Product Description This family-size 12 Quart Pasta/Steamer Set makes cooking and draining pasta easy. With handy measurement markings and an induction-ready base, dinner has never been easier. Includes a Flavor-Lock lid for healthier, steam cooking. Amazon.com Simmer that crowd-size batch of three-alarm chili or boil up enough spaghetti to feed the whole block in this 12-quart Cuisinart Chef’s Classic stockpot. Made of professional quality 18/10 stainless steel that won’t react with acidic foods, the pot features solid cast stainless-steel handles, a tight-fitting lid, drip-free rim, and a mirror finish that retains its brightness through dishwasher, freezer, broiler, and oven use up to 550 degrees Fahrenheit. For even, conductive heating, an aluminum disk is encapsulated between two layers of stainless steel in the base. The stockpot measures 9 inches high and 11 inches in diameter; 14-1/2 inches including handles. What makes this four-piece set special is its versatility. Included is a deep pasta insert, so you can lift out and drain your cooked pasta all in one fell swoop, without needing a colander; and a steamer basket that sits in the top portion of the pot and allows you to steam broccoli, shrimp, pot stickers, and all kinds of healthy, fat-free foods. The pasta insert and pot have the same riveted stainless-steel handles, while the basket features a swinging handle that tucks out of the way when the lid is on top. Every piece is dishwasher-safe. Cuisinart covers the pot set with a limited lifetime warranty. –Ann Bieri
Skillets
Cuisinart 4-Piece Cookware Set, 12 Quarts, Chef's Classic Stainless Steel Pasta/Steamer, 77-412P1
| Asin | B0000UV01S |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 11"D x 14.5"W x 9"H |
| Weight | 3.3 Pounds |
| Manufacturer | Cuisinart |
Joe Bach –
I don’t know if it’s losing heat off the sides too quickly but water takes forever to heat up.
KYMary –
I was disappointed in that it came with a full metal, stainless steel lid. No vent for steam to escape. From the photos, it looked like a tempered glass lid with a vent hole. I looked at so many sets doing research for this one, I must have missed the metal lid. I make bone broth and thought the strainer pot would make it simple to drain bones. The pan is beautiful. Just disappointed by the lid.
DaMann –
Due to numerous health and food issues in my family, I cook all the time and I cook from scratch. A good set of pots and pans is absolutely imperative to cook well. I prefer stainless steel because it looks nice, imparts no off flavors and does not leach toxic chemicals. Stainless steel also washes easier than most other finishes. I own a nice set of 18/8 stainless steel pots and pans which includes 2 – 8 quart (2 gallon) stock pots plus 3 different 5 gallon stock pots. But until I purchased the Cuisinart 77-412 Chef’s Classic Stainless 4 Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set, I had nothing in between the2 gallon and 5 gallon stock pots. Whenever I made food like chili or chicken and dumplings, I had to either use my 2 gallon stock pot and make a small batch (and risk food boiling over) or use a 5 gallon stock pot and either make a huge batch or inefficiently use my pot. The Cuisinart 12 quart (3 gallon) stock pot has been a much needed addition to my collection of pots and pans.
WHAT IS IN THE BOX: One mirror finish 18/8 stainless steel 12 quart (3 gallon) stock pot with pasta insert, steamer insert and stainless steel lid.
WHAT I LIKE: Every single piece of this set fits into my dishwasher! I hate hand washing pots because I just don’t think they end up as clean as they do in the dishwasher.
This pot is the perfect size for chili! Chili not only tastes better the second day, but it freezes well for “fast food” on days when I don’t have time to cook or I don’t feel like cooking. If I am going to go through the trouble of making homemade chili, then I want to make enough for it to be worth my time. Plus, I always end up with more beans after soaking them over night than I think there will be. It is so much easier to cook chili in this 3 gallon pot than it ever was in a 5 gallon stock pot and I just could never seem to make the under 2 gallons of chili necessary to use my smaller stock pots.
The pasta insert is great for boiling whole chickens and other things I want to pull out of the cooking liquid. It is also great when I make large quantities of homemade pasta. I like to entertain and this is the perfect size pot for cooking a big meal.
I do a lot of all day cooking with this pot and it has never developed a hot spot or given me any trouble. The heat truly is distributed throughout the bottom of the pan resulting in even cooking.
This pot is not so deep as to make stirring contents difficult. It is not too heavy to move around even when full.
WHAT I DON’T LIKE: I prefer clear lids to the metal one on this pan. The clear lid is available on a similar sized pot at an increased cost, but it wasn’t worth the increase in price to me.
PICTURES: I am including a picture of my 2 gallon and 5 gallon stock pots side by side. I also have a picture of these 2 pots with the Cuisinart 12 quart pot in between them.
I purchased the Cuisinart 77-412 Chef’s Classic Stainless 4 Piece 12-Quart Pasta/Steamer Set at full price.
Brice S. –
This cookware is amazing. This is a truly well crafted stainless steel set. The pasta insert works great but the thing I love more is the steamer insert. The steamer insert paired with the solid lit make the best steamed vegetables. I am really impressed. The clean up is a snap too. Make sure to clean with non-abrasive surfaces, such as the soft side of the sponge, not the rough side(usually green SOS material). Cloth also works well. In addition I noticed a reviewer say that it scratches easily. The only way I can see this scratching easily is if the pot was cleaned with abrasive material (rough scrubbing), metal utensils (always use soft plastics and wood!!!) or harsh cleaners. These are basic rules for any stainless steel set.
This pot works great for stews and soup stocks. The pasta insert is nice, but cooking pasta is pretty fool proof.
I bought this set for about $80 and it is money very well spent. I am very happy with my purchase. I fully recommend this set to anyone that wants to steam vegetables, tamales, meats etc. We eat a lot of pasta in our house so being able to cook the pasta while the vegetables steam up top is a huge perk. Also, I had the option of going with a pot set or a plastic electric steamer, but be aware that almost all plastic steamers have BPA. I have a toddler I could not go that route. I have had experiences in the past with electric steamers (plastic) leaving food taking weird, almost plasticy. With this pot (and any stainless steel set) you will not have to worry about strange plastics and strange tastes. Buy this set, you will love it.
I’ve included cooking times for people that are not familiar with steaming. Stick to these times and you won’t fail. You will notice that there is a variant in time (example 6-10 min). Shorter cooking times produce crispier vegetables and slower and longer cooking times product softer vegetables. Make sure not to over cook though. Remember, the point of a steamer is to cook the vegetables without losing precious nutrients.
Vegetable, Size/Preparation, Time in minutes
Artichokes, Steam whole artichokes, 25-40 min
Asparagus, Whole spears, thick spears peeled lightly, 7-13 min
Asparagus, Cut into 2-inch pieces, 4-7 min
Beans, green, Whole beans, 6-10 min
Beans, wax, Whole beans, 6-10 min
Beets, small or medium-sized, Whole, unpeeled beets scrubbed clean; peel off the skins after steaming, 35-50 min
Beet greens, Cleaned and coarsely chopped, 7-9 min
Broccoli, Trimmed stalks, 8-12 min
Broccoli, Trimmed stalks split in half or florets, 5-7 min
Brussels sprouts, Whole, trimmed, 8-15 min
Brussels sprouts, Trimmed and halved, 6-8 min
Cabbage, Cut in wedges, 6-10 min
Carrots, Cut into ¼-inch thick slices, 7-10 min
Carrots, baby, Whole baby carrots, 10-12 min
Cauliflower, Florets, 5-10 min
Celery root(celeriac), Cut into ¼-inch thick matchsticks, 5-7 min
Celery stalks, Cut into ½-inch thick slices, 4-9 min
Corn on the cob, Whole, husks removed, 7-10 min
Daikon, radishes, Peeled and cut into chunks 8-12 min
Chicory (endives), Cut in half lengthwise, 5-10 min
Fennel bulbs, Cut crosswise into ½-inch slices, 8-10 min
Jerusalem artichokes(sunchokes), Peeled or scrubbed; sliced, 5-8 min
Jerusalem artichokes(sunchokes), Whole tubers, peeled or scrubbed, 20-25 min
Kale, Trimmed, 4-7 min
Kohlrabi, Peeled and cut into ½-inch cubes, 5-8 min
Leeks, Trimmed, cut in half, 5-8 min
Okra, Fresh whole okra, trimmed, 6-8 min
Onions, pearl, Whole onions, peeled, 8-12 min
Parsnips, Peeled and cut into ½-inch slices, 7-10 min
Peas, green, Fresh, shelled peas, 2-4 min
Peas, sugar snap, Whole pea pods, trimmed, 5-6 min
Potatoes, all, Peeled or scrubbed clean, cut into ½-inch slices, 8-12 min
Potatoes, new, Whole, scrubbed clean, 15-20 min
Radishes, Whole radishes, trimmed, 7-14 min
Scallions, Cut into ½-inch slices, 3-5 min
Spinach, Cleaned, whole leaves, 3-5 min
Squash, butternut, Peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes, 7-10 min
Turnips, Cut into 1/2-inch cubes, 8-12 min
Turnip greens, Cleaned and coarsely chopped, 4-6 min
Sweet potatoes, Cut into large chunks, 8-12 min
Swiss chard, Coarsely chopped leaves, 3-5 min
Zucchini, Cut into 1-inch slices, 5-8 min
Sorry it’s kind of messy but you should be able to read through it. Take care.
patricia rossi –
We’re super excited to add this to our kitchen….great price! Reliable quality! Versatile!
Dale A. Wade –
My wife wanted this. We have quite a bit of Cuisinart products in our kitchen and this set did not disappoint. It is made of nice heavy gauge stainless steel, not the cheap thin stuff like you would pick up at everybodys favorite big box store.
Dragoneer –
I’ve had this pot since September 2009 and am just getting around to reviewing it. Good features: lid fits perfectly and is flat (lay it hot on the counter and a vacuum forms making it hard to lift); thus pot boils water fast and steamer basket works great even though its high over the water; pasta “cage” fits in such a way that boiling water rushes in and out (to be reheated); pot comes back to a boil an instant after pasta cage with pasta is inserted. The only negative is that very thin strands of dry pasta can stick through holes in the bottom. There is no such problem with fresh pasta. (My guess is that there is a tradeoff between small holes and boiling-water circulation.)
I think this product is terrific and the price is right. I got it because I was tired of pouring a pot of boiling water and pasta into a colander – steams up glasses until blind – with the danger of scalding one’s self. With this pot, you just put it in the sink (stainless steal here), remove the lid, and pull the pasta basket straight up. It feels much safer. You can also return the pot to the stove with the hot water in it and be ready to cook a second pasta in minutes though the water will be a tad starchy. This is something you cannot do when a colander is in play.
The hot steamer basket can usually be picked up by its handles without a pot holder. Just take the lid off and wait 10-15 seconds. I think the materials and finish of the basket contribute to this feature.
Finally, this pot functions as a (you guessed it) pot! It’s great for making soups and stews. For these tasks it’s medium sized. Depending on what and how many you are cooking for, it may be adequate or you might need something larges. The size is handy and useful for many dishes.
All in all it is a cooking utensil that caries its weight around the kitchen and has many uses. It also seems simple to clean. Simple cleaning might just be a result of my never having burned anything in it. And no burning might (or might not) be a result of good pot design and construction.
If you really want to know why this pot works so well, ask an expert. I’m not an expert, just a cook.
dfreeman –
I actually purchased this in 2020, so we have had ample time to use this pot many times over the past four years.
My husband enjoys making homemade chicken, beef, and vegetable stocks for us to freeze, but the other stock pot he used was the BIG stock pot in which we ended up with so much stock we did not have enough room in our two freezers to store it.
This pot is a perfect size for a good amount of stock but not so much it overwhelmed the freezers, plus I like the fitted strainer that is very helpful with separating the solids from the liquid. We have also used this pot for a small scale crab boil (since it’s just the two of us).
Cleans up nicely, has been very durable even with overnight low & slow on the stovetop for the most tasty stock.
Mike Myers –
We bought this set on a whim, thinking it would be ok for a Shrimp boil, wow we’re we pleasantly surprised, the size is perfect for the stove top, it definitely looks high end, and so far it’s performed like it. We’ve liked it so much, we bought a second Cookware set for our beach house….
Ed P –
I am a canner and this pot is excellent to blanch my veggies and to cook down veggies and fruit.