We Tested the Best Stockpots—This Is Why Every Home Cook Needs One

Our Top Pick

Cuisinart 12-Quart Stock Pot

$140 at Amazon View on Cuisinart.com

The Cuisinart MultiClad Pro Stainless Steel Stockpot has riveted handles that are ergonomic and easy to hold—a bonus when you're lifting a heavy stockpot filled with a stew or broth. If you want to brown meat before roasting it in the oven, there's no need to use another piece of cookware because this stockpot can handle temperatures up to 550°F.

Thanks to a snug-fitting lid, you'll reduce the time and energy spent waiting for water to boil, and limited liquid will evaporate while simmering. When it comes time to pour your sauces into other containers or bowls, the rimmed lip makes it easy without spilling or splattering. And even better news: You can place this stockpot directly in the dishwasher for simple cleanup.

Allstar Elizabeth Dalton found this stockpot to have the perfect combination of design and performance after using it in her kitchen. She made chicken soup (with a whole chicken), boiled 3 pounds of potatoes, and prepared a large batch of beef stew. In tests, oil distributed evenly through the bottom of the pot and stew meat browned beautifully. The pot's base was wider than the burner, but everything still cooked evenly with no hot spots. Both handles were well-made, sturdy, and comfortable to hold with or without oven mitts. She also appreciated the versatile size, which was ideal for cooking larger batches for big families or leftovers and provided ample space to keep food from overcrowding.

Although it has a higher price tag, Elizabeth says it still offers great value because it will most likely never need to be replaced. It cleaned up like new with mild dish soap, and nothing stuck to the interior of the pot or internal handle rivets. "If you are in the market for a 12-quart stockpot, this will be the only one you will ever need," she says. "It's classically timeless and modernly advanced."

The Details: Stainless steel; 12-quart capacity; 13.58 x 12.8 x 8.66 inches

Best Budget

Cook N Home 8-Quart Stockpot

$37 at Amazon $36 at Walmart $80 at Wayfair

The Cook N Home 8-quart stockpot has riveted silicone-wrapped handles that stay cool, so you don't need to grab mitts before transporting the pot. The tempered glass lid allows you to watch food cook without removing it, and the vent lets steam escape. The low price point makes it accessible for many budgets, whether you're looking to buy your first stockpot or replace your current one.

Compatible with all types of stovetops, including induction, you don't need to worry about which type you have at home. You can also place this one in the oven as long as temperatures don't exceed 400°F. This model can go directly into the dishwasher, so cleanup is easy.

In tests, Allstar Faith Nettles found this pot to be very versatile and efficient, especially considering the lower price tag. Meat browned evenly, liquid came up to a boil quickly, and the handles were comfortable to hold due to the silicone coating. When it came time to clean, there was no sticking on the interior, and everything was wiped out easily. Even better, no food caught on the handles' internal rivets. "It prepares meals quickly and easily," she says. "It also provides fast and simple cleanup. This is a great pot to have for families who don't always have a lot of time to cook."

The Details: Stainless steel; 8-quart capacity; 9.4 x 13.2 x 6.7 inches

Best Splurge

All-Clad Stockpot

$350 $296 at Amazon

An All-Clad D3 stockpot may be an initial investment with a higher price point, but this versatile stockpot can be used for an array of recipes, and you're likely to use it frequently. "I've had this exact stockpot for 3.5 years, and it is excellent!" says Allrecipes Allstar Kelsey Riley. "I have no complaints and love the way my dishes come out when I cook using it."

Designed with tri-ply construction and two layers of stainless steel, it offers exceptionally uniform heat distribution. It is also lightweight, so it's comfortable to move from the stove to the sink and put away in the cupboard after washing up.

This stockpot has a wide base, making it easy to saute ingredients before pouring in liquids. And thanks to its secure, tight-fitting lid, you won't have to worry about too much evaporation. Moreover, the stockpot can withstand intense heat, giving it dual functionality—so you can saute or brown meat on the stove and place it in the oven to roast or continue cooking up to 600°F.

This stockpot browned meat evenly and reached boiling point relatively quickly in Allstar Frances Carden's tests. It was easy to pour cooked ingredients out of the pot, with only a little bit of spillage, and the lid was tightly fitted. The handles were easy to grab with oven mitts, which was good because they became hot while cooking. She also appreciated the flat bottom, which allowed for more even cooking and for the cooking medium to spread evenly. "The size allows one to prepare large meals for a large family or someone who wants to have a lot of leftovers for the rest of the week," she says. While it did take a little bit of scrubbing, the stockpot was also fairly easy to clean.

The Details: Stainless steel; 8-quart capacity; 14.13 x 11.25 x 5.75 inches

Best Enamel

Le Creuset Stock Pot with Lid

$115 at Amazon $115 at Nordstrom $125 at Williams Sonoma

This beautiful enameled stockpot comes in several colors, so you can choose which hue best suits your kitchen and style. "This pot has an even heat distribution, a nice 8-quart capacity, is easy to clean, and it's PRETTY," says Allstar Jane Wilcox. "I'm able to create soups that are tantalizing taste bud teasers AND incorporate lovely interesting texture!" Made from heavy-gauge carbon steel with a double coat of enamel, you never need to worry about this pot absorbing flavors or odors from your food.

Durable and versatile, this stockpot will likely be one of your most frequently used and favorite kitchen accessories, especially since it can also go in the oven and withstand temperatures up to 450°F. And don't expect long waiting periods to heat water. "On the induction range, it comes to a rolling boil in no time," notes Jane. This stockpot has a tight-fitting lid that minimizes evaporation and easy-to-hold handles—an essential factor when moving and lifting a heavy-filled pot.

Allstar Elizabeth is also a big fan of this stockpot. In her tests, the pot was easy to pick up and move even when full of boiling water. Flour-coated beef for stew browned beautifully and tomato sauce for pasta cooked evenly without sticking to the sides. It was especially easy to clean because of the enamel coating and the lack of handle rivets on the inside. "I don't think you will ever need to replace this one," she says.

The Details: Heavy-gauge carbon steel with porcelain-enamel finish; 8-quart capacity; 10.0 x 12.5 x 9.8 inches

Best Multipurpose

Caraway Stainless Steel Dutch Oven

$185 at Amazon $135 at Nordstrom $185 at Macys

Caraway's line of stainless steel cookware offers a more durable alternative to its popular nonstick ceramic collection—which we've tested and reviewed—with the same non-toxic approach free of PFOA, PTFE, other PFAs, lead, and cadmium. While it's technically marketed as a Dutch oven, this pot is a real workhorse that performs multiple jobs in the kitchen. The 6.5-quart capacity is perfect for soups and stews, while the 5-ply stainless steel construction makes it easy to simmer or sear ingredients on the stove before moving the pot directly into the oven. Plus, the pot itself is stylish enough to leave out on the stove while not in use.

To add even more versatility, Caraway also sells a matching steamer basket that doubles as a strainer. It nests seamlessly inside the pot and combines stainless steel with the brand's signature nonstick ceramic coating for a sturdy design that's easy to clean.

While Allstar Frances appreciates the design of the handles, which were easy to hold with oven mitts, she didn't care for the curved shape of the base since it concentrated heat and caused cooking oil to pool in the center. She found the overall design of the pot to be aesthetically pleasing, however, and likes that the tightly fitted lid has a port to allow steam to escape while minimizing overflow.

The Details: Stainless steel; 6.5-quart capacity; 10.5 x 6 inches