I have really enjoyed using this little bean pot! I bought it specifically for cooking beans. Recently, I have begun more clean eating, and beans are nutritious and delicious.I have tried several different ways to prepare beans, including soaking/cooking on the stove top, quick soak/cooking on the stove top, and baking in the oven. This little bean pot will work in every situation for me. I will soak my beans overnight in this pot and then rinse and either bake or simmer. I am able to use on the top of the stove and inside the oven with equal measures of success. (I think beans stay intact better and are creamier when baked in the oven.)Because this bean pot is relatively small, it is not at all heavy to insert/remove from the oven or lift onto the stove. It is light weight and will adequately hold a 16-20 oz bag of dry beans for cooking. It works with all kinds of stove top surfaces, including induction. The one that I received did not have any bowing or significant dents, so it works quite well on top of the stove.Have metal utensils? Do not fear! This old fashioned little pot can handle the metal utensils with great ease. It is easy to clean, and I have had anything stick to it. Granted, at this point, I have just used it for beans, but hey, that was the purpose for getting it.One thing I haven't tried that I look forward to doing this summer is using it in a solar oven. It is bigger than the one I have now, but it is still quite compact and should work very nicely in the solar oven.For the cost, ease of use, and portability (light weight), I think this is exactly the little pot I needed!