Essential Kitchen Tools: Pots and Pans

A trip to any cookware department or specialty store can be overwhelming when starting to equip your kitchen. With so many choices of pots and pans out there - some breathtakingly expensive - knowing what you really need versus what are nice extras can be tough to figure out.

But unless you do a lot of specialized cooking, there's only a few core pieces you need to start with. Whether you're stocking your own kitchen or shopping for your favorite college graduate getting a first apartment, here's some help narrowing down your list.

A non-stick skillet, about 10"-12" in diameter, is perfect for cooking eggs, making a batch of pancakes, or whipping up a stir fry. Incredibly versatile but one of the few pans that you should expect to replace every few years. No matter the price or quality, the non-stick finish will eventually start to lose its effectiveness and to wear out, so there's no need to go for top-of-line here.

Non-stick cookware also needs a little extra care during use. Metal utensils are a no-no, and you shouldn't overheat the pan as the finish starts to breakdown over about 550F.

The T-Fal Professional Total Nonstick pan and Farberware Millennium Soft Touch are both highly-rated models sold for reasonable prices.

Alternative to Non-Stick

Cast iron is often given as a longer lasting - and potentially healthier - option to non-stick pans. Properly seasoned cast iron can, indeed, perform like non-stick finishes and last for literally generations. It's also very affordable, particularly considering the lifespan of each piece. But it's heavy and requires some extra care to build and maintain that seasoned surface.

Lodge is one of the best known brands in cast iron and offers skillets that are pre-seasoned, giving you a head start. Cast iron also has the advantage of being able to go from stove top to oven and is great for baking biscuits.

Depending on your cooking style and size of your household, you might need just a small and a medium size saucepan. A small pot (about 1.5 quarts) is perfect for heating a can of soup, making a serving of oatmeal, or heating up pasta sauce for one or two. A medium size saucepan (2 to 3 quarts) can cook up pasta for the same number.

But if you routinely cook for more or make up larger batches for leftovers and freezing, go with medium- and large-size saucepans. If you can afford it, go for all three sizes, and be sure they come with lids.

The usual high-end choice is All-Clad, but the Cuisinart MultiClad line gets very high marks with similar performance at a much lower price.