If you are starting to take your cooking seriously and trying new recipes at home or maybe you are a seasoned cook and just need some new pans then you should look at getting a saute pan with a lid.
What’s the difference between a saute pan and a frying pan I hear you ask? And why do I need one?
Well, the main difference is that a frying pan has angled edges and a saute pan has flat steep sides. This means that the food being cooked in a saute pan is less likely to fly out of the pan. This can be especially useful when you are making certain cooking methods that might require light frying such as a fish, or if you are making a curry in a pan that has a lot of sauce in that’s involved in the cooking process. Of course, you will want to make sure you purchase one with a lid as some dishes will require you to pop the lid on and let it reduce or soak up the liquid for some time. Let’s take a look at some of the best saute pans with a lid.
Table of Contents
Top 10 Best Saute Pans With Lids
Le Creuset 3 Ply Stainless Steel Saute Pan With Lid
Le Creuset is one of the most well-known kitchen brands out there. They are expensive, but they really are built to last. My mum has a load of the stuff that shes collected over the years and she allows herself to buy 1 expensive item of there’s a year. She is happy to spend a lot on 1 item because she knows it will last a lifetime.
This is their classic round stainless steel saute pan that comes with a moisture-retaining lid which means it can be used for everyday cooking.
It is easy to use and clean and can is oven safe so that it can be placed inside the oven which is what you see a lot of the TV chefs doing as the handle is made from the same material as the rest of the pan. Just remember to use a good set of oven gloves when you take it out of the oven!
The pan measures 46cm x 27cm x 10m which means that the surface area inside is slightly smaller.
It weighs 2.25kg which is quite heavy but it is made from stainless steel and that’s before you have even put any food in but as we mentioned before you can be sure its a quality strong item that will last and is dishwasher safe. One thing we think this pan lacked was another handle on the other side of the pan. That way you can grab the pan with 2 handles which can be very handy when needed.
ProCook Non-Stick Saute Pan With Lid
Second, on our best sauté pan list is this great sauté pan which means that it should be a lot easier to clean than some of the other pans on this list. With it being non-stick be careful using metal utensils inside it as it can damage the coating.
The size of the pan is 24.5cm (base) x 8cm (cooking height of the pan) x 55cm (including the handle).
The glass lid is made from toughened glass which has a tight fit and helps seal in the heat and all the flavour and juices.
Some pan handles can get very hot but this pans handle features Cool Touch technology which helps keep the handle cool.
This sauté pan is also dishwasher safe.
As with other saute pans, this one is oven safe and can withstand temperatures of up to 260 degrees.
When doing our research we decided to look at some reviews of this pan. Most reviews we could find were really good with one user saying she now used this pan for all her cooking and would happily buy another.
Tefal Comfort Max Non-Stick Saute Pan
Tefal is one of the most well-known household kitchen brands and they are probably most well known for making amazing pans and it looks like they have made a great saute pan here.
This saute pan comes with Thermospot technology which will let you know when the pan has reached the best temperature to start cooking and help with heat distribution.
The pan itself has a power resist coating which helps provide a non-stick cooking performance and the lid is made from strong glass.
What does the “comfort max” mean? Well, it simply means that it is better for those who are kitting out a new home as each of the products in this range have been ergonomically designed so that the handles etc are comfortable and easy to use. They are soft to the touch and should remain cooler than the pan while you are cooking.
When doing our research we went and read many reviews of this product. People said the non-stick coating was great and even over a year later they had no issues. A few did complain that their food stuck to it but as long as you use enough oil and are careful you should have no issues. It is also dishwasher safe.
Jamie Oliver Tefal Titanium Non-Stick Saute Pan
Jamie Oliver is everywhere and has had his own brand of products for a long time now. To be fair, they are actually pretty good as I have owned a frying pan of his for a long time.
This saute pan comes with a Thermo Spot to let you know when the pan is up to full temperature and has an ultra-resistant non-stick coating so that no food should get stuck onto it. It is also dishwasher safe.
Despite it being a Jamie Oliver pan its actually really well priced when compared to a lot on this list. When doing our research people said that for such a low price they thought it was one of the best pans on the market. As with all products they were a few negatives and the one we found mentioned most was that the outer coating of the pan was coming off.
Vonshef Aluminimum Saute Pan
VonShef is becoming well known for producing quality items. They might not be quite as well known as Tefal and Le Creuset but they are decent enough.
This saute pan is on the larger size at 28cm and can hold up to 4.3l of food or liquid inside it which is perfect for poaching or shallow frying.
There is a non-stick coating inside and the handles are made from cool-touch silicone and it comes with a glass lid.
It is suitable for all hob types including gas, induction and electric.
We did some digging about and found some reviews on this item. In summary, people said it worked on all kinds of hobs. A few negatives were that the non-stick coating was starting to come away quite early on.
GreenPan Cambridge Saute Pan
We wanted to include this saute pan as its made from ceramic non-stick Themolon infinity 3 layer protection on the inside! Basically, what this means is that you can use metal utensils on the inside of it which is really good to know as you can use them without fear of taking the coating off. The manufacturer does recommend that your plastic or wooden utensils if you want the pan to last longer but metal can be used.
It can be used on all hob types and will work fine on induction hobs.
It is oven safe so you can finish off your cooking in the oven but it’s only good up to 180 degrees so please keep that in mind.
We also just love the way this pan looks. The bronze finish is lovely.
We did some research to find what hands-on users had to say about this pan and we found the following. People loved how little oil you had to use to stop the food sticking to it and most had used it on a daily basis without any issues. However, some did comment that the non-stick coating is not as good as a metal Tefal non-stick pan.
Le Creuset Toughened Saute Pan
We thought we would end this article where we started – with a Le Creuset sauté pan (a stainless steel one). If you have the budget, then get one. They are more than double the price of some of the others, but honestly, after putting together this article it seems that most people who buy one of this brand are very happy and we didn’t find anyone saying “Only lasted a week and we had to buy another”. There’s an old phrase, buy cheap buy twice, and it’s not always true, but when it comes to pans I think it might be!
When doing our research and reading reviews it seems people agreed. They said it’s very expensive but worth every penny. A few did mention that they didn’t put it in the dishwasher as they felt that damaged it in the long run and they would rather wash their nice expensive pan by hand.
Buyers Guide
We will now look at some key points to consider when buying one. You may still be wondering why you can’t use one of your frying pans, but hopefully, you realise that a sauté pan is something you need in your kitchen.
Weight
Some of the more expensive pans in this article are heavy! Check the weight of your current pan and then work out how much heavier some of these might be before you order it. You don’t want it to be that heavy that you can’t pour stuff out of it.
Size
A saute pan needs to be quite big as the chances are you will be cooking some kind of fish which will be large in size. It’s better to get a pan that’s slightly too big than one that it is too small.
Handle
Some handles come with technology that makes them stay cooler than the rest of the pan. We really like this and think that its something every pan should have. Who wants to touch red hot handles?
Material
Do you want stainless steel or cast iron? How the heat is conducted is really important and can affect the heat distribution. You want to make sure that the material you choose will allow for even heat distribution. The material will also help as to whether it is oven safe or not. What about the glass on the lid? Do you want tempered glass?
Non Stick Coating
If this something you require? The most well known is probably from teflon with their teflon coating that’s used in a lot of the big brands.
Dishwasher Safe
Having a pan that is dishwasher safe is one of the first things I personally look for. I want to make sure that its dishwasher safe and can be cleaned easily after I’ve given it a quick rinse. After a hard time cooking I don’t want to be scrubbing a pan.
Warranty
Some pans actually come with a lifetime warranty or a lifetime guarantee. These will cost you more, but you might have peace of mind knowing that your pan has a lifetime warranty so that you can return it if it goes wrong.
Induction Base
If you have an induction hob then this is something you will need.
Conclusion
The overall decision you make might be based on your budget. If it is, just make sure you read plenty of reviews and know that it might not last as long as a more expensive one. Double-check that it will work with your induction hob if that is what you have and make sure the non-stick material has good reviews. We hope that this article has helped you pick the best saute pan for your needs. Remember sauté pans are different to frying pans!
