Are you looking for a pot to cook and drain pasta perfectly? With a basket or colander lid in steel or aluminum, here are the best spaghetti and pasta pots to buy and which to choose according to your needs.
The advantages of buying a pasta pot are quick cooking times, great energy savings, and cooked pasta at the right point. The pasta pots are designed with a bottom and walls capable of conducting heat homogeneously and quickly, bringing the water to a boil.
Also, a good pasta pot must offer easy and risk-free draining. There are pots with an incorporated colander or a colander lid for this. This type of pot is not only suitable for pasta, but it is also a versatile and useful pot in many respects.
Its structure is suitable for all types of boiling, and you can use it for cooking rice, legumes, and meat and draining them just as easily. You can also prepare an excellent minestrone, soups, and soups of all kinds or boil vegetables using baskets.
This way, you will have a quality multipurpose pot for your kitchen, excellent on many occasions, and preparing many recipes.
Table of Contents
How to choose a pasta pot
Let’s see the characteristics to consider buying the best pasta pot suitable for our kitchen.
Materials
The pasta pots are made of many different materials. Among the most common ones, we find steel and aluminum. The reason is that these materials offer excellent heat conduction.
We can find pots made entirely of stainless steel or aluminum on the market. But we find more and more often a combination of the two. Aluminum conducts heat well, but stainless steel is more impact-resistant and non-deformable.
For this reason, it is easy to find triple-bottom cookware: two layers of steel and one internal layer of aluminum. Or pots with an aluminum body and steel handles. This way, we have a very resistant pot with excellent heat conduction. Also, aluminum and steel pans are easy to clean and dishwasher safe.
The stainless steel pans are the most hygienic and suitable for storing food. For example, if you prepare soup, you can let it cool inside the pan without problems and heat it in the evening.
Or you can put the pot in the fridge and take it out after a few hours. Unfortunately, this cannot be done with aluminum pans, especially in contact with salty foods or copper pans that tend to oxidize.
Interior and Covers
As for the inside of the pasta pot, there are models with non-stick coating. They are useful if we use pasta for other cooking types, such as making sauté, scrambled eggs, or brown meat.
These can be completely made of steel or aluminum, or tempered glass for the visibility of the contents for the lids.
Of course, other materials offer excellent heat conduction such as cast iron or copper. They are excellent materials but require greater pot care during cooking, washing, and storage. Also, they are hardly compatible with induction hobs.
Handles
Some pasta cooker models have plastic handles. It is an insulating and heat-resistant plastic that lets you grasp the handles without potholders and scalding risk.
Compatibility with the induction hob
Induction hobs are becoming increasingly popular, so you must consider the pasta pot’s compatibility. Induction hobs only work with steel bottom pans, but not all are suitable.
It is necessary to check from time to time whether the pot model in question has been tested and approved for induction hobs. Otherwise, we could waste energy during cooking, or worse, find ourselves with completely useless pots.
Capacity
The pasta pot’s capacity is one of the fundamental factors at the time of purchase, and we are interested in understanding how much pasta we can cook in one go. The pasta needs the right amount of water to cook well, i.e., 1 quart per 0.2 lbs of pasta.
For example, a pasta pot for two people, considering 0.5 lbs of pasta in total, must have a capacity of at least 2 quarts. While for a large family or special occasion, we need a pot for 2.2 lbs of pasta, which is a capacity of 10 quarts.
The best pasta pots have a water level indicator on the inside wall. As a result, the pot never fills to the brim because the water overflows with the boiling and the pasta’s addition.
But we also need the indicator to use the pan at lower levels than its maximum capacity. So, for example, when the pan has 5 quarts, only 2 for two people are needed. This way, we can pour the right amount of water without waste.
Dimensions and Shape
We need to understand the pot’s shape and size, what types of pasta we want to cook, and the kitchen’s pasta pot’s size.
For the same capacity, we can buy a large and low saucepan suitable for pasta that takes up a lot of space, stuffed pasta, lasagna, and various egg pasta formats. Or we can choose a tall and narrow pot, as in the pot for cooking spaghetti and long pasta, which can reach 12 inches in height.
The pot’s diameter can vary from 7 to 10 inches, which is important for choosing the right burner or plate to place the pot on and the lid’s size if we buy it separately.
For better energy efficiency, the flame should stay below the pot without contacting the walls; otherwise, we have an energy loss. The pasta pot is ruined, and the handles become hot. Even during induction hours, it is essential to choose the right location to avoid unnecessary waste.
Of course, the pasta pot’s choice based on its size also depends on our space at home and the hob’s size. Finally, the extractor hood’s distance from the stove is so much so that a high pasta pot with a built-in colander draining in tiny kitchens uncomfortably. It is reduced to emptying the water in the sink anyway.
Colander basket
The advantage of buying a specific saucepan for cooking pasta is the ease of draining the water. This is why they designed the pasta pot with baskets.
Once the cooking is finished, lift the basket and pour the pasta into a pan or dish. This way, we can leave the water in the pasta pot and throw it when it has cooled down without pouring boiling water into the sink.
There are two types of colander baskets. Light and handy mesh baskets are usually suitable for short pasta shapes. While for draining spaghetti or rice, a basket with narrow links is better. Also, pots with a double basket on the market are handy when cooking two pasta types together.
Another type of colander basket consists of a second pot with perforated walls inserted in the first. It is a more robust and resistant colander, usually suitable for rice because it has smaller holes.
If we fill the pan with smaller water, the baskets are also excellent for boiling or steaming vegetables. They are also perfect for cooking meat and vegetable broth to separate the ingredients simply by lifting the basket.
Cover
The lid of the pasta pot is essential for faster cooking and great energy savings. The lid allows us to keep a low flame and boil with less consumption.
The lid can be made of the same material as the pan or tempered glass with a vent valve for steam. In this case, we can monitor the content during cooking.
Some pasta pots have an insert lid. It means the lid is hooked to the pan using a joint or special locking handles. This prevents boiling water from coming out during cooking, although it is always advisable to keep the flame low.
Finally, we can buy a pasta pot with a colander lid. A perforated lid allows us to tilt the pot and empty the sink’s boiling water.
This operation is useful with medium-small pots, while it is more difficult with large pots. The lid in question must have a locking system that prevents it from opening when pouring water.
If it is true that the basket colander does not take up space when we store the pan because it is inserted inside, we must consider that it takes up space in the dishwasher or when we wash the dishes. On the other hand, the colander lid completely solves this problem by minimizing the overall dimensions.
Handles
The handles of the pan can be welded to the body or riveted. They are always made of metal, but sometimes we can find them covered with plastic with an ergonomic and non-slip shape to offer a safer grip. Metal handles tend to heat up, and potholders are needed to grab the pot.
Even with heat-resistant plastic handles, cooking with low heat and a stove suitable for the pasta pot’s size is always advisable. Otherwise, they could be deformed. Besides, attention must be paid to temperatures when washing in the dishwasher.
On the other hand, the handles of the mesh baskets are almost always removable and can only be hooked when draining the pasta. Therefore, the handle is usually only interchangeable when two or more baskets exist.
Other handles or knobs are located on the lid. Also, in this case, they are made of steel or aluminum or coated with heat-resistant plastic.
The Best Spaghetti and Pasta Pots
Here are the best pasta pots to buy with their characteristics and prices.
- TWIST & LOCK HANDLES: Strain out water seconds - simply twist the handles and drain out...
- THE ULTIMATE KITCHEN GADGET: The Gotham Steel Pasta Pot is 3 kitchen gadgets combined into...
- MULTIPURPOSE POT: Great for pasta, spaghetti and anything else that cooks on the stove!...
- PASTA POT SETS - Cook N Home Pasta Pot with Strainer Lid 8-Quart, 4-Piece includes 8-Quart...
- HIGH-QUALITY CONSTRUCTION: The Pasta Pot Cooker Steamer is made of mirror-polished 18/10...
- MULTI-FUNCTION - The Multipots Steamer has a variety of cooking functions, not only can be...
- 5.5-QUART COOKING POT: This large kitchen pot can accommodate up to 1.5 lb. of pasta, 5...
- MULTIPURPOSE KITCHEN TOOL: This pasta pot features an elongated oval shape inspired by...
- LOCKABLE STRAINER LID: Twisting and locking securely in place, the pot strainer lid...
- Chef's Choice Stainless: Mirror finish. Classic looks, professional performance
- Unsurpassed Heat Distribution: Aluminum encapsulated base heats quickly and spreads heat...
- Stainless steel cooking surface does not discolor,react with food or alter flavors;Great...
- GOTHAM STEEL MULTIPURPOSE PASTA POT: Perfect for pasta, spaghetti, and anything else that...
- TWIST & LOCK HANDLES FOR EASY STRAINING: Strain out the water in seconds! This pasta pot...
- ULTIMATE CERAMIC NONSTICK COATING: The Gotham Steel pasta pot nonstick cooking surface is...
- Pasta Pot Perfection: Master any pasta dish with this premium stainless steel pot...
- Twist & Lock Ease: Simply twist and lock the lid for effortless straining and pouring. Say...
- 5.5 Quart Capacity: Cook pasta of all shapes and sizes, from delicate angel hair to hearty...
- WHAT’S IN THE BOX: a four-piece set that includes a 5 qt pasta pot w/lid, a steamer...
- CARE INSTRUCTIONS: Dishwasher safe, but hand wash recommended
- STAY COOL HANDLES AND TEMPERED GLASS LIDS: the stay-cool riveted handles ensure a secure...
- This multifunction cooker allows you to steam your favorite vegetables, cook pasta, and...
- Constructed in 18/10 Stainless Steel and induction stovetop ready. Featured red colors
- Now features silicone covered handles and knob for easy grip and stability when...
- This 3-Piece Stainless Steel Set includes a 6-quart capacity Multi-Pot with lid, and a...
- Ideal for preparing pasta, the 6-quart pasta pot gives noodles room to boil, and the...
- Design You Will Love -High polished stainless steel finish construction is durable and...
- Set includes: 8 Qt. stock pot, Lock & Drain insert, glass lid
- Tri-ply base construction provides quick and even heat distribution
- Heat- and shatter-resistant tempered glass lid allows you to monitor cooking progress;...
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