Different fondue pots can go hand in hand with different dishes. Some pots are only suitable for one type of fondue, while others can be used flexibly.
A typical Swiss pot for cheese fondue is called a caquelon and is made of ceramic. This means that it conducts the heat very slowly, which means that the cheese is melted at a leisurely pace and does not burn.
The thick base prevents the caquelon from overheating and the long handle makes it easy to lift from the cooker to the rechaud.
An alternative to the ceramic caquelon is a cast-iron pot, which is also suitable for preparing cheese fondue. You must make sure that the pot is not too deep, as this would prevent all the cheese from being heated, and that it has a wide opening.
These two pots are also ideal for chocolate fondue, which does not burn.
In contrast to the conventional caquelon, pots made of metal conduct heat much better. Therefore, they should not be used for cheese or chocolate fondue, as these liquids would burn quickly.
However, metal pots are all the more suitable for fat fondue or fondue with broth. They are also called "fondue chinoise". Raw ingredients such as fish, vegetables and meat are cooked in the boiling liquid.
For fat and broth fondues, it is important that the heat can spread well, as the contents should be brought to the boil. Therefore, pots made of stainless steel are particularly suitable.