Crofton Porcelain Enamel 12-Quart Stockpot

Besides staple foods, Aldi is known for selling kitchen accessories. Through the year, the retailer rotates everything from air fryers to pressure cookers to taco holders onto its shelves, each for a limited time. If you’re looking to buy new cookware such as skillets and saucepans, Aldi often sells them. One of the most recent options is a large porcelain enamel stockpot.

The Crofton 12-Quart Porcelain Enamel Stockpot cost $19.99 at the time of publication. That’s cheaper than similar stockpots from retailers such as Target, Walmart, and Amazon.

This is an Aldi Find (Special Buy), which means it’s only in stores for a short time.

It was available in red or blue, and I opted for the blue. It advertises that it is extra durable and has better heat conductivity due to its porcelain enameled steel design, with handles for easy lifting.

It comes with a manual and a two-year warranty. The pot was made in Turkey.

So, what is porcelain enamel? And what are the pros and cons of using this type of cookware?

This is a type of cookware in which porcelain, a type of ceramic material, is bonded to steel, stainless steel, cast iron, or aluminum. (In the case of this Aldi pot, the metal is steel.) It often comes in bright colors, as is the case with the Aldi stockpot.

This creates a nonstick surface without the use of chemicals such as Teflon, and you don’t need to use as much oil, butter, or cooking spray to keep food from sticking to the pan. It also makes cleanup easy (but don’t use scratchy sponges that can damage the surface). In addition, this surface doesn’t react to acidic foods such as vinegar, lemons, and tomatoes.

Many home cooks like porcelain enameled cookware because it can go from the stove top to the oven, although this particular stockpot is probably too big for oven use. However, a smaller porcelain enamel pan can be used in both places.

Porcelain cookware can cost more than other non-stick options such as Teflon-coated pans, but it also reportedly lasts longer.

It is advised not to cook with enamelware using high heat for a long period of time because it can damage the coating.

Before using this stockpot for the first time, the manual says to hand wash it in warm, soapy water with a dish cloth or soft sponge, and then rinse and dry it. Prompt drying will reduce water spots.

The manual also says this can be used safely on gas, electric, induction, halogen, and smooth glass cooktops.

The manual offers a few other tips:

• Place the stockpot on a burner no larger than the bottom of the pot.
• If cooking with a gas range cooktop, never allow the open flame to travel up the side of the pot.
• Use high heat to boil water.
• For all other uses with sauces, stocks, and stews, heat settings of medium or lower will give the best results.
• The pot should heat up gradually on the burner. Do not put it on a preheated burner.
• Always be sure that food materials are in the stockpot prior to heating.
• Avoid sliding the stockpot across your cooktop as it may scratch the cooktop or your stockpot.
• This stockpot is safe up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit.

I’m looking forward to using this attractive-looking stockpot for making soups and chili through the fall and winter. It’s generously sized — larger than a lot of my other standard Dutch ovens — which means I should be able to fit large batches of soup into it. It’s also lightweight and easy to move around the kitchen.

I’ll update with information on how the stockpot holds up.

The Verdict:

The Crofton 12-Quart Porcelain Enamel Stockpot is large enough to fit all kinds of soups and stews, comes in a couple of bright color choices, and is lightweight.