(Karen Wheless) wrote in
:

I've been wanting to buy a stockpot with a pasta insert - primarily
for cooking pasta, but I also want something decent enough to reheat
soup or heat up some pasta sauce, simple things like that. My last
stockpot finally had to be tossed and I'd like a replacement, and I'd
like the pasta insert.

However, my budget is limited, and spending All Clad prices or even
Bed Bath & Beyond prices for something that's mostly for boiling water
seems like a waste. But my last stockpot was so flimsy and thin on
the bottom that it was pretty useless - it even rusted on the bottom
by the end. So I want something that has some quality to it, even if
it's not a premium brand.

I haven't found anything locally at a decent price (the only thing
available seems to be $100+), so I've been checking ebay for bargains.
I've come across quite a few sets (stockpot plus insert plus steamer
in some cases) at fairly good prices. But some of the brands are ones
I'm not familiar with - they all seem to be 18/10 stainless, mostly
with a disc bottom, but that can cover a lot of quality levels.

Is anyone familiar with the cookware made by Williams-Sonoma (under
their own name) or Crate & Barrel (also under their own name)? How
about "Command Performance" which is an HSN brand? Or Dansk? These
all seem to show up fairly frequently on ebay. (I'm hoping to find a
bargain on Calphalon but it seems to be going for a bit more than I
can afford.)

Thanks,
Karen


I would skip the Dansk - everything I have seen in their stores looks
more like it is made for style than good cooking performance. I'd be
much more willing to trust a Williams-Sonoma house brand. However, if
something shows up a lot on ebay, perhaps there is a reason.

I have a pot that is exactly what you are looking for, and it cost much
less than $100. I bought it at Costco several years ago and it has held
up perfectly. You can probably find something equivalent there or at
Sam's Club or BJ's. The only thing I have against it is that the
interior is not machined completely smooth, so it is a little more work
to clean up.

OTOH, for $99 you can get the made-in-China stainless steel All-Clad
(disk on bottom, no cladding on the sides) 12-quart pasta pot with
insert. I have seen it in the store and it will last forever. I didn't
need it, because I have my Costco pot. I *did* buy the 16-quart model
(no insert) for making stock. (I like to make my own stock with no salt
and keep it on hand in the freezer. I end up with maybe 4 quarts out of
that 16-quart stockpot. I love it.)

FWIW, it really pays to buy cookware "in person" especially if you are
not familiar with the specific product line. It is hard to tell quality
from a picture. There is nothing like hefting the pan, feeling the
handles in your hand, checking the fit of the lid, etc.

If you don't already have a nice 2-quart or 3-quart saucepan, and you
can get a good buy on the stockpot, you might consider a saucepan too.
That's much better for reheating (less clean-up, won't lose so much
water) a few portions of soup or pasta sauce than a big stockpot.

Debbie

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