5 Best Stock Pots of 2023, Tested by Experts

Aug 23, 2023

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Simmer down! We'll tell you exactly which stock pots are worth your money for broth, soup, stew, pasta and more.

If you're a lover of cozy soups or rich beef stew, you need a stock pot. These large, deep pots are handy for making your own stock or broth as well as for cooking pasta and lobster — and they can stand in for a deep fryer.

The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test all kinds of cookware, including Dutch ovens, stainless steel and nonstick pans and cast iron and carbon steel skillets. When looking for the top stock pots, we timed how long it took to bring a nearly full pot to a boil and also noted whether it was easy to transport and pour from the large, hot pots. We evaluated the fit of the lid as well as the style and comfort of the handles. We also washed the pots by hand and ensure that they would fit in a standard dishwasher (as applicable).

Read on for more about how we tested and to learn what to look for when shopping for a stock pot. In the market for more large cookware? Check out our reviews of the top woks and sheet pans.

All-Clad has a track record of durable, high-performing cookware. In fact, the brand's D5 cookware set is among our top picks for great stainless steel cookware sets. Our kitchen pros have used All-Clad products for years and like this pick for its tight-fitting lid. It helps to speed up cook times, and it's a boon when you're steaming (lobster, anyone?) because it helps to trap steam.

The downside is that the handles' rivets are not flush inside the pot. This can make the area around them harder to clean and can lead to discoloration over time.

Cuisinart products have performed well in numerous Lab tests. The brand is even one of our recommendations for the best ceramic cookware sets. And this stock pot was no exception. It came to a boil fairly quickly, and we like that it has wide, flat side handles that make it feel secure to lift. The lid's handle is also wide, so you can get a good grip even with an oven mitt. The performance for the price is a great value.

But take note if you have strength issues: This was one of the heavier pots in our test.

Le Creuset is known for its gorgeous enameled cast iron Dutch ovens — the brand's 5.5-quart model is our best overall Dutch oven — and it has brought that high-quality coating to this stock pot. We love the color, but it's the performance that stands out: The 10-quart size has a roomy vaulted lid for steaming, and the enamel coating reduces sticking and makes the pot easy to clean. The rivet-less handles also contribute to the easy cleaning since they keep the interior smooth. We also appreciate the stainless steel rim, which decreases the likelihood of chipping (so you can rap your spoon on the edge as needed).

One note is that the enamel coating does give the pot a bit more heft than uncoated pots might have, so take that into consideration if you have strength or mobility issues.

Calphalon's eight-quart stock pot stands out from the mostly all-stainless-steel pots we tested because it is nonstick and has a tempered glass lid. The glass lid is useful when you want to keep an eye on what you're cooking, but we will note that — as with any cookware with a glass lid — condensation will form on the underside when you're boiling and even simmering and will generally obscure your view at some point. But the nonstick coating means you can use less fat when cooking, and it makes cleanup easier.

The pot has a narrow design, so it was not the fastest to boil in our tests, but it produced evenly cooked pasta and was easy to pour from. It's also oven safe to 500˚F (though not broiler safe).

Hestan's eight-quart stock pot did great in our tests. It was on the quicker end in our boil tests, but what our pros really liked is that it was the lightest weight pot in our tests. This means you're less likely to struggle when lifting a full pot out of the oven — it's oven safe to 1,050˚F (!), the highest of those we tested — or pouring from it when draining pasta or potatoes. It had a tight-fitting lid, which helps speed up cooking.

Our caveat: It's an expensive pot. But it's a solid choice if you're comfortable investing in long-lasting. If you want more: The NanoBond set is our top pick for stainless steel cookware sets.

We test all types of pots and pans in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, whether nonstick, stainless steel, carbon steel, cast iron or copper. When we test any kind of cookware, we assess how quickly it responds to heat as well as how it retains it over time.

When evaluating stock pots, we time how long it takes for a nearly full pot to reach a boil. We take the temperature of the pot's lid and side handles, and we cook pasta to check the texture and to learn what it's like to transfer and pour from a hot, heavy pot. We also note whether the pot is easy to clean.

Here's what you should consider, whether you're buying your stock pot by itself or selecting a cookware set that includes one.

✔️ Capacity: The most common volume for a stock pot is eight quarts. This size is big enough to simmer broth as well as to make sizeable batches of pasta or chili. It's often the size included in cookware sets, and it's reasonably easy to store. If you cook for a larger crowd or often work with larger foods, like lobster, you might want a 10-, 12-, 14- or 16-quart size. The larger-capacity pots tend to be a bit taller and narrower, which can make reaching in to stir a little more difficult, especially for shorter cooks.

✔️ Handles: The most important consideration for pot handles is that they're comfortable for you. We like side handles that flare or extend away from the body of the pot to protect your hands from the heat. We also prefer a flat or contoured surface that helps ensure a firm grip — these pots can be quite heavy when they're full. Some may have a textured or coated grip, but this feature can be less common on stock pots than on saucepans or skillets. Our pros also suggest checking how the handle is attached to the pot: A flush rivet creates a smooth surface inside the pot, which makes it easier to clean.

✔️ Lid: Stock pot lids are generally stainless steel or glass (or perhaps copper, if the pot itself is). Stainless steel lids often provide better heat retention, but you can't see inside the pot without lifting them. Glass lids let you glimpse what's happening inside the pan initially, but condensation might obscure the view as the cooking continues, so our experts say the top priority is a tight fit. We also like a handle or knob that's tall enough to keep your hand away from the hot surface. But note that particularly tall handles can make the lid harder to store.

✔️ Material: Most of the pots we tested in our recent round were stainless steel. This is a good choice because it's compatible with all cooktops (including induction), it heats quickly and is relatively lightweight for lifting and pouring. Nonstick pots are handy if you're making dishes like one-pot pasta, which might have sticky ingredients. But because stock pots are commonly used for liquids like broth and soup, the nonstick coating isn't highly necessary and may reduce the lifespan of your pot. Copper is a responsive and versatile material that may heat even more quickly than stainless steel, but it can be expensive and may show dings and scratches more readily, so it may not stand up to as many years of clanging around as a stainless steel pot might.

Sarah Wharton is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute. She lead the Kitchen Appliances Lab's testing of stock pots, and she has tested a variety of other cooking gear, including fish spatulas and carbon steel pans. She is a graduate of the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and has been cooking professionally since 2017.

Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor for the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).

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