I like my non-All Clad just as well as my All Clad cookware and for much, much less expensive. I picked up a stainless steel stock pot made in Italy from TJMaxx and I love this thing! It was 30 bucks and about the same size you are looking for. For a stock pot, I wouldn't get too picky. For sautee pans, I think quality matters more.

10-15 years ago I decided I was going to replace all my mismatched pots and pans, and I put some serious research into what would last me the rest of my life. I went with Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro, and I've not been disappointed for a single moment. They're not cheap, nor are they out of the water crazy-priced.

Personally, I bought all my frying pans one year, all my sauce pans the next year, and completed the collection with a couple odds-and-ends the next year -- this line is very popular, and you can count on it "staying around". I don't have the huge soup pot, as I already had several Lodge enameled cast iron pots that I consider perfect for soup /similar dishes.

My daughter and her husband just bought a whole set of All-Clad, and -- honestly -- I'd rank them equal to Cuisinart Multi-Clad Pro. (Except in cost.) My mom has TownCraft waterless pots and pans, which she bought at an at-home party when I was a kid. They are excellent quality, as she's STILL using them, so they were probably a good buy -- but, oh, I know she paid a pretty penny for them.

About my stuff:

- They're stainless steel. Stainless cleans up like a dream, is sanitary, and lasts forever.

- They have a layer of aluminum inside, which conducts heat (even heat -- no not spots) all over -- unlike the cheaper versions of Cuisinart, this layer goes all the way "up the sides". Trust me, this makes a difference.

- If you go poking around at discount stores and see individual pots /pans, be sure of which Cuisinart line you're looking at -- strong emphasis on this!

-They're heavy (though not nearly as heavy as my cast iron). When you lift one, the heft is noticable.

- The design is perfect: The frying pans have rounded edges, which works well for stiring things around and is easy to clean.

- The lids are interchangeable, which is convenient. If memory serves, the basic frying pans were "open" /didn't come with lids -- but the other pots' lids fit them.

- I've had mine more than a decade, and I use them daily -- they still look new.

- A wide line of products is available -- certainly everything you need /want. In frying pans, for example, I have the basic frying pans, but I also have the large "chicken fryers" (that's what I call 'em) that have high sides /a "helper" handle opposite the handle. I sent back the largest of these chicken-fryers because it was so incredibly huge.

- One warning, to which I've already alluded above: Cuisinart offers several other lines, and they're inferior to this line. If you're shopping on Amazon, for example, be very careful you don't click over to a different line as you "click around". I've seen the other pots in stores, and the Multi-Clad Pro is definitely a step up from other Cuisinart.

I have a big stainless stockpot from IKEA and I love it.

The quality of a stock pot where most receipes simply simmer is not as important as a fry pan or Dutch Oven.

I have two 7 and 10 qt. SS stock pots with glass lids I picked up at HomeGoods and they have worked for more than 20 years with no issues.

BTW the best knives I have are from IKEA. They have silicone handles are comfortable to use and keep an edge.

Agree stock pot is not as critical. If you don't want to spend a lot and just want a good SS stockpot, check out HomeGoods, they often have a good selection.

I switched to induction in 2025 so had to buy all new cookware. After checking out multiple brands, I went with Demeyere for all my basic pots and pans with the exception of a small 1-quart Cuisinart (Demeyere doesn't have a 1-qt in non-Atlantis line). The Cuisinart is made in France, not the cheaper Chinese-made Cuisinart stuff (which the majority of it is now).

Demeyere is top of the line and worth the splurge if you want to splurge. I have no plans to ever buy another set of cookware, so I coughed up the cash on what I wanted. Demeyere is very comfortable to handle, well-balanced, does everything I want cookware to do and does it expertly. No rivets on the inside of the cooking vessel makes clean-up easier. There are different Demeyere lines. Atlantis was much too heavy for me, I have a mix of mostly Industry 5 and 5-Plus.

I was seriously considering All-Clad, but one trip to the store knocked it out of the running. I HATED the handles, I found the grip very uncomfortable.

I briefly consider Tramontina, the made in Brazil Tramontina seems to get good reviews, but once I played around with the Demeyere in person I pretty much made up my mind at that point.

How about this All-Clad Simply Strain Stainless Steel Multipot with Straining Lid, 6-Quart for $100? Or this IKEA 365+ Pot with lid, stainless steel, 5 qt for $25?

My pots are Cuisinart…and my best pans (which I use the most), are Zwilling. I can’t praise the Zwilling pans enough. They heat quickly and cook evenly. Cleanup is a dream. Dried on food, comes off with just a 5 min soak in hot water. Most of the time, I just stick them in the dishwasher with the rest of the load.

ZWILLING Simplify Stock pot, 6.25 qt, stainless steel $70