This is not a comprehensive list of everything we tested in previous iterations of this guide, just what’s still available.
The Farberware Classic 2-Quart Saucepan with Lid is a fine pan to boil water in. Because it isn’t fully clad, it doesn’t heat as evenly as our pick from Tramontina, and it may scorch your food. We’ve also found that the handle loosens over time.
The Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel 2-Quart Saucepan with Cover heated about as evenly as the 2-quart Tramontina Signature saucepan, but it’s less comfortable to hold. And we have concerns about the quality and durability of this pan because we saw a skillet from the same line warp during our testing of cookware sets.
We like the idea of the contoured handle of the Made In 3-Quart Saucier, but the finger rest seems dangerously close to the body of the pan. Though it’s less expensive than the All-Clad saucier we recommend, it’s made from five-ply stainless steel, which makes it heavier and slower to heat up than tri-ply pans.
We know, the Great Jones Saucy is beautiful. It works fine, and we like the measurements etched inside the pan, but we found the loop-shaped handle uncomfortable to hold, and the pouring spout only works if you’re right-handed.
The Le Creuset 2-Quart Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepan with Lid is too expensive for a regular saucepan; for the price, we prefer the 2.5-quart All-Clad saucier.
We tested the Mauviel M’Urban Tri-Ply Sauce Pan With Lid in three sizes: 1.8-quart, 2.6-quart, and 3.4-quart. The handles tended to get uncomfortably hot, the tall, straight walls were difficult to whisk in, and the large size did not have a helper handle.
The wide, chunky handles of the 2-quart and the 2.64-quart de Buyer Alchimy 3-Ply Stainless Steel Saucepans were too hot to grasp after boiling water. The larger pan did not have a helper handle, and you have to buy the lids separately.
The American Kitchen Stainless Steel Saucepans, in 2-quart, 3-quart, and 4-quart sizes, had straight walls that made getting into the corners with a whisk and a wooden spoon difficult, leaving clumps of unincorporated dry ingredients in our chocolate pudding.
The 3-quart Caraway Saucepan was one of the three five-ply models we tested. The lid was extremely heavy, and the pan, while considerably more expensive than our top pick, was not more effective in our tests.
The Misen 3-Quart Stainless Steel Saucier, another five-ply saucepan we tested, has a smooth, bowl-like shape that was a delight to whisk and stir in. It was also the heaviest medium saucepan we tested, which made it difficult to handle, clean, and pour from using one hand.
We also tested the 2.5-quart All-Clad G5 Graphite Core Stainless Steel 5-Ply Saucier. Although it was impressively light for a five-ply pan, it did not perform better than our saucier pick to justify its hefty price.
The 3-quart Hestan Professional Clad Stainless Steel Pan was one of the most expensive pans we tested. The straight walls made whisking, stirring, and scraping a challenge, especially when mixing together dry and wet ingredients. Its short, thin handles didn’t feel comfortable or secure.
We tested two IKEA saucepans: the 2-quart 365+ Saucepan, and the 2.5-quart Sensuell Saucepan. Both performed poorly in our tests. The 365+ pan, the only non-clad pot we tested, had thin walls that heated rapidly and unevenly. The glass window in the metal lid fogged up immediately, and the silicone-wrapped handle got too hot to touch. It was also the heaviest small saucepan we tested.
This article was edited by Gabriella Gershenson and Marguerite Preston.
