Stainless Steam Pots

[jet]

crabs are starting to dig out of the mud, so i thought i would ask.

besides buying made in USA and local (is the stainless steel even from usa?), is the local crab supply stainless steel pots really that much better? $200+ for one pot better? you can get a 4 piece stainless set from harbor freight for $19.99

i did buy a pot from anglers a few years ago, which is one of those speckled (ceramic?) black steam pots, made in usa, and it's all sorts of rusted!

thoughts?

[dhawk]

havent seen the harbor freight ones but would assume that they would work fine my guess is that a local pot might be made from a higher quality stainless steel since all arent the same but for 20 bucks i would gamble on it even cheap stainless should last a couple of years unless you leave it out in the rain

[Shady]

Got my ceramic pot from... wait for it...
Bed Bath and Beyond. I've had it and used it quite a bit for almost 3 years and no real signs of wear yet. It's on the smallish side, but holds about 2 doz.

[Chris burke]

I've always used the stainless keg, ya can't beat it

[Capt C-Hawk]

I got a stainless pot from Rick's Marine at Point Lookout 25 years ago that still looks like new. Paid $120.00 for it then and outlasted Rick's. Holds a bushel + with a bottom grate that holds the crabs 2" off the bottom of the pot. Word was these pots were built while Calvert Cliffs was under construction, so top grade stainless was used.

[DOGFISH]

They have 1/2 bushel pots at West Marine for less than $200. The local stainless pots tend to be larger and have a better insert to keep the crabs out of the liquid.