Customer Reviews

All-Clad Stainless Asparagus Pot with Steamer Basket

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

USED THIS FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST NIGHT,I WAS TIRED OF OVERCOOKING ASPARAGUS.WORKED GREAT.IT IS MADE OF QUALITY STAINLESS.BASKET IS THE RIGHT SIZE FIGHTS NICELY INTO THE POT AND THE HANDLE MOVES OFF TO THE SIDE,IT LAYS DOWN.I BOILED EGGS ALSO,GREAT WAY TO BOIL 5-8 EGGS.I WAS VERY IMPRESSED.

Cooking asparagus is a pain, since few pots in our (otherwise well-equipped) household can handle it. Either you lie down the asparagus in a frypan, which means you can't fit more than about a pound at a time; or you use a pot that's entirely too big, and it takes 20 minutes for the water to come to a boil. And in both those cases, the asparagus can cook unevenly.

I'd wanted an asparagus pot for years, but somehow could never bring myself to purchase one. Who needs another single-purpose item? Just how much asparagus do I think I'm going to eat? Yet, as others have pointed out, this is less a one-item pot than it initially seems. It'll be perfect for a couple of ears of corn on the cob, for hard-boiling eggs, and for steaming a few artichokes.

When I finally had the excuse to buy an aspargus pot (okay, it was part of a Halloween costume -- stick a bottle of port in the pot and carry it around: port-a-potty, get it?), I took the opportunity to do some shopping. I think I looked at a half dozen of these in a couple of stores. I looked at a few of the pots that cost about half the price, and immediately rejected them. Sure, this isn't something I expect to use all the time, but they were... not flimsy exactly, but definitely not sturdy. The less expensive model had a glass lid, which I don't trust.

And, surprisingly, once you get past the "cheap" model, there's not much difference in price between the various pots. Sitting next to this All-Clad on the shelf was a pot that cost $5 less. It didn't have the bolted-on construction; its squishy handles were comfortable, but I didn't expect they'd stay that way over time. For the five bucks, I went with a brand I knew.

After the bottle of port was removed from the post-Halloween festivities (and, since that's where I got cheap, the port allocated to pear-poaching duty), I tested the asparagus pot on a bundle of white asparagus I'd gotten from the local gourmet market. As Schneider says in From Amaranth to Zucchini, the quality of asparagus in the US isn't nearly as good as what you'll find in Europe, and it should be boiled rather than steamed. It took only 3 minutes to cook in my new asparagus pot, and was indeed perfectly cooked (if, indeed, not as good as the European stuff). You lift it out (though I'll warn you to have something in which to set the basket, as there was a moment of "NOW where do I put it?!") and you don't have to worry about tongs or other awkward implments for moving the veggie around.

One of the disadvantages with the frypan or big steamer method was that cooking asparagus took over the stove. This pot consumes very little real estate. My ownership of this pot will probably put green asparagus back on the menu!

This isn't the sort of item that one _must_ have. But I'm really glad I own it.

cooking asparagus upright in a narrow, tall pot is ideal. it allows the tougher bottom portion of the asparagus to boil in water, while the rest of it steams. (my mother used to use an old small coffee tin with the bottom cut out for this purpose). as with the other all-clad pots i own, this one seems to be very well-made, though it has an aluminum disc at the bottom and is not made using their three-ply construction with the aluminum sandwich going all the way up the sides. this is probably unnecessary and helps keep the price down.

however i do have one big problem with this steamer: the basket. the steel rings that encircle the basket are placed too far apart, which is especially a problem at the bottom because the asparagus stalks tend to slide out between the rings. this makes the steamer quite difficult to "load." more rings, closer together would greatly help - or, better yet, a basket of strong mesh (like that found in their 12- quart multipot) would be much better for this very useful item.

these days, my asparagus steamer is used mainly as a countertop repository for my long-handled cooking implements, a job at which it excels. we eat a lot of asparagus, but we prefer to roast it in a pan (10 minutes at 350º with a sprinkle of olive oil, pepper and grated parmesan) or grill it. but, when we need to steam asparagus, the all-clad steamer comes in very handy.

I love asparagus, but always had a problem with overcooking it. This pot solves the problem well. Wonderful idea with the usual All-Clad quality. I'm usually cooking for one, so it's also the perfect size for cooking small quantities of other vegetables. Because of the basket, I think it works better than traditional pots for boiling eggs. It is also great for spaghetti for one!

Update 1/7/07: This pot will not work on induction cooktops.

This is a fabulous little pot. It is perfect for cooking asparagus and works just as well for hardboiled eggs and corn. It is an All Clad disk bottom pot so it is different than the traditional All Clad cookware but of course so is the price. It is very sturdy and well made. The cleanup is a snap and it takes up very little space on the stove as well as in your cabinet. Excellent quality! Highly recommended!

I love asparagus, and I hate it when it isn't cooked right! This All-Clad Asparagus Steamer prevents me from ruining my favorite vegetable. It is easy to clean and easy to store. And for the price, easy to buy!

Build very solid and sturdy, but after only one use it developed several areas of surface rust around the bottom inside corner. It hasn't inhibited the functionality of the pot but aesthetically it's annoying. Durability is my only complaint.

The pot is narrow and the asparagus fits nicely. It is hard to get the asparagus out after cooking. I suggest leaving the rubberband on during cooking or tie them up. It also is good for longer pasta noodles and hard boiled eggs.

I bought this "asparagus steamer" several years ago just to add to my All Clad collection. I use it all the time for all of the uses already mentioned in other reviews. One they did not mention is that it works great as an ice bucket for a bottle of wine!

This is a great product at a great price, but don't confuse it with the three-ply All Clad Stainless line. This cooker has the aluminum disk attached to the bottom of the pot like their multi-cooker and the large stock pots, not aluminum sandwiched between two sheets of stainless.It is made in China, not the US. Of course if it was the standard stainless line it would cost a couple of hundred dollars.

As far as cooking, I love it for cooking asparagus, broccoli crowns, corn or steaming small quantities of just about anything. We like ours so much that we have been giving them to our friends for gifts.