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If you cook pasta often, you probably have experienced it not being so convenient to cook in one pot and then pour the pasta through a colander to strain out the water. There are special pasta pots that can make the task considerably easier. One design will have a screw-on perforated lid that lets the excess water through. Another design has a spout for spilling out the water. And yet another popular design has a separate colander, which allows you to steam vegetables, and strain the pasta when you’re finished cooking. This can let you perform two cooking tasks at once.
We've put together this guide to help you select the best pasta pot that answers to your needs. It'll help you:
Choose the right type of pasta pot,
See useful tips about that type of pasta pot,
Read reviews of different brands of pasta pot, and what customers are saying,
Select the right brand of pasta pot, and
Compare prices and find the best deals.
Strainer in the lid: There are pasta pots that have a screw-on lid with perforations on one side. That allows you to strain out the pasta without the possibility of losing any pasta with the water. The Bialetti 7265 Trends Collection 5 Quart Pasta Pot has such a screw-on lid that serves also as a colander.
Drainage spout: Some pasta pots have a spout on one side of the lid that allow you to pour out the excess liquid, while retaining the pasta in the pot. The Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel II has a drainage spout design.
Contains colander and strainer: A colander is a pot-shaped strainer, that allows you to pour the pasta inside and let the excess water drain out. The Culina 6 Quart Pot Cookware with Pasta Insert and Lid has a 4-quart insert for straining pasta.
Based on all the consumers' reviews we've scanned, these are the top things they mentioned about their new stuff:
Large handles: You’ll find that having large handles will significantly make straining the pasta easier. The hot water in the pasta pot will be both heavy and hot, so it’s best to distance your hands from the pot, to avoid getting scalded.
More than one use: The Culina Cookware with Pasta Insert and Lid allows you to use the pot with the strainer for cooking pasta, but you can also remove the strainer and use the pot to cook any liquid-based food, such as soups or stews.
Ratio of pasta to water: Look at the volume of the pot to have an idea of how much pasta you can cook at any one time. Chefs suggest using 4-6 quarts of water for every pound of pasta that you cook. (This large volume of water is so that the water will stop boiling when you add the pasta, so a large volume will regain the boil more quickly. Also, a large volume of water will keep the pasta from sticking.) You can use a smaller volume--as little as 2 quarts of water per pound of pasta--but then you will have to stir the pot more often to keep the pasta from sticking together.
Volume of pot: The Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel II comes in several volumes--the maximal volume is an 8-quart pot, with an oval shape and pour spout. So that will safely give you enough space and liquid to cook 2 pounds of pasta.
Serves two functions: There are pasta pots that let you cook the pasta in the boiling water, while the steam is kept inside to cook vegetables in the upper section of the pot.
Oval-shaped pots: Some pots, like the Rachael Ray Cucina Cookware and the Bialetti have an oval shape. This is in order to ensure that larger types of pasta, such as spaghetti and lasagna, don’t break in the course of cooking.
Take care with Teflon coatings: Teflon is specially devised for non-stick cooking. But you have to take care to maintain that teflon coating. Never use metal utensils to stir the pasta in a teflon-coated pot--they can scratch and damage the teflon coating, which will consequently start to chip or peel off. Use only wood, nylon, or silicone utensils. For best results, wash by hand with non-abrasive cleaners and dishwashing liquid. (Some pasta pots are explicitly NOT dishwasher-safe.)
Farberware--was established in 1899 as S.W. Farber Inc. by Simon Farber. He originally specialized in copper cookware. They later started making serving and cooking accessories, kitchen appliances, coffee machines, and giftware. They presently make a variety of tools and gadgets, cookware and bakeware, cutlery, food storage solutions, and tea kettles.
Bialetti--are makers of coffee makers, cookware, bakeware, and kitchen appliances: skillets, percolators, waffle makers, and more. Their pasta pot has a lid that strains the pasta, all in one product.
Cuisinart--was established in 1971 by Carl Sontheimer, as the first marketer of the food processor. They are presently owned by Conair Corporation. They make food preparation equipment (mills, grinders, food processors, soup makers) coffee makers, grills, bread makers, waffle makers, and more.
Kuhn Rikon-- are a Swiss company that make cookware, founded in 1899. Their products include pressure cookers, thermo-cookware (cookware sets, pots, roasters, and pasta pots), and food preparation utensils. Their cooking utensils are engineered to save time and energy, by concentrating heat and cooking with steam, that takes less time to cook.