Cuisinart 77-412 Chef's Classic Stainless Steel 4-Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set

I bought this to replace an older smaller pasta cooker. I have about 20 pieces of the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro cookware but couldn't justify spending over $100 for a large stockpot. The only notable difference is that the Multiclad has the sandwiched aluminum all the way up the sides of the pot. Not really necessary I thought for something I would use mostly for boiling water. Besides, the heat source is only really from below and that extra multiclad surface only adds to the weight.

I love the shiney exterior and the large capacity compared to my previous pasta pot. The steamer insert is a nice little extra but I'm not sure I'd want to haul out this enormous pot just to steam a few veggies. The lid is more domed than Cuisinart's standard lids and has a more sculpted handle. Cleanup is easy but only if you have a very large sink. The handles on both the pot and insert are solid and appear to be very securely attached.

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This was the 2nd choice of America's Test Kitchen. The first choice was about $350. I am very pleased with this steamer. I have used it to cook mustard greens, boil corn on the cob, and cook down apples for apple butter. It is well-made with a heavy bottom. It stays shiny like new, cleans up easily, and is so useful for larger cooking needs. Since buying this I have also purchased a complete set of pots by Cuisinart. Very good quality cookware.

We decided on the pot after wanting either All Clad or Le Cruset for a long time. But the cost for those brands is so high we decided to look at other brands. We looked at Calphalon, Analon, Cuisinart and JC Penny's house brand. After weighing all the prices and quality the decision to buy this pot seemed like a good one. Now we have used this pot 15-20 times we think it is an even better value. It is a great product. Heating is even and fast, things stay warm for a long time and cleanup is a snap. Of course if you want something you can throw in the dishwasher buy something else other than stainless. To keep these in tip shop shape they need to be hand washed, but it is definitely worth it.