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Best saucier pans

Best saucier pans for every budget, tested and reviewed

Published: November 2, 2026 at 12:17 PM

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Whether you're whisking a silky sauce or slow-stirring a risotto, discover our pick of the best saucier pans for every budget, tried and tested in our kitchen

Saucier, sauteuse and chef’s pans are similar and their versatility goes well beyond making sauces and sautéing. Among the most useful pans in the kitchen, their wide bases and gently sloping, often curved sides make whisking and stirring effortless. Their shape also suits everything from risotto to frying and braising.

Sizes range from the small Kuhn Rikon Chef’s Pan in our test, ideal for sauces and smaller quantities, to hefty chef-style pans such as the ProCook Stainless Steel Sauteuse for cooking in volume. At home, 20–24cm pans such as the budget M&S Tom Kerridge pan, or the blowout Le Creuset Signature Non-Stick Chef’s Pan, are versatile enough for day-to-day use beyond just sauce.

Many are stainless steel, often layered with aluminium or copper for fast, even heating and quick temperature response. Uncoated stainless steel is durable but requires careful heat management, while non-stick needs more care and consideration when choosing utensils.

I put an assortment of six chef’s pans through their paces, comparing price, style, weight and versatility, and cooking risotto and a cheese sauce in each. Read on to find out how they got on.

Good Food saucier pans in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

Best saucier pans at a glance

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How we tested saucier pans

We put each saucier pan through two practical cooking tests to see how they perform in real kitchen situations. First, we made a risotto, which allowed us to see how evenly a pan heats across its base and whether the sloped sides let you stir easily into every corner without leaving pockets of unabsorbed stock. This test also shows how responsive each pan is to temperature changes, which matters when you’re managing the gentle heat risotto needs.

For our second test, we made a cheese sauce using a Good Food recipe. This tests whether the pan heats gently and evenly enough to avoid the flour catching or browning too fast when making a roux, and crucially, whether we could whisk the milk right into the base and edges without lumps forming. We also watched to see if the sauce thickened evenly or showed signs of scorching on the bottom, which tells you a lot about how the pan manages heat distribution during a more delicate cooking task.

As well as the cooking tests, we assessed each pan’s design, materials, build quality, ease of cleaning and value for money, plus practical considerations like whether it’s dishwasher safe, oven safe and how stable it sits on the hob.

Best saucier pans 2026

Le Creuset Signature stainless steel non-stick chef's pan with lid

Available from Le Creuset (£249)

Le Creuset Signature Stainless Steel Non-Stick Chef's Pan with Lid with GF 5* badge

Best blowout saucier pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 5/5

Unboxing the Le Creuset Signature pan was delightful, as a gorgeous, shiny, bright stainless-steel pan emerged. This large 24 cm chef’s pan features the Le Creuset classic three-ring design and has a secure-fitting lid; the lid rim has a tiny notch that lets steam escape and prevents the lid from rattling, which is very clever. I thought the helper handles were useful, especially since the pan already weighs 2.45 kg without ingredients.

The Le Creuset was the only pan in the test with a non-stick coating and the only one that explicitly states it is not dishwasher safe. However, I found nothing stuck, so hand-washing was effortless.

Its three-layer construction delivers exceptional conductivity, and both the risotto and cheese sauce were textbook dishes that cooked beautifully and quickly. Its size also makes it versatile enough for frying, braising and even roasting in the oven.

All this comes at a hefty price; however, with care, I feel this is an investment piece that should last a long time.

Le Creuset Signature Stainless Steel Non-Stick Chef's Pan with Lid in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

Diameter: 24cm
Height: 9cm
Induction compatible: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Oven safe: Yes to 260C
Warranty: Lifetime guarantee

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Made In stainless clad saucier with lid

Available from Made In (£129)

Made In Stainless Clad Saucier with Lid with 5 star good food badge

Best professional-style saucier pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 5/5

The American-branded, Italian-made Made In saucier is a restaurant-style chef’s pan that will be adored by any professional or wannabe chef. The 2.6-litre pan has unfussy styling, with a long handle and small finger grips near the rim that I found make tossing food super easy. A helper handle would make it even better, since the pan is quite heavy at 1.6 kg empty.

I loved the gently curved sides, which roll softly into the flat base, making the pan sturdy on the stove and easy to whisk and stir. Both the risotto and cheese sauce were exemplary, with no sticking on the brushed, uncoated stainless-steel surface. The pan’s lip made pouring easy, and the tightly fitting lid felt secure when moving it around.

With all-recyclable packaging, oven-safe to an astonishing 425C, easy washing, a lifetime guarantee and a good price for the quality and looks, this pan ticks all the boxes.

Diameter: 25cm
Height: 11.4cm
Induction compatible: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Oven safe: Yes to 425C
Warranty: Lifetime guarantee

Made In Stainless Clad Saucier with Lid in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

Available from:

Kuhn Rikon Culinary FivePly chef's pan

Available from Kuhn Rikon (from £99.95)

Kuhn Rikon Culinary FivePly Chef's Pan with Good Food 4.5* badge

Best small saucier pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4.5/5

The Kuhn Rikon 16cm chef’s pan may be small, but I found it versatile and useful. Though it's made from three layers of aluminium sandwiched between stainless steel, it weighs only 900g, is easy to lift and heats quickly and evenly.

The pan has a generously long, stay-cool handle that I found extremely comfortable. Tossing the rice for my one-portion risotto (the pan is too small for more) was simple, and swishing it around to coat in oil was easy too.

Both the cheese sauce and risotto cooked beautifully and quickly, with no catching, while the whisk glided easily around the pan, making a silky cheese sauce. I particularly liked the rolled edge, which made pouring the sauce super easy. Hand-washing was simple, and storage is no problem at this size.

I was surprised by how efficient this small pan is and how well it performed throughout the tests, making it a useful addition to the kitchen. A 20cm pan is also available.

Diameter: 16cm
Height: 6cm
Induction compatible: Yes
Dishwasher safe: Yes, but hand washing is advised
Oven safe: Yes to 240C
Warranty: Limited lifetime guarantee

Kuhn Rikon Culinary FivePly Chef's Pan in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

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Stellar Profile uncoated chef pan

Available from Stellar (£50)

Stellar Profile Uncoated Chef Pan with 4.5 star good food badge

Best quality budget saucier pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4.5/5

I found the Stellar chef pan excellent value. Made from 18/10 stainless steel and weighing slightly over 1kg, most people could use it comfortably, even with ingredients in; a helper handle would make it easier still. The generous handle is comfortable to hold, though it became warm (not hot) over medium heat.

The high-conductivity base heated rapidly, with heat spreading quickly up through the pan and dissipating equally quickly when lowered. The risotto cooked beautifully, and I could whisk around the pan easily. Unfortunately, the cheese sauce burnt at the junction of the base and pan side, though thankfully this didn’t spoil it. Cleaning was difficult because of the burnt food, and it needed an overnight soak.

For the price, this is a great buy and performs well, and the lifetime guarantee adds to its value, but I feel it needs a keen eye on the heat to prevent burning.

Diameter: 24cm
Height: 8cm
Induction compatible: Yes
Dishwasher safe: Yes, but hand washing is advised
Oven safe: Yes to 240C
Warranty: Lifetime

Stellar Profile Uncoated Chef Pan in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

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M&S X Tom Kerridge chef sauté pan

Available from Marks and Spencer (from £40)

M&S X Tom Kerridge Chef Sauté Pan with 4.5* Good Food badge

Best budget saucier pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4.5/5

The M&S Tom Kerridge chef sauté pan is the cheapest pan on test, yet it certainly doesn’t look or feel like it. The 20cm size is ideal for smaller quantities of food, yet large enough for more than just sauces or risotto without being heavy.

I particularly liked the secure feel of the long, softly brushed handle, though the lid knob gets hot during cooking, so it needs handling with care.

The copper-layered base conducted heat quickly and evenly, while the pan’s soft curves made whisking and stirring easy. My risotto stuck slightly, but a few extra tablespoons of stock quickly loosened it. The cheese sauce was thick, lump-free and silky, though some milk caught on the base. A short soak made it easy to clean.

Overall, this pan offers excellent value and surprisingly good quality, despite a few compromises, including the lack of an apparent warranty.

Diameter: 20cm
Height: 11.6cm
Induction compatible: Yes
Dishwasher safe: No
Oven safe: Yes to 240C
Warranty: None

M&S X Tom Kerridge Chef Sauté Pan in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

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ProCook Professional stainless steel sauteuse pan

Available from ProCook (£55)

ProCook Professional Stainless Steel Sauteuse Pan with 4.5 star good food badge

Best large saucier pan

Pros

Cons

Star rating: 4.5/5

The ProCook sauteuse means business. At 28cm in diameter, holding 4.6 litres and weighing 1.4kg empty, it is no slouch and will work well as a professional pan or for a large household.

This sturdy pan and handle are made from 18/10 stainless steel, with a thick 7mm base for fast, even heat distribution, and it certainly delivered. I found the pan worked best on low to medium heat. The sides are slightly angled rather than curved, but I still found it easy to whisk and stir. ProCook recommends using only silicone or wooden utensils on the uncoated steel to prevent scratches.

I made a four-portion risotto easily, with superb results and no hotspots or burning, even on low heat. A double recipe of cheese sauce had room to fly around the pan and came out beautifully smooth and creamy.

If you can handle the weight – there’s no helper handle – the ProCook offers impressive performance and capacity at an incredible price.

Diameter: 28 cm
Height: 9.5cm
Induction compatible: Yes
Dishwasher safe: Yes
Oven safe: Yes to 260C
Warranty: 25 years

ProCook Professional Stainless Steel Sauteuse Pan in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

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What is a saucier pan used for?

Though a saucier pan suggests it’s just for cooking sauces, it can do much more, which is why it’s considered one of the best pans to have in the kitchen.

Because these pans come in many sizes and have gently sloping, curved sides, they are ideal for sauces and custards or a long, slow-stirred risotto, but are equally good for a bowl of porridge, gravy or scrambled eggs, as well as cooking pasta, soups or potatoes for mashing.

All the pans on our test can also go into the oven, most to reasonably high temperatures, so can be used for stews, braises and slow cooking. One caveat: the handles and knobs will get hot, so handle with care; they can also be heavy when full.

Good Food saucier pans in test

Photography: Elaine Lemm/Good Food

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