A sauté pan is a wide, flat-bottomed cooking pan with straight sides, a lid, and a long handle, designed for sautéing, shallow frying, and one-pan meals. The broad base gives maximum contact with the heat for fast browning, while the straight, relatively high sides contain splatter, hold larger volumes of liquid than a frying pan, and make it easy to toss food. The lid allows the pan to double for braising and steaming. Heavy construction with an even-heating base prevents hot spots that would scorch sauces. From searing chicken pieces to finishing a pasta sauce, the sauté pan is the versatile middle ground between the frying pan and the saucepan, and professionals reach for it constantly.