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Stock Pot Sizes: 12 to 100 Quart

Pick a stock pot by the batch you make, then check that it fits your burner, your sink and your storage: most kitchens use a 12 to 20 quart pot for daily sauces and soups and an 80 to 100 quart pot for stock, bones and large batches. A 100 quart pot is about 20 inches across, so it needs a sink bowl wider than the pot to wash it.

The sizes below are the stock pots we carry, with diameters and heights from the product pages.

Stock pot sizes we carry

  • 12 quart stainless steel with lid (SLSPS4012): 11 5/8 inches across, 7 3/8 inches high, welded handles.
  • 20 quart aluminum, 4 mm thick (ALSKSP004): 12 1/4 inches across, 11 inches high, riveted handles.
  • 80 quart aluminum, 4 mm thick (ALSKSP010): 19 1/4 inches across, 17 inches high.
  • 100 quart aluminum, 4 mm thick (ALSKSP011): 20 1/4 inches across, 18 1/8 inches high.
  • 100 quart stainless steel with lid (SLSPS4100): 20 1/2 inches across, 19 5/8 inches high, welded handles.

All are in our pots and pans range, with more cookware in commercial cookware.

Which size for which job

  • 12 quart: sauces, a daily soup for a small menu, blanching vegetables, cooking grains in small batches.
  • 20 quart: soups and chili for a busy lunch, pasta for a small restaurant, a daily stock for a cafe.
  • 80 quart: veal or chicken stock from bones, crawfish or seafood boils, large catering batches.
  • 100 quart: the largest stock batches, boils for events, commissary production.

These pairings are common kitchen practice. The right size is the one that holds your largest batch with room to simmer without boiling over, which usually means not filling to the brim.

Aluminum or stainless steel

  • Aluminum heats quickly and evenly and is lighter to lift, which matters on an 80 or 100 quart pot. It can react with acidic foods like tomato sauce and with some cleaners, and it can dull over time.
  • Stainless steel does not react with acidic foods and holds up to harsh cleaning, but it heats less evenly on its own and is heavier. Our two stainless pots come with lids.

A common setup is aluminum for big stock and boils, where weight and fast heating matter, and stainless for tomato sauces and anything held for a long time.

Check the burner

A full 80 or 100 quart pot is heavy and wide. It needs a burner and grate that can carry it safely.

  • A 20 inch pot on a standard range top can block the neighboring burners and overhang the edge.
  • Tall pots on a range put the rim high, which makes stirring and ladling harder and lifting dangerous.
  • A stock pot range puts the pot low, close to waist height, and is built for the weight.

For pots up to 20 quarts, the burners on a commercial range work well. For 80 and 100 quart pots, a low stock pot range or a dedicated burner is the safer choice, which is common practice in kitchens that make stock daily.

Check the sink

The pot has to be washed, rinsed and sanitized, and the Food Code asks for sink compartments large enough to put your largest item under water. Compare the pot with the bowls you have:

  • A 12 or 20 quart pot, 11 5/8 to 12 1/4 inches across, fits inside our 14 x 16 inch and larger bowls.
  • An 80 or 100 quart pot, 19 1/4 to 20 1/2 inches across, will not fit an 18 x 18 inch bowl. It fits inside the footprint of our 24 x 24 x 14 inch bowls on the 78 and 120 inch three compartment sinks, though a pot 17 to 19 5/8 inches high is taller than a 14 inch deep bowl.

Ask your health department how they want your largest pot washed before you choose the sink. Your local health department has the final say.

Storage and handling

  • Store large pots on a low shelf or a dunnage rack, not overhead.
  • Use two people, or a pot filler and a ladle, rather than lifting a full 80 or 100 quart pot.
  • Cool large batches of stock quickly. The Food Code limits cooling from 135 F to 70 F to 2 hours, and to 41 F within 6 hours in total, so a full 100 quart pot needs to be split into shallow pans or cooled with an ice wand.

Frequently asked questions

What size stock pot does a restaurant need?

Most restaurants keep a 12 or 20 quart pot for daily cooking and one large 80 or 100 quart pot if they make stock or run boils.

How big is a 100 quart stock pot?

Ours measure 20 1/4 inches across by 18 1/8 inches high in aluminum, and 20 1/2 inches across by 19 5/8 inches high in stainless steel.

Is aluminum safe for tomato sauce?

Aluminum can react with acidic foods and change their taste or color over long cooking. Stainless steel is the usual choice for acidic sauces.

Can I cool stock in the pot it was cooked in?

A large pot cools slowly. To meet the Food Code cooling times, split it into smaller, shallow containers or use an ice wand, and check the temperature as it cools.

Freight to the 48 contiguous states is included in the price of our cookware.

Models in this guide at a glance

The models linked above are listed here with the main points from each product page, so you can compare them side by side before opening the full listings.

Thunder Group ALSKSP004 20 qt, 12-1/4″ Diameter x 11″ Height, 1-5/8″ Riveted Handle, Stock Pot, Aluminum, 4mm Thickness, Easy to Clean (model ALSKSP004)

  • Brand: Thunder Group
  • Sold individually.
  • Thunder Group model ALSKSP004.
  • Freight and liftgate delivery included to the continental United States.

Thunder Group ALSKSP010 80 qt, 19-1/4″ Diameter x 17″ Height, 2-1/8″ Riveted Handle, Stock Pot, Aluminum, 4mm Thickness, Easy to Clean (model ALSKSP010)

  • Brand: Thunder Group
  • Sold individually.
  • Thunder Group model ALSKSP010.
  • Freight and liftgate delivery included to the continental United States.

Thunder Group ALSKSP011 100 qt, 20-1/4″ Diameter x 18-1/8″ Height, Riveted Handle Stock Pot, Aluminum, 4mm Thickness (model ALSKSP011)

  • Brand: Thunder Group
  • Sold individually.
  • Thunder Group model ALSKSP011.
  • Freight and liftgate delivery included to the continental United States.

Thunder Group SLSPS4012 12 qt, 11-5/8″ Diameter x 7-3/8″ Height, Stock Pot with Lid, Stainless Steel, Welded Handle (model SLSPS4012)

  • Brand: Thunder Group
  • Sold individually.
  • Thunder Group model SLSPS4012.
  • Freight and liftgate delivery included to the continental United States.

Thunder Group SLSPS4100 100 qt, 20-1/2″ Diameter x 19-5/8″ Height, Stock Pot with Lid, Stainless Steel, Welded Handle (model SLSPS4100)

  • Brand: Thunder Group
  • Sold individually.
  • Thunder Group model SLSPS4100.
  • Freight and liftgate delivery included to the continental United States.

Before you order

  • Measure the space and every doorway on the delivery path, and compare them with the dimensions on each product page.
  • Check the spec sheet for power, gas or water requirements and match them to what your building has.
  • Compare capacity with your busiest day rather than your average day.
  • Read the warranty terms for the brand before you order.

Delivery, warranty and payment

  • Delivery: delivery within the continental US is included in the price on the product page, and freight orders include liftgate service.
  • Warranty: each product carries its manufacturer warranty. Terms by brand are on our warranty page.
  • Financing: lease-to-own financing through Clicklease is offered on items of $500 and up. See how financing works.
  • Quotes: buying for a business and need a written quote? Call +1-877-558-2253 or use our contact page.

Not sure which model fits?
Call +1-877-558-2253 with your space, power supply and daily volume, and we will help you narrow it down.