Saucier Vs Saucepan: Which one is Best for your Needs?

Saucier or saucepan may look similar, but a detailed comparison reveals the differences. It is important for a beginner or someone who doesn’t spend much time in the kitchen to understand these differences. This article explains the major difference between the two and helps you get the best tool for your needs.

Structure and Sizes

A saucepan has defined corners and it’s a flat bottom pan. It is relatively smaller and has straight walls than saucier. It can be with or without a lid. A saucepan can have a rectangular or straight profile. While on the other hand, saucier has a half-circle profile. It is a curvy-shaped bowl that lacks proper corners. It has rounded edges and prominent curves.

Saucepans are available in various sizes from 1-4 quarts. Similarly, a saucier size range is 1-5.5 quarts. Although the most common size range for saucier is 1.5-2 quarts. Saucier and saucepan both are available in stainless steel, cast iron, aluminum to copper coatings, and non-stick materials.

Cooking options

From boiling water to cooking pasta, a saucepan offers versatility in its uses. More commonly, it is used for sauteing vegetables and making soups and pasta. It is not ideal for stocks or strews due to its limited size. A saucier is extensively used for dishes that need tossing, whisking, and stirring. Its curvy bottom makes mixing and stirring easy. Additionally, sauces and risottos are also made in saucier. A saucepan is a better option for soups than a saucier.

Usability

Saucier and saucepan, both are easy to use and handle. However, if one has to choose between these two, then a saucier is easier to use than a saucepan. Saucier has no defined corners so mixing and stirring are easy in it. So, you can cook food evenly and the risk of burning food is minimum in saucier. On contrary, due to specific corners, food may slightly burn in the saucepan if you can’t stir or mix properly.

For a steamer basket, a saucepan is a preferable choice because of its defined shape. While due to the curvy shape, a saucier is not a good option for a steamer basket.

Surface area for cooking

Saucier offers a large cooking area than a saucepan due to its curvy walls. The wide exposure area of the saucier is due to its curvy sidewalls. A saucepan may hold more fluid volume but its cooking surface area is smaller than saucier. More surface area reduces cooking time. Hence, a saucier is a better option for making sauces quickly.

Cleaning

A saucepan is difficult to clean because it has straight edges and corners. It usually requires tough scrubbing and soaking before you can clean it perfectly. However, soaking is not always recommended for stainless steel saucepans.

A saucier is easier to clean compared to a saucepan. Its curvy walls don’t require scrubbing or soaking as food particles don’t cling to curves stubbornly.

Storage

Saucepans are easier to store because smaller ones can be stacked with bigger ones. Sauciers have wide openings and allow you to store other items in them.

Both are easy to store, but sauciers have a wider footprint, while saucepans require more vertical space.

Prices

The price range for saucier and saucepan depends upon the size, material, brand, handle quality and handle length. A saucier is not as common as a saucepan. Its price range is $55.37-299.95. A saucepan is a common kitchenware. You can get a saucepan for $54.95-119.95.

Saucier Vs Saucepan: Comparison Table

Final Words: Saucier or Saucepan, which is the best?

There is no denying that both sauciers and saucepans are easy-to-use and multipurpose kitchen tools. A saucier is best for stirring and whisking, while a saucepan is better for steaming and soup-making.

Tips for Buying the Best Pan for your kitchen (Saucier or Saucepan)

• Balance: Select a pan that has a good balance on the stove. You will frequently be shaking the contents, stirring, and whisking. This feature becomes more critical when you have a grated stovetop.
• Oven-Safety: It is better to buy an oven-safe pan as it lets you make more dishes and is a versatile option.
• Dishwasher Safe: It makes cleaning easy. You can just wash it along with other dishes.
• Pan Weight: Heavy pans are usually stable on the stovetop but difficult to carry around and wash. Lightweight pans are easier to manage but have lesser stability while cooking.
• Non-Reactivity: You may be cooking acidic solutions in the pan. Hence, it is better to select a pan with a non-reactive surface.
• Surface: A non-stick pan is better because it is easier to clean, and food particles don’t stick on the surface.
• Size: Select a pan according to the meal size you usually cook. You must also consider your stove size before buying a pan.

FAQs

1. Are saucepans good for frying?

Saucepans are made for boiling, simmering, and sauteing. Hence, their structure does not allow moisture to escape. They are not ideal for frying because they are deep and you will need a lot of oil to fry in saucepan. Moreover, it will be difficult to put and remove items in it while frying. A saucier can be used for frying to some extent.

2. Which pan is preferred for making sauces?

Sauces need continuous stirring and mixings. Stainless steel saucier pans are the best options for sauces. They offer a large surface area for easy mixing and stirring.

3. Can a saucepan replace a saucier?

Yes. Sauciers and saucepans are quite similar and can be used interchangeably. However, it doesn’t mean that they should be. Both of the tools have their purposes and must not be mixed.