Our Testing of Dutch Ovens
Equipment expert Adam Ried reveals his top pick for Dutch ovens.
Buy our winning Dutch oven: https://cooks.io/38J5sQ7
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I love Le Creuset. !!! Outlet stores and sales. I have an oval Dutch and a soup pot. Nothing cooks better. Worth the money.
I bought the Cuisinart a couple of years ago based on this review. I can’t afford Le Creuset and have had great luck with other Cuisinart things. I got a great deal on it at Costco and absolutely love it!!! I love that ATK always gives a more budget-friendly option in their testing!!
How much does le creuset pay you? The Staub Cocotte is the better cooking vessel and is also more durable. How could you not even mention it? Sounds rigged to me.
I got a Lodge at TJ Maxx for 60 bucks, and recently broke drown and got a Le Creuset on sale (😁) for 240. I love them both!
After an F5 tornado 10 years ago, my $98 Fontignac was covered in a thick layer of a cement/insulation mix that had to be broken off in chunks. After washing it, I was surprised that it had survived without a scratch, and it’s still a workhorse! 💯
If I can’t use charcoal or wood on the lid then its useless to me.
Can anyone tell me if the rubberish handle on the lid is oven safe?
Buy your Le Crueset on a Tuesday.. They have Terrific Tuesday deals every week on different items each week! Often at 40% off! Sooner or later you’ll find the item you want.. I recently bought a Matt Black Deep Le Creuset Dutch Oven at 40% off! And I can’t wait to experiment with it!
If you go to Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table’s websites, they offer the top of the line Le Creuset and Staub at dee discounts, many times through the year specific pieces will be 55 to 60 % off retail…get the email ads and you will be amazed at the sale prices…
If you take care of things, they will last a long time. Any one of these, except the ceramic, are relatively fine as long as you are not abusive. I mean how abusive will you be if you spend over $350 on the pot.
Le Creuset dutch ovens are firmly in the "pay once, cry once" category. I cooked with my grandmother’s last night and she’s been gone for years. There may be other places to find best values in the kitchen, but I’m not convinced that enameled cast iron is the place to do it.
I have a Staub, & I’m sticking with it.
Where can I find or buy Dutch Owen in New Zealand?
Take a look at Amazon basic’s for a decent dutch oven
The Le Creuset dutch oven is a lifetime investment and, more importantly, it’s a joy to use. Expensive and heavy, but you just find it on the stovetop all of the time. Like a good relationship, over the years the real value becomes apparent.
Why dont you let us know the names of all the pots used.
Le Creuset is amazing! I got mine for $170 at home goods for the large one. I use it NON STOP. Super light and easy to clean. 4.5 years and still going strong.
All of my Dutch Ovens are from Lodge. The best company, and the best price. ATK, you let me down on this comparison….
I broke my Le Creuset months ago. I’m still sad. Ugh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😩
I love my dutch oven. Think ATK could have taken a few seconds to differentiate between dutch and french ovens. Also, wish they had talked about the knobs on the tops of the LeCreuset pot. There are 3 different types of knobs and each one allows you to cook up to a certain temperature in the oven. The most expensive top can withstand 500° while the least expensive may not be recommended for oven use at all, thus limiting the pot’s capabilities. One last thing – "Le" is pronounced closer to "luh" not "lay". All in all, a good report.
Based on the recommendation of ATK, whom I usually find reliable, I spent big bucks for a Le Creuset dutch oven. The shipped me a defective product with a large chip in the enamel by one handle, and a large scratch which went all the way through to the iron on the inside. While the shipping box was undamaged, the Le Creuset product box inside was also severely and obviously damaged. This means that Le Creuset failed to notice the faulty manufacture, failed to notice the damage to both the oven and box when putting the oven into the product box, and failed to notice the damage to the product box when packing it into the shipping box, or just did not care. This speaks volumes about Le Creuset’s quality control and attention to detail. When I attempted to get a replacement Le Creuset, who makes great marketing hay about their color selection, rather arrogantly told me that my color of choice was out of stock and that I should choose two other colors, one of which they would send, which speaks volumes about their customer service. I did not wish to spend Le Creuset prices and not get the Le Creuset color I ordered, and asked instead for a refund. I was told that I would get a refund in three to five business days. It is now ten business days from the date of their reply and my account still has not been credited to my account, nor have they replied to repeated inquiries. This speaks volumes about their ethics and business practices. Caveat emptor.
It would of been nice if you talked about the lodge 7.5qt. Just because it is so easy to buy just about anywhere…at a good price.
I’ve been wondering about which Dutch oven to buy and I appreciate you testing it out so I can know what to expect. This will be a nice present for myself this year. Thank you ATK!!!
Take the lodge any day of the week.
Since they are obviously biased towards LC and against dark interior enamel (Staub), I wonder how they would rate the LC enameled frying pans which have dark enamel interiors. I have 2 LC frying pans and love them, but how would they fight out their dislike vs their love? And an LC/Staub frying pan head to head challenge? Both have the dark enamel inside.
I wish they had given reviews of the other cookware and not just 3 brands.
Can’t believe Staub did not even get a mention. We own both Staub and Le Crueset (3 each) and love them both. PS: Staub has better / wider handles and is better for braising, given the nubs on the bottom of the cover…just saying….
I know that Creuset’s are pricey but such an investment. I’ve had mine for years and I couldn’t cook without it.
You can get the $400 dutch oven with a Wolf stove. Doesn’t mean you are or will be a good cook.
how many times are they gonna do this test ? ………
I don’t understand why America’s Test Kitchen is so obsessed with light enamel. I have both a Le Creuset Dutch oven and a Staub braiser. What I have found, is that it is much easier to control browning on the Staub than on the Le Creuset, because food just doesn’t burn as fast. Cleaning is also much more convenient: I never have to use baking soda to clean the Staub, while you do need to use it every now and then on the Le Creuset.
Staub Rules
They have the Lodge there in red in front, that’s a $30 pot and is excellent and does everything the Le Creuset does. They don’t ever really justify why anyone should spend the $350
Makes no sense to compare a 360 Dollar pot with a 60 Dollar pot.
*#staub** for me all the way! 👏👏👏*
I found the fake Le Creuset in online shopping apps called Shopee cost about RM150 -RM300 equal to about range $37.5 – $75. Sad to see many people bought it as they might think it’s original Le Creuset.
Dutch ovens should be made for campfires. Staub is the only one that can hold coals on its lid. I’ve never seen anybody review that feature.
I got mine at the Le Creuset outlet stores. No other cast iron maker makes as many shapes, sizes, and colors as Le Creuset. This review is only for the large round dutch ovens, but they also make various other shapes and sizes that suit a myriad of use cases. They don’t prefer rounded sides in this video, but when making soups, it makes it easier to scrape and stir as food doesn’t get caught in the corner bend. So LC in multiple form factors is a big winner in my home.
I’m new to cast iron but I’ve been watching videos on what to look for and reading articles. My curiosity is with the concept of “true” Dutch oven features. I read and have seen videos that say a true Dutch oven and a braiser will have nodules or rings on the inside of the lids for best results in simmering and flavors in the food and French ovens won’t, but as I shop around I noticed Le Creuset products don’t have the
Rings or nodules on any of their cookware. Why would that be?
Really great information!! Thanks
Staub is best. Better and searing and browning, and lid does a good job basting for better outcome
Thank you so much
Really helpful
$367…
There’s no “but” after that. Unless it can go to the store and buy and cook the food, there’s no way!!
I wish they would have showed how Staub held up.
I will stick with my lodge
My Le Creuset had its top knob break (when it was removed a part of the knob that the screw went into broke off) within the first month. I took it to the Le Creuset dealer in the next town, and they told me that is not a warranty item. Within a couple of years the enamel insides began to wear away. Maybe the tomato-based casseroles I made, twice weekly, ate away the enamel. I don’t know. I still have it, and continue to use it, but its interior has failed and its exterior has not fared well. I have another Dutch oven (different make), but haven’t used it for fear of a similar fate.
I would like to see a review of the lower priced options to each other. I would expect good results from an over $300.00 pan. What I would really be interested in seeing are the under $100.00 options compared to each other.
0:53 What is the purpose of making some clips in black and white? 🤦🏽♀️🤦🏽♀️
I can buy a real oven and stove for the cost of this pan.
My mother noticed a sale at Home Hardware and encouraged me to buy a Le Crueset 4 pc set. I was 18 at the time and I did oblige my mother and bought the set. Well I am 52 and I still have them and use them all the time. It’s orange just like on the test kitchen table. My mother gave great advice and it inexpensive and on sale. Thanks Mom!