5 Best Pasta Pots of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
Boil, drain, toss and serve your favorite pasta dishes with these expert-approved pots.
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Pasta is a quick, crowd-pleasing weeknight dinner that kids and adults can agree on. Whether you're tossing it with a healthy pasta sauce or exploring new pasta shapes, you can simply boil water and get the meal ready while the pasta cooks — which is often in less than 12 minutes. You can cook with basically any old pot, but a large pasta pot that includes a strainer insert makes it easy to drain your pasta.
Our top picks:
The Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab experts test all kinds of cookware, including the best Dutch ovens, cast iron skillets and nonstick pans. When we test pots, we track how long it takes water to come to a boil and also note whether the pot is easy to lift, transport and pour from. We assess the comfort and temperature of the handles and check the fit of the lid. We also wash the pots by hand and ensure that they fit in a standard dishwasher (as applicable).
Read on to learn what to look for when shopping for a pasta pot. Ready to make a baked ziti or a lasagna with meat sauce? Check out our picks for the best baking and casserole dishes.
All-Clad Specialty Stainless Steel Stockpot with Pasta Strainer
All-Clad Specialty Stainless Steel Stockpot with Pasta Strainer
Pros
- Tight-fitting lid and comfortable handles
- Durable construction
Cons
- Hand-washing is recommended
All-Clad offers high-quality cookware and is a favorite among the pros in the Kitchen Lab. The brand makes one of our top picks for best stainless steel cookware sets and best stock pots. Our pros love the brand's tight-fitting lids, which help water come to a boil quickly. And the durable construction means the pot heats evenly and can last for decades.
This set includes a 6-quart lidded pot and a full-size perforated straining insert. The handles are wide and flattened, making them easy to grip. The pot is induction compatible, and the set is oven-safe to 600˚F. The manufacturer says it's dishwasher safe but recommends hand-washing.
| Capacity | 6 qt |
|---|---|
| Pieces included | Pot, lid, strainer insert |
| Oven-safe temperature | up to 600˚F |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Tramontina Lock & Drain Pasta Cooker Pot
Tramontina Lock & Drain Pasta Cooker Pot
Pros
- Streamlined design with strainer that fits under lid
- Most affordable option on our list
Cons
- Must lift full pot to drain
This pick from Tramontina is compact and affordable. The 8-quart pot includes a thin strainer insert that fits under the tempered glass lid. The flat strainer sits inside the lip of the pot and is divided roughly into two halves: The open half allows you to add pasta when the water is ready; the other half is a series of perforations that allow you to drain the water while the pasta remains in the pot.
Trramontina makes one of our top picks for best induction cookware sets, and this pot is compatible with induction cooktops as well. It's also oven-safe to 350˚F. While we like the design, you'll have to lift the full pot to strain your pasta, which can be heavy. In addition, if you want to use the pasta cooking water in your sauce, you'll have to reserve it since it won't stay in the pot.
| Capacity | 8 qt |
|---|---|
| Pieces included | Pot, lid, strainer disk |
| Oven-safe temperature | up to 350˚F |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes |
Le Creuset Enamel-on-Steel 8-Quart Covered Stockpot
Le Creuset Enamel-on-Steel 8-Quart Covered Stockpot
Pros
- Enameled interior makes clean-up easy
- Stainless steel rim for durability
Cons
- No built-in strainer
- Not dishwasher safe
Can you boil pasta in a Le Creuset? You sure can. This 8-quart enameled steel pot with a lid is one of our top stock pots, and it makes boiling a large batch of pasta easy. The base is carbon steel, so it's compatible with all cooktops, including induction.
The tight-fitting lid helps retain heat when bringing the water to temperature. The stainless steel rim provides durability, allowing you to rap a spoon or spatula on the edge without chipping the enamel. Our kitchen experts have also found great results from cooking pasta in Le Creuset's classic round 5.5-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven.
While the clean-up on either of these pots is a breeze by hand, the downside of the enamel coating is that neither option is recommended for cleaning in the dishwasher. And neither has a built-in straining mechanism, so you'll have to pour from the pot into a standalone strainer.
| Capacity | 8 qt |
|---|---|
| Pieces included | Pot and lid only |
| Oven-safe temperature | N/A |
| Dishwasher safe | No |
Calphalon Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick Multi-Pot
Calphalon Premier Hard-Anodized Nonstick Multi-Pot
Pros
- Brand has performed well in our nonstick cookware tests
- Includes a pasta strainer and a steamer insert
Cons
- Not compatible with induction cooktops
Fans of mac and cheese might prefer a nonstick pasta pot for easier clean-up of the gooey sauce. Calphalon is the maker of our top pick for nonstick cookware sets because the pans are durable but lightweight, and the nonstick coating is effective. We like that this set includes an 8-quart pot with a tempered glass lid as well as a full-size pasta strainer insert and a steamer basket.
We also appreciate that the manufacturer says it's safe to use metal utensils and can be washed in the dishwasher (though we generally recommend hand-washing for nonstick cookware). The pot is oven-safe to 450˚F, but it's not compatible with induction cooktops.
| Capacity | 8 qt |
|---|---|
| Pieces included | Pot, lid, strainer insert, steamer basket |
| Oven-safe temperature | up to 450˚F |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes (but we recommend handwashing with nonstick pans) |
Cuisinart 4-Piece Cookware Set
Pros
- Includes pasta strainer insert and steamer insert
- 12-quart pot is good for crowds
Cons
- Large size is more difficult to store
Kitchen Appliances Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou likes that this set is versatile while staying at an approachable price point. In addition to the 12-quart pot with lid, you get a full-size pasta strainer insert and a smaller steamer insert. Though the set is large, the pieces nest within each other to reduce storage space.
We also like that the steamer insert comes with tall, collapsible handles so you can use tongs or a spoon to remove it from the hot pot. The stainless steel pieces are dishwasher safe, and the pot is both induction compatible and oven-safe to 500˚F.
| Capacity | 12 qt |
|---|---|
| Pieces included | Pot, lid, strainer insert, steamer basket |
| Oven-safe temperature | up to 500˚F |
| Dishwasher safe | Yes |
How we choose pasta pots
We test all kinds of cookware in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab from copper cookware to carbon steel skillets.
When evaluating pasta pots, we note how long water in the pot takes to reach a boil, and we take the temperature of the pot's lid and side handles. We cook pasta to assess the texture, and we check the ease of use when lifting, pouring and straining from the pot. We evaluate whether the pot is easy to clean.
For this list, we considered a mix of pots we have tested in the Lab or used in real life as well as those from brands we trust.
What to look for when buying the best pasta pot
✔️ Straining mechanism: By and large, pasta pots have two designs for straining: a strainer insert or a strainer lid. (Though some, like the Le Creuset pot we recommend, don't include a strainer.) You'll have to decide which you prefer and what you have room to store, as the inserts often make the pot a little taller.
- A strainer insert can be a large basket that is fully submerged for cooking the pasta or a straining disk (like the Tramontina on our list).
- A strainer lid is generally a standard lid that includes a perforated section so you can leave it on and strain out the water.
✔️ Lid: Whether it's designed for straining or not, a tight-fitting lid will help the pot bring water to the boiling point more quickly. We recommend a handle or knob that's tall enough to keep your hand away from the hot surface, though tall handles can make the lid harder to store. A glass lid allows you to see when the water is boiling, but then condensation can obscure the view, so either glass or metal is fine.
✔️ Material: Many pasta pots are stainless steel. These pots tend to be lightweight, which is good for lifting and pouring. They're also quick to heat and compatible with all cooktops, including induction. Nonstick pots are a good option if you often cook one-pot pastas that include sticky ingredients. You'll likely need to use a silicone whisk or spatula with nonstick pots, but they can be easier to clean when you're done. That said, the Calphalon pick on our list is safe for metal utensils.
✔️ Capacity: Our experts recommend an 8-quart pot: It's large enough for long and short pastas, and it's handy when making a one-pot pasta or building a sauce to toss your pasta in. If you often make smaller shapes or are cooking for one, you might find a 4- to 6-quart pot is fine. If you're cooking for crowd or want to use your pot for steaming as well, an extra-large option, like the 12-quart Cuisinart on our list, is a good investment.
✔️ Handles: If your pot has a strainer lid, you'll be lifting the whole pot to drain. That can be very heavy, so look for wide, flat handles that are easy to grip and make the pot feel balanced. If you have a strainer basket, you can simply lift it out of the pot (much lighter lift), but we still recommend wide handles so that your hands won't bump the hot pot.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Sarah Gregory Wharton is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has tested stock pots for the Kitchen Appliances Lab as well as other cooking gear, like fish spatulas and Instant Pots. She is a graduate of the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and has been cooking professionally since 2017.
Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).
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