I ordered the USA Pans 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot with 10-Inch Lid Cover because I was in search of a quality pot to use to make my tomato sauce and meatballs. Specifically, I wanted to replace my previous pot for something a little larger, and that would cook a little more evenly. I am pleased to say that I made the right choice in purchasing this product. I was more than impressed when I received the USA Pans 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot in the mail. First, I love the fact that Healthy Home and Kitchen (the seller from whom I purchased) sold this via Amazon Prime. It was delivered to my door two days after I ordered it, which made me happy. It was packaged nicely, without any damage or excess material. Secondly, it is a beautiful pot. Things like this don’t usually excite me, but the stainless steel is, in fact, stainless. It was shiny, and unmarred by any blemishes. I love the fact that the pot comes with cleaning instructions, so I can keep it looking so pretty. (By the way, I had no idea that you should only add salt to pasta water once it’s boiling in order to avoid white spots!) Despite the fact that this pot is obviously a high-quality product, it is lightweight (which is helpful when carrying a full pot of boiling water to the sink). Using the pot for my tomato sauce and meatballs worked out beautifully. It turned out well, and the sauce didn’t bubble out of the pot and onto my stove, which is why I wanted a new pot in the first place. The sauce didn’t burn to the bottom as much as it did in the pot I had before, either. So far, I have also used the pot to cook pasta, soup, and corn on the cob, and it worked just as well for each of those dishes. Cleaning up was very easy. Anything that does wind up being burnt onto the bottom of the pot comes off very easily after just a short soak. All that is needed is a regular sponge to wipe the debris away. Perhaps the best part of cleaning this pot is that it can go into the dishwasher (and comes out as good as new)! My other, quite expensive Calphalon pot can’t do that, as it’s hand wash only! My one wish is that they could figure out a way to prevent the handles from getting hot while cooking. It’s just an inconvenience (an minor one) to always need a potholder to remove the pot from the stove. Somehow, I always wind up forgetting this step and burning my hands. Despite this one complaint, the USA Pans 8-Quart Stainless Steel Stock Pot has found it’s way into my regular cooking repertoire, and is quickly becoming my go-to pot. It fits all of my needs (especially the easy clean up part!), and therefore, I feel it’s well worth the money I spent on it.
