This Super-Tiny Pot May Seem a Bit Extra, but I Actually Use It All the Time

I’m not one of those people who will tell you to never buy something for your kitchen. Yes, I review kitchen equipment for a living and I find some tools to be better or more useful than others. (And I do my best to explain all the pros and cons around something.) But if you have the space for something and it helps make your life easier, by all means get that gadget!

I myself own plenty of things that other people might find questionable. One such item is my 1-quart Dansk saucepan, also called a butter warmer.

This tiny saucepan has a light interior, a short handle with a wooden grip, and a lid, which doubles as a trivet for the pot. It also has a spout for easy pouring and is available in fun colors (I have a pink one!). Warning, though: It’s often completely sold out and I’m honestly shocked that Sur la Table has yellow and blue ones available right now.

But what’s a tiny saucepan actually good for? I use mine most often for melting and browning butter; the light interior allows me to easily monitor the butter as its milk solids caramelize. I also love it for making a serving of hot cocoa, for which I use an equally adorable tiny whisk.

Related: How to Brown Butter

And, boy, is it nice not to have to wash a larger saucepan for such small tasks. You might be asking, How often really do you make browned butter or hot chocolate — and therefore is the saucepan really worth it? More often than you think! For starters, because I happen to love both of these things. And also, because this pot is so adorable I often look for reasons to use it. A cup of broth that needs warmed? A salad that could benefit from a brown butter dressing? A serving of soup I want to reheat? Those are all totally valid reasons to pull out my tiny saucepan. Because, sometimes, it really is the little things in life.

Do you have a favorite small saucepan? Let us know in the comments!