Kitchen

[Mellyg]

I recently decided it was time for new pots. I didn't need to   purchase a set (as I have quality pans); and have 2  Le Creusets (that get used regularly). 

I understand everyone has a different need for sizes of pots (dependent on type of cooking, skill level, family size).  That being said, what pots do you find "necessary" for your cooking needs?  

[amyb]

small 1 qt sauce pot for little jobs.

my 2 and 3 qt pots ...rice, quinuoa, soups, steaming veggies etc 

my 5 1/2 qt dutch oven...soups, stews, big jobs

[ScrapHappy]

Years ago I got rid of my old pot and pan set and replaced them with just the pieced I'd use most often.  I got all clad:  

12 inch nonstick fry pan with lid

omlette pan 

essential nonstick pan with lid: basicaly like a frying pan but deeper.  Found this in the clearance section.  I use this a lot for stir fry, all in one skillet meals, etc.

very large soup pot (don't know size, it has something in it on the stove right now)

pasta pot with drainer

1.5 qt. saucepan

3 qt. saucepan

All clad stove top grill pan

[ALRATIBA]

All of mine are essential .... otherwise I wouldn't have them.  

I have a set with a bunch of different sizes. 

In addition - large cast iron frying pan.

[Still Raining]

Since it is just me, my 8" cast iron skillet and rice cooker get the most use.

Poor ole skillet often gets reused each day.

[lork]

I'm a widow, but cook everyday, often for friends & family.  For about 40 years, I cooked with a huge set of cookware we were given as a wedding gift.  So many pieces, some I never used, and some I literally wore out.  Anyway, I put them away (didn't discard) and now use Rachel Ray's 8 qt pasta pan, a couple of Curtis Stone's small skillets, a QVC 2 quart pot (multiple uses daily!) 3 cast iron (garage sale) skillets, a cast iron grill pan and griddle.  I also love a large Staub duch oven I bought at TJMax for just over $100.  I think I'm set for the rest of my life!

[Sooner]

We almost never use our All Clad 4 qt. pot, which used to be in constant use.  Now we use an Instant Pot (often the 3 qt.) for much of that type of cooking:  Soups, greens, sweet potatoes, etc.

We use a stainless wok-shaped All Clad a lot for stir frys and it cleans up easily.

On the stove, we use a 4 qt. and a smaller Le Creuset soup pot almost daily.  We use LC cast iron skillets as well to saute or make cornbread.

Our stainless steel All Clad pots are rarely used, but their smaller skillets are.  We just cook very differently than we did 5 years or more ago.

[Mellyg]

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@ScrapHappy wrote:

Years ago I got rid of my old pot and pan set and replaced them with just the pieced I'd use most often.  I got all clad:  

12 inch nonstick fry pan with lid

omlette pan 

essential nonstick pan with lid: basicaly like a frying pan but deeper.  Found this in the clearance section.  I use this a lot for stir fry, all in one skillet meals, etc.

very large soup pot (don't know size, it has something in it on the stove right now)

pasta pot with drainer

1.5 qt. saucepan

3 qt. saucepan

All clad stove top grill pan

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I went with All Clad, as well. I was contemplating the pasta pot w/drainer; I should have purchased that.

For some reason, I rationalized buying a 2qt saucier and a 2qt saucepan w/lid. Now that they are here, I'm wondering "what was I thinking"?!

[Sooner]

@Mellyg Don't worry about that strainer from All Clad.  We have it and almost never use it.  It is too easy to dump the pasta out from a smaller pot into a strainer or just scoop it out with a Chinese strainer or sieve!    Also, you don't need a ton of water to cook pasta either like you see and hear on tv.  

Your saucier is a lot like the All Clad soup type pots we have and use a lot.  

[nyc1]

I LOVE to cook and bake.  Some of your choices should depend on how many people you are cooking for.  You also can add on with other brands.  I have a lot of Cook's Essential basic pots and have quite a few Staub pieces that I love and a Lodge cast iron skillet.   We are only 2 but I love to entertain, and look forward to doing that again.  I also like to cook enough, most of the time, to have left overs.  I own A LOT of pots, and use them.    This would be just the start of a basic set for me....  

1-1/2 qt sauce pan (i like having 2 of these)

8" non stick fry pan

10" non stick fry pan 

10" fry pan

13" fry pan

double boiler (you can use as a steamer & the bottom alone as an additonal pot)

4 qt stock pot

larger stock pot (bigger than the 4 qt)

pasta pot with drain

WOK - critical for me (I have 2 NON STICK, which I prefer)

cast iron skillet (I have 2 - 1 with ridges and one flat)

I use a lot more than the above, but these are the very basics used ALL THE TIME.

Also sheet pans!!!!