Norpro Universal Stainless Steel Double Boiler, 3 quart

What a great quality kitchen product. It is heavy and made well. It actually fit perfectly on top of my 4.5 quart Calphalon pot and formed a tight seal with the double boiler. I used it for the first time at Thanksgiving to cook the chocolate pie filling. It heated up quickly and cooked my pie filling to perfection without sticking (of course frequent stirring is still required). I was thrilled with the performance of this double boiler. I hand washed and then dried it. I would not put any cookware made in (C) in the dishwasher.

I should have purchased this a long time ago. I sometimes use a double boiler to melt chocolate or make rice or tapioca puddings. Previously I use to use my heavy Pyrex bowls (of various sizes) over pots of various sizes depending on what I was cooking. What I like about his one is that it is light, has two pour spouts, and a long handle that stays cool to the touch. It makes it easier for me to carry and pour out the contents.I used this with both the pot of my Rachael Ray Porcelain Enamel II Nonstick Covered Steamer Set, 3-Quart, Red Gradient and with the tall 3-quart pot that is part of this KitchenAid Gourmet Stainless Steel 10-Piece Cookware Set. Although this is large, I found it created a tight seal in these two pots and did not touch the bottom. I was able to bring four cups of water to a boil in these pots without this double boiler sitting in the water.This is perfect for melting butter, cheese, caramel, and chocolate and making puddings. I love that it has a pour spout on both sides and the handle stays cool to the touch. It's also easy to carry since it's lighter than my heavy Pyrex bowls. This is also well-built and will outlast me.

Purchased this to melt chocolate and icings in large batches to dribble over fresh baked pastries, as well as to keep my mocha hot throughout the day without scorching. Was hoping would fit the Instant Pot, which it does but sits a couple inches high inside the chamber. This means the IP60 can hold about 3L water around the NorPro; kinda inefficient to get any brew heated up in a hurry but at least no danger of the pot running dry during the day. Lower section of the NorPro fits perfectly in the Ecolution Pure Intentions Stainless Steel 2-Quart Saucepan also purchased here, and fits an old 3Q Tramontina dutch oven of mine to a T. Also kinda fits a relatively new SS T-Fal 3L, though a bit tricky to balance so as to keep level. Luckily though the glass lid of the T-F mates perfectly with the NorPro, quite a boon because this double boiler doesn't come with its own — perhaps typical of this style with [dripless!] pour spouts, but with such a large vessel would have been nice at least to have the option of buying a dedicated cover as an add-on. Not to mention but I also found that using a lid helps stabilze the balance, either when immersing the NorPro inside another vessel or standing it up on a counter solo.Concur with rest of reviewers as to the overall high quality of piece. Definitely the most sturdy and well polished of any double boiler I've ever had... perhaps even too good for my lousy cooking!Included are shots of various setups I tried using the NorPro with varying degrees of success. Please note that the glass lid pictured does not come with this double boiler and I have no idea where it might be purchased separately. It is by no means necessary for use, just convenient.

Overall, this is a nice double boiler. Make sure you clean it first, since I found a tiny bit of invisible residue around the spout (it changed color as I was pouring out hot wax - some kind of coating?).My main, minor complaint is that since the handle is just on the one side, the whole thing lists heavily to that side when the boiler is sitting in the pot. It's not that big of a deal, but it's annoying to me since I'm rather anal. I'd like it is both sides had handles so that the whole thing would balance better.

I love this double boiler. I bought it because I was cooking five pounds of mashed potatoes and freezing them, so that I could defrost on Thanksgiving. I put all five pounds of potatoes into this double boiler and popped it inside a tall pot I already had. I just left it alone for about five hours, stirring occasionally, so that the frozen part got thoroughly mixed up.It could have held more if I had more to heat up. I just left the potatoes inside it, and left the water simmering for about five hours; while I did all other prep work for dinner. I could not be more pleased with the results. No burning and nobody knew I had made those potatoes a week before.This would be good for any type dish. And, it is made VERY well. I read where one customer said they were fearful the handles would fall off, because they were not riveted on (but welded instead). I am not fearful at all about that. I have a few other stainless pots that are manufactured the very same way, and they have endured years of heavy use without falling apart.This item is strong and sturdy and will be a true help in the kitchen for many, many years to come. You are not wasting your money on this one; nor willl you want to return it. So many things this could be used for.Very pleased indeed!