A sauté pan is a type of pan used for cooking that has a wide, flat bottom and relatively tall, vertical sides. The name comes from the French verb "sauter," meaning "to jump." The key differences between a sauté pan and a skillet are the shape and size. A sauté pan has straight sides, while a skillet has slanted sides. The straight sides of a sauté pan make it ideal for tasks like searing meat or reducing a pan sauce, while the slanted sides of a skillet make it perfect for stir-frying and quick cooking techniques where youre moving ingredients around a lot in the pan.

Sauté pans are often heavier than skillets due to their wide base, which can necessitate the addition of a "helper handle" on the opposite side of the main handle to facilitate lifting and moving. While it is possible to sauté in a straight-sided sauté pan, it can be more challenging, requiring constant stirring and turning with a wooden spoon or spatula.

In summary, a sauté pan is a versatile type of pan with straight sides that is ideal for searing meat or reducing a pan sauce, while a skillet has slanted sides that make it perfect for stir-frying and quick cooking techniques where youre moving ingredients around a lot in the pan.