![the-9-best-dutch-ovens-for-2024-–-cnet-[cnet]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/175162-the-9-best-dutch-ovens-for-2024-cnet-cnet.jpg?resize=300%2C200&ssl=1)
The 9 Best Dutch Ovens for 2024 – CNET [CNET]
Our Experts
David lives in Brooklyn where he’s spent more than a decade covering all things edible, including meal kit services, food subscriptions, kitchen tools and cooking tips. Since earning a BA in English from Northeastern in Boston, he’s toiled in nearly every aspect of the food business, including as a line cook in Rhode Island where he once made a steak sandwich for Lamar Odom. Right now, he’s likely somewhere stress-testing a blender or researching the best way to make bacon. Anything with sesame is his all-time favorite food this week.
Expertise Kitchen tools, appliances, food science, subscriptions and meal kits.
CNET’s expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise.
What’s the best Dutch oven for 2024?
A Dutch oven gets extra repetitions when the weather is cold but it’s useful in any season. If you are a fan of soups, stews, and braised or slow-cooked meats, no pot or pan does it better than Dutch ovens. With a sturdy build, pleasing aesthetic and a reasonable price, the $215 Staub 4-quart cocotte stands as the best Dutch oven for most people. We have tested several other popular models for people who may need a larger size or a budget-friendly Dutch oven.
Most Dutch ovens have a solid cast iron core great for retaining heat and a slick enameled coating that keeps food from sticking. A quality Dutch oven can last for decades or longer and many folks consider them as much an heirloom as a utilitarian piece of cookware. A good one doesn’t need to cost you hundreds of dollars, but go too cheap and your pot may wear and chip faster than you’d like.
If you need more reasons to invest in this versatile pot, a Dutch oven looks great and does double duty as a serving vessel for dinner parties and holiday fetes. I lit the burner under 10 Dutch ovens, from legacy producers to contemporary cookware makers.
These are the best Dutch ovens for every type of home chef.
Best Dutch ovens for 2024
Staub’s Dutch oven features a self-basting lid with spikes on the underside to encourage an even and continuous trickle of juices while cooking. This pretty pot is a perfect vessel for baking, frying, braising or browning your Dutch oven recipe favorites, like chili, casseroles, beef stew, pot roast, sourdough bread and more.
Enameled cast iron cookware is also extremely easy to clean and this luxury piece is no exception. Braises and roasts lift off the coated surface with the greatest of ease. I like the 4-quart size for singles and couples with no kids but if you have more mouths to feed, consider upgrading to this 7-quart model.
” page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”ba954eab-8108-48b8-b71b-b5bfb5f36214″,”slug”:”staub-cast-iron-4-qt-round-cocotte-matte-black”,”name”:”Staub – Cast Iron 4-qt Round Cocotte – Matte Black”,”productType”:”PRODUCT”,”updateType”:”EZMONEY”,”mod”:1711100624944}” overridecredit=”Sur la Table” overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“uuid”:”6ea8493d-1c02-4a3a-98eb-f30da12a5aa1″,”alt”:”Staub round cocotte”,”caption”:”
“,”credits”:”Sur la Table”,”imageData”:{“id”:”6ea8493d-1c02-4a3a-98eb-f30da12a5aa1″,”filename”:”staub-round-cocotte-sur-la-table.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/6c8f67f799ecaf75e7c823b3d102e426aa91a3bd/hub/2019/10/14/6ea8493d-1c02-4a3a-98eb-f30da12a5aa1/staub-round-cocotte-sur-la-table.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2019-10-14 06:16:18.000000″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageUrl”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/6c8f67f799ecaf75e7c823b3d102e426aa91a3bd/hub/2019/10/14/6ea8493d-1c02-4a3a-98eb-f30da12a5aa1/staub-round-cocotte-sur-la-table.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”imageCaption”:”
“,”imageCredit”:”Sur la Table”,”imageAltText”:”Staub round cocotte”,”imageFilename”:”staub-round-cocotte-sur-la-table.jpg”,”imageWidth”:997,”imageHeight”:731,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2019-10-14″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”ttviuyow0rpsfc3″,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__c3719a39-ed1f-4a02-acdb-23d4f41de4f1″ index=”1″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” tagslugs=”bl-promo-banner,hv28,kitchen” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Sur la Table”>
If you’re willing to spend a bit of coin to secure one of the best Dutch ovens in the market, a regal Staub round cocotte won’t disappoint. It’s also about $150 cheaper than a Le Creuset oven of the same size but with no noticeable shortcomings in its build or performance.
Cocotte is the French term for a Dutch oven, and this Alsace-based legacy cookware brand certainly knows its way around a beautiful piece of cookware. Staub’s cocotte comes in several sizes and a litany of colors — 10 to be exact — all with a durable enamel finish and solid cast iron core.
Staub’s Dutch oven features a self-basting lid with spikes on the underside to encourage an even and continuous trickle of juices while cooking. This pretty pot is a perfect vessel for baking, frying, braising or browning your Dutch oven recipe favorites, like chili, casseroles, beef stew, pot roast, sourdough bread and more.
Enameled cast iron cookware is also extremely easy to clean and this luxury piece is no exception. Braises and roasts lift off the coated surface with the greatest of ease. I like the
Photo Gallery 1/1
” page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo=”{“uuid”:”f8c553f3-ed63-49fc-afb9-fa4bec18cf1e”,”slug”:”le-creuset-enameled-cast-iron-signature-round-dutch-oven-4-5-qt-caribbean”,”name”:”Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Round Dutch Oven, 4.5 qt., Caribbean”,”productType”:”PRODUCT”,”updateType”:”EZMONEY”,”mod”:1711100632627}” overridecredit=”Sur la Table” overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“uuid”:”4214d3c7-68bf-470f-a3fc-3761d94f167c”,”alt”:”Le Creuset signature Dutch oven”,”caption”:”
“,”credits”:”Sur la Table”,”imageData”:{“id”:”4214d3c7-68bf-470f-a3fc-3761d94f167c”,”filename”:”le-creuset-dutch-oven-sur-la-table.jpg”,”path”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/1270265c71b91e8b74b4cca467a74b77f700f9ae/hub/2019/10/14/4214d3c7-68bf-470f-a3fc-3761d94f167c/le-creuset-dutch-oven-sur-la-table.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”dateCreated”:{“date”:”2019-10-14 06:14:19.000000″,”timezone”:”UTC”,”timezone_type”:3},”primeColor”:null,”hasWarning”:false},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageUrl”:”https://www.cnet.com/a/img/resize/1270265c71b91e8b74b4cca467a74b77f700f9ae/hub/2019/10/14/4214d3c7-68bf-470f-a3fc-3761d94f167c/le-creuset-dutch-oven-sur-la-table.jpg?auto=webp&height=500″,”imageCaption”:”
“,”imageCredit”:”Sur la Table”,”imageAltText”:”Le Creuset signature Dutch oven”,”imageFilename”:”le-creuset-dutch-oven-sur-la-table.jpg”,”imageWidth”:997,”imageHeight”:581,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageDateCreated”:”2019-10-14″,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”true” ng-block=”{“id”:”1zzlf8cwazaf8sx”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__f5ef5d36-41d8-4dde-8f0a-dcbacdb850d8″ index=”4″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” tagslugs=”bl-promo-banner,hv28,kitchen” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit=”Sur la Table”>
If you’re familiar with Dutch ovens — or cookware at all, for that matter — you’ve probably heard of Le Creuset by now. The iconic French brand is considered by many to be the gold standard, and you can rest assured you’re getting a quality pot in Le Creuset’s signature Dutch oven but it’s worth noting, you’ll pay a premium for the name.
Le Creuset cast iron Dutch ovens are covered in vitrified porcelain making them easier to clean and resistant to stains, odors and acids. The non-reactive interior and cooking surface don’t need to be seasoned like a traditional cast iron Dutch oven, and you can use Le Creuset’s oven on essentially any cooking surface, including induction cooktops and even open fires. Additionally, Le Creuset’s signature Dutch ovens have large, easy-grip handles and a heat-resistant, stainless steel knob.
Every detail of Le Creuset’s pots has been considered and most folks who own one will tell you this pot is worth the investment. Plus, Le Creuset’s signature Dutch ovens come with a “limited” lifetime warranty, which means that if it’s defective, the company will replace it free of charge. The signature Dutch oven from Le Creuset starts at around $250 for a small 2-quart size and goes up from there. Expect to pay closer to $400 for a more practical 4- or 5-quart pot.
I’ll level with you, there are not a lot of scientific tests you can run on a Dutch oven, but the various Dutch ovens vary quite a bit in terms of overall quality, durability, aesthetics and design. What it boils down to when choosing a pot that works for you is the size, shape, material and cost.
You’ll find Dutch ovens in just about any color.
LodgeInstead of running tests as we would for blenders and toasters, I hauled in more than 10 Dutch ovens and used them over a few months to cook various recipes. The goal was to ensure each pot was constructed with quality materials and designed for ease of use in the kitchen. I noted if any single Dutch oven showed sudden signs of wear: paint chipping or loose knobs, for example. I also looked to see if they had design glitches like ill-fitting lids, awkward handles or uneven bottoms.
I also weighed aesthetics when considering and ultimately recommending these Dutch ovens since they make excellent serving vessels once the recipe is finished. Don’t forget, you’ll likely have yours hanging around for many years to come.
Read more: Best Instant Pots
When shopping for the perfect Dutch oven, size may be the most important decision you’ll make. The most popular interior sizes are between 4 and 6 quarts, but you can find products as small as 2 quarts or as large as 10 or more. If you make large holiday meals for your extended family, a bigger Dutch oven might serve you well. Larger pots will be heavy (especially when full of food). I think a 4-quart Dutch oven is best for a single person or couple, but I’d probably bump up to a 6-quart if I had a few kids or more mouths to feed on the regular. Most are cast iron so they’re not particularly light, so don’t overshoot the size just for the heck of it.
” page-position linktext linkurl like dislike can-collapse=”true” can-truncate=”true” truncate-on-page-load=”true” offer techobjectinfo overridecredit overridecaption=”
” imagegroup=”{“imageData”:{},”size”:””,”float”:””,”lightbox”:false,”imageDoNotCrop”:false,”imageDoNotResize”:false,”imageWatermark”:false,”imageParallax”:””,”imageCrop”:””,”imageEnlarge”:false}” usepricing=”false” ng-block=”{“id”:”zz3d5qcm2oc3e3b”,”type”:”listicle”}” edition=”us” data-key=”cnetlisticle__d794993e-9446-47b7-9984-50f812b65ac9″ index=”10″ contenttype=”Best List – Precap” pagelayout=”FAQ Markup + BL Precap” tagslugs=”bl-promo-banner,hv28,kitchen” isbestlistredesign=”true” imagecredit>
Dutch oven is a term often used interchangeably with French oven, oven pot or cocotte. These sturdy cooking pots typically feature thick walls and a tight-fitting lid (unlike casserole dishes) with a single handle, loop handles or a knob. Most are made from bare or enameled cast iron, which provides exceptional heat retention, although you can also find stainless steel Dutch ovens. This popular piece of cookware can be used on a stovetop, but most are tough enough to use in the oven, even on high heat.
![ory-lands-$22.5m-for-zero-trust-security-powered-by-open-source-[venturebeat]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/46285-ory-lands-22-5m-for-zero-trust-security-powered-by-open-source-venturebeat.jpg?resize=390%2C205&ssl=1)
![england-vs.-australia-livestream:-how-to-watch-international-friendly-soccer-from-anywhere-–-cnet-[cnet]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/147250-england-vs-australia-livestream-how-to-watch-international-friendly-soccer-from-anywhere-cnet-cnet.jpg?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1)
![get-$10-off-visible-cell-plans-for-3-months-with-this-coupon-code-–-cnet-[cnet]](https://i0.wp.com/upmytech.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/187454-get-10-off-visible-cell-plans-for-3-months-with-this-coupon-code-cnet-cnet.jpg?resize=300%2C169&ssl=1)