For more capacity, a 16-quart stockpot is just about as big a pot as most home kitchen burners can handle. This stockpot was easy to maneuver from the sink to the stove to the oven and back again, despite feeling sturdy and durable. Its three-ply bonded construction with aluminum core heated evenly and can be used on all cooking surfaces, including induction. We appreciate that it’s dishwasher-safe and that it features what All-Clad calls a “starburst finish,” which helps keep food from sticking and makes it easy to clean. “The pot is easy to handle when hot due to the protected handles,” one writes.
While most home cooks likely won’t break out their bug stockpots each week, the humble tool is a superstar in the winter months when we crave hot broths, soups, and other hearty favorites. It’s also essential for meal preppers and for anyone who has been elected to host large groups this holiday season. When the weather starts to cool, there’s no better time to head into the kitchen where you can recreate some of your grandmother’s best autumn-inspired dishes. From classic chicken noodle soup to regional specialties, like meat and potato hot dish, these nostalgic dishes are the perfect way to enjoy the fall season. While simmering and boiling is what a stockpot does most often, there are times you want to build flavor in the pot by sweating or even browning aromatics.
We believe that tri-ply or multi-ply is the best choice in a smaller stockpot for most cooks, and a disk encapsulated bottom is best in larger sizes to keep prices down. For braising and stirring, a shorter pot with a wider mouth makes manipulating food easier. And reducing broths to create concentrated flavors is more efficient in such a vessel. However, if you only plan to use it for preparing soups and stock, a larger vessel such as the 12-quart might serve better. If it’s only going to be used on the range top, you would do well with a less expensive disk-bottomed pot rather than one that’s fully clad. If you plan to use it for a variety of purposes, look for one with a 6- or 8-quart capacity.
There are numerous complaints of the enamel chipping and flaking, as well as incidents of spiderweb cracking around the handles. This exposes the metal, which results in rust and corrosion in just a short time. Plus, the plastic handle on top of the pot stays cool to the touch, even after being on the hob for several hours. These are available in nearly every color offered in Le Creuset’s cast iron line with ten different options, so finding the perfect match for your kitchen should pose no challenge. To clean, hand wash in hot, soapy water, rinse well, and dry promptly. The stainless rim also gives the lid a snug fit rather than being perched on top, which prevents the loss of moisture and flavor.
But if you plan to prepare meals without super high heat and don’t mind using only plastic or wooden utensils, the finish on the T-Fal Nonstick Stockpot will last for years according to many happy cooks. But, I would hate to have to pull out my heavy dutch cuisinart pots and pans set oven every time I want to boil water for spaghetti. Not to mention, a good enameled cast iron Dutch oven is going to cost significantly more for a much smaller size. When filled with liquid, a stockpot is probably one of the heaviest items in the kitchen.
The Cooks Standard 12-quart stockpot is very similar to my “best overall” pick and, at about half the price, it’s definitely worth a look. For wide lasagna noodles and other XXL pasta, a stockpot is the best way to boil a casserole’s-worth at once.
Various eight-quart stockpots can be cleaned with the help of a dishwasher; however, most eight-quart stockpots need to be washed. We want the customers to get their hands on the best products that are durable and capable of long-term use. We have listed below a few factors that customers need to go through before investing in an eight-quarter stockpot. Late to the party but I work at a cooking store and as a prep chef for a catering company on the side, and I am a very very avid home cook. There’s a lot of incorrect or incomplete info in this thread, so let me attempt to answer some of the points I keep seeing come up. A bunch of coworkers got together and got my wife and I a Macy’s gift card when we got married eleven years ago.