Pots & Pans

1. The chef's pan is a hybrid design that's invaluable once you've discovered its versatile niche. Chefs pans are great for braising, frying, or making sauces, and their sloping sides make reductions easy. The French call them fait tout: does everything.

2. Lightly seared and slowly cooked is the way of the braiser, a method that produces delicious pot roasts, beef, vegetables, and more. Braisers are deep, heavy, versatile pans that can be used to cook an entire meal or poach or bake a favorite dish.

3. Put eggs back on the breakfast menu with omelet pans and egg poachers—or better yet, a pan that gives you both in one. For families who love their eggs scrambled, fried, and poached, an omelet pan with removable egg poacher is an eggcelent compromise.

4. Casseroles are the ultimate comfort food, never more so than with the colorful and homey designs of casserole pans from Cuisinart and Rachael Ray. Cuisinart casserole pans are a Pans.com favorite, thanks to their vintage style, cast iron construction, and superb heat retention.

5. Dutch ovens are a traditional cast iron kitchen classic. A Dutch oven can roast, braise, cook, or simmer a variety of dishes on stove or in oven, with even heating and a well-sealed lid for flavorful family-size meals.

6. Everyone loves crepes—or really thin pancakes, as Ricky Bobby would call them. Turn your kitchen into a crêperie with our cast aluminum crepe pans, which provide even heating and batter distribution for exquisite breakfast and dessert delicacies.

7. Griddles and grill pans are overlooked masters of healthy dinners and decadent breakfasts. A grill pan can be used for low-fat, high-heat cooking of steak, poultry, hamburger, and vegetables. Nordic Ware waffle griddles make Belgian waffles a crisp and delicious breakfast treat.

8. For those who are new to the world of cookware, fry pans and skillets are a great place to begin. A nonstick skillet is forgiving of the beginning cook, easy to clean, and handy for making fast yet nutritious meals.

9. A double boiler is a cook's insurance policy for delicate liquids. All-in-one double boilers or double boilers with an upper vessel and pot provide gentle, gradual heating of sauces that are otherwise prone to burn without frequent stirring.

10. Stock pots are maestros of soup, but don't sell them short. With the right-sized stock pot (12 quarts is a versatile size), you can make everything from chili, pasta, and spaghetti sauce to steamed lobster and boiled shrimp.