Evidence index · Enameled Cast Iron

Enameled Cast Iron, according to home cooks

Only claims about enameled cast iron made by people we have grounds to call home cooks. The unrestricted enameled cast iron evidence is on the enameled cast iron page.

home cooks is who the advice is aimed at.

5 people on record as home cooks make 28 quoted claims about enameled cast iron across 7 sources. Membership is recorded with its own evidence — for a person by the trait they are on record holding, for a community by the source it was said in — and authority is scoped to enameled cast iron rather than to fame.

Which enameled cast iron do home cooks recommend?

Endorsements and objections about enameled cast iron from home cooks, together, strongest evidence first.

Lodge enameled cast iron Dutch oven

1 voice 10 claims 4 objections

0:35 supports Uncle Scott speaking on Uncle Scott's Kitchen Beginners earns commission on this

I'm going to give this guy a 90% thumbs up on the pro side.

recommendation Tested it NEW: Lodge USA Enamel Review with cooking & Staub/Le Creuset comparison!

Cites appearance, country of manufacture

Uncle Scott earns commission on this. Stated in the source: “USK currently has affiliate links and/or influencer links with Amazon, Falk, De Buyer, Thermoworks, Breville, Lodge, Smithey and others.” Kept and labelled rather than dropped: a paid endorsement is still evidence, and you should be the one to decide what it is worth.

But I am glad I have one of them in my Battery Deuisine now. They crank out a ton of delicious food. I think they have a nice look and design. They're made in America.

Um, I really like mine. I'm giving it a 90% thumbs up.

1:05 supports Uncle Scott speaking on Uncle Scott's Kitchen Beginners earns commission on this

This lodge is pushing 15 pounds. Holy cow, that is a sturdy piece of cookware.

handling Tested it NEW: Lodge USA Enamel Review with cooking & Staub/Le Creuset comparison!

Cites weight

0:35 supports Uncle Scott speaking on Uncle Scott's Kitchen Beginners earns commission on this

First is realworld cooking performance. It has turned out a ton of delicious food and that is the most important factor.

performance Tested it NEW: Lodge USA Enamel Review with cooking & Staub/Le Creuset comparison!

Cites heat retention

it is nice to see the Lodge USA made Dutch oven competing nicely with the stove and I think this beef bergen was equally delicious in both.

the oil temperature only dropped down to about 342. So that is not much of a drop in temperature at all. And then of course it rebounded on up.

So there's a lot of heat trapped in that thermal mass of a lodge and I think it did a great job.

It's winter time in Utah at the moment and I've been using these lodges to crank out some shephardd's pies and they've turned out fantastically.

Staub enameled cast iron pan

1 voice 3 claims 1 objection

4:31 supports Christopher Scott Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

what I really love to use this pan for is pancakes believe it or not if you do a lot of delicate stuff like pancakes or Crepes like that and you don't want them to stick but you still want to get nice color on them enameled cast iron is perfect for that

use-case fit Owns it If I Started Over, I'd Only Buy These Pots & Pans

Cites non-stick surface

4:31 supports Christopher Scott Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

there's also enamel coated cast iron now this is from stab this is a beautiful beautiful pan heavy pan

appearance Owns it If I Started Over, I'd Only Buy These Pots & Pans

Cites appearance

4:31 objects Christopher Scott Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

I wouldn't use this to sear steaks because of the enamel coating

use-case fit Owns it If I Started Over, I'd Only Buy These Pots & Pans

Cites coating (against)

Le Creuset enameled cast iron skillet

1 voice 2 claims 1 objection

3:31 supports Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

Now let's talk about our winning enamel cast iron option from Le Creuset, another gorgeous pan.

best in class Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites appearance

6:02 objects Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

Enamel pans also tend to be more expensive. Our winner from Le Creuset is about $250.

value Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites price (against)

Made In enameled cast iron skillet

1 voice 2 claims 1 objection

2:31 objects Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer paid by this brand

And not surprisingly, cast iron heated the slowest.

performance Tested it Carbon Steel Pans EXPLAINED (What They Don’t Tell You)

Cites heating speed (against)

Prudent Reviews paid by this brand. Stated in the source: “Before I show you that, I want to thank Made In for sponsoring this video.” 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 stainless steel pan cooked the pancake fast and evenly, carbon steel heated quickly but one side of the pancake cooked more than the other, and the cast iron pan heated so slowly that the pancake wasn’t close to done when the timer went off.

4:01 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer paid by this brand

After 5 minutes, the surface of the carbon steel pan was 112°F. The stainless steel pan was 123°F, and the cast iron pan was 178°F.

performance Tested it Carbon Steel Pans EXPLAINED (What They Don’t Tell You)

Cites heat retention

Viking enameled cast iron skillet

1 voice 1 claim no objections from home cooks

6:32 supports Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

We also tested a bunch more and found a best buy from Viking, which was around $110.

value Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites price

Lodge 6-Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

1 voice 1 claim no objections from home cooks

2:31 supports Product Reviews Cookware Reviewer

the lodge 6qt enameled cast iron Dutch oven is a budget-friendly choice that doesn't compromise on performance it's perfect for home Cooks seeking a Dutch oven's benefits without the Hefty price tag of Premium Brands

use-case fit Top 3 Dutch Ovens 2024: Staub vs. Le Creuset vs. Lodge Review

Cites versatility

this Dutch oven is versatile suitable for various heat sources like stov tops ovens and grills offering flexibility and cooking methods

What do home cooks say about enameled cast iron in general?

Not a recommendation for a specific product: technique, materials and what to look for in enameled cast iron. Citable on its own terms.

5:32 objects Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

The enamel isn't toxic, but you certainly don't want that in your food and it does make the surface more sticky.

performance Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites non-stick surface (against)

Another downside, don't expect enamel cast iron skillets to be or become non-stick.

5:32 objects Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

The enamel coating can sometimes heat and expand and retract at different rates, which can lead to cracking, an issue called crazing.

reliability Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites crazing (against), non-stick surface (against)

While some manufacturers claim their pans will do this and become more non-stick with use, in our hands-on testing experience, we found that not to be the case.

5:02 objects Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

Be warned however that this enamel coating makes these skillets less durable than their uncoated brethren.

durability Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites coating (against), durability (against), scratch resistance (against)

You also wanna avoid using metal utensils and scraping or banging the pan, you know it's glass, so you gotta be a little bit careful with it.

2:01 supports Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

Generally being a single piece of metal also makes these skillets very sturdy.

durability Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites build quality, coating, durability, ease of cleaning, maintenance, rust resistance

These cast iron pans start out like traditional cast iron, but then they're coated in a glass like vitreous glaze that seals the pan from air and moisture that could cause rust

their enamel coating makes enamel cast iron pans virtually maintenance free. You never have to season them and you can soak, use soap and scrub as much as you'd like.

Okay, that is my buying guide for these wonderful lifetime pans.

0:30 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are protected by a coating of fused glass particles that are melted down and sprayed onto the cast iron. This coating is hard and non-reactive, which means you can cook any ingredient for any amount of time without issues. You never have to worry about rust, and you don't have to season…

durability 10 Dutch Oven Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Cites coating durability, maintenance, rust resistance

5:02 supports Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

Finally, their colorful appearance is pretty enough to bring to the table for serving.

appearance Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites appearance

1:00 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

Unless you plan to use your Dutch oven over a campfire, get one that's enameled.

recommendation 10 Dutch Oven Buying Mistakes to Avoid

Cites browning visibility

Although I appreciate that a dark interior makes discoloration less noticeable, it's more important to be able to monitor your food's progress. So, if all else is equal, I prefer Dutch ovens with a light interior.

8:03 supports Hannah of America's Test Kitchen Buy It For Life Enthusiasts

if you want cast iron but would like a lighter pan look to enamel, they tend to be lighter than traditional

handling Tested it Cast Iron vs Enameled Cast Iron: Which is Better? | Gear Heads

Cites weight

6:32 supports Prudent Reviews Cookware Reviewer

Enameled cast iron is essentially the same as traditional cast iron, but it's coated in a thin layer of hardened glass. This enamel acts as a permanent barrier that prevents rust and eliminates the need for seasoning.

durability Tested it Best Non-Toxic Cookware? I Tested All-Clad, Made In, Le Creuset & More

Cites maintenance, rust resistance

How do enameled cast iron score among home cooks?

Computed only from claims about enameled cast iron by people we have grounds to call home cooks, so the axes answer “according to home cooks” rather than “according to everyone”.

Domain authority

1 recommender, weighted by demonstrated expertise in enameled cast iron. Weighted by expertise in this category, never by audience size.

Independent consensus

1 independent voice across 1 source. How many independent voices converge, unweighted.

Long-term ownership

no dated ownership reports yet. Volume and length of dated first-hand ownership reports.

Performance

3 performance claims. Claims about how well it does the job.

Value

no value claims yet. Claims about what it costs relative to what it does.

Repairability

no repairability claims yet. Claims about whether it can be maintained or rebuilt.

Community breadth

all evidence from a single community so far. How many distinct communities converge, rather than one echo chamber.

Recency of evidence

most recent evidence from 2024. How recent the evidence is. Old evidence is not wrong, just older.

Objections raised

3 negative claims, mostly ergonomics and aesthetics. How much complaint is on the record. A high figure means the drawbacks have been stated and quoted, not that the thing is worse.

These are separate measurements, not components of a score. They are never added together, and there is no overall rating, because which of them matters depends on what you are buying the thing for. An axis that says no evidence means nobody has spoken about it, not that the answer is low.