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? about stock pot size

16 years ago

My son is looking to get his wife a new Le Crueset stock pot and asked me if he should get a 12qt or a 16qt. They have six kids and their 8qt pot doesn't hold enough pasta. I'm thinking I would want the 12qt as long as it held the right amount of pasta because it would be lighter, but I'm old and weak and my DIL is young and strong. They're also currently having to wait a long time to boil water on their gas range...more water, longer wait, right? Or will the Le Crueset heat up quicker than stainless? Whatchya all think?

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Comments (7)

lindac
16 years ago
Just because you have a 16 qt pot doesn't mean you always have to put `16 qts of water in it.
go big!
arley_gw
16 years ago
Does it have to be Le Creuset?

I love Le Creuset's enameled cast iron casseroles for their cooking properties--long, slow, stable temperatures--none of which are terribly critical in a stock pot or something you use to boil water for pasta.

I can see spending $$$ for a LC Dutch oven (oh, pardonnez-moi, in their Gallic attitude they call them 'French Ovens'--whatever) because they can do some things wonderfully--but does an enameled steel stock pot really perform better than a stainless one?

If you want an LC stock pot to match some other LC stuff you have, fine--but bear in mind you'll be overspending when you could get a something like a Tramontina 16 qt stockpot at Walmart for around $35-40. A 16 qt Le Creuset stock pot is around $120. The LC is 3 three times more expensive, but is the LC three times better? Doubtful. And if it's mainly being used to boil water...

Having said all that, I agree with Linda--go bigger.
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noinwi
Original Author
16 years ago
Yeah, you're right(duh!). I was just thinking it would be hard for me empty...I can barely handle my cast iron skillet, LOL!
I did tell my son to ask his MIL, as she had to cook for a large family, too. I just had to cook for my son and me.
lindac
16 years ago
Not better....but for sure prettier...:)
noinwi
Original Author
16 years ago
I think he found a deal on Le Creuset, and he has a coupon for the 16qt. I think there's more to it than using it for boiling water, but getting details from my son is like pulling teeth. Maybe it's a Christmas gift for the wife. If anyone had ever bought me anything Le Creuset, I'd have thought I'd died and went to heaven! The closest thing was my second MIL leaving her large casserole(er, roasting pan?)with me for a few weeks.
User
16 years ago
I have the very nice Le Creuset enamel on steel stock pot. I got it for a good price at Tuesday Morning, probably half of what it costs on Amazon.

I really like mine, and use it more often than any of my stainless stockpots, but I use it for sauces, soups, stews and making jams and salsa for canning. Pasta I just make in any old big pot.

If they just need a big pot for cooking pasta, it would seem like anything inexpensive should do, they just have to remember to cover the pot to boil the water, it seems to go faster that way. If they need a big pot for sauce, the Le Creuset is wonderful.
noinwi
Original Author
16 years ago
I emailed him and told him to go for the big one. Thanks everyone!

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