Owning a ton of pots and pans isn’t necessary ... A note on size: The saucepan listed here is 1.5 quarts, good for reheating soup and pasta sauce and making rice for one or two people.

Look at any of the competing stories for "Best Cookware Sets," and you'll see other ... Five-quart dutch oven is the perfect size for soups, but big enough to make a bit of stock.

It boils down to personal preference, Schroeder says, but “the biggest focus should be on solid (vegetables, meats, grains) ...