Types of Pots and Pan Sizes: A Practical Guide to for Everyday Cooking
Author: Hamlet Fort | December 22, 2025 | Time to read: 7 min
Cooking at home should feel grounding, not overwhelming. Yet when you start looking at cookware, it can quickly feel like every recipe calls for a different pot or pan, each in multiple sizes. Before long, cupboards are full, and you are still unsure which pan to reach for on a busy weeknight.
So how many pots and pans do you actually need? And what sizes make sense for real kitchens and real meals?
In short: most home-cooks can cover nearly everything they cook with a small, a medium, and a large pan, plus a small and a larger pot. This guide breaks down the most common types of pots and pan sizes, what they are used for, and how to choose sizes that support the way you cook, without filling your kitchen with cookware you rarely use.
The main types of pots and pans (and what they do)
Before getting into sizes, it helps to understand the basic roles different cookware plays.
Frying pans are wide and shallow, designed for sautéing, frying, and searing.
Sauté pans are similar but usually have straighter sides and a lid, making them useful for shallow braises and sauces.
Saucepans are smaller pots with taller sides, ideal for sauces, grains, and reheating.
Larger pots (often similar to stockpots or Dutch oven–style pots) are designed for soups, stews, pasta, and batch cooking.
Many modern pans combine several of these functions, but size still plays a major role in how food cooks.
💡Pro Tip:
Pans can come in various materials. Read our cookware material guide for a deeper explanation of how materials perform.
Common pan sizes and when to use them
Pan size affects how evenly food cooks, how well it browns, and how much you can comfortably make at once. Overcrowding a pan leads to steaming instead of searing, while a pan that is too large can feel awkward for smaller meals.
Small pans (22 to 24 cm)
Best for:
Eggs, pancakes, and single portions
Sides such as sautéed greens or mushrooms
Cooking for one, or as a second pan alongside a main dish
These pans heat quickly and are easy to control, making them useful even in larger kitchens.
Medium pans (26 to 28 cm)
Best for:
Everyday cooking
One-pan meals for one to four people
Sautéing vegetables, cooking proteins, or shallow braising
For most home-cooks, this is the most-used pan size. It offers enough surface area for browning without taking over the hob. Some people prefer a versatile pan in this range that can sauté, steam, and braise, like our Always Pan®, which sits comfortably in the 26 to 28 cm category.
Large pans (30 to 32 cm)
Best for:
Family-size meals
Batch cooking
Hosting and gatherings
Recipes that need space, such as stir-fries or shallow braises
Large pans are not essential for everyone, but they are invaluable if you often cook for groups or want extra room to avoid crowding food.
💡Pro Tip:
If you cook on gas, make sure the flame stays beneath the base of the pan. Oversized flames can waste energy and stress cookware. Our guide to the best cookware for gas stoves goes deeper into this.
Common pot sizes and what they are best for
Pots are all about volume. Thinking in litres rather than diameter makes it easier to choose what you need.
Small pots (1 to 1.5 litres)
Best for:
Cooking grains like rice or quinoa
Making sauces and reductions
Reheating soups or leftovers
Cooking for one or two
This is the pot many home-cooks reach for most often, especially for smaller portions.
Medium to large pots (5 to 6.5 litres)
Best for:
Soups and stews
Pasta and noodles
Braising vegetables or meat
Batch cooking and hosting
A pot in this range is often the backbone of a kitchen. Many people prefer a single, well-designed pot that can boil, braise, roast, and strain, rather than several single-purpose pieces.
What size pots and pans do I actually need?
Instead of thinking in terms of sets, it helps to think about how you cook.
If you cook for one or two
One small pan (22 to 24 cm)
One medium pan (26 to 28 cm)
One small pot (1 to 1.5 litres)
One medium pot (5 to 6 litres)
If you cook for a family or host often
One medium pan
One large pan (30 to 32 cm)
One small pot
One large pot (6 to 6.5 litres)
This combination supports most meals without overcrowding your cupboards or your hob.
How pan size affects cooking performance and safety
Using the right size pan is not just about convenience. It has a direct impact on cooking results and cookware longevity.
Better browning: Food needs space for moisture to escape. Larger pans reduce steaming and improve searing.
More even heat: When a pan is properly sized for the hob and the amount of food, heat distributes more evenly.
Safer cooking: Overcrowded pans often lead people to turn the heat up too high, which is not ideal for ceramic non-stick cookware designed for low to medium heat.
💡Pro Tip:
For a closer look at how stainless steel compares to nonstick in everyday cooking, read our Stainless Steel vs Ceramic Nonstick guide.
Choosing cookware that fits how you cook
The goal is not to own every size available. It is to choose cookware that supports your routines and the meals you make most often.
Ceramic non-stick pans are well suited for everyday cooking and delicate foods when used on low to medium heat (up to 230°C). Titanium cookware, , by contrast, is designed for durability and higher-heat cooking, which can be useful for larger pans or frequent searing.
No matter the material, size should come first. A well-chosen pan or pot earns its place by being used often, not by sitting untouched in the cupboard.
A thoughtful cookware setup does not begin with trends or oversized sets. It begins with understanding what you cook, who you cook for, and how much space your meals need. When your pots and pans are sized for real life, cooking feels calmer, more confident, and more enjoyable.
Frequently Asked Questions
What size pans should I have in my kitchen?
Most kitchens benefit from a small pan (22 to 24 cm), a medium pan (26 to 28 cm), and, if you cook for groups, a large pan (30 to 32 cm).
What size pots do I need?
A small pot around 1 to 1.5 litres and a larger pot between 5 and 6.5 litres will cover most everyday cooking needs.
Do I need a large pan?
Not everyone does. Large pans are most useful if you cook family-size meals, host often, or want extra space to avoid overcrowding food.
Is a 30 cm pan too big for everyday cooking?
For some people, yes. Medium pans are often more practical for daily meals, while large pans are most useful when cooking for several people.
