Essentials 4-Piece Multi-Cooker Set
4.1
5
46
46
I purchased this pot over a year ago. After the first six months the handle on the glass lid came off. I have subsequently glued it with auto adhesive 3 times. There isn't a steam vent in the glass lid–when liquid is boiling the lid bounces up and down.
April 30, 2012
Very Useful
I received this pot combo for my bridal shower 7 years ago and it is my most used pot for sure. I make soup, I steam veggies - it's essential!
April 24, 2012
Versatile!
This "steamer" is SO much more! I use it for soups and chili, the two inserts allow for steaming two items at once! Hardly a week goes by that I don't use my steamer!
March 10, 2012
Makes perfect pasta
I make pasta so much, it was wearing out my large pot. I saw this online and had it on my wish list for about six months before purchasing it and it's one of my best buys!
The pasta turns out much lighter and fluffier than in my regular pot, and I don't seem to have any trouble with the pasta sticking to each other. It's light weight, so even though it's filled with water, it's still easy to carry.
As a bonus, it has a vegetable steamer, which other models I've seen don't have. I also found this is a great tool for boiling eggs.
I normally cook 1 1/2 lbs of pasta at a time, which this is perfect for. However, if you cook more than that at a time, you may want to get a larger model.
Every time I use this pot I think to myself "this was one of the best buys I've ever made".
February 28, 2012
The product I didn't know that I needed
This purchase was made on a whim, and I was skeptical of breaking from my old ways of using a regular pot for making pasta. I have quickly changed habits! I really enjoy using this pot for pasta and steaming. The pot is large, so the water takes a little longer to boil, but the results have been very evenly cooked pasta. It's very easy to use and clean.
February 28, 2012
Not a good product
I have had this pot for over a year and it's not great at all. Definitely would NOT recommend this product to anyone else!
The biggest issue is that the pot is too small for the large pasta basket. In order to put the large basket in the pot, very little water can in the pot. So, there is not enough water to boil pasta. If you put more water in the pot with the large basket the water over boils. Giant mess. We have actually gotten rid of the large pasta basket because it's absolutely useless!
We do use the pot as more of a stock pot and the small basket for steaming veggies.
My other complaint about this pot is that liquid accumulates on the ridge of the pot and therefore the pot lid does not seal. It's annoying to have a lid clattering when something is boiling or simmering. This also results in liquid spattering on the stove.
NOT a good product! Don't buy!
December 17, 2011
Fantastic Set
This set is extremely convenient. We frequently use it to boil pasta, steam veggies and rinse items as a collander! We like that the set allows you to boil one item while steaming another at the same time - helps cut down on prep time. And, the stainless steel holds up when working with "colorful" items, like beans, which have permanantly stained our previous white set.
August 18, 2011
WONDERFUL
When I ordered this item, I thought it was pricey, but when it arrived it was worth it, My sauces come out GREAT! If you are looking for a good sauce pot, this one is it!
June 27, 2010
Pasta cooker is useless
I agree with the other reviews that the pasta cooker insert is way too shallow for the pot and you have to fill the pot almost 90% to get any use out of it. It's such a waste of energy and water just to make a simple pot of spaghetti. I use the pot itself for big batches of soup or cooking pasta, but the pasta strainer insert itself is useless. I would have rather spent my money on a nicer steamer that I could actually use and instead spent money on a mediocre stock pot with a useless pasta strainer.
January 6, 2010
Good for steaming/NOT for pasta
As several others have mentioned, this pot does semi-well for steaming but is too small to cook pasta. The colander insert is shallow, therefore, requiring lots of water and not enough room for cooking even a modest amount of pasta. The pot will definitely make a huge mess and is a pain to clean by hand.
December 28, 2009
Not dishwasher safe
I really was excited about this pot/steamer. Awesome, big size...perfect. But while the manufacturer claims it to be dishwasher safe--it most certainly is not. We washed it one time in the dishwasher, and it came out with red rust tains all over it... very unfortunate.
August 26, 2009
Overall Poor
I bought this product because I have had one before, but it is poor in comparison. For starters, the pasta insert is not deep enough so the pot has to be filled practically to the rim and then the water boils over and makes a huge mess all over the stove. Secondly, for such a huge pot, the insert limits the amount of pasta you can make which defeats the purpose of having such a pot - especially as it is too large for a small family. Thirdly, the lid and the inserts do not hold the steam in well which again makes a huge mess.
I find this product a nuisance to store and to use in the kitchen.
August 10, 2009
Great product
I got this as a shower gift...I love it. The quality is great for the price.
July 30, 2009
Poor lid
The lid is too lightweight and does not fit tight enough. When you boil liquids with the lid on, it spits water out from between the edge of the lid and the pan, and all over your stove.
June 22, 2009
Awesome!
Great quality, does exactly what it needs to do.
June 20, 2009
Great for stock, stew, and chili.
While I don't use this pan for pasta much, it's proven to be an excellent pan for chilis, stews, and any dish you need to make a lot of. It takes a little too long to come to a boil for just making pasta. The vegetable steamer is excellent.
June 20, 2009
Useful but needs improvement
I actually got this pot because I register online for it. We use it all the time for pasta, but it works better with short pasta since if you put enough water to prepare spaghetti or another long pasta the water spills between the pot and the large steamer and makes a mess in the kitchen.
Another issue with this is that the short steam handles do not allow to fully cover the pot, which makes steaming less effective.
June 19, 2009
multi-tasking wonder
This cooker/steamer gets a lot of use in my house and it still looks brand new. It's very sturdy and functional and easy to clean. When I first put it on my wedding registry, I was a little hesitant because of the size (it's not huge but bigger than a lot of the cookware I own) but it has definitely turned out to be worth it. Very pleased with this product and highly recommend.
June 19, 2009
questioning yourself is a thing of the past
This is amazing! I don't have to throw my pasta against the wall to see if it's cooked again! I don't have to worry about my veggies getting burnt because I didn't put enough water in the pan!! I feel like a real chef with this and the best part is its all in one! you can you the steamer as the colander for your pasta!!
cook for a large group or just for yourself, it's amazing!
June 19, 2009
Most Useful Pot in My Kitchen!
I use this pot(s) every day! It's best use in my kitchen is for steaming vegetables--especially in the South during the summer months!
June 19, 2009
