Now multi-cookers are available in a wide variety of materials and configurations, and there is also variation in terms of price. It pays to compare, as you will perhaps be happier in the long run with a well-made quality pot that was moderately priced vs. the cheapest thing you could find. This pot from Calphalon offers not just heavy 18/10 stainless steel construction, but also an aluminum disk base, a tempered glass lid, and two steaming inserts. Use the big one for cooking and draining pasta, use the smaller one for steaming fish, veggies or chicken. This also makes a fab pot for making stock, soup, or marinara sauce in bulk.

Ideal for myriad cooking options, this four-piece set is sturdily made of 18/10 stainless steel. Key to the set's versatility is an 8-quart pot with an aluminum disk in its bottom to conduct heat quickly and uniformly. With or without its tempered-glass lid, the pot can be used for simmering soup or stock and for cooking beef stew or pasta sauce. Two steamer inserts come along, a shallow one for steaming vegetables, fish fillets, or pieces of poultry and a deep one for cooking pasta or steaming lots of vegetables. The entire set is dishwasher-safe, and the aluminum disk in the pot's bottom is fully enclosed in stainless steel for a uniform look and easy cleanup. The inserts are highly polished, while the pot has a contemporary brushed-steel exterior with a mirror-finish band under the rim. The set carries a 10-year warranty against defects. --Fred Brack