Saucepans & Sauciers

Saucepan vs. Saucier: What's the Difference?

Enhance your cookware collection with a saucepan and a saucier. Although these two pieces are similar, there are some differences between them. Having both in your kitchen ensures you can tackle a variety of cooking tasks, from simmering soup to melting chocolate.

What is a Saucepan?

Saucepans are one of the most useful cookware pieces you can own. Most of these pans come with a lid and they're available in different sizes. Sauce pots have a handle for easy carrying. Some of the things you can do with one of these pans include:

• Heating soups and stews
• Warming canned or leftover foods on the stovetop
• Cooking pasta sauce or gravy
• Boiling small quantities of pasta or vegetables

These pans are made from durable materials such as stainless steel and copper. Many of them have a nonstick coating to prevent food from sticking and make cleanup easier. Sauce pots and pans are sold individually and in sets at Williams Sonoma to suit your needs.

What is a Saucier?

Sauciers look similar to saucepans. The major difference is that the saucier has a more rounded shape. This allows for effective stirring and whisking of delicate sauces, although that's not all you can do with one of these sauce pots. With a saucier, you can:

• Melt chocolate
• Make caramel
• Reduce and simmer sauces
• Cook risotto
• Saute vegetables

Williams Sonoma has All-Clad ™ sauciers and those from brands such as Mauviel and Le Creuset. You'll also find related products from brands like these. For example, the butter warmer -- a small pot that's designed for melting butter and keeping it at a warm temperature. There's also the sugar pot for candy-making and the zabaglione pot for preparing the Italian custard dessert of the same name.

Caring for Your Saucier or Sauce Pot

Taking care of your new cookware is relatively simple. Many of the pots and pans in the selection at Williams Sonoma are dishwasher-safe. For those that are to be washed by hand, use a gentle dishwashing detergent and hot water. Although most of these pots are highly resistant to scratches, it's probably a good idea to avoid harsh detergents or rough scrubbers.

Find the saucepan that's right for you in the selection at Williams Sonoma. There are also accessories for your pans, such as oven mitts and pot holders. You may also want to consider a pot rack for convenient storage of your cookware.