There are an awful lot of vinegars in the world—which ones you cook with depends entirely on your favorite flavors and what you’re making. Maybe you favor red wine vinegar for the punchy tang it brings to salad dressing . Or you can’t imagine a bowl of white rice without the gentle acidity of seasoned rice vinegar running through it. Perhaps you fall asleep at night dreaming of bowls of vanilla ice cream covered in ripe summer strawberries dripping with balsamic vinegar.

Whether you’re the kind of cook who has a favorite vinegar for every occasion or simply grabs whichever bottle is closest to the stove, it pays to know what you’re working with. You can often substitute one vinegar for another, but it's worth being strategic. “Each vinegar contributes its own flavor and character rather than just adding acidity,” says Sathish Kumar, the head chef of Indienne in New York and Chicago.

So which bottles deserve a spot in your pantry?…