But, amortized over the course of a lifetime , it gives outstanding value in both performance and durability, and is well worth the cost. And you can usually find competitive prices online at reliable sites like Amazon. Fully clad, it’s superb at delivering quick and even heat distribution to all surfaces of the pot.
It can handle heavy use and is big enough for large families, food prep projects, or canning and preserving. Although you won’t be able to monitor cooking with the lid on, I still prefer a metal lid like this for its durability and ease of cleaning. From frying pans to dutch ovens, find out which types of cookware are suitable for your cooking style.
It is also compatible with virtually every range, including induction, and is oven safe up to 500 degrees. Cleaning up is simple, as it is dishwasher safe, but you can also hand-wash this piece with minimal effort cgwm-081 thanks to its polished surface. It’s a durable stockpot that will last for years to come and provide an excellent cooking experience. A durable and tight-fitting lid is another key piece to a good stock pot.
In the case of their stockpots, the wide, ergonomically designed stay-cool handles, which are secured with stainless steel rivets, allows for a comfortable, steady grip. It took about 19 minutes to bring water to a boil in this pot, longer than most, and it had the heaviest lid, which weighed in at a substantial 2 pounds, 1½ ounces. Its V-shaped handles featured a curved point rather than an angled one, but we still found them comfortable to grip while holding and pouring from the pot. We previously tested stockpots, but most of the models we looked at have been discontinued, so we decided to retest. We focused on finding the best 12-quart stockpot because we think it’s the most useful size—big enough to accommodate most jobs yet small enough to easily store. Our efforts resulted in not only gallons of fragrant chicken stock but also a new favorite stockpot.
Easy cleanup is another favorite feature, and the pots have a nice curved transition from the bottom to the walls that makes washing with just warm, soapy water quick and simple. Construction details remain the same for all sizes, with the exception of rivets also being used on the handles of the larger models of 24 quarts and cgwm-081 greater. The quality of encapsulated disk-bottomed pans can vary from good to great, and they are also sold at various price points – though you’ll find they’re generally cheaper than multi-ply. The M’Cook 9-quart stewpan provides perfect conductivity thanks to the quick and even heat distribution of the five bonded layers.
This 12-quart stockpot is not as well-suited to high-temperature cooking. It should really only be used on medium or lower heat settings, due to the nonstick finish. Additionally, it’s only oven-safe to 350 degrees—which is quite limiting compared to the higher temperatures that stainless pots can handle.
With these types of vessels, the interior aluminum core doesn’t extend up the sides, which does result in a loss of heat. This also means they’re not quite as efficient in the oven, since the comparatively thin stainless walls won’t retain quite as much heat . The Viking 3-ply clad design combines three layers of bonded metal to create a kettle that features both the durability of high-grade stainless steel, and the super conductivity of aluminum. This 8-quart pot measures approximately 14 x 12 x 7.5”, and weighs 7.8 pounds. Dishwasher safe, Calphalon recommends washing in warm, soapy water and using a stainless steel cleaner to retain the high luster of the stainless.
Users are a little conflicted about the durability of this pot, with a few people mentioning issues with enamel chipping or rust spots appearing. One suggestion that may be beneficial is to avoid putting this pot in the dishwasher, even though it is described as dishwasher-safe. As for the other performance benefits of enamel cookware, such as the ability to resist stains and odors, most people seem pleased with the Cuisinart Enamel on Steel Stockpot. On the stovetop, it seems to perform well under a variety of cooking conditions. Many people seem to find it particularly useful for canning, but it also excels as a pot to cook crab legs or for sous vide cooking.
Do not store stockpots when they are still damp and always store them carefully in a dry cupboard area. Avoid stacking and overcrowding to prevent scratching and chipping of the enamel surface. This was especially noticeable when we had to lug it to the sink to strain chicken stock. But despite its heft, it had one of the thinnest bases in our lineup. Therefore, it brought stock to a boil relatively quickly, but we had to keep a keen eye on the onions when sautéing them to avoid scorching. Our winner excelled in comfort; it was light and maneuverable, with rubbery grips on both the pot and the lid.