What are the best Dutch ovens money can buy?
Down to business. I have a Lodge, which I love, but there are plenty of great options out there at a variety of price points. You do absolutely need one, so choose the one that fits your budget. The best cast-iron Dutch oven doesn’t have to cost $350—but it sure can if you want it to. Here are our recommendations:
Into the idea of owning a piece of cookware that’ll last for generations to come? Le Creuset’s iconic Dutch (French?) ovens are genuine heirloom pieces. I’ve had mine for 10 years, my mom has had hers for 40, and I know folks using Le Creusets that have been passed down from grandparents. They’re more lightweight than competitors—which is key if you’re in the market for a 13.25 quart Dutch oven to make enough soup for your soccer team—and come with that Le Creuset lifetime warranty (most of the others mentioned here do too, but Le Creuset’s is famously generous). We use them in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. The downside is, of course, the price—which is partly due to the high quality and partly due to the fact that these things are still made in France, where the cost of labor is high. If you don’t have a Dutch oven and a $350 pot is not in the cards, get yourself a Misen, Lodge, or Milo and upgrade when you’re ready. Le Creusets are built to last, and no doubt when I’m 80, I’ll be using mine to stew prunes. —MacKenzie Chung Fegan, senior commerce editor
Le Creuset 5.5 Quart Dutch Oven
My trusty Lodge works just as well as one of those fancy Dutch ovens with the sexy-sounding French names, but it costs a third of the price. With a shiny, smooth, nonstick enamel finish—which is just as practical as it is pretty—this thing is all about functionality, baking, braising, sautéing, and roasting food perfectly. I appreciate its slightly curved base, which makes for easy stovetop stirring, and its wide loop handles, which allow me to maneuver confidently from oven to table. Could you splurge on one of those pricey Dutch ovens? Suuuuuuure. But do you need to? Absolutely not. —Alex Beggs, senior staff writer
Staub cast iron Dutch ovens are another fan favorite among home cooks and chefs alike—including the test kitchen, where they are used side by side with Le Creusets. Unlike the Lodge and Le Creuset, the Staub Dutch oven has a matte-black enamel cooking surface with traces of quartz so it won’t discolor and provides extra heat conduction for better browning—ideal for searing meat and caramelizing veggies. The black interior, however, does make it more difficult to assess if you’re a minute away from burning that nice fond. It also has a heavy-duty, tight-fitting lid that’s equipped with little bumps along the underside to guide all the evaporated juices back down onto the food—expect less evaporation than a Le Creuset. Staubs are still investment pieces, but they’re a little less expensive than the other French guy, and you can find good sales if you keep an eye out. —Tiffany Hopkins, commerce writer
You might be familiar with Misen knives (its bread knife is a favorite), but the DTC company has expanded into cookware too. Their Dutch oven is durable, well made, and reasonably priced. While the sides of a Le Creuset or Lodge Dutch oven meet the bottom at a gentle slope, Misen’s base is more angular, which frees up surface area for browning but does make it a tad tricker to get into the corners with a spoon. The high sides contain grease splatters better than competitors, and the generously sized handles mean you don’t have to worry about a heavy pot of stew slipping from your oven mitts. Choose between a regular lid and one that doubles as a grill pan—a cool feature, but trickier to remove from the pot when hot. Misen’s Dutch oven only comes in 7- and 9-quart feed-a-crowd sizes, so if you’re looking for a smaller (or lighter—the 7-quart clocks in at around 17 pounds with the lid) cast-iron pot, look elsewhere. —M.C.F.
The chic, modern Milo Classic Dutch oven from Kana is not your granny’s cookware—but it performs just as well. With a minimalist feel, this simple enameled cast-iron Dutch oven comes in rich hues like navy and emerald. Both of those colorways, plus the matte black, sport a dark enamel interior like Staub pots; opt for the white Milo if you want light-colored enamel coating like a Le Creuset. Heavier than a Le Creuset but lighter than the Misen, the Milo Dutch oven is made of 40% recycled cast iron. This is the type of cookware you store on open shelving for everyone to see. —T.H.
Milo 5.5 Quart Dutch Oven
FYI, here’s how to clean it:
Bacon-y. Michael Graydon & Nikole HerriottWhat are the best Dutch ovens money can buy? Down to business. I have a Lodge, which I love, but there are plenty of great options out there at a variety of price points. You do absolutely need one, so choose the one that fits your budget. The best cast-iron Dutch oven doesn’t have to cost $350—but it sure can if you want it to. Here are our recommendations:Into the idea of owning a piece of cookware that’ll last for generations to come? Le Creuset’s iconic Dutch (French?) ovens are genuine heirloom pieces. I’ve had mine for 10 years, my mom has had hers for 40, and I know folks using Le Creusets that have been passed down from grandparents. They’re more lightweight than competitors—which is key if you’re in the market for a 13.25 quart Dutch oven to make enough soup for your soccer team—and come with that Le Creuset lifetime warranty (most of the others mentioned here do too, but Le Creuset’s is famously generous). We use them in the Bon Appétit Test Kitchen. The downside is, of course, the price—which is partly due to the high quality and partly due to the fact that these things are still made in France, where the cost of labor is high. If you don’t have a Dutch oven and a $350 pot is not in the cards, get yourself a Misen, Lodge, or Milo and upgrade when you’re ready. Le Creusets are built to last, and no doubt when I’m 80, I’ll be using mine to stew prunes. —MacKenzie Chung Fegan, senior commerce editorLe Creuset 5.5 Quart Dutch OvenMy trusty Lodge works just as well as one of those fancy Dutch ovens with the sexy-sounding French names, but it costs a third of the price. With a shiny, smooth, nonstick enamel finish—which is just as practical as it is pretty—this thing is all about functionality, baking, braising, sautéing, and roasting food perfectly. I appreciate its slightly curved base, which makes for easy stovetop stirring, and its wide loop handles, which allow me to maneuver confidently from oven to table. Could you splurge on one of those pricey Dutch ovens? Suuuuuuure. But do you need to? Absolutely not. —Alex Beggs, senior staff writerStaub cast iron Dutch ovens are another fan favorite among home cooks and chefs alike—including the test kitchen, where they are used side by side with Le Creusets. Unlike the Lodge and Le Creuset, the Staub Dutch oven has a matte-black enamel cooking surface with traces of quartz so it won’t discolor and provides extra heat conduction for better browning—ideal for searing meat and caramelizing veggies. The black interior, however, does make it more difficult to assess if you’re a minute away from burning that nice fond. It also has a heavy-duty, tight-fitting lid that’s equipped with little bumps along the underside to guide all the evaporated juices back down onto the food—expect less evaporation than a Le Creuset. Staubs are still investment pieces, but they’re a little less expensive than the other French guy, and you can find good sales if you keep an eye out. —Tiffany Hopkins, commerce writerYou might be familiar with Misen knives (its bread knife is a favorite), but the DTC company has expanded into cookware too. Their Dutch oven is durable, well made, and reasonably priced. While the sides of a Le Creuset or Lodge Dutch oven meet the bottom at a gentle slope, Misen’s base is more angular, which frees up surface area for browning but does make it a tad tricker to get into the corners with a spoon. The high sides contain grease splatters better than competitors, and the generously sized handles mean you don’t have to worry about a heavy pot of stew slipping from your oven mitts. Choose between a regular lid and one that doubles as a grill pan—a cool feature, but trickier to remove from the pot when hot. Misen’s Dutch oven only comes in 7- and 9-quart feed-a-crowd sizes, so if you’re looking for a smaller (or lighter—the 7-quart clocks in at around 17 pounds with the lid) cast-iron pot, look elsewhere. —M.C.F.The chic, modern Milo Classic Dutch oven from Kana is not your granny’s cookware—but it performs just as well. With a minimalist feel, this simple enameled cast-iron Dutch oven comes in rich hues like navy and emerald. Both of those colorways, plus the matte black, sport a dark enamel interior like Staub pots; opt for the white Milo if you want light-colored enamel coating like a Le Creuset. Heavier than a Le Creuset but lighter than the Misen, the Milo Dutch oven is made of 40% recycled cast iron. This is the type of cookware you store on open shelving for everyone to see. —T.H.Milo 5.5 Quart Dutch OvenFYI, here’s how to clean it: