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A stockpot doesn’t have the cachet of a hand-forged cast-iron skillet or the countertop appeal of a glossy enameled Dutch oven. But it is one of those pieces you’ll inevitably need.
Maybe you’re throwing a dinner party and need to boil water for two pounds of pasta. Maybe you’ve vowed to finally turn those chicken bones into stock. Maybe you’ve been tasked with making the mashed potatoes for 20 at Friendsgiving. Maybe you run a Victorian workhouse and need a soup pot big enough to cook porridge for all the children. Whenever there’s a cooking task that calls for a large batch of simmered or boiled miscellanea, a big pot is what you need.
Our top picks
- Best stockpot overall: Made In 8-Quart Clad Stainless Steel Stockpot
- Another great stockpot: All-Clad D3 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot
- A solid budget stockpot: Goldilocks 8 Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot
What might surprise you, though, is that not all stockpots perform the same. So we spent hours in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen boiling and simmering more than a dozen stockpots to find the ones truly worth your investment. Below are our top picks, backed by BA editors and industry pros including Renee Erickson, James Beard Award–winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author; Tyler Malek, pastry chef and cofounder of Salt & Straw; and Angelo Sosa, chef at Kembara and Tía Carmen in Phoenix.
The best stockpot: Made In 8-Quart Clad Stainless Steel Stockpot
Made In Stainless Clad Stock Pot
Pros
- Ideal dimensions
- Lightweight
- Roomy handles
Cons
- Pans might discolor
- Slightly more prone to sticking
Base Diameter: 10.25″
Height: 5.7″
Material: Stainless steel
Size: 8 qt.
Weight: 4.3 lb.
What we love: Several chefs I spoke with loved the Made In stockpot. Even as a relative newcomer in the cookware space, the brand has become a mainstay in professional kitchens all around the country. “In our R&D kitchen, we love using Made In pots because they’re built like tanks and handle heat really well,” says Malek. Erickson also mentioned the brand as her go-to.
In our tests, the Made In performed neck and neck with the industry standard, All-Clad. It shares the same wide, squat shape that makes stirring and searing easier, plus comfortable handles (attached with rivets, by the way) that make it easy to maneuver, even with oven mitts. With five layers of metal (versus All-Clad’s three), the Made In still weighs the same, boils water slightly faster, and holds a touch more liquid.
The Made In stockpot also happens to be cheaper than the All-Clad, leaving you with more cash for expensive mushrooms or fancy beef to use in your soups and stews.
What we’d leave: Through our other cookware tests, we’ve observed that Made-In’s latest generation of stainless-steel cookware has a tendency to be a bit more reluctant to release ingredients, and may also discolor over time if repeatedly used over high heat. Neither issue affected performance during our stockpot testing, but they’re worth keeping in mind.
Another top performer: All-Clad D3 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot
All-Clad D3 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot
Pros
- Built to last
- Wide base
- Even thermal distribution
Cons
- Expensive
- Handles could be bigger
Base Diameter: 10.5″
Height: 5.375″
Material: 3-ply Stainless steel
Size: 8 qt.
Weight: 4.3 lb.
What we loved: If you look at some of our other product recommendations, you’ll realize pretty quickly that we think All-Clad makes some of the best stainless-steel cookware out there. “All-Clad deserves its high praise,” says deputy food editor Hana Asbrink. “You always get a consistent product, regardless of the line, and you never have to worry about warping or hot spots, or anything really. They’re largely indestructible and built so well. All-Clad pots and pans are definitely an investment, but you won’t need to buy replacements!”
Stockpots that hold eight quarts are a great choice for most home kitchens, but they’re not all shaped the same. The All-Clad stockpot in this size is one of the widest we’ve seen, which makes it ideal for starting a stock with large bones or whole chicken carcasses, or for searing meat before adding a braising liquid. Its wide dimensions also make it easy to fit in the oven.
This is a tri-ply pot, meaning it’s made of three layers of metal—an aluminum core sandwiched between two layers of stainless steel. The pot is fully clad, so those layers extend not just across the base but up the sides as well (the Made In is the same). The aluminum core provides excellent heat conductivity, while the stainless steel exterior ensures even heating and makes the surface less reactive to acidic ingredients. The pot’s durability and resistance to hot spots—the qualities Hana mentioned—are a direct result of this heavy-duty, fully clad construction.
The All-Clad D3 strikes a great balance between sturdiness and maneuverability. It has riveted handles, a seamless base, and comes with a stainless steel lid (All-Clad also sells glass lids separately if you prefer those).
What we’d leave: Compared to the Made-In stockpot, the handles are a bit smaller, but we’re really splitting hairs here. The biggest gripe here is the price. $350 is quite a hefty price to pay for a single piece of cookware. While it’s a fantastic stockpot, you should definitely consider how often you’ll use it before buying. Then again, you’ll never have to buy another stockpot in your life, so it is certainly worth it in the long run.
Best budget stockpot: Goldilocks 8 Quart Stockpot
Goldilocks 8 Quart Stockpot
Pros
- Nice dimensions
- affordable
Cons
- May discolor over time
Base Diameter: 10.25″
Height: 5.7″
Material: 3-ply Stainless steel
Size: 8 qt.
Weight: 4.5 lb.
What we loved: We really like Goldilocks cookware. At a glance, these stockpots can easily be mistaken for All-Clad. And many of the things we like about the Goldilocks stockpot are what we like about the others above. It’s wide, spacious, and lightweight (it’s a touch heavier than the overall winners, but only a touch.) Its handles are larger than All-Clad’s, as was the pot’s actual demonstrated liquid capacity. The biggest difference? The price: $95.
What we’d leave: Through cooking tests, we’ve definitely noticed differences in the quality between it and more premium brands. The pan’s surface finish is slightly rougher than All-Clad, which we’ve found makes it prone to slight discoloration over time. The pans can also be a bit more prone to scorching at high heat. When comparing to cookware with a similar price point, Goldilocks wins out on performance and design.
How we tested stockpots
When evaluating stockpots, we considered all the tasks that only a large pot can handle: big batch cooking, meal prepping, home canning, and, of course, making stock. These are the following tests we put each pot through to determine the winners.
To determine a testing standard, we decided that the pot needed to be large enough to accommodate four pounds of chicken wings, two onions, two carrots, and four celery stalks. We ultimately landed on 8 quarts as our benchmark minimum volume for a stockpot. Anything smaller will have a limited versatility and capacity for larger scale tasks.
Bon Appétit’s deputy food editor, Hana Asbrink, who ate miyeokguk, Korean seaweed soup, nearly every day for over a year after giving birth to her daughter, contributed her insights. We also consulted Renee Erickson, James Beard Award–winning chef, restaurateur, and cookbook author; Tyler Malek, pastry chef and cofounder of Salt & Straw; and Angelo Sosa, chef at Kembara and Tía Carmen in Phoenix.
To get a sense of how efficiently each stockpot transferred heat, we timed how long it would take to bring 64 oz. of water to a boil. We used an induction burner at the exact same setting for each pot.
Actual dimensions can differ significantly, even for pots with the same advertised volume. That’s why we measured the actual maximum volume of each pot. We determined this by filling each stockpot with water and then placing their lids on top, to displace any excess liquid. We then poured that liquid in a Cambro with volumetric measurements and marked the fill line by brand. We repeated this process with each pot.
We sautéed a mirepoix or sliced onions in each pot to see how they responded to heat, how evenly they browned, and how they reduced vegetables. Early stockpot tests included pasta, beans, and stock, but we found those results less informative than the measurements and heat tests we emphasize now.
All pans are sold by size, but the actual dimensions can vary from brand to brand, meaning one 8-quart stock pot can be quite different from another. For this reason, we take our own measurements for more reliable comparison. We measure the dimensions of each pot, and weighed them using our own scale as well. This is why you might notice discrepancies between the specs in our tests and what a brand reports on their website.
We looked for easy-to-grip handles, a generously sized cooking surface, and a tight-fitting lid to minimize evaporation. The taller a stockpot is the more difficult it is to handle and store, so we looked for 8-quart stockpots with broad and squat designs. We should note that for larger volume stockpots this preference is reversed, as you’ll want a base that can still fit over a standard stovetop burner.
What makes a good stockpot?
Chefs across the board recommend stainless-steel stockpots over the cheaper aluminum models ubiquitous in restaurant supply shops. “The absolute worst is when the pot starts to warp on the bottom; a trait that almost anyone who has worked in a commercial kitchen has seen” Tyler Malek says. Malek has dealt with the warping issue a lot in his capacity as the pastry chef and cofounder of ice cream maker Salt & Straw. “The only way to avoid this is to buy thick bottomed, stainless-steel pots. Stainless steel also tends to heat more evenly and consistently, which is especially helpful when trying to get finicky recipes like caramel sauce to come out perfect every time.”
Aluminum stockpots can also leave a bad taste in your mouth—literally. “Oftentimes, when you cook with acidity in an aluminum pot, the metal taste transfers and the pans tarnish quickly,” says Angelo Sosa, chef at Kembara and Tía Carmen.
One final problem with aluminum stockpots: They don’t work on induction cooktops. Aluminum isn’t compatible with the technology. If you want more on the pots and pans that will work with induction you can check out this guide.
We also don’t recommend nonstick stockpots because you shouldn’t use high heat on nonstick coatings (Teflon or ceramic); high heat can cause them to break down. Nonstick cookware can also scratch easily, which is not good news in a pot that you need to deglaze and scrape.
You’re looking for the same things in a stockpot that you’d look for in saucepans or frying pans: responsiveness to changes in heat and even heat distribution. However, since stockpots tend to be used for much longer sessions than many other pieces of cookware, their ability to withstand hours of heat on the stovetop—and effectively distribute that heat to all parts of the pot—is even more important. A quality stockpot should also be oven-safe so it can stand in for jobs that call for a Dutch oven in a pinch (another reason you don’t want a nonstick stockpot).
There are a few other details that the experts look for as well. Are the base of the pot or the handles welded on? “It’s really important to get handles that are riveted rather than spot-welded. They will hold up longer and are way less likely to fall off the pot,” says Renee Erickson, chef and owner of Sea Creatures restaurant group in Seattle.
Another hallmark of a cheap stockpot is a seam between the sides and the base of the pot. After repeated use, that warping mentioned by Malek can cause the seams to actually begin to leak, and no one wants a pot that functions like a colander.
As a result, the pots we recommend are the most expensive of the lot we’ve tested, but that’s because they are the ones built to last the hours and hours on a hot stove we expect a stockpot to handle.
Other great stockpots we tested
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless-Steel Stockpot
Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Stainless Steel Stockpot
This is an excellent budget choice for a stockpot. It has cool-grip handles and a superb, tight-fitting lid that minimizes drips and spills when you lift it to check on food. The pot is taller and narrower than our winners, though, which we weren’t as crazy about.
This is a disk-bottom pot, so the base is clad with an aluminum core, while the sides are just stainless steel. Disk-bottom pots aren’t as versatile as fully clad pans: they’re more prone to scorching and less responsive to changes in temperature. This isn’t much of an issue when the pot is filled with water, since heat cycles through with the movement of the liquid. But if you need to brown ingredients, you might run into issues.
If your primary goal is making stock and you’re not worried about scorching, a disk-bottom pot like this is fine.
Viking Classic Stainless Steel Stockpot
Viking 3-Ply Stainless Steel 8 Qt Multipot 4-Piece Set with Metal Lid
This particular pot has interior volumetric measurements, spacious handles, and a generous actual capacity. Compared with other pots, it’s on the taller side. Taller stockpots can be trickier to pour from, which is why we preferred our winners. Still, this is a nice piece of cookware.
Fissler M5 Pro-Ply Stockpot
Fissler M5 Pro Ply Stockpot with Lid
Fissler’s M5 Pro-Ply line has charmed us time and time again in our product tests. While this is still an excellent piece of cookware, the 6-quart volume is the largest size, which we feel is limiting for a stockpot.
Stockpots we wouldn’t recommend
Caraway’s stainless-steel line is more limited than their nonstick cookware. While they offer larger nonstick stockpots, this 6-qt. “Dutch oven” is the largest stainless-steel option they sell. The handle style is nice, but the pot and lid are unnecessarily heavy.
We don’t mind Ninja’s budget cookware line, however the glass lid and small size make this piece not so desirable. Additionally, it’s only available as part of a cookware set, so we can’t recommend it on its own.
We liked Sardel’s original line, but their latest collab with Daniel Boulud, while stylishly designed, isn’t the most practical. The side handles are tiny, and could only accommodate three fingers from the hands of a man whose hands aren’t even that big (me).
This pot is similar to the Cuisinart, but is just a bit taller and narrower. It’s a disk bottom pan, which is part of the reason it’s so affordable. Testers weren’t as crazy about the handle shape on this pot, preferring the flat style of the Cuisinart and All-Clad for transporting and holding.
As charming and attractive as Le Creuset cookware is, we don’t think that enamel coating here is really the way to go, when bare stainless steel is just as fine, especially when you consider the customer reports that the enamel on their steel products seems to be easier to chip.
The pot was the tallest and narrowest of the pots we tested, and felt a bit on the flimsier side. It performed alright in the tests, but we had questions regarding its potential longevity.
This is the Amazon favorite pan for it’s affordability, but the side walls felt a bit thin despite weighing the same as the All-Clad.
What can you cook in a stockpot?
Stock. Obviously. You want something big to handle a whole turkey carcass for leftover Thanksgiving stock, or the myriad of aromatics, chiles, and chicken parts that amp up this sinus-clearing spicy chicken stock.
But a stockpot isn’t just for soup lovers. You can use a stockpot in almost any recipe that calls for a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (except for maybe this bread recipe). Try a comforting navy bean and escarole stew, these rich and jammy red wine–braised short ribs, and this no-sweat chicken adobo. Use it for cooking long pasta like fettuccine or bucatini.
If you’re into giving homemade edible gifts and want to whip up large batches of caramel, almond brittle, or jam to give to friends, follow Malek’s lead. The Salt & Straw cofounder says he relies almost exclusively on stockpots when he’s making toppings and mix-ins on a large scale for his ice creams.
More cookware worth investing in
- Our experts put 17 stainless steel skillets through five tests in the Test Kitchen to find the stainless-steel pans that will last you for decades.
- A Dutch oven is the most versatile piece of cookware you will ever own, so choose wisely.
- Nonstick pans are an indispensable cooking tool for making omelets, browning salmon skin, and reheating leftovers. These are our top picks.