Dutch Ovens: Reviews

Le Creuset French ovens: Great, but expensive

A good Dutch oven can be a busy cook's best friend. These versatile pots can bake, deep-fry, braise and boil foods. Many cooks also use them to simmer soups and stews on the stovetop. How do these products differ from stockpots? Popular Dutch oven sizes are in the 5- to 7-quart range, and stockpots are usually 8 or 12 quarts. Plus, Dutch ovens are "heavier and thicker than stockpots, allowing them to retain and conduct heat more effectively," according to editors from Cook's Illustrated magazine. Cast-iron Dutch ovens with a colorful enamel finish look nice enough to go straight from the oven or stovetop to the table.

Le Creuset, a French company, has been making enameled cast-iron cookware since 1925, and in reviews this brand has become almost synonymous with this type of cookware. Le Creuset offers an array of Dutch ovens (the company calls them French ovens) in vibrant colors, including its original flame orange. The manufacturer says the base, sides and lid are the same thickness to evenly distribute heat, and the tight-fitting lids ensure moisture and flavor are sealed inside. Although Le Creuset French ovens are dishwasher-safe, the manufacturer strongly recommends hand washing to prevent the finish from dulling.

Le Creuset round French ovens come in 10 sizes (ranging from a 1/3-quart Mini Cocotte to 13.25 quarts), but the most popularly reviewed sizes are the 7.25-quart (*Est. $280) and 5.5-quart (*Est. $240) Le Creuset round French ovens. The 7.25-quart version is recommended in an older review conducted by one foodie magazine, where editors describe it as the "gold standard" of Dutch ovens. In tests, it performs excellently, producing golden-browned meat and perfect rice. That said, editors say cleanup requires extra soaking.

Both the Le Creuset 7.25-Quart Round French Oven and Le Creuset 5.5-Quart Round French Oven earn perfect scores from users posting to Amazon.com, in nearly 80 and about 90 owner-written reviews, respectively. More than 50 owners contribute to a perfect 5-star rating on Cooking.com. Consumers rave about the versatility of Le Creuset French ovens, using them for baking, roasting, poaching and more. One owner even says he uses his Le Creuset French oven on the barbeque grill in the summer. Owners say Le Creuset Dutch ovens heat evenly and hold heat for hours. And contrary to professional feedback, consumers say Le Creuset French ovens are a cinch to clean, and although they're expensive they're "worth every penny."

Staub Dutch ovens aren't included in professional roundups, although users at Chowhound.com recommend them in several discussion threads. Staub makes Cocettes in sizes ranging from 1/4 quart to 8 7/8 quarts. TheKitchn.com, sister site of the Apartment Therapy blog, recommends the Staub 4.25-Quart Oval Dutch oven (*Est. $160), noting its oval shape is ideal for roasting meats and the pot is easy to clean. An older review in Real Simple magazine says the Staub 8 7/8-Quart Oval Dutch Oven (*Est. $270) is heavy, but the added weight means it cooks more evenly than its competitors.

There are fewer user reviews available for Staub than for Le Creuset, but reviews are mostly positive. Owners posting to Amazon.com give Staub Dutch ovens average ratings of 4 stars out of 5 or better, although most have limited feedback. Many owners have used both Le Creuset and Staub and say Staub's models are heavier and thicker, providing more heat retention and distribution. Still, more thorough reviews say Le Creuset has Staub beat when it comes to lid fit, finish surface grooves and appearance.

Lodge Dutch ovens are nearly as good

At the opposite end of the price spectrum but receiving equally positive feedback in reviews are Lodge brand Dutch ovens. One foodie magazine recommends a Lodge Dutch oven after thoroughly testing its ability to produce crunchy fries, fluffy white rice and Belgian stew. Lodge makes Dutch ovens ranging in size from 2 to 6 quarts; basic models are round with a plastic handle, while an oval version has a looping metal handle.

Most Lodge Dutch ovens get rave reviews from owners posting to Amazon.com. The Lodge 6-Quart Color Enamel Dutch Oven (*Est. $50), for example, earns an average of 4.5 stars in nearly 550 reviews. Among the isolated complaints, a few owners say the enamel chips off the inside of the pan, and some say the lid's ridge is bumpy, preventing it from making a tight seal and allowing steam to escape during cooking. But overall, the overwhelming majority of reviewers say the Lodge 6-Quart Enamel Dutch Oven is attractive, versatile and durable.

Differences between the Lodge and Le Creuset enamel-coated Dutch ovens are subtle; we did read more complaints (but still not that many) about chipping enamel for the Lodge version. One easily visible difference is that the Le Creuset ovens just look nicer, with prettier, trendier and more plentiful color choices; Le Creuset Dutch ovens also come in a larger range of available sizes.

You can spend even less on a cast-iron Dutch oven if you skip the enamel coating on the most popular versions. Lodge makes plain cast-iron Dutch ovens as well. This type of metal usually requires seasoning at home (you'll need to rub the interior with cooking oil and bake it in), but pre-seasoned versions let you skip that step. You give up a pretty exterior color as well. The Lodge 5-Quart Pre-Seasoned Dutch Oven (*Est. $40) maintains a perfect 5-star average rating in nearly 140 owner-written reviews at Amazon.com. This model has a spiral bail handle, meaning it has a single swiveling handle used to pick up the entire pot with one hand. Owners say the cast iron is heavy, but the spiral bail handle makes it easy to maneuver for baking cakes, cooking large pots of chili and roasting meats. Consumers say Lodge Dutch ovens will last for years and can rival any slow cooker in terms of ability.