Stock Pot

Before you read: When you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend things I'd be happy to use in my own kitchen.

Which one should you buy?

A light, 12-quart stainless pot with a good lid and comfortable handles is all most home cooks need, and it doesn't have to cost much. Here's what I'd point you to:

A stock pot is the big one at the back of the cupboard. It's for stock, soup for a crowd, corn on the cob, a pile of steamers or a lobster or two, and a proper rolling boil for pasta. If you cook for a crowd, you need one.

Pasta needs plenty of water to cook evenly and not stick together, and a stock pot gives it room to move. It's also how you turn a roast chicken carcass and a few vegetable ends into a golden stock that beats anything from a carton. That's money saved and flavour gained, which is my favourite kind of cooking.

What makes a good stock pot

A stock pot spends most of its life doing two jobs: boiling a lot of water quickly, and simmering liquid gently for hours. Neither of those needs a thick, heavy base. In fact, a lighter pot is easier on you. Twelve quarts of water weighs about 25 pounds before you add the pot, so every pound of steel you save is a pound you don't have to lift to the sink.

What does matter is a flat base that sits steady on the burner and spreads the heat, handles you can hold safely when the pot is full, and a lid that fits well so the water comes to the boil faster. Tall and narrow is better than short and wide for stock, because less liquid evaporates and the bones stay covered.

Thick chili and stew are a different story. Long simmers of something dense can catch on the bottom of a light pot. For those, reach for a heavy Dutch oven instead.

T-fal 12-Quart Stock Pot at a glance

Check the box or manual for the oven-safe temperature and dishwasher advice, as the covered handles may limit oven use.

What to look for in a stock pot

• 8 to 12 quarts. Eight is plenty for most families. Twelve is for batch cooking, big gatherings and seafood boils.

• Light, not heavy. A full pot is heavy enough already. A base that sits flat and spreads heat is what you want.

• Comfortable handles. Big enough to hold with oven gloves, and sturdy.

• A well-fitting lid. It brings the water to the boil faster and saves energy.

• Stainless steel. It doesn't stain or react with tomatoes, and it cleans up easily.

• Check your sink. Make sure it fits for washing.

The T-fal ticks every one of those boxes and costs less than a takeaway for four.

Who it suits, and who should skip it

Good for you if

• You make stock, or soup in big batches for the freezer

• You cook pasta or corn for a crowd

• You do clam, lobster or crab boils

Skip it if

• You have a tiny kitchen or small sink: an 8-quart pot is easier to live with

• You mostly make thick chili and stews: a Dutch oven is the better pot

• You only ever cook for one or two

How to get the best from it

Pasta

Fill it about two-thirds full, put the lid on and bring it to a rolling boil before you salt the water. Stir in the pasta, keep it boiling and stir now and then for the first couple of minutes so nothing sticks.

Chicken stock

Put a roast chicken carcass in the pot with an onion, a carrot, a stick of celery and a few peppercorns. Cover with cold water and bring it slowly to a bare simmer. Don't let it boil hard or the stock goes cloudy. Skim off any foam, simmer for 3 to 4 hours, then strain. Cool it quickly and get it into the fridge.

Seafood boils

Use plenty of water, salted well, and don't overfill: add the shellfish to boiling water and keep the lid handy. Lift everything out with a spider or a big slotted spoon rather than tipping the whole pot.

Cleaning and safety

• Fill it on the burner. Use a jug or a pitcher to top it up, rather than carrying a full pot from the sink.

• Drain carefully. Lift pasta out with a spider, or carry a part-full pot with both hands and dry oven gloves.

• Handles in. Turn them so they don't stick out over the edge of the stove, especially with children about.

• Salt after it boils. Salt dropped into cold water can leave little white pits in stainless steel.

• Stains: let it cool, soak, use a nylon pad. Bar Keepers Friend shifts rainbow or white marks.

The one rule

Never carry a full pot of boiling water across the kitchen. Take the food to the water, or the water to the food in small amounts.

Questions people ask

What size stock pot should I buy?

8 quarts for most families, 12 quarts if you batch cook, make stock or feed a crowd.

What's the difference between a stock pot and a Dutch oven?

A stock pot is tall, light and quick to boil. A Dutch oven is heavy and wide, and it's better for searing, braising and thick stews.

Does a stock pot need a heavy base?

Not really. For boiling and stock, a lighter pot is fine and easier to handle. A thick base only matters for long simmers of something dense, like chili.

Can I use it on induction?

Yes, this one works on induction. With any pot, hold a fridge magnet to the base: if it sticks, it'll work.

How much water do I need for pasta?

Plenty: about 4 quarts for a pound of pasta. I go through it all in my pasta lesson below.

Cook with it

How to Cook Pasta Perfectly, then any of my soup recipes.

Updated October 2026. Prices change often, so check before you buy.