When it comes to cooking, some recipes demand bigger and better equipment. One essential piece of cooking gear that we often overlook when we’re shopping for the best cookware sets is a great stockpot. That’s because, many times, a sizable stockpot isn’t included in a cookware set. If they are included, the largest they usually come in is around 8 quarts.
Stockpots are designed to take on big jobs that require a lot of volume. If you’re making a big batch of soup, stock, or sauce you’ll be needing to add a lot of ingredients. Another reason stockpots come in handy is the ability to blend hot ingredients inside the pots themselves thanks to their tall sides. All you need is a good immersion blender and you’re set. Blending up sauces and soups this way saves a ton of time on prep and clean-up since you don’t have to transfer ingredients between the pot and the blender or food processor.
A great stockpot is used for more than making stock, soup, or sauce. They’re also crucial for hosting a seafood or crawfish boil, brining and frying a turkey at Thanksgiving, or cooking a boatload of pasta. Now that you’re convinced of your need for a great stockpot, here are the best ones we found online.
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Best Small Capacity Stockpot: Sky Light Stainless Steel Stockpot with Glass Lid
Technically, a pot of this size is considered a saucepan. But, we won’t split hairs over semantics. This small stockpot is great if you like making only as much as you need. It boasts a 3-ply construction base with a layer of aluminum enclosed within two layers of stainless steel. This design makes this pot very durable and makes for quick heating.
- Size: 3.5-Quart
Best Mid-Sized Stockpot: KitchenAid 5-Ply Clad Polished Stainless Steel Stockpot with Lid
This 8-qt stockpot from KitchenAid is designed with beauty and durability in mind. It’s constructed with not one, but three layers of aluminum between two sheets of stainless steel delivering optimum temperature control. The black, riveted stainless steel handles provide strength and elegance. The inner walls of the pot also have measurement levels making for more accurate in-pot cooking.
- Size: 8-Quart
Best Large Capacity Stockpot: Tramontina Gourmet Stainless Steel Covered Stockpot
Tramontana is a name that is trusted by home and professional kitchens worldwide. This 12-qt workhorse is oven-safe up to 500 degrees and is backed by a lifetime warranty. It’s compatible with all cooktops and is also certified by the NSF.
- Size: 20-Quart
Best for Crawfish Boil: Bayou Classic Stainless Steel Stockpot with Basket
If you’re thinking of hosting a crawfish or seafood boil, you’re going to need to level up your stockpot game. Specifically, you’ll need a very big one with a steamer basket. This Choice 80-qt aluminum stock pot will do the trick. This big daddy will also come in handy if you’re thinking of frying a turkey next thanksgiving.
- Size: 62-Quart
Best Commercial Grade Stockpot: Vigor Heavy-Duty Stainless Steel Aluminum-Clad Stockpot with Cover
Whether you own your own catering company or operate a community soup kitchen out of your backyard, there are about 100 different reasons you might need this 100-qt Stockpot from Vigor. Constructed of 20 gauge stainless steel with a heavy-duty, aluminum-clad bottom this beast is compatible with any stovetop and will withstand any job.
- Size: 100-Quart
Best Value StockPot: Imusa Stainless Steel Stock Pot with Lid
If you are in need of a simple, no-frill pot for making your delicious homemade stocks, look no further. This 12-qt stockpot from Imusa is one pure layer of stainless steel. It gets the job done and gives you a lot of cooking volume at a great price.
- Size: 12-Quart
Best High-End Stockpot: Mauviel M’Heritage Copper Stock Pot with Tin Interior
We all know the French don’t mess around when it comes to cooking. That’s why in many authentic French restaurants, you’ll find copper pots and pans. Copper conducts heat better than any other metal. Also, don’t worry about the rumors that copper can leach into our food and make you sick. Any reputable copper cookware brand ( Mauviel especially) includes a tin lining between the copper and the food to keep you safe. A copper pot is no doubt expensive, but it’s a thing of beauty. With the proper care, it can become a family heirloom.
- Size: 11.7-Quart
Best Nonstick Stockpot: T-fal Total Nonstick Stockpot
Since most of the time you’re cooking with wet ingredients when it comes to a stockpot, there isn’t a real need for it to be nonstick. However, there are times when you need to sear meats or fry a bit of garlic before making your dish. In these cases, a nonstick stockpot can come in handy. Plus, they’re always easier to clean. This T-fal B36262 12-Qt Total Nonstick Stockpot is a go-to for nonstick cooking.
- Size: 12-Quart
Most Colorful Stockpot: The Magical Kitchen Iridescent Rainbow Stock Pot With Handles & Glass Lid
If a regular stainless steel stockpot is just too sterile for your taste, then this one from The Magical Kitchen is sure to liven things up. This stockpot is made purely from stainless steel and titanium and is free of any coatings or paint. It works on any stovetop and comes with a one-month satisfaction guarantee from the manufacturer.
- Size: 8-Quart
Best Space Saving Stockpot: Calphalon Premier Space-Saving Stainless Steel Stockpot with Cover
One downfall of stockpots is that they take up a lot of cabinet space and can be hard to store with the rest of your cookware. This 8-qt Premier Space-Saving Stainless Steel Stockpot solves that problem. This stockpot is one of a three-part space-saving cooking set from Calphalon (also includes a saute pan and saucepan) that nest within one another to save up to 30% of your cabinet space. Keep in mind that all three share the same lid. So if you need to do covered cooking on more than one piece, you’ll need to improvise.
- Size: 8-Quart
