A cookware set for one person should have a Sauté Pan, a Casserole Pan, 2 or 3 Qt Sauce Pans and a Medium sized Pot.
[amazon table=”2061″]
Cooking for one is a challenge and most cookware sets are made for couples and families. But we found an inexpensive, one-person cookware set with most of the essentials you need to whip up a meal in minutes.
This post will review the best cookware sets for singles available on Amazon. It includes 1-8 pieces, so you have all your bases covered, plus it’s good looking enough to display out on your countertop! We’ve also included both stovetop and electric varieties so that there is something for everyone!
How Many Pots and Pans Does a Single Person Need?
If you are cooking for only one or two people, you can get by with just one pot and one or two pans. A single person should have at least one small and medium pan. Having both a small and large pan means that you can cook any sized meal.
A small pot is perfect for heating water for instant oatmeal and cooking single serving sizes of pasta and rice or heating up leftovers. A medium sized pan is best for cooking an egg or sautéing veggies, searing meat and cooking a small portion of pasta or risotto. If you are planning to cook with a single burner hot plate, it’s helpful to have just one medium sized pan that can easily be transferred to the hot plate.
What cookware should every single person own?
A Sauté Pan
[amazon box=”B08GYF8Q9W”]
A compact 2 or 3 quart sauté pan is a must-have for every single person.
A sauté pan is the perfect size for cooking a small meal. Try melting butter in the pan and searing an egg. Or heat up some leftover soup or stew in the pan, you can even make an omelet in one! The sloped sides allow you to easily flip food with a spatula.
The best feature of a sauté pan is its versatility. It’s great for searing meat, sautéing veggies or even making gravy or sauce. Measuring 2 to 3 quarts, it’s big enough to cook a small meal yet compact enough to keep on your stove top without taking up much space.
It’s necessary for cooking, sautéing, searing and browning. This is probably one of the most common items in every kitchen, but you will want to make sure that you get a high quality sauté pan that conducts heat evenly. The best sautés pans have metal handles. You also need to avoid nonstick-coated sauté pans because they are too fragile and have a shorter lifespan than their counterparts.
A Saucepan
[amazon box=”B086YKQWBD”]
A 3 quart sauce pan, preferably with a lid, is perfect for sauce making, chicken and vegetable soup and simmering sauces. You will also need a small sauce pan to boil some pasta or boil water for instant oatmeal.
If you are planning to cook one or two meals a week, then a small saucepan is enough. If you are occasionally cooking big family-sized meals, then you will benefit from having a 3 quart sauce pan on your countertop. You can keep the smaller, 2 quart saucepan in the dishwasher.
A Sauce Pan is necessary for those with very little counter space because it does not require much room and it’s always handy to have around.
A medium sized Pot
[amazon box=”B073K93YRG”]
If you have a large appetite, then you should have a large stock pot handy.
Stock pot, Roasting Pans, Casserole Dishes and Slow Cookers – You may want to invest in one of these pieces as well. Stock pots are used to make large amounts of soups and stews or to cook meat and vegetables while roasting in the oven or while placed over heat on the stove top. A Compact Casserole dish can also be used to bake in the oven or on the stove top if you prefer this method over baking in an oven . The best casserole dishes can be used for cooking as well as serving so that it doesn’t take up much room on your refrigerator door.