When choosing a stock pot, its important to consider the number of desired servings, your budget, and whether theres enough room in your cupboards. The most common stock pot sizes are 6-quart, 8-quart, 12-quart, and 16-quart, with larger sizes primarily used in commercial kitchens. As a rule of thumb, youll need a stock pot with 2.5 to 3 quarts of capacity per adult (or young adult) in the household. For most home cooks, an 8-quart or 12-quart stock pot is a good choice. An 8-quart stock pot is perfect for making eight to twelve servings of soup or chili, boiling one to two boxes of pasta, or making homemade stock from all your scraps. A 12-quart stock pot may be a better choice if you batch cook or cook for a large family. However, going with a smaller stock pot, like one that’s eight quarts, means the pot is very similar in volume to a 6- or 8-quart Dutch oven, while going larger, like a 16-quart stock pot, can make storage and maneuverability become real issues.