Bialetti Pasta Pot

Italian cooktop and cookware company Bialetti is best known for its Moka Express stovetop espresso maker. It has, however, been bolstering its line of pots and pans over the recent years. Among its offerings is the five-quart Pasta Pot.

Several things make this pot stand out. Most obvious is its built-in strainer. The lid features holes on one side, and it twists on and clips to the pot so that you can pour the water out without losing your noodles. (I tested it the other night to great success, though I will admit being nervous that the lid was going to slip off and all the pasta was going to pour out while I was draining the water. Fortunately, the lid stayed in place, even after a few good shakes done for testing purposes.)

Another defining feature is the Pasta Pot's oval shape, which was designed to fit uncooked spaghetti and lasagna noodles without needing to break them. Other notable aspects include its large five-quart capacity and non-stick interior (which makes it a breeze to do the final cooking and adding of ingredients in the pot and then quickly clean it all up later). Bialetti recently released the Pasta Pot in three new colors: purple, blue, and orange (plus a red edition available exclusively at Target). Each sells for $34.95. For more information, visit bialettishop.com.