I will never forget the first time I used this stockpot: I had to make a huge batch of soup for a church luncheon. I was used to stockpots that heated well enough at the very bottom, but hardly carried any heat up the sides. This All-Clad completely stunned me: heat transferred all the way through and around the entire pot, so that all its contents heated evenly and thoroughly! It made all the difference for such a large batch of soup — no more perpetually stirring for hours just to get the ingredients at all heated! The soup turned out gorgeously, and everyone was pleased with the result. I was immediately convinced that this is the only sane way to make soup. The price is daunting, but, I assure you, it’s worth every penny, for sheer satisfaction and peace of mind!