Credit:
Reviewed / Tim Renzi
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Credit:
Reviewed / Tim Renzi
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The Made In blew us away with its nonstick qualities, heat distribution, and moisture retention. Plus it's available in several beautiful colors. Read More
A long-time favorite, Le Creuset's Dutch oven does not disappoint. Note that the slightly larger size means it needs a bit more space than others. Read More
This Dutch oven cooks as well as any high-end version and is a great buy in any color, as long as you don't mind it's slightly narrow bottom. Read More
This stainless steel Dutch oven is lightweight and excels at browning and baking bread. However, its lightweight build means cooking results can vary. Read More
Highly rated and a pro with any cooking task you throw at it, the Staub Cast Iron Dutch oven is well worth its price...and weight. Read More
A Dutch oven is the true workhorse of any kitchen. Safe to use on most cooking surfaces, these bad boys can make pots of soup or stew, sauté vegetables, braise meat, and even bake a loaf of crusty bread. If your kitchen only has room for one large pot, it should be a Dutch oven.
Finding the best Dutch oven is more complicated than asking yourself “Le Creuset or Staub?” There are a lot of great Dutch ovens on the market. Not only do they range in price from $80 to $420, they range in quality too. While most of them follow the same basic design—a deep, cast iron pot coated in nonstick enamel—the shape and construction make a huge difference in cooking experience. That’s why we tested the top Dutch ovens on the market.
After putting each through its paces, our testing experts concluded that the Made In Dutch Oven (available at Made In) is the one we want in our kitchens and would recommend to friends. If you're in the market for an more affordable Dutch oven, the Lodge 6-Quart Round Dutch Oven (available at Amazon) is our Best Value pick with a performance that rivals more expensive pots.
The Made In Cast Iron Dutch Oven is the best one we've tested.
Le Creuset's 5.5 quart round Dutch oven is our pick for best upgrade.
The Lodge 4.6-Quart Round Dutch Oven is our Best Value pick.
The HexClad Dutch oven is the best non-cast iron option on the market.
Cleans easily
Well built, solid
Cooks evenly
Heavy
Cooks evenly and well
Has self-basting divots
Heavy
Handles get hot and are tough to grab
Stains easily
Beautiful design
Incredibly nonstick
Even browning
Not made of cast iron
No basting divots
Heat and steam retention fall short
Cooks and braises well
Large lid handle
Uneven heat distribution in bread baking
Handles get very hot very quickly
Solid construction
Wide base with straight sides
Uneven heat distribution in bread baking
Slightly tough to clean
Heats quickly and evenly
Easy to clean
Comes with grill pan lid and silicone lid
Grill pan lid is heavy and awkward to maneuver on/off pot
Heavy overall
Heats quickly and evenly
Nonstick
Has self-basting divots
Gets dirty easily
Awkward to handle
Heavy
Large and roomy
Nonstick
Easy to clean
Uneven heat distribution
Awkward shape
Heavy
If you like to cook, a good Dutch oven is an essential tool for your kitchen. Here are some things to consider when looking for the best Dutch oven.
Le Creuset makes a great Dutch oven, but you’ll have to pay a pretty penny for the brand’s beautiful pot. There are a lot of great Dutch ovens that won’t break the bank, including our best Dutch oven pick, Made In's Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven.
A good thing to consider when thinking about price is how often you plan on using your Dutch oven. Investing in a Dutch oven is well worth your money, as most—especially cast-iron Dutch ovens—are built to last forever.
Because Dutch ovens are bulky, choosing the right size for your kitchen can be difficult. Dutch ovens range in size from eight ounces to 13 quarts. To decide which to buy, consider how many people you’re regularly cooking for.
A household of four will want a 5- to 7-quart Dutch oven, which is the usual size range. If you’re cooking for a large family, a party, or a holiday meal, you may want to consider a Dutch oven larger than 7 quarts (just don’t forget to make sure it fits in your oven!). For one or two people, a 3- to 4-quart Dutch oven will usually do the trick. (We really liked the Great Jones 3.5-quart Dutch Baby, if you’re looking for a smaller Dutch oven.)
Because they’re often made of cast iron, Dutch ovens can be heavy. Moving one from the oven to the stovetop and back can be a real workout. While handles won’t make these pots lighter, well-designed ones can make it easier to move.
A tight-fitting lid is a must-have for Dutch ovens. Our testing also found that lid construction plays a huge part in performance—self-basting divots on the lid will help keep food moist while cooking, and they prevent condensation from pooling at the edges of the lid and streaming down in one line after removal.
Dutch ovens are usually made from seasoned cast-iron or ceramic, have thick walls, and include a tight-fitting lid. These pots are excellent for browning meat and even better for making soups and stews or any recipes that require slow cooking because they distribute heat evenly during cooking. Dutch ovens can also tolerate high temperatures, so they can also be used for deep-frying, too.
Dutch ovens can be used on your stovetop and are oven-safe, but make sure it's been seasoned before its first use. Keep in mind these pots are hefty, so be careful when handling these while they're filled with hot food. Always look for a Dutch oven with large handles for easy maneuvering.
Dutch ovens are extremely versatile and can be used for everything from soup to sourdough. A Dutch oven is also excellent for cooking meat, vegetable, or seafood stews. The versatility of a Dutch oven goes beyond your kitchen, as there are some cast-iron models that can be hung over a campfire for outdoor cooking.
There are benefits and drawbacks to both cast-iron and ceramic Dutch ovens. Cast-iron without an enamel coating can become rusty after repeated use. While bare cast-iron pots can be restored if they become rusty, enamel finishes on Dutch ovens will help keep them clean and rust-free—and you can find them in a rainbow of beautiful and vibrant colors.
Ceramic Dutch ovens are visually pleasing, also available in colorful options, but they are prone to nicks and cracks with heavy use. Even the most thorough scrubbing won't return your ceramic model to its original condition once it has become stained. However, the staining won't affect its ability to cook your food.
While ceramic and enameled cast-iron dutch ovens are beautiful—and make up our recommendations in this roundup—there’s also beauty in the simplicity and ruggedness of a bare cast-iron Dutch oven, especially if you already have cast-iron skillets that you love.
These types of pans can take a beating, withstand high temperatures, and are great in not-so-optimal cooking conditions. You won’t get any chipping with these pots and pans, and if they get rusty, you can restore them to their original beauty.
In general, Dutch ovens should be hand washed. Make sure you’re using non-abrasive sponges and scrubbing pads because steel wool and harsh cleaning products can damage ceramic and enameled Dutch ovens. You may have to take extra steps to clean Dutch ovens if you need to remove baked-on or burnt foods and stains.
To test Dutch ovens, we made pho broth, roasted a chicken, and baked a loaf of sourdough bread.
Before testing Dutch ovens, we dove into research mode. Our major evaluation measures to find the best Dutch ovens were as follows: fast and even heating throughout the pot; a secure lid that’s easy to handle; and a nonstick surface that can brown meat while being easy to clean afterward.
We test Dutch ovens that seem to be highly rated everywhere—including newer models from direct-to-consumer brands, and less expensive options that walk the line between a great product and a great deal. We're also curious to find out whether a higher price tag really does make for a better Dutch oven.
Our three tests for each Dutch oven evaluates its versatility for different cooking applications. First, a classic chicken soup to see how deeply flavors would develop inside the pot. Second, a roasted chicken on a bed of mirepoix, assessing if the Dutch oven could appropriately cook both chicken and vegetables at the same time. Third, a short rib recipe to see how well the pot can sear and develop a fond on the surface, as well as slow cook afterwards. And finally, a loaf of sourdough bread to test the heat retention of the Dutch oven as the bread springs from the initial burst of heat.
We took note of how easy it was to move each one, how well the ingredients fit, how each dish turned out, whether it was a pain to clean, how it fit on the stovetop, and how easy it was to store.
Bethany Kwoka
Contributor
Bethany is a freelance contributor for Reviewed. An avid home baker and aspiring home cook, she reviews and writes mostly about kitchen gadgets (with the occasional fitness review thrown in). Her specialty might be fancy desserts, but she's never met a batch-cooked dinner recipe she didn't like.
Outside of her work for Reviewed, Bethany is a content creator working on clean energy and climate change at a regional non-profit and runs a tabletop game at her local comic book shop.
Monica is Reviewed's Kitchen & Cooking editor and an avid home cook; she's been testing a wide range of kitchen products at Reviewed for three years. Previously the Digital Editor at Culture Cheese Magazine (and a former barista), she's also had her work published in The Boston Globe, Modern Luxury, Boston Magazine, and more.
Jenny Dorsey
Contributor
Jenny is a professional chef, author, and speaker specializing in interdisciplinary storytelling fusing food with social good. She leads a nonprofit named Studio ATAO and runs her own culinary consulting business. Her food and work has been featured in outlets such as Food Network, Oxygen TV, Eater, Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, among others. Her full biography, food portfolio, and bylines can be found here.
Managing Editor, Kitchen & Appliances. Danielle has a B.S. from Syracuse University and a AAS in Culinary Arts from Newbury College. Previously, Danielle was a Test Cook and Associate Editor at America's Test Kitchen, as well as a freelance recipe developer and food writer. She’s the mom of two boys and loves making pizza on Friday nights.
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