Review of Excelsteel Set Of 3 Stainless Steel Stockpot With Lids

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Now, I didn't expect a whole lot from these. 40 bucks for 3 relatively large stock pots (especially because they are stainless)? So, that being said...

They are VERY lightweight. They come pre-dinged as there probably is no way to pack them adequately to protect the lightweight stainless from being dented in transit. The sizes are nice--the largest one is plenty big to do all sorts of things from huge batches of chicken stock (I had 4 pounds of chicken wings in there cooking down to a nice stock the other day, with room to spare) and the medium and smaller sizes are no slouches, either. They are light enough to move around easily enough, too.

But--the downside of a lightweight pan/stock pot--it scorches easily. I have an Electrolux dual fuel range with simmer modes to ultra high power burners. Even with the intricate levels that I have to work with, I still had to be careful not to scorch the bottom of the pots. The heat conduction isn't the broadest (it can't be, given how they are made), so be very careful with this. Stir constantly, and keep a good eye on things even while simmering. Of course, even though they come pre-dinged, they are easy to dent further, but that's par for the course with such lightweight pans.

If I used stock pots often, I'd bypass these. They are simply too lightweight to last long. Invest in better quality stock pots. But if you are just looking for back ups or for the odd job here and there, these should be fine, as long as you are cognizant of their weaknesses.

They do clean up nicely. I handwashed them each time I used them, and they had no issues with sticking (even the scorched bottom of the one).

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Note: I've given these pots and these http://www.amazon.com/Heuck-36003-Piece-Stainless-Steel/dp/B000QRCM8A/ref=cm_cr-mr-title pretty much the same review, though these were *slighly* slower to rust with brine.

These are cheap pots. At this price point, I wouldn't expect anything else. I bought them primarily for cheese making, when I'd be using them double-boiler style, so no risk of scorching, and the flimsiness is not an issue (as long as the handles don't break off). They worked fine for that, but the moment I tried to make a brine, the smallest pot began to rust--before the salt even finished dissolving. I'd like the flexibility of being able to brine a large bird or cure a ham in one of the large pots, but that's definitely out of the question.

I'm leaving them with 3 stars because they're so cheap and they're still serviceable for many uses. If you want these exclusively for cheese making (probably not direct heating, though), brewing, deep fat frying, boiling (crawfish, pasta, corn, etc), stocks or stock-based soups (not starchy or cream soups), these will get you by. I wouldn't recommend them for heavy soups,, sauces, or anything prone to scorching.

As to the capacity, they hold EXACTLY the stated amount, filled to the brim, so practically speaking, you need o go a size up (use a 4-gallon pot for a 3-gallon batch of soup), but this will generally be true of any pot.

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These pots are an excellent value. However, if you purchased these expecting top quality, heavy duty stainless steel, you are in for a big disappointment. The steel is actually quite thin and is easily dented, so care must be taken when handling them.

That said, these are very nice pots. They are fairly accurate as to their capacity, they have well-fitting lids, and they are good for basic use. I have made soups, stews and chili in the 8 quart, and 12 quart pots. I have yet to use the largest. They are lightweight, and they are easy to clean. The handles are securely riveted. I am very happy with this purchase even though I don't expect these pans to last the four decades that my heavy duty stainless steel pots have endured, I am sure I will get many years of use from them.

Honest reviews on Excelsteel Set Of 3 Stainless Steel Stockpot With Lids

If you make large pots of sauce and chilli like I do then these pots are what you would want. They also stack nicely when you want to put them in the cupboard. They clean up easily and they work well.

Nice product and great price.

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Bought this group for my son's birthday and he loves them. Not cheap quality, but nicely made. Very good size for all your cooking needs.