Sauce Pans & Sauciers

Simmering sauces, cooking rice and grains, boiling eggs, reheating soups, and making oatmeal are its everyday jobs, thanks to tall, straight sides and a fitted lid. Smaller saucepans (1 to 1.5 quarts) handle melting butter or a single serving, while 3-quart sizes cover most daily cooking. For perfect grains, see how to cook rice.

A saucepan has straight, tall sides that maximize liquid capacity, while a saucier has curved, rounded sides that make whisking and stirring easier. The curved shape of a saucier prevents food from getting trapped in corners, which is especially useful for custards, risottos, and delicate sauces. The Tramontina Bestow enameled cast iron covered saucier combines that curved design with excellent heat retention. For the rest of the lineup, see our guide to the types of pots.

A 2 to 3 quart saucepan covers most everyday cooking needs, from sauces and grains to reheating leftovers. A 1 to 1.5 quart saucepan is useful for smaller tasks like melting butter, warming milk, or making a single serving. If you cook for a family regularly, having both a small and a medium saucepan gives you the most flexibility. When a recipe needs more depth, our cooking pots run from small sauce pots to big stock pots.

What you cook most often decides it. For sauces, soups, and anything acidic, the Signature tri-ply stainless steel saucepan heats evenly and won't react with tomatoes, citrus, or wine. If fast cleanup is the priority, a ceramic non-stick saucepan with an interior made without intentionally added PTFE, PFOA, PFAS, lead, and cadmium means less scrubbing. For slow simmering, the Bestow enameled cast iron saucier holds steady heat longest.

Stainless steel saucepans with magnetic bases, including Tramontina's tri-ply clad and tri-ply base models, are fully compatible with induction cooktops. Check the product specifications for other materials, as induction compatibility varies. A simple test is to hold a magnet to the bottom of the pan. If it sticks firmly, the pan will work on induction.

Preheat your stainless steel saucepan over medium heat for one to two minutes before adding oil or butter. When the oil shimmers or the butter foams, the pan is ready. Adding food to a properly preheated pan with a thin layer of fat prevents most sticking. Browse more stainless steel cookware built for this technique.

Cool the pan slightly, then wash with warm water and a mild dish soap. For stuck-on food, fill the pan with water and bring it to a simmer to loosen residue, then scrub with a non-abrasive sponge. White mineral deposits from hard water come off with a quick simmer of one part vinegar to three parts water. Avoid steel wool, which can scratch the surface.

Check the label first: many Tramontina stainless steel saucepans are dishwasher safe, though hand washing preserves the finish longer. Ceramic non-stick and enameled cast iron saucepans should be hand washed to protect the coating. The care instructions with your specific model have the final word.