Evidence index
· Cookware
What 21 cooks actually recommend among dutch ovens
326 quoted claims about dutch ovens from
21 named people across
34 long-form sources, covering 22 products, 101 of them raising objections. Every claim links to the second it was said.
24 voices across 34 sources. One publisher, Prudent Reviews, accounts for 170 of the 326 claims.
Which dutch ovens do cooks actually recommend?
The dutch ovens below are ordered by how many independent voices are on record about
each one: a count of evidence, not a rating. Products without their own page have
not yet cleared the evidence threshold for one.
There are 22 with evidence; the 15 with the most
independent voices are below, and every one is in
the claim search.
14 voices 107 claims 26 objections median ownership 14 years
Along with Misen, Le Creuset handles have the widest openings.
handling Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites ease of cleaning, handle, heat resistance, lid, weight
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Because of that and the lightweight design, it's by far the easiest Dutch oven to pick up, wash, and store.
The lid has ridges that prevent a spoon from slipping off
the knob has a wide top and a thick stem, which makes it easy to grip and control
In my test, both knobs stayed cooler than most other brands, but the plastic knob barely heated up at all.
the plastic knob barely heated up at all
I love Le Creuset's color options, lightweight design, and large handles.
1:00 supports Liz speaking on BestReviews Cookware Reviewer all four ovens scored a perfect 10 out of 10 for heat retention and evenness of cooking
performance Tested it Amazon Basics vs Lodge vs Staub vs Le Creuset Dutch Ovens
Cites even heating, heat retention, non-stick surface
the L cruset Lodge and stove have a non-stick enamel finish over the interior and exterior of the pots Amazon does not have enamel but instead is pre-seasoned lay cruset and Lodge each scored Perfect 10 out of 10 however we did notice some veggies sticking to the bottom of both the stove and Amazon dutch ovens while…
5:31 mixed Quality Collapse 6 voices 71 claims 21 objections median ownership 2 years
I also appreciate the flat lid design, which lets you rest a spoon on top or add ice to make the lid cold and quickly turn steam back into liquid before it can escape.
use-case fit Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites availability, lid
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Staub offers 10 different sizes and 15 colors - only one other brand, which I'll talk about next, offers more colors.
Staub's flat self-basting lid is fantastic
The enamel finish is flawless, and the whole pot has a truly high-end look and feel, as it should at this price point.
appearance Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites appearance, coating
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
with Staub, the construction quality is outstanding
reliability Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites build quality
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Le Creuset round Dutch oven
2 voices 10 claims 3 objections median ownership 18 years
This is what I call my chili pot. He's my winter uh stew big, you know, roast a turkey in here pot. You can do two chickens. He's very very large. He is so heavy. Um but like really sturdy. Um I when I cook my chili, it's about 40 lbs of meat that I am cooking in here and with between the meat and the beans and it…
Two judgements rest on this sentence:
Le Creuset Dutch Ovens Review - After 15 Years
Owned 20 years
But this 5 and 1/2q, it holds a great amount. You can do a a small chicken in here. Actually, a pretty good sized chicken, a beef roast. I done beef burgon in here. This is great for making a large batch of soup um for you know the winter. You can do your chowters or whatnot, but it's a pretty great big versatile size.
I will say this is nice for larger families. If you've got, you know, uh five or six in your family, this is a perfect pot.
So it is a really good size. You can do a small chicken in here. You can do a beef roast in here. So if you wanted to make a smaller batch of beef bagon for like a family of four or five, this guy is perfect.
This is also the one that I cook all of my sourdough um round uh little bowls and the sourdough loaves, the round ones in. This pot is perfect for my batch of it. It's got enough height. I don't feel like you need to have a second like specialty Dutch oven for your bread baking. I do mine right in this pot and it just…
This is great for mac and cheese, making a peach crisp, a small chowder for, you know, like a small soup for about four people. This is the perfect size for it.
So, it is great for smaller families, or if you're on your own, you can make smaller sourdough loaves than this as well. This can make you a much bigger one, but this is perfect for making a slightly smaller loaf.
Um, again, this is a great pot to have. I use this for a lot of my side dishes.
But they are great great products for both making breads, making soups and roasting in.
Lodge Dutch oven
2 voices 6 claims 3 objections
the finish on the lodge is definitely a more uh bargain finish I would say it has lots and lots of orange peel it's not polished there are definitely little pin marks and pin holes everywhere uh it's just sort of a you you can tell they're trying to save money and make it a bit more budget conscious the same is very…
appearance Tested it Le Creuset vs. Lodge Enamel — Compare and Contrast.
Cites surface finish (against)
so in my mind and I'll give you my opinion in my mind I would much rather buy a l cruset knowing that if I ever wanted to sell it I could get 75% of what I paid for it back without any hassle then try to save some money and get this have a subpar product and at the end of the day never be able to sell it and get my…
value Tested it Le Creuset vs. Lodge Enamel — Compare and Contrast.
Cites build quality (against)
Lodge Essential Enamel
1 voice 12 claims 6 objections
If you're looking for the best value, I recommend the Lodge Essential Enamel Dutch oven.
Two judgements rest on this sentence:
- value Tested it cites price
- recommendation Tested it
Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Made In dutch oven
1 voice 12 claims 3 objections
In my controlled experiments, Made In had the second-best heat retention, the second-best moisture retention, and the lowest knob temperature, and it didn't chip from my durability test.
Two judgements rest on this sentence:
Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
On top of that, it performs excellently in real-world testing.
in the $200 to $300 price range, Made In has a more functional knob and performed better in my tests
the handles stick out further than any Dutch oven I tested, giving you plenty of room to grip
handling Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites handle, heat resistance
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
I also love the lid knob, which has the widest diameter of the group.
I really like Made In's large knob, big handles, and wide cooking surface.
If budget is not a concern, I'm buying Le Creuset, Staub, or Made In.
recommendation Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Tramontina 5 1/2 qt Dutch oven
1 voice 10 claims 6 objections
It had the worst heat retention score
performance Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites heat retention (against), moisture retention (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
the ridges under the lid that are supposed to redistribute moisture evenly over the pot don't really do anything
This Dutch oven arrived with a chip on the rim of its lid.
reliability Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites build quality (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
the chipped damage right out of the box makes me question their quality control
Tramontina and Great Jones are the two brands at the bottom of my list.
comparison Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Cuisinart Dutch oven
1 voice 8 claims 3 objections
3:00 supports Life In Canada 0:30 supports Life In Canada it doesn't mean it doesn't work it's still great and still you can use it compared comp to other pricing
durability Owns it Best Dutch Oven Tested: Cuisinart, Zwilling, or Le Creuset? Long‑Term Review
Cites coating, durability, ease of cleaning, rust resistance
I have it for many many many years I don't use it often as often as I use l let's say or Zing but still it it works
but the quality is much much much better it's hard to see here but it's much thicker it's more durable and the quoting is greater
I would say with this one I guess it's impossible to destroy it
I have it for many many many years and as you can see it's almost brand new shape
as you can see it's almost like new condition
but again it's normal because if you wash it and maybe you left it wet a little bit it can get it but you can clearly clean it so it's not a problem
5:01 objects Life In Canada Lodge USA Enamel 6qt Dutch oven
1 voice 8 claims 1 objection
I prefer the rounded knob because there's more to grab, which makes it easier to lift and tilt the lid
handling Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites ease of cleaning (against), handle (against), maintenance (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
The one feature that annoys me about this Dutch oven is the metal accents on the handles - they look nice, but they're not completely flush with the cast iron part of the handle, so food can get trapped and be a pain to clean.
You can unscrew these metal pieces to clean them, but it's an extra unnecessary step.
it's made in America and has a unique retro look inspired by cars, guitars, and other mid-century American designs
appearance Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites appearance
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
This knob aligns with the retro design
I'm a fan of Lodge's USA Enamel collection
recommendation Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Caraway 6.5qt Dutch oven
1 voice 7 claims 4 objections
This Dutch oven performs fine in cooking tests but poorly in my controlled experiments.
performance Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites heat retention (against), moisture retention (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
It had the second-worst heat retention and the worst moisture retention
despite the flat lid and self-basting dimples, evaporation runs to the edges and doesn't drip over the middle of the pot
I appreciate the modern look, but I don't like that the handles have small openings that don't provide enough room to wrap your fingers.
handling Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites handle (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Most of the pot has a shiny smooth finish, but the top of the handles, the knob, and the bottom of the pot have a rough texture - it almost feels like they're not enameled.
reliability Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites coating (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Amazon Basics pre-seasoned cast iron Dutch oven
1 voice 6 claims 3 objections
1:00 supports Liz speaking on BestReviews Cookware Reviewer 3:30 supports Liz speaking on BestReviews Cookware Reviewer 3:00 mixed Liz speaking on BestReviews Cookware Reviewer Great Jones oval Dutch oven
1 voice 6 claims 3 objections
While it looks nice, it's not nearly as functional as a traditional circular knob. You can only fit two fingers, which makes it difficult to lift and control the heavy lid.
handling Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites handle (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Similarly, I'm not a fan of the looped side handles. Compared to the other Dutch ovens, the design is very basic, and they're not long enough to comfortably fit four fingers.
the Great Jones lid handle is a deal-breaker for me
Quoted earlier on this page. Hear it at 12:04.
comparison Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
It's functional, but in my opinion, it looks a bit dull and ugly.
appearance Tested it Best Dutch Oven? I Tested Le Creuset, Staub, Lodge & More
Cites appearance (against)
Prudent Reviews earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Those are affiliate links, so I'll earn a commission if you click and buy, but at no extra cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Smithey Dutch oven
1 voice 6 claims 3 objections
10:03 supports Big Sexys House 9:03 supports Big Sexys House 8:33 objects Big Sexys House however my dutch oven this uh this handle was super loose so after doing some uh detective work i found out that the hole drilled in the top was just too big so i couldn't just get a different screw for it uh to tighten it up
reliability Tested it Smithey No12 and Farmhouse 1 Year Update | New Unboxing Video | Seconds | Pros and Cons
Cites build quality (against), handle (against), safety (against)
fitment of this uh top was not great but that was not the flaw because that's actually like a functional flaw so that's why they sent me a replacement lid because it should just be cosmetic not functional and with this being as loose as it was it was kind of more of a uh i know a hazard almost
Le Creuset 9 quart dutch oven
1 voice 5 claims 2 objections
Le Creuset cast iron Dutch oven
1 voice 5 claims 1 objection median ownership 4 years
1:00 supports Is It Worth It? (Product Reviews) earns commission on this overall I'm really really impressed with this Lake cruset Dutch oven it's really durable it's incredibly versatile and honestly I think it's just a great value for how high quality it is
value Owns it Is A Le Creuset Worth Buying? My Quick & Honest Review...
Cites price
Is It Worth It? (Product Reviews) earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Some of the links in this video description are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
0:00 supports Is It Worth It? (Product Reviews) earns commission on this I bought this Lake cruset cast iron Dutch oven about 4 years ago and while it has become one of the most used items in my kitchen there is definitely one really big thing I think everyone should know before getting it first off the quality of this loret Dutch oven is amazing I've used it hundreds if not thousands of…
durability Owns it Is A Le Creuset Worth Buying? My Quick & Honest Review...
Cites build quality, coating durability, crazing, durability
Is It Worth It? (Product Reviews) earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Some of the links in this video description are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
Owned 4 years
now the one thing I was worried about before getting it was how durable it would be but the enamel is actually resistant to dulling staining chipping and even cracking
0:00 supports Is It Worth It? (Product Reviews) earns commission on this the enameled cast iron construction does a really great job of heat distribution and retention which makes it great for a variety of different cooking methods I used it for slow cooking brazing roasting baking and even frying
performance Owns it Is A Le Creuset Worth Buying? My Quick & Honest Review...
Cites flavour impact, heat conduction, heat retention, lid, moisture retention
Is It Worth It? (Product Reviews) earns commission on this.
Stated in the source: “Some of the links in this video description are affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still
evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.
one of the features that I like the most that not many people talk about is this tight fitting lid it's actually designed to circulate Steam and return moisture back to the food which I find makes the dishes more juicy and flavorful