Vollrath 8qt Stainless Stock Pot Vs. Polarware 8qt Aluminum Stock Pot

When you are buying a stock pot from your restaurant supply store, you have several things to consider, and one brand or type does not quite cover every pot.

When you consider the Vollrath 8at stainless steel stock pot, and the Polarware 8qt aluminum stockpot, the first thing youre going to notice is that they look pretty much the same, and they are the same size. They are also priced within a few dollars of each other, making it seem even more so like they are the same.

How are you supposed to choose? Well, while they do in fact seem like the same pot made by different brands, they have one major difference that you need to consider before buying a stock pot.

The Difference is in the Materials

Yes, they do look the same, but they are made of different materials. The Vollrath is made of stainless steel, while the Polarware is made of aluminum. Why go with one over the other?

For some chefs, its a personal preference, but it also depends on what you are going to cook in it.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is extremely durable, can withstand super high heat and does not pit or warp, or get dented or scratched very easy. Its also very easy to clean, and you can use a tough scrubbing sponge on it with and it will shine like new.

The downside to stainless steel is that it is not a great conductor of heat. In fact most stainless steel pans are actually made of layers of either copper or aluminum that are then layered with the stainless steel to help it conduct heat in better. Another downside is that while it can withstand high heat, it can sometimes discolor a little bit if prolonged to super high heat for long periods of time. This will not affect the cook surface or ability but if you like to show off your shiny pots, this may be a negative factor.

Aluminum

Aluminum is a far better conductor of heat than stainless steel, but it has one major drawback that keeps a lot of cooks from using it it can create a reaction to certain types of foods, especially those that are extremely acidic, such as tomatoes or lemons. You would not want to cook a marinara sauce in an aluminum pot because your sauce would end up with aluminum particles in your food.

So, which pot do you want, the Vollrath or the Polarware? Both are excellent choices, but you must ask yourself what you are going to cook. If you are going to cook a tomato sauce or soups and stews that contain acidic ingredients (and it is a stock pot after all), then you probably want to go with the Vollrath. Made of durable stainless steel, you can cook a wide variety of foods in it and not have to worry that accidentally adding a certain ingredient will cause damage to the pot or your food.