Over the past few decades, I’d argue that the Dutch oven has eclipsed the stand mixer as the most crucial piece of kitchen equipment for making a kitchen feel like a home kitchen. Is it because they’re heavy and expensive? It it because couples always put them on their wedding registries? Is it because you can make soup in them and soup is comforting and feels homey and there’s something to that? Not entirely sure. I can say though, that setting down one of these colorful, enameled hunks of cast iron onto a stove is akin to dropping an anchor. By committing to making a Sunday braise in a Dutch oven you’re saying, “ This is my home, and because it’s my home, I’m gonna make the entire place, and my clothes, smell like ragú.”
But which to buy? I’ve spent years and years thinking about this, because the question of what the best Dutch oven is, is a question that requires a lot of caveats and asterisks. Yes, there are certainly some design and quality metrics that help distinguish the Staubs and Le Creusets from Amazon Basics, but the bottom line is: Every Dutch oven on the market will deliver an extremely similar cooking performance. What it all comes down to is quality and design.
The best Dutch oven overall: Le Creuset Signature Round 5.5-Quart Dutch Oven
The other best Dutch oven: Staub 5.5-Quart Cocotte
The best budget Dutch oven: Goldilocks
Cheap Dutch ovens work just fine, but their affordability comes at the cost of quality control. Budget Dutch ovens consistently feature manufacturer defects, chipping, and thinner enamel layers that can lead to accelerated wear and rusting.
As for design, while there are some practical advantages that some have over others, a lot of it comes down to subjective preferences. There are two people who have worked on this test over the years and we have vehemently disagreed with each other over the top spot, though, to be clear both of our choices are great Dutch ovens.
I’ll get more into the two that always tussle for the top spot, as well as the most well-designed budget picks that also come with lifetime warranties. Keep reading to learn about how I and my team have tested Dutch ovens over the years, how to keep the enamel in tip-top shape, and which brands didn’t make the short list.
New in this update: I added reviews for the Crockpot, Goldilocks, and Müeller Dutch ovens, and moved Le Creuset into a clear top spot.
What I love: We’ve been recommending Le Creuset’s Dutch ovens for as long as we’ve been recommending Dutch ovens. So if you have your heart set on one of these iconic pieces and you’re wondering whether it’s still a wise investment, the answer is a resounding yes.
Le Creuset’s smooth, sand-colored interior enamel produced a beautiful, even sear—and the light enamel makes it easy to keep an eye on browning and fond development. Le Creuset’s 5.5-quart Dutch oven also weighs about a pound less than Staub’s with thin loop handles that are easy to grip with or without oven mitts. The lighter weight comes courtesy of noticeably thinner cast iron, but it’s still thick enough to offer wonderful heat retention. Le Creuset Dutch ovens typically have a wider cooking surface and lower sides. This means more space for searing meats for braising—an essential Dutch oven task.
A few years ago Le Creuset began offering metal knobs on its Dutch ovens, which was a meaningful upgrade as the old phenolic knobs could melt if you tried to do something like use your Dutch oven to bake bread at 450℉, it would melt.
Then there is the manufacturing quality. Le Creuset is a century-old French brand, and though some of its cookware and tableware is now made in other countries, all of the enameled cast-iron cookware—including the Dutch ovens—is still made in the original manufacturing facility in Fresnoy-le-Grand, France. And while we know from experience with inherited pieces that the chip-resistant enamel can last a lifetime (with proper care, of course), Le Creuset Dutch ovens do come with a limited lifetime warranty.
What I’d leave: When covered at a boil, the Le Creuset may sputter at the edges a little. If you choose a Dutch oven with light-colored interior enamel, and cook in it often, you should expect some gradual discoloration. If you’re intent on keeping it pristine, you may jeopardize the lifespan of the enamel. Abrasive cleaners can wear the seal off of it and lead to even more staining.
What I love: In terms of craftsmanship and price, Staub’s Dutch oven, which the brand calls a “cocotte,” is in no ways inferior to the Le Creuset. Both are premium enameled cast-iron round Dutch ovens with high-quality chip-resistant enamel, and both heat and sear evenly.
Interior enamel is a matter of preference, and the Bon Appétit staff is divided on this matter. The Staub’s dark, textured enamel interior does absorb more thermal energy which is helpful for producing an intense sear. The enamel also also has a rougher surface texture, which Staub claims helps distribute fat beneath ingredients to encourage browning and an easier release.
While there is some truth to this, the relationship between surface texture and food sticking isn’t cut and dry. Many other variables, such as temperature, time, fat volume, technique, and the type of food, have an impact as well. As Robert J. Macfarlane, a materials scientist at MIT pointed out to me, surface texture can increase surface area, which combined with poor technique and inadequate oil can actually make sticking worse. All of that to say: This Dutch oven produces a great sear, but the added benefits of Staub’s dark textured enamel aren’t significant enough to champion over classic light enamel. One thing that is for sure though—the dark interior won’t show discoloration like a light one will.
Looking beyond the enamel, the Staub’s lid is well-designed, preventing liquid sputters when shut at a boil. The bumps underneath are supposed to distribute condensation, though we’ve never observed a difference in the end product between Dutch ovens with bumpy lids and Dutch ovens without. I prefer the flat lid over a curved one, as you can invert the lid and stack the Dutch oven for easy storage.
Yes, it’s pricey, but with proper care it will be something your kids fight over once you’re gone. Like Le Creuset, Staub is a French cookware brand (now owned by Zwilling), its Dutch ovens are still manufactured in France, and they maintain an exceedingly high bar for what ends up on store shelves. One of the big reasons for the price is the high volume of units they reject along the assembly line (cast-iron is a material that evades easy refinement). This scrutiny means that your Dutch oven will almost certainly be free of surface defects and chips. If you do find any, definitely reach out to them, as Staub also offers a limited lifetime warranty on its enameled cast iron.
What I’d leave: The dark enamel makes it a bit harder to monitor browning, which might be intimidating for greener cooks. Also, the Staub is heavier than the Le Creuset and the handles are slightly smaller, but it’s a pretty negligible distinction if you’re trying to champion one excellent product over the other.
What I loved: As a relative newcomer
What I loved: As a relative newcomer to the cookware space, Goldilocks has consistently produced well-made, affordable cookware. It’s clear that they pay attention to design, and that is evident in their Dutch oven.
This Dutch oven was a pleasure to cook with, and had no apparent defects in design or performance. The design prioritizes width over height, something we appreciate for searing and browning meat before a braise. In fact is one of the widest round Dutch ovens relative to its height and volume. But rest assured it fits fine over standard burners. Its handles are also nice and large, making them easy to grab and maneuver, even with thick oven mitts on.
It is still more expensive than some of the better known and more popular cheaper models made by Amazon and Lodge, and we can’t yet speak to the longterm longevity of the enamel coating since this is still a newer product. However, I’d argue that the physical dimensions themselves also make this a superior choice to previous budget picks.
What I’d leave: Again, I can’t yet speak toward longevity yet so we will update this test in the future. Beyond that, it is slightly heavier than the winners, and also is extremely limited in size and color offerings. However, 6 quarts is the median ideal size for a Dutch oven.
Made In fits in the middle tier here, as it is a great Dutch oven made with a higher standard of quality than budget models. It is heavier than both Staub and Le Creuset, and the handles are divisive among staff. Some like the wide flat handles for holding when full, while others find there to be not as much knuckle clearance, making them more challenging to grasp completely with oven mitts on.
This is a good Dutch oven that had a brief run as our budget pick (before Goldilocks became available), as it comes with a limited lifetime warranty not typical for budget Dutch ovens. It performs well, and was lighter than other budget Dutch ovens. The drawback is that the handles are slimmer than I’d like for easy gripping.
Amazon Basics’ kitchen gear is really hit or miss, but the Amazon Basics Dutch oven is surprisingly good—especially for something with such an accessible price tag. This was also a former budget pick. Performance wise it gets the job done. Like the Zulay, it has narrow handles. It’s a good option for home cooks on a budget. However, unlike the Zulay Dutch oven, which has a lifetime warranty, this one comes with a one-year warranty, so inspect it for defects as soon as its out of the box.
Overall, our testers were impressed with this sleek, stylish 5.5-quart dutch oven from DTC lifestyle brand Kana. The smooth, light interior enamel produced an even sear on both meat and vegetables, and we didn’t experience any cold spots or notice any chips in the enamel out of the box (some customer reviews have complained of chipped enamel). It’s about a pound lighter than the comparably sized Le Creuset, which means it can heat up and cool down a bit quicker, but the thinner cast iron won’t retain heat quite as well. If you want a budget pot and like the modern look (or you really want a moderately priced Dutch oven with a gold-toned knob), the Milo by Kana is a good choice.
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Source: www.bonappetit.com
