Saucier Pan vs. Saucepan – What’s the Difference?

It is easy to confuse a saucier pan with a saucepan, especially if you are not a big fan of cooking.

So, what is the difference between a saucepan and a saucier pan, and which one is better for you?

Let’s find out!

Saucier Pan vs. Saucepan

Ready to add a new pan to your collection? Well, before you head out to the market and buy the first pan you see, it is best to take out time and learn about the different pans available.

Check out the basic differences between a saucier pan and a saucepan to see which one is a better fit for you!

Shape and Design

You can differentiate between a saucier pan and a saucepan simply by looking at its shape. While a standard saucepan has straight sides, a saucier pan has a curved bottom.

In other words, a saucier pan does not have corners.

It is shaped like a bowl with rounded edges. The curve is much more prominent in a saucier pan than a saucepan.

Ease of Use

Both saucier pan and saucepan are easy to use. They can be used to perform a variety of jobs around the kitchen. However, most people find it easier to use a saucier pan as compared to a saucepan.

This is because the curved bottom of a saucier pan eliminates corners.

As a result, the food is cooked more evenly and the chance of burning is significantly reduced. This is a big advantage because even slightly burnt food can ruin the flavor of the entire dish!

For all these reasons, many people prefer using saucier pans over standard saucepans.

A potential drawback of saucier pans is that some of them may be too curvy or short to use a steamer basket. So, if you like to steam your food, it is best to either opt for a saucepan or choose a saucier pan carefully.

Look for a saucier pan that is adequately curved but also long enough to allow full insertion of a steamer basket. Also, watch out for rivets.

Avoid any pan with rivets to make sure you can easily fit a steamer basket into your pan.

Cleaning

The shape of the saucepan makes it more susceptible to burning food. Even with heavy scrubbing, it can be hard to get rid of burned food in the corners.

Therefore, many people soak the pan to loosen up the gunk. While soaking works, it is not the best idea to soak your metal pans.

Even your stainless steel pans can get damaged irreversibly if they are frequently soaked for extended periods. As a result, the lifespan of the pan may significantly reduce.

So, when it comes to cleaning a saucepan, it is best to avoid soaking and stick to elbow grease.

On the other hand, the curved walls of a saucier pan significantly reduce the chance of burning. As a result, no or less food sticks on a saucier pan while cooking, making it easier to clean the pan afterward.

There’s also no need for soaking, which means that your saucier pan will last longer!

Versatility

Both pans can be used to perform almost the same tasks around the kitchen. However, the saucier pan outperforms the saucepan in some areas.

This is especially true when it comes to preparing dishes that require lots of stirring, whisking, or tossing of the ingredients. The rounded bottom of the saucier pan increases the reach, allowing you to easily whisk or toss the ingredients.

On the other hand, food in the corners of the saucepan can’t be tossed properly and often overheats.

So, even if the saucier pan is essentially the same as a saucepan, it does a better job as compared to a saucepan!

Cooking Surface Area

Many people overlook the significance of the cooking surface area when buying a new pan. However, it is an important factor that must be considered if you wish to buy the perfect pan.

The cooking surface area of a pan affects the evaporation process while cooking. The larger the cooking surface area, the faster the moisture will evaporate.

With straight sides, a standard saucepan offers less cooking surface area than a curved saucier pan.

When using a saucepan, if you double the quantity of the fluid, the volume is increased but the cooking surface area remains the same. This is not the case with a saucier pan!

Thanks to the curved sidewalls, a saucier pan has a wider mouth. So, when you increase the quantity of fluid, the surface area also increases, resulting in faster evaporation.

The only remaining question is why do you need fast evaporation in the first place?

Well, fast evaporation is a plus when you are boiling some fluid or reducing a sauce. It also allows you to simmer your food quickly and thoroughly to concentrate flavors.

Cost

The cost of a pan is a very important factor to consider when you are buying a pan. The price of the pans varies depending on many factors.

It must be noted that the size of the pan, the quality and material of the pan, and the brand you choose affect the cost of the pan.

However, keep in mind that saucier pans are generally more expensive than saucepans.

This is because saucier pans are often considered to be easier to use and more versatile. They also offer a better fluid to surface area ratio.

Best Tool for Stirring

Generally, a lot of stirring is involved when you are using a saucier pan or a saucepan to cook up your favorite dishes. Owing to the different shapes of the pan, you require different tools to stir properly.

If you are using a saucier pan, it is best to use a balloon whisk. The rounded tip of a balloon whisk will reach all parts of the saucier pan.

However, if you use the same whisk for stirring in a saucepan, it will not reach the corners. As a result, your food is highly likely to burn. So, the right choice of stirring tool for saucepan is a ball whisk.

The problem is that the ball whisk is not as common as a balloon whisk. So, while you probably already have a balloon whisk in the kitchen, you may have to buy a ball whisk specifically for your saucepan.

If a ball whisk is not available, you can also use a long spoon to reach the corners of a straight-sided saucepan. However, keep in mind that it is not the best option.

While a spoon may reach the corners, it is unlikely to stir as well as a whisk. It can also damage the saucepan, especially if it is nonstick.

Tips When Buying a Saucier Pan or a Sauce Pan

Now that you know the differences between saucier pans and saucepans, you can choose the one that suits you the best.

Let’s take a look at some additional buying tips that will help you pick the perfect pan!

Check the Balance

Before you buy any pan, make sure it balances well. Saucier pans and saucepans are usually small in size with long handles. If the handle is heavy, your pan can lose its balance.

You don’t want your pan to lose balance and topple over. Therefore, make sure the pan you purchase is balanced.

See If It’s Oven-Safe

Check to see if the pan is oven-safe to make sure you can use it safely in the oven.

However, if you do not plan on using your pan for braising, you can skip this step and choose any pan of your choice.

Consider the Pan Weight

Pan weight is a matter of personal choice.

However, make sure that the pan is not too heavy.

Heavy pans are difficult to carry around and hard to use. On the other hand, it should not be too light either, as that can cause the pan to topple over while cooking.

Opt for a Non-Reactive Pan

Saucier pans and saucepans are generally used for cooking foods that are mostly liquid, including acidic foods like tomato sauce and soups.

Therefore, it is a good idea to opt for a metal pan that is also non-reactive.

The Bottom Line…

A saucier pan is similar to a saucepan in many ways. Both pans can be used for the same purpose – cooking fluids and mostly liquid foods.

However, in our humble opinion, a saucier pan is far superior than the saucepan. The additional advantages offered by a saucier pan are mainly due to its curved shaped.

So, the next time you want to whip up a sauce or make custard for dessert, reach out for your saucier pan without a second thought.

On the other hand, if you need a pan for performing simple tasks like boiling water, pasta, or potatoes, a standard saucepan can give you the best results!

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