Not specifically for chicken soup – just soups in general.
Bb says
Farberware or Korkmaz. They are heavy enough so you can start off your soup by sauteing vegetables or making a roux (what my grandmother used to call an einbren in Yiddish). They conduct heat very well. And they won’t drain your wallet, especially if you buy them before Pesach when the Jewish houseware stores often have open stock on sale.