Giant stock pots are great for more than just Sunday soup! Here are 6 ideas to make the most out of this kitchen classic once their simmering days have drawn to an end.
Bread Bin: Our family has been doing this for as long as I can remember; they are anti-storing-bread-in-the-microwave kind of folk.
Preserving: Big stock pots are great for boiling jars of jam, pickled veggies and the like.
Cat Food/Litter Storage: A more attractive option than the Rubbermaid alternative!
Garbage Can: Won’t absorb odors, good capacity, comes with a lid!
Planter Pot: Great for hiding the ugly plastic pots that Tropicals typically come in.
Impromptu Bucket: For soaking tired feet with Epsom salts, mopping the floor, whatever is typically on your bucket list.
(Image: MaryAnne Petrella)
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Oh! I did the planter idea a few years ago! Mine wasn't plain white- it was that 70's avocado green with brown & orange toad stool motif! Whoa! (anyone remember THAT kitchen design era? LOL!) I found it out with a neighbor's trash heap by the curb. The crazy 70's theme just couldn't be so sadly thrown into a landfill. So, I brought it home, cleaned it up (the lid unfortunately had a large crack), cut off the power cord (after checking to see that it really didn't work anymore), lined the bottom with an inch of pebble gravel, and sat a plastic planter pot inside that held a huge basil plant & some chives. Decided not to just put soil directly into crock pot, because I wanted the drainage option. It looked sooo awesome. Like I was literally growing my dinner! I had so many compliments that eventually I gave it to a friend when I was moving. She still uses it & the 70's brown/orange toad stool theme is still as crazy retro as ever!
I guess you could also use at as a compost scrap holder like those stainless steel ones? (The countertop ones, not the actual composting unit.)
I have just put them in recycling in the past because they're over 60% metal!
Agreed. Use it as a compost pail.
Good idea about the compost pail! Probably would look nicer than my large yogurt container!
I didn't realize that preserving was an "alternative" use for big pots. That's pretty common around here. What else are you supposed to use?
Most of my plants are in old pots I pick up from thrift stores for cheap. I love old enamel pots in nice colors. So charming. So inexpensive. Love it!
Great ideas! I have one I got from my mother in law that I've never used. It's just been sitting in my panty because I love it, but wasn't sure how to use it yet.
I love the pots made for bread that you see mostly in the UK.
I tend to use mine until holes wear in the bottom and then they would go into the recycling bin.
I have one just like in the picture, and thanks to an overly-active pilot light (when I first moved into my apt.), the enamel is chipped. I kept it, wondering if there was ever a use...since it didn't seem safe to use for direct cooking.
Leave it to you guys to give me 6 fabulous ideas! Thanks :)
Dyeing fiber and yarn!