Making homemade fudge is super delicious and rewarding—plus, you’ll know exactly what goes into your treat.
To make basic chocolate fudge, all you need is sweetened condensed milk, butter, your favorite chocolate and a good pot.
The best pot to cook fudge in should have an even heat distribution to avoid hot spots and potential burning. Read on to learn how you can find the right pot for your next homemade fudge.
The best pots to cook fudge in include:
- Cook N Home Stainless Steel Stockpot With Lid
- M’Passion Copper Sugar Sauce Pan
- Michelangelo Saucepan With Lid
- Stone & Beam Sauce Pan With Lid
- Gotham Steel Stock Pot With Lid
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What Makes a Good Fudge-Pot? Things to Consider Before Buying
Sure, you can make fudge in any old pot or saucepan from your cabinet, but using the wrong type can make your job harder.
I’ve put together a quick guide to help you find the right size, material and type of pot for making fudge.
1. Size Matters
Dealing with sugars at such high temperatures isn’t easy—sugars and chocolate are very unforgiving and will react poorly to the wrong temperature.
The pot’s size should match the amount of chocolate you’re going to melt. Cooking a large amount of fudge in a small pot will result in uneven results—you might find parts of the fudge that are slightly overcooked while other parts are raw.
Making a small amount of fudge in a large pot can be tricky. It can cook it too quickly, making it more likely to burn or overcook.
If you already have a go-to fudge recipe, finding the right size pot should be easy. Simply consult the recipe and try to find a pot that can hold about four times the ingredients’ overall amount.
When in doubt, a 2-3 quarts (1.9 to 2.8 liters) pot should be just fine for regular fudge-making. However, if you often make fudge in large quantities, go for 5-quart (4.7-liter) or above.
2. Consider the Shape
The best pot for making fudge has a flat-bottom. A flat bottom will heat more evenly and give you a better heat distribution, which will melt all the ingredients simultaneously.
A flat bottom is especially important if you’re cooking on a glass or ceramic stove. The flat surface of the stove requires contact with the entire bottom of the pot to heat evenly.
Another thing to look for is the sides of the pot. Similar to how the flat bottom heats more evenly, straight sides will do the same. This isn’t as important as the bottom, but if you want to take your fudge to the next level, go for straight sides.
A pot with straight sides will also make it easier to measure the temperature with a candy thermometer. The thermometer will get a more accurate reading since everything will be heated evenly.
Sturdy handles and a pouring spout will be handy when you need to transfer your fudge to another container.
3. Material
Pots are available in a range of materials, but because we’re making fudge, we need something with good heat distribution. Furthermore, you also want a material that reacts swiftly to any changes you make in the temperature. Sugars burn instantly after reaching 176°C (350°F), so if you turn the heat down or off, you need the pot to react.
The perfect temperature for fudge is between 114 and 115°C (237 and 239°F), so you need a pot that can withstand this heat.
- Copper: The best type pot to make fudge is copper. It reacts quickly to any temperature changes and distributes the heat evenly throughout the pot. The best thing about copper is that it cools down quickly, reducing the risk of burning or overcooking your candy.
- Aluminum: This is another excellent option that offers good heat conduction. However, aluminum can be hard to clean, especially if you accidentally burn something.
- Stainless steel: Is virtually indestructible and super easy to clean, but horrible with horrible heat conduction. If you want a stainless steel pot, go for one with a layer of aluminum for improved heat conduction—you’ll get the aluminum’s responsiveness with the stainless steel durability.
- Non-stick: These pots can work when making fudge; however, it’s crucial to choose one made for high-heat. In addition to that, make sure it has a heavy or thick bottom for better heat conduction.
Best Pan for Fudge – in a nutshell
A straight-sided, flat-bottomed saucepan made entirely of copper, or with a copper core is the best pot for making fudge. A copper fudge pan allows precise temperature control–good for cooking sugars.
If using the saucepan to cook other food, ensure it is lined with a non-reactive, non-corrosive material like tin.
Best Pot to Cook Fudge in: Top 5 Round-up
When searching for a good fudge or candy pot, consider which size would suit you best and look for a material that offers optimal heat efficiency. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the five best pots for candy making.
Cook N Home Stainless Steel Stockpot With Lid—Best Multiuse Pot for Fudge
This 5-quart (4.7-liter) pot is made of mirror-polished stainless steel, making it durable and easy to clean. For better heat efficiency, the pot is fitted with an aluminum disc layered within the base. This base gives it a more even heat distribution while preventing hot spots, giving you an even cook throughout.
The pot comes with a tempered glass lid featuring a small steam vent. Additionally, it features riveted silicone-wrapped handles, which are sturdy to hold and remain cool even when you’re dealing with hot sugars and chocolates.
You can use the pot on most stove types, including electric, glass, ceramic, gas and more.
Most home cooks really enjoyed this large pot for everyday cooking. However, some noticed the bottom began to tarnish after using it to boil water.
Pros:
- Large capacity, excellent for big families
- Combines stainless steel and aluminum
- Stay-cool handles
- Compatible with most stoves
Cons:
- A few home cooks noticed the bottom of the pot began to tarnish after a few uses
- Take care of it – some reports of it denting easily
Mauviel M’Passion Copper Sugar Sauce Pan—Best Pot for Fudge
Made of 2mm gauge unlined copper, this 5-quart (4.7-liter) pot offers excellent heat conductivity as well as temperature control.
The flat bottom and straight sides further help the pot to heat evenly throughout, giving you a quick and smooth melt.
Homemade candy makers are praising the pot for how easy it is to use and many noticed a significant difference in the results.
It features a riveted copper handle for extra support when handling the pot—the narrow spout can help you transfer your fudge to a different container after cooking.
Keep in mind, this is unlined copper, making it highly reactive to various ingredients; therefore, it’s only recommended for sugars. It’s also quite heavy, so it can be difficult to handle when you need to work quickly.
Pros
- Ideal shape for candy and fudge making
- Unlined copper is perfect for fudge
- Stove, oven, broiler, and freezer safe
- Easy to pour
Cons
- Not suitable for general cooking
- The handle gets very hot, so be careful
- Not dishwasher safe
Michelangelo Saucepan With Lid—Best Small Saucepan for Candy Making
This 3-quart (2.8-liters) non-stick saucepan is made of an aluminum alloy with a ceramic and titanium interior giving it its non-stick properties.
The aluminum provides excellent conductivity, giving you an even heat with reasonable temperature control.
It comes with a heat-resistant lid and a long, ergonomic handle, enabling you to get a good grip as you’re handling the hot fudge.
Although this is a non-stick pot, it’s PTFE free. (PTFE is the active ingredient in Teflon).
It’s also safe to use in the oven, meaning it can withstand high heat.
Consumers had a lot to say about the handle on the lid—most found that it became too hot while cooking and loose over time. In saying that, it also received a lot of praise for its sturdiness and lightweight, which will help you get the fudge out of the pot quickly and easily.
Pros
- Long handle
- Aluminum alloy construction
- PTFE Free
Cons
- The lid handle is a bit loose
- Lid handle can get quite hot
Stone & Beam Sauce Pan With Lid—Best Budget-Friendly Fudge Pot
The hard-anodized aluminum exterior of this 4-quart (3.7-liter) pot gives it excellent heat conductivity, preventing those dreaded hot spots. Inside the pot, you’ll find a combination of stainless steel and PTFE to create a durable, non-stick coating.
The pot comes with a glass lid featuring a small steam vent. Additionally, it features an easy-pour spout and long handle, helping you transfer fudge from the pot to a tray without making a mess.
Wash it with soap and water, as it’s not dishwasher-safe. You should also use silicone or wooden utensils to preserve the interior.
Customers found that it offers good value for money, despite it being slightly smaller than advertised.
Pros
- Easy to pour with the spout and long handle
- Easy to clean
- Combination of aluminum and stainless steel
Cons
- Slightly smaller than advertised
- Handles can get ho
- Contains PTFE (active ingredient in Teflon)
- Not dishwasher safe
Gotham Steel Stock Pot With Lid—Best Design
The hammered copper exterior gives this 5-quart (4.7-liter) pot a warm and elegant look. It’s made of a solid aluminum construction, giving it superior heat distribution for an even cook without hot spots.
The pot features a Ti-Cerama non-stick coating inside, making it easy to clean, even if something was to burn accidentally. Furthermore, it’s dishwasher-safe, so you don’t have to dread scrubbing.
In saying that, several consumers found the non-stick surface to degrade with use, maybe opt to wash it by hand.
Although it’s a ceramic non-stick coating, it’s supposedly safe to use metal utensils. However, I recommend sticking with silicone or wood.
Additionally, it’s compatible with most stovetops and oven-safe, so you can easily use it for general cooking as well.
It comes with a 10-year limited warranty, so you’re covered if anything were to break.
Pros
- Aluminum construction
- Dishwasher-safe
- Non-stick coating
- Oven-safe
Cons
- The copper is purely for aesthetics—it’s not even pure copper
- Some complaints it becomes less non-stick through use
For the Love of Fudge
I reckon Mauviel M’Passion Copper Sugar Sauce Pan is the best pot to cook fudge with. It features everything you need for cooking fudge—a pour spout, flat bottom and sides, and even heating.
Yet the very thing that makes it so perfect for fudge – unlined copper, makes it unsuitable for cooking most foods. Amazing for preparing fudge, but not for much else.
If you’re looking for something more versatile, the best pot to make candy in is the Cook N Home Stainless Steel Stockpot With Lid. At 5-quart (4.7-liter), it’s an ideal size for fudge-loving families—the combination of stainless steel and the aluminum disc is what sets this pot apart from the rest.
It’s a nice pot for cooking fudge AND other food.