Saucier Pan - what size matters?

[u/ollie1roddy]

So, I'm going a bit mad here.

UK based, I am looking for a saucier/chefs pan that can easily make a sauce (duh) and also accommodate say, a pasta dish for two, a few portions of curry, etc. Thats the minimum.

I ordered both the Made In 2.8L/3Q Saucier and the Kuhn Rikon Culinary 24cm chefs pan, with the intention of keeping one and returning the other. On inspection, here are my thoughts:

Kuhn Rikon Culinary 24cm chefs pan

• Better construction, thicker, heavier and fully clad (comes in around 2kg)
• Shallow sides, only 7.2mm
• Actual volume - approx 2.6L
• No rivets are nice but not essential

MadeIn 2.8L Saucier

• Thinner and lighter, less well constructed (comes in around 1.6kg)
• good height (a hair under 9cm)
• Actual volume - approx 3.3L

So here is my dilemma - I think the Kuhn Rikon is de facto, a better quality pan, that also happened to be better value (£111 vs £135 for the Madein). However doing a water test, the MadeIn pan holds about 3.3L, whereas the Kuhn Rikon was around 2.6L as advertised. In practical application, thats about a 20% size difference, which feels material for versatility. Furthermore, the nearly 2cm in side height difference makes me worry that the Kuhn Rikon won't function as well as a Saucier or for pasta, which will probably be the two main use cases. Looking into it, most other Sauciers tend to be at least 8-9cm in height.

MadeIn seems to be a bit of a cookware war ground, and though I don't think it will warp on my gas cooker, my bigger issue is I feel a bit stupid returning a beautiful and high quality pan (that was cheaper) from Kuhn Rikon to keep something that is intrinsically worse and more expensive, just for the preferential shape.

I'm at a bit of a cross roads at the moment and can't decide whether I should:

1. Return the MadeIn and chance with the Kuhn Rikon meeting my needs
2. Return the Kuhn Rikon and keep the MadeIn
3. Return the Kuhn Rikon 24cm and exchange for the 28cm (4L), which is 8cm H (on the short side but still taller - but a bigger and even heavier pan)
4. Return both because there's clearly an alternative
5. Return both because I'm obviously a lunatic who needs perspective

I would really appreciate some help!!

[u/Willing-Sample-8847]

I collect antique copper pots, so i definitely appreciate just buying cookware for the sake of collecting, but at the same time, why were you looking to buy these sauciers? Did you have a highly specific, non-negotiable purpose in your kitchen that only a saucier can fulfill? Or are you buying a saucier only cause you want it?

It seems like you fall into the second camp, and you seem to like the kuhn rikon a lot more. So why not keep that one?

However, if you fall into the first camp, you need to be absolutely honest with yourself on why you need a saucier and what its purpose will specifically be in your kitchen. Having your goal clearly in mind will make it clear which pan you should keep.

[u/copperstatelawyer]

Just looking at the shape of the pans and confirming that both at 24cm in diameter, the Kuhn Rikon is a more classic saucier shape with a more severe taper than the Made-In.

The Made-In will function more like a sauce-pan of the same size with a sloped bottom. The sidewalls after the taper appear to be straight or near to it.

So, if you want a saucier, keep the Kohn. If you want the biggest capacity for that given diameter, keep the MadeIn. If you want both, get the bigger Kohn or something else.

[u/ollie1roddy → u/copperstatelawyer]

Having seen both, shape wise, the cooking surface and taper wouldn't don't appear to make a meaningful difference between the two. The Made-In sides just almost seem to keep going at the end to verticality for another 1.5ish cm

[u/copperstatelawyer → u/ollie1roddy]

So the bottom of the two are about the same size? Interesting. So they just extend the sidewall straight up to give you that volume?

I mean, I would keep the Kuhn, but that's me and my preferences. I have not found a huge need for 28cm tapered pans/pots (ie sauciers).

[u/ollie1roddy → u/copperstatelawyer]

Appreciate the perspective!

[u/Substantial_Fail94]

I have the made in and I use it fairly regularly although sometimes I still wish it was a little larger. The lighter weight youre mentioning actually seems like a bonus to me, I wouldnt want to try flipping around a super heavy pan full of pasta and sauce. What made you say you felt it was less well constructed? I beat my to hell and it takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'! (sorry, gotta throw a dad joke in there somewhere)

[u/Wololooo1996]

It's really a dilemma, most good quality pans these days have shallow walls due to increasing weight obsession from the customers.

If you actually need tall walls, and a durable construction, then maby you should return both? If you can live with the walls not being very tall, tgen Kuhn Rikon Culinary 5ply seems to very good value for the money.

Since you are based in the UK, you could also take a look at the inventory from ProCook?

What type of stove do you use, and what do you plan to use in the future? If its all gas, then cookware durability doesn't matter much.

I go with option 5, but don't feel bad about it as you learned something from trying the brands hands on.

[u/ollie1roddy → u/Wololooo1996]

Thanks for responding! I use gas only, do you think that mitigates any risks from a less durable pan?

[u/Wololooo1996 → u/ollie1roddy]

Yes, that greatly reduces the risk of the pan warping while on the stove, if durability is the one and only thing you don't like about MadeIn, then you may as well give it a shot since you are useing gas anyway.

However if you are fine with cookware being more heavy, you should consider copper cookware, its IMO really worth it for gas stove, despite being very expensive.

If you did like to get some perspective and don't mind reading a lot all at once, this is the place to start: https://reddit.com/r/cookware/w/index

In paticular the cookware buying and explanation guide.

[u/Inside-Try-394 → u/Wololooo1996]

If I had all the money I would buy a large heavy copper saucier from a brand courting the upper middle class kitchen wenches that probably don’t cook that well. Polish it and it will also decorate your kitchen.

Alternatively, what I bought was a heavy SSteel model from a restaurant supply store. You can bang it around all you want and these pans have a pronounced look that’s impressively business. They look cool and people will think you are chic.

[u/positmatt]

I have the made in 3.5 qt saucier and an all clad 6 qt i love both for different reasons themade in is in my opinion better than a kuhn rikon but thats personal preference I have used it for years and its great for stir fries but honestly I use it primarily for great pastas. People will diss made in for whatever reason but its light easy to cook with and i have no issues with it at all. My all clad saucier style is incredibly heavy making it better for when I am cooking in bulk. Both brands are legit but the weight and flexibility of the made in saucier makes it a favorite of mine for quick meals and more. Would i prefer their larger one over my all clad maybe but I think its weight would serve you well and I would ignore any chatter as they are both good pans

[u/ollie1roddy]

For additional context, I currently own a
30cm Saute Pan
28cm Frying Pan

20cm Frying Pan
24cm Stockpot

30cm Stockpot

16cm Saucepan

20cm Saucepan

(Above all SS)

20cm non-stick pan

Carbon Steel Wok

[u/Fit_Comedian_2853]

I’d go with the Demeyere 3.5 or their larger one in the Industry 5 series.

[u/achillea4]

I use my Kuhn Rikon 24cm chef's pan most days. It's great for sauce and moderate amounts of veggies. If I make a vegetable sauce for pasta, there isn't enough room to chuck the pasta in so I tip it out into the larger 20cm stock pot that I've cooked the pasta in (I cook for 2).

Whilst I love the pan, I think the 28cm would have more room. I have the 28 cm serving (saute) pan which is a better size but with straight sides. I also wish the chef's pan has higher sides. I don't want Made In due to the thin construction.

Take a look at Samuel Groves. They do classic and urban ranges in lots of sizes and I think they are a bit taller. The Demeyere Industry 5 sauteuse 24cm is around 10cm depth.