Cookware that can safely go from stovetop to oven is a versatile addition to a kitchen since a single utensil can serve more than one purpose.
Now, every kitchen will have at least one saucepan. So, you may like to know if it can go in the oven.
Are Saucepans Safe for Oven Use?
It depends on the material used to construct the saucepan. Stainless steel, cast iron, carbon steel, aluminum, and thermal glass saucepans are usually oven-safe. Meanwhile, non-stick saucepans and lightweight glass saucepans are generally not built for oven use.
You can find out if a saucepan can be used in an oven by looking for the oven-safe symbol on its base.
7 Types of Saucepans that Can Go in The Oven
Saucepans made of most metals or alloys are oven-safe.
However, they may have silicone or plastic handles that aren’t oven-safe.
Placing such saucepans in the oven can damage the handle.
Apart from the handle, other fixtures like the gasket or screws may not be oven-safe.
Let’s look at the most common types of saucepans and whether they can be safely placed in the oven or not.
1. Stainless Steel Saucepans
Stainless steel is generally oven-safe because this alloy withstands heat.
If your stainless-steel saucepan has a metallic handle as well, it’s most likely oven-safe.
Most manufacturers will usually place an oven-safe symbol at the base of stainless-steel saucepans to indicate it’s oven-safe.
However, if the saucepan has a non-metallic handle, you should check before placing it in the oven.
Non-stick or silicone handles with enamel or ceramic coatings are usually unsuitable for temperatures above a certain level.
The handle may melt or crack if you place these saucepans in the oven.
Another factor to remember is that thin stainless steel isn’t the best choice for oven cooking.
Although it can handle the high temperature of an oven, the metal may end up warping or misshaping at high temperatures.
This will not happen if the saucepan is made of heavy or multi-ply metal.
2. Cast Iron Saucepans
Cast iron is an oven-safe material. So cast iron saucepans are usually suitable for oven use.
The main benefit of using cast iron saucepans in the oven is that they heat evenly and slowly.
So they cook food thoroughly without any hot spots that scorch or burn the food.
Cast iron saucepans are usually heavier than stainless steel and carbon steel pans.
Hence, you should exercise caution when handling them to avoid accidents.
Though most cast iron saucepans will have metallic handles, there may be exceptions.
So check whether the handle is made of oven-safe material before placing the saucepan in the oven.
Cast iron saucepans with wooden handles aren’t ideally suited for oven use.
However, it should be fine to use them in the oven at low temperatures for short durations.
The wood will scorch if you keep them in the oven for too long.
You should never use cast iron saucepans with wooden handles in the microwave, even for short durations.
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3. Ceramic Saucepans
Ceramics can withstand high temperatures, and it’s one of the best materials for oven cooking.
Hence, you should be able to place most ceramic saucepans inside an oven unless it has a non-metallic handle made of non-heat-resistant material.
The only exception to this rule is when the ceramic saucepan is glazed or has metallic etching on the surface.
In this case, these decorative areas of the pan may be sensitive to high temperatures.
They can get tarnished or discolored in the oven.
You may want to check for this factor before placing such saucepans in the oven.
In general, avoid using any cookware with metallic details in microwave ovens.
So if your saucepan has surface glazing or decorative metallic accents, keep it away from the microwave.
However, normal ceramic cookware is oven-safe and generally suitable for microwave use as well.
4. Glass Saucepans
Heavy glass is highly heat resistant and commonly used for baking and oven-cooking.
Saucepans made of heavy glass are usually oven-safe.
You can use them safely in the oven for roasting small batches of ingredients or for preparing sauces and desserts.
To identify if a glass saucepan is oven-safe, look for the oven-safe symbol on the base or handle.
Alternatively, it may also be mentioned on the packaging.
Thermal glass saucepans will have the oven-safe symbol on them or the packaging.
In the absence of this symbol, don’t use it in the oven.
The saucepan will be vulnerable to thermal shock at high temperatures and crack.
5. Aluminum Saucepans
Aluminum is usually safe for oven use; hence it’s used to make a variety of oven-safe cookware.
Aluminum, being a good conductor of heat, distributes heat well and cooks the food evenly and thoroughly.
Foil containers used for oven cooking are also made of aluminum.
Hence, it’s usually safe to use aluminum saucepans in the oven.
However, as with other types of metal pans, check the handle before placing an aluminum pan in the oven.
Saucepans with silicone, bakelite, or wooden handles aren’t suitable for oven use.
Meanwhile, aluminum pans with metallic handles can go in the oven.
Most cookware manufacturers will clearly indicate if an aluminum saucepan can go in the oven by placing an oven-safe symbol on the handle, base, or packaging.
Aluminum pans with cast iron or stainless-steel cladding are also suitable for oven use.
These are non-reactive and tolerate high temperatures.
6. Copper Saucepans
Copper saucepans are generally oven-safe up to temperatures of 500°F.
So you can use them for roasting, baking, and much more.
Depending on the brand, copper saucepans may have silicone-wrapped, metallic, or glass handles.
While it’s generally safe to place copper saucepans in the oven, you should look at their handles to confirm if it’s indeed safe for oven use.
In addition to being oven-safe, some copper saucepans are also broiler-safe. However, this isn’t a general rule.
Since broiler temperatures are very high, you should first check the manufacturer’s instructions before placing copper saucepans under the broiler.
Copper-plated or copper-layered pans where copper is mixed with other metals are also usually safe for oven use unless specified by the manufacturer.
7. Non-Stick Saucepans
Not all non-stick cookware is built for oven use.
Always check for the oven-safe symbol to confirm if a non-stick saucepan can be placed in the oven.
In the absence of this symbol, you risk ruining the saucepan by placing it in the oven.
Some modern non-stick pans with a ceramic coating are built to withstand high-temperature cooking.
These are built using advanced technology that enables them to tolerate high oven temperatures.
You can usually use these pans in the oven.
However, others with a Teflon coating are rarely meant for oven cooking.
Placing them in the oven at high temperatures can cause the non-stick coating to disintegrate and render the pan useless.
Now, even if a non-stick pan is suitable for oven use, it’s not a good idea to frequently use them in the oven.
Unless the pan is built for continuous oven cooking, the coating may deteriorate when exposed continuously to an oven and affect its performance on the stovetop.
