Customer Reviews

Cuisinart MCP66-28 MultiClad Pro Stainless 12-Quart Stockpot with Cover

5 star:		(33)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I got tired of burning my stocks with thin-walled junk pots and decided to do some research. This pot is a big improvement over the standard Cuisinart line of pots and pans and is on par with the better All-Clad pots and other high-end brands. The fit and finish on this unit is excellent and the lid fits like a glove. This is a true 3 layer walled pot... no welded discs to the bottom of the unit (like the bargain stock-pot in the All-Clad brand line-up). Compare the price of this pot with the 'real' 3-wall constructed pots and you'll see a 2-3x improvement in price. I've used this pot ~20 times since I purchased it (each time for multi-hour stock simmering) and it still looks like new. Highly recommended!

I've cooked with, burned bone dry, and cleaned regular All-Clad almost daily for years so I am pretty familiar with its performance. I'm happy to report that this first Multiclad of mine performs similarly: boils quicker than regular pots with minimal hot spots, and cleans easily. [...]
Instead of going cheap or being a complete All-Clad copy cat, Cuisinart decided to throw in some improvements:
- Longer side and lid handles for cooler handling
- Brushed finish on exterior that goes about 3/4 of the way up hides scuffs
- Impeccable finish. Can't say the same for an All-Clad sauté pan which I payed full price for :(
- Better quality stainless steel? Maybe I just got a good batch, but the luster seems to suggest higher chrome content

Great offering Cuisinart! Keep up the quality and continue to be cost competitive vs. All-Clad and I will be back to supplement my cookware collection with Multiclad individual pieces. And BTW, this 6 quart is indispensable if you are cooking for 3-4 people.

I have a number of pieces of Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless cookware and I really love each one. I only wish I learned of this cookware before buying an entire set of another brand. You can't beat this line of cookware for quality and performance at a reasonable price. Like most of the multiclad cookware, it is stainless steel on the outside and inside of the pot or pan with a layer of heat-conducting aluminum sandwiched in between for excellent heat conductivity all across the bottom and all the way up the sides of the vessel. I think the quality of the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro Stainless cookware is on a par with the oh-so-pricey All Clad cookware. It heats quickly and evenly with no hot spots or scorching. You don't need to gun up your burners to their highest settings. With only medium-high heat, you can create beautifully browned meats, fish, caramelized onions, mushrooms, etc. Turn the heat low and create smooth, perfect bechemel or other sauces with no worry of scorching. This cookware will do it all just as well as All Clad and it won't break the bank. My only complaint about it is that the sauce and stock pots and the 3-quart saute pan are a little smaller than their claimed size. This 6-Quart Saucepot with Cover, for instance, only holds 5 1/2 quarts measured to the rim. But, if that 1/2 quart difference isn't a problem, then this is an excellent, highly usable and versatile pot for doing soups, stews, braising, cooking sauces, pasta or any number of cooking tasks. The handles are generously sized and firmly attached. The pot has a convenient curved pouring lip so hot liquids won't run down the outside of the pot when you are trying to pour pasta into a colander or bubbling hot soups into a serving bowl. The lid fits snugly onto the pot to help hold in moisture while simmering or braising. The pot can go right from the stove top into the oven because it is all stainless steel on the outside. I preheat my pans over medium heat for 3 minutes before adding cooking oil (and a little butter) and then I add the food to be browned. Clean-up is easy. Deglaze any stuck-on bits of food or let it soak with some water before washing in hot, sudsy water. Use some Bartenders Friend cleanser for stainless steel to keep these pans looking like knew.

An outstanding piece of kitchen cookware. It looks and performs exactly like All Clad for about 1/4 the price. It cooks exceptionally well AT MUCH LOWER TEMPERATURES THAN YOU ARE ACCUSTOM TO. Because of the aluminum center/core, there is very uniform heat throughout the pot, including the sides. The handles can get hot (because they are close to the body of the pot) while boiling with a gas stove, but otherwise are non-hot pad cool.

Don't believe the reviews about hard to clean, food sticks etc. It is &*(%. In my opinion these reviewers don't know how to use the cookware properly. If you are brazing/browning, use a small shot of Pam (I have tried al types of oils, but this works best) and make sure that the temperature ~ 25% less than normal. Also, Bar Keepers Friend, as recommended in the users manual, is perfect for making the inner and outer surfaces shine. It is non-abrasive.

This pot is the perfect size for soups, large quantities of sauces, and roasts. It is more manageable than the 8 Q one that comes with the Cuisinart Multiclad Pro set. I use it more often than the larger pot.

Fantastic product and great value. I bought it for 1/2 price on Amazon in December 2006.

I'm a bargain hunter and I always look to buy the best quality I can afford for the lowest price I can find. In the February issue of "Cook's Illustrated", the America's Test Kitchen folk did an equipment review on Stock pots. They recommend a 12 quart size as being most universally useful, and that was what they tested. Unfortunately, the Cuisinart Multi-Clad wasn't one of those tested, but I think the results of what they did test speaks volumes. Their winner was All-Clad and I quote " . . . didn't have a single flaw - except a price tag over $300". Their "Best Buy" was the Cuisinart Chef's Classic, and again I quote "Very similar to All-Clad - except with a price tag well under $100". The Cuisinart Multi-Clad offers virtually the same features as All-Clad, with the aluminum core extending up the sides of the pot to provide more even heating, but like the Chef's Classic, with a price under $100. Getting top of the line features for mid-level pricing makes for a best buy in my opinion.

it could use a heavier lid. The lid feels a bit flimsy, but fits & works well.

The wide mouth is nicer to use than the deep models if you're making sauce or stock.

It fits in just fine with my Allclad & is easy to handle.

After reading the reviews I purchased several pieces of Cuisinart MultiClad Pro equipment. They all are far superior to standard pots, thick and well made with excellent heating properties. Less heat is required with these marvelous pieces. The stainless steel holds up well and looks good even after repeated uses and cleanings. And the Cuisinart line is priced much less than All-Clad. I'm only giving three stars to this 12 quart pot though, because of all the pieces this one has begun to warp along the bottom, causing it to wobble on the rangetop. Granted, this is my pasta pot and of all the pots, this is the one that will get the boiling duties. And it's the largest, so if any were to warp it would probably be this one. But still, the warping is disappointing, especially when the other pieces have performed to well.

I am completely, thoroughly impressed with this stockpot. It is built like a tank and is simply gorgeous. Just picking it up you know this is extremely high quality - it is rock solid and quite heavy. I have a Chef's Classic stock pot that seems to be made of tin foil compared to this beauty. The mirror finish and craftsmanship are superb - it really is a work of art in my opinion. Cooking in a pot like this makes the activity a special treat rather than just a routine experience one goes through to get food prepared.

Another thing I love about this pot is that even though the capacity is huge at 12 quarts the pot itself is wider (it's 11 and 1/2 inches wide) and shorter than a typical 8 quart pot. This makes it MUCH easier to stir or do any prep like browning chicken breast, meat cubes etc.

I could not possibly rate the pot higher, and to me it is definitely worth every penny and more. It's a legitimate lifetime purchase - with care I will never need to buy another pot as long as I live.

This pot is the real deal. It will never burn your soups over a long slow simmer. It will never the burn the meat you brown to begin the stock. It has no hot spots on the bottom, and it is seriously heavy duty for the non-commercial home stove top. You can use it as a dutch oven, too, if you want. The top fits perfectly, so your slow simmers will not require checking to make sure it is not boiling dry. The lid IS a little light weight (but it is NOT flimsy), so if that is an issue for you, then get Calphalon. Of course, the Calphalon will be twice the price, and will not function any better than this pot, but heck; it is your money.

The smart money is here. Buy this one.

Most of my pots are from Cusinart's multiclad line. I also have a couple of AllClad pots and find the performance to be exactly the same as they are constructed the same way. I do, however, prefer my Cuisinart pots as they are more attractive and way less expensive. I also have an old, cheap stockpot which I can use as a backup, but the Cuisinart heats so evently I can even use it on an unevenly tilted stove without the items in the hotter part of the pan burning. I use this pot for every recipe that requires a stockpot, large sauce pan or dutch oven -- it fits perfectly in the oven and the handles are very easy to grasp when hot. The lid is snug. It's just a great, versatile pot. As for cleaning, the Cusinart multiclad pots are no harder to clean than AllClad pots. I usually soak mine in hot, soapy water when I'm through using them. For really stubborn stuck-on food, heat a small quanity of dish powder dissolved in water and simmer it on the stove for awhile. The food will come right off.