All-Clad Master Chef 2 12-Quart Stockpot

The second generation of All-Clad's Master Chef line (MC2), this cookware combines brushed aluminum with stainless-steel accents for a contemporary look. Like All-Clad's other renowned cookware collections, Master Chef provides serious and professional cooks with all the virtues that make All-Clad's worldwide reputation unsurpassed. Key to its high performance is a three-ply, bonded construction. Sandwiched between the exterior and an 18/10 stainless-steel interior is a thick aluminum core that spreads heat evenly across the bottom of the pan and all the way up its sides. The interior is highly polished so it's stick- as well as corrosion-resistant. Handles, rivets, and tight-fitting lids are all gleaming stainless steel. This 12-quart stockpot illustrates the Master Chef line's stylish yet practical design. It's perfect for simmering soups and stocks, it accommodates enough ragu Bolognese to feed the neighborhood, and poaches a couple of chickens at the same time. Because the aluminum core extends up the sides, foods cook uniformly, even though the pot is 5-1/4 inches deep (11 inches in diameter). And because the interior is nonreactive, tomatoes and other acidic foods won't taste metallic. Its lid and stay-cool loop handles are riveted for strength and won't be harmed by an oven's highest heat. The stockpot's rolled edge facilitates dripless pouring. Master Chef cookware carries a lifetime warranty against defects and should be hand washed. --Fred Brack