Everyone loves a good bowl of pasta. Whether it’s a baby getting messy with stringy spaghetti, a romantic Italian dinner date, or your grandma’s special recipe, pasta is a universally popular dish. But sometimes, your old cookware doesn’t give you the best results.
The best of the bunch? I recommend the Cook N Home 4 piece set from Amazon.
Luckily, there are specific pots on the market right now designed to make the best possible pasta. Take home professional grade pots for a fraction of the price and make some top quality pasta for your friends and family today!
Cook N Home Stainless Steel 4-Piece Pasta Cooker
The functional design and multiple cookware items you get with your purchase make this Cook N Home pot a popular choice among pasta lovers. You get the main pot, which is 8 quarts – a relatively large size for big batches of pasta – a pasta strainer, and 2 other inserts for steaming food, giving this pot multi-functionality as well.
It’s made of 18/10 stainless steel, which is not only durable and easy to clean, it’s the highest quality stainless steel on the market. The insert feature lets you cook the pasta in the pot and when it’s done, just pull the insert out. The pasta comes out, letting the water drain through the holes of the insert. This makes straining so much easier. And in my opinion safer. You don’t have to carry and pour boiling water to strain your pasta. Just leave the water in the pot until it’s cooler, then pour it out.
Farberware Classic Straining Stockpot
Many have lauded this Farberware pot as best pasta pot on the market. It combines two of the most popular and functional cooking materials – aluminum and stainless steel- into one genius design. The pot has an aluminum core, which quickly and evenly distributes heat that is absorbed and held by the outer stainless steel body. Many stainless steel pots take a fairly long time to heat up, but with this design, you’ll be boiling your delicious pasta in no time.
To strain your pasta, it comes with a lid that locks into place with strainer holes to pour out the water when you’re done boiling. You also get heat safe handles that have a comfortable grip. The 8-quart pot is even oven safe up to 350 degrees, making it a versatile all-in-one kitchen tool that can be used for even more than boiling pasta (although it does an impeccable job at that!).
With its all-in-one design and build, it’s a great space saving model as well. You get a lifetime warranty with this pot, so it is a great investment for your kitchen.
Cuisinart 12 Quart Pasta/Steamer Set
The Cuisinart is on the upper end of pasta boiling pots in terms of capacity. If you tend to make large batches of pasta for a big family or group of friends, this is the pot for you. It has a 12-quart interior and is made of 18/10 stainless steel. Like the Cook N Home, this also comes with a strainer insert for pasta and a steaming basket for dumplings and steamed veggies.
The pot’s encapsulated bottom allows for fast heating as well as superior heat distribution for faster cooking and boiling as well. It has cool-to-the-touch handles and a tight fit lid, although this is seen as a drawback by some people because it is also made out of stainless steel, so the lid is opaque and you can’t see the progress of your meal without lifting the lid and losing some heat. Cuisinart is a great brand, but you’ll pay for the quality. This one runs about a third more expensive than the Cook N Home.
However, this pot is also oven safe (up to 550 degrees) and also dishwasher safe, which is a major plus for busy kitchens. It also has a limited lifetime warranty.
Bialetti Oval 5-Quart Pasta Pot
The Bialetti is smaller than most other pasta pots on the market at a 5-quart capacity. But considering its attributes, it may be perfect for your kitchen.
Its unique oval shape is great for cooking long pasta like spaghetti or fettuccine, as it won’t break the pasta as it starts cooking since it fits perfectly. It has an aluminum body for fast cooking, so you’ll have your noodles in no time.
You also get the added benefit of a nonstick interior with this pot. No more picking off stuck on pasta during the cleanup process! It’s also worth noting that, because of its nonstick properties, you won’t have to use a lot of butter or oil when cooking. It also has heat-resistant handles and lock mechanism for the strainer lid, making straining easier and safer. Unlike anything else on our list, this one comes in many different high-fashion colors.
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Gotham Steel Pasta Pot
The Gotham pasta pot is the second most popular/top rated pasta boiling pot at Amazon. It comes in either 4 or 5 quarts, making it slightly smaller than average, but it’s got some pretty cool features.
This pot has a built-in strainer with two different size holes on the side of the lid, ensuring that no food escapes. Pour spouts on the pot line up with these holes for easy straining. The tempered glass lid lets you keep an eye on your cooking. The “twist n lock” handles stay cool on your hands but securely keep the lid in place during draining.
The internal body of the pot is made out of nonstick ceramic copper, making cleaning an easy job. It also ensures that none of your pasta gets burnt. Because of the nonstick surface, you won’t need to use a lot of oil or butter when cooking. Additionally, the titanium exterior makes it super durable. If these characteristics sound like the perfect combination, this pot may be perfect for you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the diameter and other dimensions of the Cook N Home Stainless 4-Piece Pasta Cooker?
The pot itself is 10 inches in diameter and 7 inches in height. The pasta insert is also 10 inches in diameter and 7 inches in height. The steamer insert is 9.5 inches in diameter and 2.5 inches in height. This is a serious sized pot and will be great for small or big quantities of pasta or any other food you desire to cook!
Can I use the Cook N Home Stainless 4-Piece Pasta Cooker on induction or ceramic stoves?
Yes, you can. The entire pot is made out of pure stainless steel. So it will work perfectly fine without scratching your stove or the pot. Heat will be distributed throughout the pot evenly. The only thing I would check is if your stove or pot has developed any scratches. Then you might like to be extra cautious when moving your pot around the stove and carefully placing it down each time.
Is the Cook N Home Stainless 4-Piece Pasta Cooker oven safe?
This pot is completely oven safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. However, the glass lid is oven safe only up to a maximum of 350 degrees Fahrenheit. I would recommend avoiding putting the glass lid in the oven unless you absolutely needed to for some reason. Personally, I have never needed to put the pot in the oven.
Does the cover of the Farberware Classic Stainless Steel 8-Quart Covered Straining Stockpot lock properly?
Yes, the cover does indeed lock properly. Just make sure you twist the lid on properly. Be sure that the slots engage the knobs fully. This device is very safe when used correctly, it’s understandable there may be some concern about boiling water coming out or burning yourself. Just twist the lid on properly and let the pot do the rest.
What’s the height and diameter of the Cuisinart 12 Quart Pasta/Steamer Set?
The high is 9 inches with just the pot. The diameter is 11 inches. With the lid on, the height becomes 10.75 inches. The pot with the pasta insert measures 10.75 inches.
This is a very deep and high-quality pot that is made for just about anything and just about any quantity. Whether you will be cooking solo, a romantic dinner for two or an entire family reunion meal, this pot was made for you.
Where is the Bialetti Oval 5-Quart Pasta Pot manufactured in?
The box of the Bialetti Oval 5-Quart Pasta Pot can be a bit misleading and make you believe it is an Italian pot made from Italy. This is not the case, the pot is manufactured in China. This does not mean this is an inferior quality pot, most products are manufactured in China. Bialetti has produced a very high-quality pot and there’s no need to worry that it is from China.
Is the Bialetti Oval 5-Quart Pasta Pot Dishwasher safe?
Bialetti recommends that you wash this product by hand. But there isn’t any real disadvantage of putting the pot in the dishwasher if you wish. It’s completely fine and is safe to put in with any other dishes.
Because this is a nonstick pot it is very easy to wash by hand as food and everything else slides right off.
I would say just wash it by hand and save room in your dishwasher for something more time consuming to hand wash!
Can I put metal objects inside the Gotham Steel Pasta Pot?
The Gotham Steel Pasta Pot is made of a Nonstick Ti-Ceramic coating. For all nonstick surfaces, I would highly advise to never let any metal objects touch a nonstick surface.
If metal touches the surface, you risk scratching and chipping away the nonstick coating. This can cause the pot to not be as effective, as there is less area of the coating. You might get bits of this coating scratched off into your food and it isn’t the best idea to eat this material!
How much does the Gotham Steel Pasta Pot weigh?
The Gotham Steel Pasta Pot by itself weighs just 3 pounds. The shipping weight will be 5.2 pounds. This is a bit more of a lightweight pot, but this can be a good idea for people who would not like to strain their wrists when pouring the boiling water from the pot! Not to mention a whole lot safer!
Conclusion
There are many different aspects to consider when trying to find the perfect pot to boil your pasta. With these reviews of some of the top selling products available, you’ll be enjoying your delicious bowl of pasta with loved ones in no time. Personally, I like the Cook n Home Pasta Set – I like the strainer insert, the fact that it’s made from stainless steel and the value to feature ratio is just right.
Additional Resources
Image credit via Flickr Creative Commons: Rob2001 and Geoff P.
