When used as a boiling pot, the spotty heat distribution that causes scorching in thicker ingredients won’t be as much of an issue. The large loop handles are made of solid cast stainless steel that will remain cool to the touch on the stovetop, and they’re oven safe up to 500°F. They’re securely attached to the body with four stainless rivets each for a firm, sound grip. The magnetic stainless steel bottom layer makes the pan induction compatible and safe for all stovetops, while the aluminum provides fast and consistent heat distribution that’s free of hot and cold spots.
Overall, the ExcelSteel 12-quart stockpot set is a great choice for cooking a variety of foods or even canning. But, they are quite large and can be difficult to maneuver, especially when full of food. I know people who have dedicated closet or garage space for their large stockpots since kitchen cupboard real estate is too valuable. They’re often relatively inexpensive, especially when you consider what a large piece of cookware a stockpot is. You can easily spend much more than that, but you won’t find much difference in cooking performance. That’s why this is a great place to save a little money in your kitchen budget, while still getting a high performing and long lasting pot.
Your Cuisinart® Cookware is warranted to be free of defects in material and workmanship under normal home use from the date of original purchase throughout the original purchaser’s lifetime. Congratulations on your purchase of Cuisinart® Chef’s Classic™ Enamel on Steel Stockpot! Designed from the inside out for today’s lifestyles, our Cuisinart® Cookware combines uncompromising superior cooking performance with a professional look. To find out, we boiled, stirred, and sautéed in every pot, ending up with gallons upon gallons of chicken stock and a new winner.
There are just too many complaints regarding the poor quality of the porcelain coating to be attributed to anything but the production process. Customers also report issues with the cuisinart pots and pans set lid being a poor fit that it is wobbly, allowing too much moisture to evaporate as a result. The carbon steel makes for a great lightweight vessel that is easy to lift and maneuver.
One happy customer wrote, “It is wonderful. No sticking on the bottom and cleanup was a breeze. This is also a beautiful piece of equipment.” If you have a limited budget but are looking for a big pot, the Cook N Home 12-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot is a great choice. This basic 12-quart stockpot is made from stainless steel, polished to a mirror-like finish. Like many other stockpots, it features an aluminum disc in the bottom that is layered between stainless steel for better heat distribution.
The thick, heavy sidewalls won’t have a huge impact when you’re boiling water or making stock using a traditional gas or electric range. But they can be very beneficial if you’re going to be slow cooking or braising large cuts of meat. I was first taught the value of a good stock pot when I was in culinary school. I learned that a flavorful stock is one of the key (or dare I say “secret”) ingredients in many of the best restaurant dishes. Since 1995, Epicurious has been the ultimate food resource for the home cook, with daily kitchen tips, fun cooking videos, and, oh yeah, over 33,000 recipes. My family really loves making soups on weekends and therefore, we have plenty of this kind of pots, indeed.
They’re well-positioned and large enough to easily grab even when wearing thick oven mitts. If you’re looking to spend less than $60 on a still high-quality stockpot, the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic is the very best bet. Middle of the pack height- and width-wise, it’s a great Goldilocks pot that doesn’t take up too much stove space. The mirror-stain finish is shiny and impressive looking, and the “Cool Grip” handles stay relatively cool on the stove.
My best overall and budget pick are very similar when it comes to cooking performance. But, I think that the handle design of Cuisinart alone makes it worth the slightly higher price. As the name implies, a stock pot is great for making stock or bone broth. The only safety concern to keep in mind is the large size and weight of a stockpot full of food. It can be very dangerous to lift and move such a large pot that’s full of hot liquid.
This unique cookware is constructed of 90 percent high-grade copper, which has superb thermal conductivity for perfectly controlled cooking. The remaining 10 percent is stainless steel, which does not alter the properties of copper, and lines the interior for safe, non-reactive cooking every time. Nonetheless, with a lower price and great heat retention across the bottom, disk bottom stockpots are a viable option in the larger sizes. And in general, they give the best performance for a budget product. The Viking 3-ply stockpot offers a combination of stainless steel and aluminum alloys for unrivaled heat distribution, long-serving durability, good looks, and easy cleanup. The stainless steel is of high quality as well, with a large number of owners who report no pitting, corrosion, or discoloration – even after several trips through the dishwasher.
But because they’re so large, you’ll likely end up handwashing most of the time anyway. If you go with a non-stick option, avoid metal utensils at all times. When it comes to stainless steel cookware, I almost always recommend going with a fully-clad option. But, it’s also much more expensive and large stock pots are one instance where a fully-clad option isn’t necessarily worth the higher price.