A saucepan is a deep cooking pot with a long handle and usually a lid. Unlike a frying pan, which is shallow and wide, a saucepan has tall sides that help contain liquids while they heat. You use a saucepan when you need to boil water for pasta, heat up soup, make hot chocolate, or simmer a sauce.

The long handle lets you stir or pour without getting too close to the heat, and the lid traps steam to help things cook faster. Saucepans come in different sizes: a small one might hold just enough for two servings of oatmeal, while a large one could cook rice for a whole family dinner.

Many kitchens have at least one saucepan because it's one of the most versatile cooking tools. When a recipe says to “bring to a boil” or “simmer for ten minutes,” you'll probably reach for a saucepan. The design has stayed basically the same for centuries because it works so well for heating liquids and cooking foods that need moisture.