How To Find The Best Stock Pot For All Your Favorite Soups And More
A lot of times, a single cooking pan is not enough to meet all of your cooking needs. You also need a piece to add to your cookware set where you can easily and conveniently cook soups, stews, pasta, and chili. Imagine cooking a large lobster on a cooking pan. Impossible, right? This is where you need the best stock pot as an all-around, versatile, cooking tool when a mere pan is not enough.
**Below, you’ll find our more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.
The Many Uses Of A Stock Pot
Its large capacity, high sides, tight lid, and sturdy construction make the stock pot an essential part of your kitchen. Its many uses include the following cooking tasks.
1. Make soup and stew
This is one of the main roles of a stock pot. Put in your choice of pork, beef, or chicken and let it boil to bring out the broth and start seasoning and spicing it for the perfect soup.
2. Cook Pasta
You need a cookware where you can submerge pasta and boil it, so it cooks properly. The high sides of a stock pot allow even the longest strands of spaghetti noodles to be completely soaked in boiling water.
3. Steam Crabs And Lobsters
Using a pan to cook lobsters and crabs won’t do. A stock pot can be perfectly sealed with its tight lid so that crab and lobsters cook properly. It is time to apply that online recipe that you bookmarked a long time ago.
4. Steam Corn
You can make delicious steamed corn covered in butter and cheese by using a stock pot. Just steam whole ears of corn, and it is good to go. Homemade and available anytime you like.
5. Deep Fry
Do you want to achieve the crispiness of fast-food fried chicken? You can deep-fry it without having to spend precious dollars on a deep-fryer. A stock pot would do the job perfectly.
6. Home Brew Beer
For those who love to make their own beer, it is now easier with the help of a stock pot. You can whip up a batch in your kitchen. There is nothing like brewing your own favorite beer. Click here for some of the best home brewed beer recipes that you can make right now.
Things To Consider In Getting A Stock Pot
Not all stock pots are created equal. If you want to enjoy the perfect culinary experience using this kind of cookware, you have to check on the following factors.
Material
What you want in a stock pot is something that conducts heat fast, has even heat distribution, has a high heat retention, and durable. There are various materials that you can choose from.
Stainless steel is great for its sturdiness. It is also a decent heat conductor. When polished and shined, it adds aesthetic value, and you can even put it directly from the stove to the table.
Anodized aluminum is known for having the best even heating properties. It also heats up fast, so cooking time is lessened. It is not known to retain heat for long, and though it is durable, it is prone to warping and having dents.
Ceramic cookware is also known for being sturdy and having a high heat retention. It also doesn’t react to food and completely immune to rust and corrosion. But extra care is needed since blunt force can cause ceramic cookware to chip.
Modern cookware manufacturers create stock pots with the combination of materials such as a steel core with enamel or ceramic layers or steel core with aluminum base, acquiring the strengths of multiple materials and putting them into one great cookware.
Handles
The handle should have sufficient space for the hands to have a good grip. It is also important that it is stay-cool, so it won’t be a challenge to move it even in the middle of cooking something. The most important thing though, is that it should be reliable enough to hold on especially of the stock pot has contains heavy substances. So you always go with riveted handles, at least double riveted.
Non-Stick
While almost all of modern cookware is non-stick, the thing to consider is that if the non-stick coating is PTFE and PFOA free. This is to ensure that you are not risking the family to consume harmful toxic materials. Better yet, go with natural non-stick materials such as enamel and ceramic.
Lid
The option that you have to consider is if you want a lid that has a vent or totally sealed. When you use the pot for boiling food, steam accumulates and spills if there isn’t any air vent unless you take it off where steam escapes with the flavor.
It is also recommended to choose a lid made with tempered glass so you can monitor your food without having to lift up the lid. A stay-cool handle is also fine.
Ease Of Cleaning
Go with dishwasher safe cookware so you can use the dishwashing time to other important stuff. It is also best to have a pot that is non-stick both in the interior and on the exterior to make it easy to clean.
The Best Stock Pot Available in The Market Today
I have made an extensive research and found the best stock pot available in the market today. I made a detailed review of each below.
- #1. T-fal A92280 Specialty Total Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Stockpot Cookware, 12-Quart, Black
- #2. Cuisinart 766-24 Chef’s Classic 8-Quart Stockpot with Cover
- #3. Rachael Ray Enamel on Steel 12-Quart Covered Stockpot, Orange Gradient
- #4. Granite Ware 6125-1 Stock Pot, 21-Quart
- #5. Cook N Home NC-00335 Stainless Steel Canning Pot/Stockpot
#1. T-fal A92280 Specialty Total Nonstick Dishwasher Safe Oven Safe Stockpot Cookware, 12-Quart, Black
The 12-quart capacity makes it ideal for meals for a large group of people. Cleaning is easy since aside from being dishwasher safe, it has a non-stick coating both on the inside and outside. The aluminum construction allows fast heating and even heat distribution, making sure that every meal is cooked thoroughly every time.
PROS
- The hard gauge aluminum construction is sturdy, heats up fast, and causes even heat distribution.
- It has a non-stick coating both inside and out, making it easy to clean.
- The riveted handles have ample hand space and ensure stable grip.
- It includes a see-through glass lid that allows you to monitor food without opening up the lid.
- This stock pot is oven-safe for up to 350°F. A perfect piece to add to your bakeware set as well.
CONS
- Extra care is needed since aluminum is prone to warping.
- The lid tends not to fit when the pot gets dented or warped.
#2. Cuisinart 766-24 Chef’s Classic 8-Quart Stockpot with Cover
The good thing about this stock pot is that it combined the sturdiness of steel and the even-heating properties of aluminum. The result of having an aluminum core wrapped in stainless steel is a warp and dent resistant construction that heats up fast and evenly. The riveted handles are stay-cool, so you can easily hold and maneuver the pot even while cooking, while the stainless steel lid locks in flavor while enhances thorough cooking.
PROS
- It has an aluminum core with stainless steel layer for added durability, fast heating, and even heat distribution.
- It has a stainless steel cooking surface that does not react to food and will not discolor.
- It has a tight-fitting stainless steel lid that locks in flavor and enhances cooking efficiency.
- The stainless steel handles are generously designed for a safe grip and remain cool even while cooking.
- It has a tapered rim to avoid spillage and mess.
- It is Oven-safe for up to 500°F.
CONS
- It doesn’t have a non-stick cooking surface, so oil or grease is required.
- The part of the stock pot where the rivets are attached is prone to pitting and corrosion.
#3. Rachael Ray Enamel on Steel 12-Quart Covered Stockpot, Orange Gradient
The sexy orange color is just the beginning for this gorgeous stock pot. With a 12-quart capacity, it will be the center of attraction on your buffet table. Its steel core is covered in a strong enamel exterior, making it look even more classical and at the same time be naturally nonstick. It is oven-safe for up to 400°F, making it perfect for almost every meal, be it cooked or baked.
PROS
- The carbon steel core is covered with porcelain enamel for even added strength, even heating, and nonstick properties.
- The porcelain coating is stain resistant and very easy to clean.
- It has generously designed loop handles for a comfortable and steady grip.
- The lid fits perfectly and locks in moisture and flavor, while its rubberized knob makes it easy to grip and handle.
- This stock pot is oven safe for up to 400°F.
- It is compatible with induction heat stovetops.
CONS
- The big sticker on the front is annoyingly hard to remove.
- Extra care is recommended as porcelain is fragile and might chip or crack due to impact.
#4. Granite Ware 6125-1 Stock Pot, 21-Quart
This is a really big stock pot. With a 21-quart capacity, this is enough to provide soup to a large group of people. The granite design can perfectly complement any kitchen theme. It is made with a carbon steel core that is great for even heat distribution. The porcelain exterior provides a natural nonstick ability for easy food release and cleaning.
PROS
- It has a carbon steel core for fast heating and even heat distribution, while the porcelain coating is stain resistant, doesn’t corrode, and naturally non-stick.
- It is 100% PFOA and PTFE-free. It has a safe and healthy porcelain non-stick coating.
- It is non-porous, chemical and corrosion resistant.
- The granite design provides a high aesthetic value and can complement any kitchen.
- It comes with a matching lid.
CONS
- It requires meticulous handling as it is prone to chipping and pitting.
- It is constructed thinly that it burns food that sticks to the sides and bottom.
#5. Cook N Home NC-00335 Stainless Steel Canning Pot/Stockpot
Made of high-grade 18-10 stainless steel, it is not just beautiful to look at but also sturdy and reliable. It is even made stronger by a reinforced rim that makes it more resilient against deformity. It comes with a tempered glass lid that allows you to monitor food without having to make flavors and moisture escape.
PROS
- Made with 18-10 grade stainless steel for durability and strength.
- The reinforced rim enhances its resilience against deformity.
- It is embedded with an aluminum core which enhances even heat distribution.
- The magnetic base makes it compatible with induction heat stovetops.
- The riveted handles are for a solid and secure grip while transferring the stock pot.
- It includes a tempered glass lid for easy food monitoring.
CONS
- It is not nonstick, but other than that this stock pot is perfect.
Conclusion
The best stock pot for me is the Cook N Home NC-00335 Stainless Steel Canning Pot/Stockpot. It is what a stock pot is supposed to be. It should have a sturdy construction, even heat distribution, strong and reliable handles, and a see-through lid. It doesn’t have to be that fancy. As long as it does its job perfectly, it is the one for me.
