Stockpots are some of the most important and most frequently used items when cooking outdoors so it really makes sense to buy a good one. See it as an important long term investment in your outdoor cooking equipment kitchen.

Stockpots come in various sizes from smallish to huge, regrettably they come in highly variable levels of quality and just to confuse us they are available in both stainless steel and aluminum. Before progressing you must decide which type of stockpot will best suit you.

You are going to need a few stockpots so buy with that in mind. Don’t go with the idea that one size fits all. If a set of 2 or 3 stockpots is going to be too expensive today buy the size that you think that you are going to use the most and then buy more when funds permit.

For inside the house stockpots start at 8 quarts, which is okay for small scale cooking and most buy the 12 quarts for everyday bigger scale cooking. However if want to cook outdoors for family & friends then youre going to need larger pots.

And if a big stockpot is what you are after then youll find stockpots ranging in size, for example in the Bayou Classic range, from: 24 to 36 to 44 to 62 to 82 quarts going right up to a 162 quart stainless steel stock pot. The choice is up to you.. But remember, the larger the pot the more powerful the burner that is needed to heat it up with.

So when buying a stockpot what should you think about? Here are 10 important guidelines:

1. Aluminum is lighter in weight; it provides even heating without heat spots; it costs less size for size than stainless steel but it easily dents, is harder to clean, doesn’t last as long, and certainly doesn’t look as good as stainless steel;

2. By way of a contrast stainless steel is easy to clean; it lasts longer; it, doesn’t dent so easily, and it certainly looks the part as a quality piece of cookware. This said it does suffer from heat spots, it is heavier and it is more its more expensive than aluminum;

3. Its essential to go for ‘quality’ whether going for aluminum or stainless steel. Do take seriously the fact that there is a lot of cheap ‘rubbish’ in the marketplace at the present. I warn you, if you buy cheap then you’ll soon come to regret it!

4. When choosing a stockpot, particularly if buying a large one, ensure its made from highest commercial grade stainless steel or aluminum appropriate for that size of pot; the same applies to the basket you’re buying with it;

5. Your stock pot should have an indention just below the top of the pot to hold the basket off the bottom of the pot when steaming;

6. Its important that your stockpot has a thick base; this is where you’ll get wear, especially with poorer grade aluminum pots;

7. Ensure that the lid fits well, i.e. snugly and tightly and that the pot has a tidy rim that makes pouring from it easy;

8. Select a stockpot with well designed spacious handles that are secure. Poor quality rivets and small handles are an absolute no-no; you’re going to be lifting some very hot liquids bearing considerable weight!

9. Worry not about the width versus height argument. Some say the height has to be greater than the width but, in all my outdoor cooking, with every conceivable size of stockpot, including the very largest of pots, which typically have a wider base than depth, I don’t find any difference whatsoever in respect of the taste of the food that is served up. Indeed I would go for the counter argument for practical reasons. If you have a wider base, especially when you’re cooking over a big flame outdoors you’ll find it far easier to brown and to stir in a wider pot rather than in an overly tall stockpot;

10. Finally its highly unlikely that you’ll find a good quality range of stockpots in your local hardware store. You might find one or two pots from the odd one or two good brands but you’re much better off going online and investigating the many great offers across the whole range of sizes that you’ll find there. And whilst you might find some great brands at a cookware specialty store you’re very likely to be paying far, far more than if you buy online; a lot more.