You Don’t Need a Butter Warmer, but Then Again You Kind of Do?

When you review cookware, it’s about keeping every variable the same so you can properly test the heat conduction, performance, and all of the other metrics that make one pot or pan edge out another. However, as someone who’s reviewed equipment professionally for the past six years, I can tell you there’s also a case for liking something simply because it brings you joy. (Ah, yes! That existential goal.)

For me, that exact product exists in the form of this Dansk Butter Warmer. I’m not going to say it’s the *most* practical or *utmost* essential piece of cookware out there (it is, after all, just 1- quart). Nor can I say it's the best butter warmer ever because I've only tried this one. But I can solemnly swear I use mine all of the time. And not just for melting butter, as much fun as that would be.

Food52 x Dansk Købenstyle Saucepan

$72 at Food52

Made from enameled carbon steel and with a rounded wooden handle, the butter warmer’s white interior does indeed allow you to easily melt and monitor butter as it gently melts or deeply browns (like if you’re making Serious Eats’ chocolate chip cookies). I’ve melted as little as one tablespoon of butter and as much as a stick-and-half in mine. A tablespoon, you say? I am famously (just to me) microwave-averse (I store mine in my basement), so breaking out the butter warmer is indeed more convenient. 

Outside of its namesake, the butter warmer is ideal for warming up hot drinks (cocoa or a real-deal, actually-has-squash-in-it pumpkin spice latte, perhaps?)—though I would recommend using a silicone-coated whisk, or you risk scratching the pot’s creamy interior. It even has a pour spout! It’s also nice for heating up sauces or re-warming a single serving of soup. Its small base and thin construction ensure the flame fully covers the bottom and that things heat up quickly. 

I invested in the butter warmer with a lid, which also doubles as a trivet, though the lidless version is certainly cheaper. At the risk of sounding trite, the adage does hold true here: good things do come in small packages. For me, this tiny pot is worth its weight in gold (or browned butter).

(Not Nearly) Everything You Can Use a Butter Warmer For

• Melting (and browning!) butter
• Making hot chocolate
• Bringing any liquid of your choice to a simmer or boil
• Warming up a single serving of soup
• Making simple syrup
• Heating tomato sauce for a serving or two of pasta

FAQS

What size is the Dansk butter warmer? 

The Dansk butter warmer comes in 1- and 2-quart sizes.

How do you clean the Dansk butter warmer? 

Because of its wooden handle, the butter warmer must be hand-washed.

Is the Dansk butter warmer compatible with an induction stovetop? 

Yes, the butter warmer is compatible with all stove tops—including induction.

Why We're the Experts

• Riddley Gemperlein-Schirm is the senior commerce editor for Serious Eats. She's worked at the company for nearly two years and has reviewed kitchen equipment professionally for the past five years.
• She's written many reviews for the site, including on Ooni pizza ovens and air fryers.