When you're saving up for your eventual retirement, know that some stocks make better investments than others. In a retirement account, you want stocks that will not only produce decades of growth and income but also preserve your hard-earned savings when times get rough.

There are certain things to look for when evaluating a stock's potential as a retirement investment. Does the company have a strong track record of growth, as well as a history of doing well during recessions? Is the company in a business that will be around for decades to come? And does the company have a particular competitive advantage that should preserve its status as a great investment?

Here are 10 stocks that are great choices for retirement accounts and why they work so well.