Dutch Oven Buying Guide: How to Choose the Best Dutch Oven

Whether you’re a culinary expert or a casual home cook, the versatile Dutch oven is essential kitchen cookware that can make a big difference in your dinners, desserts, and baked goods. But with so many types and brands to choose from, knowing which one is right for you can be a challenge. Explore our buying guide to learn how to choose the best Dutch oven for your cooking collection.

What Is a Dutch Oven?

You’ve likely owned a Dutch oven if you’ve ever purchased a multi-piece cookware set. This pot is typically the largest in the group, characterized by its round or oval shape and tight-fitting lid. A sturdy Dutch oven is ideal for long-simmering, roasted, and slow-cooked meals; it goes from stovetop to oven to table, making dinner a breeze. A quality Dutch oven is durable and retains heat, keeping your meal warm at the dining table while you eat.

Pro Tip: This cooking vessel is sometimes referred to as a cocotte, the French term for Dutch oven; there is no difference between the two.

What Can You Cook in a Dutch Oven?

If there is a single piece of cookware that can handle almost any culinary challenge, it’s a Dutch oven. Poach or roast an entire chicken, braise a beef brisket, or simmer stock and soup; a Dutch oven brings out the flavors in meats and vegetables. It’s the ultimate comfort-food cooker, built for more than just the basics. Some of the wonderful foods you can cook in a Dutch oven include:

• Stew and chili: Whether it's a hearty vegan chili or a basic beef stew, there’s no better first meal to tackle using a Dutch oven.
• Casseroles: Layer or simply toss together pasta, sauce, meat, vegetables, and cheese and bake in the oven until bubbly.
• Bread: Mix, proof, and bake in one pot; Dutch oven bread requires little kneading.
• Fried foods: For fried recipes from chicken to donuts, the tall sides and thick walls of a Dutch oven catch splatters and handle the high heat of deep-frying.
• Risotto: Don’t spend your time stirring to make creamy risotto; just mix all of the ingredients together and pop them into the oven for a hands-off side dish.
• Applesauce or fruit compote: Add sugar, lemon juice, spices, and a pat of butter to a pot of peeled and cut-up apples or the fruit of your choice. Simmer on the stovetop or bake until soft.
• Cookies: Cover the bottom of a Dutch oven with your favorite cookie dough, bake until golden, and enjoy a skillet-sized cookie with friends.

Dutch Oven Materials

The original Dutch oven was made of cast iron. This sturdy material worked well over the open flames of a campfire, fireplace, or wood stove in early American kitchens. Today, good-quality Dutch ovens are made in many types of heavy-duty materials that can stand up to long hours on the stovetop or in the oven.

Cast Iron

Still the most common material for a Dutch oven, heavy-duty cast iron cookware retains heat like no other. It’s ideal for long, slow cooking and deep frying as it maintains a consistent temperature. A well-seasoned cast iron Dutch oven interior is non-stick and resists rusting. Cast iron Dutch ovens are sturdy and durable; they can span generations if well cared for.

Pro Tip: Cast iron requires special care; visit our cookware cleaning guide for more information.

Enameled Cast Iron

Made in sturdy cast iron, enameled cookware is popular for its easy-to-clean interior: no need to season or adhere to a special cleaning process. And the exterior enamel comes in a variety of colors to match your home kitchen collection. The enameled interior coating on a cast iron Dutch oven provides even heat distribution and browning during cooking.

Ceramic and Stoneware

Dutch ovens made of ceramic or stoneware are lightweight and easy to maneuver; they come in a variety of shapes beyond classic round and oval. Ceramic cookware heats up quickly, distributes heat evenly, and retains warmth for long periods. Ceramic Dutch ovens are stovetop, oven, microwave, and dishwasher safe, though handwashing with a mild soapy detergent is typically recommended.

Pro Tip: Take extra care with a ceramic Dutch oven; this material can crack or shatter if dropped.

Stainless Steel

Stainless steel Dutch ovens are thin-walled, lightweight, and easy to clean. This rust-resistant material needs no special care or cleaning and won’t react with acids in foods. Stainless steel doesn’t retain heat as well as other materials, so it’s best suited for foods that aren’t slow-cooked or simmered for long periods. Choose a stainless steel Dutch oven with an aluminum base for optimal heat absorption and even distribution.

What Size Dutch Oven Do I Need?

To determine the best Dutch oven size for your cookware collection, consider how you’ll use it. This kitchen powerhouse runs the gamut in size from ½ quart, perfect for individual desserts, to 15-quart capacity vessels ideal for a holiday turkey.

The optimum size Dutch oven is between 5 and 6 quarts. This size is large enough to feed a small group yet small enough to cook a meal for two, will accommodate a small chicken for roasting, and can handle most recipes designed for this style of pot. Choose it as your go-to piece and consider adding smaller or larger sizes to your collection as you need. Go larger, between 6 and 10 quarts, if you have a big family to cook for; opt for a small Dutch oven between 3 and 5 quarts when cooking for one or two.

Best Dutch Oven Shape

Most stovetops have round burners; the same shape Dutch oven will fit nicely and heat evenly. Use an oval Dutch oven on a stovetop with elongated burners or an expanded cooking surface. If your primary cooking method is the oven, practically any shape will fit and heat evenly. A Dutch oven with an unusual shape such as a vegetable or farm animal is best suited for the oven.

Dutch Oven Brands

Many cookware brands offer Dutch ovens in their collections, but some brands stand out among the rest for being sturdy and dependable, decade after decade.

Le Creuset: One of the top names in enameled cast iron cookware, Le Creuset Dutch ovens come in assorted sizes from 8 oz. to 15.5 quarts, and signature colors, including Flame orange, Caribbean blue, and Oyster gray. The enameled interiors are creamy white and stain-resistant.

Staub: A French-made Staub Dutch oven features a dark gray enameled interior. Oven safe up to 900˚F without the lid, Staub Dutch ovens come in basic exterior colors including red, black, and dark blue, and elaborate shapes including pumpkin and tomato.

Anolon: Made of hard-anodized aluminum with a non-stick interior or enameled cast iron with a black interior, Anolon Dutch ovens are free of toxins and guaranteed for life.

French Home: Handmade in France since 1924, these enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are oven safe up to 500˚F. Find French Home Dutch ovens in standard hues of blue, red, and gray to complement your kitchen décor.

Berndes: German maker Berndes has created Dutch ovens and cookware since 1921. These Dutch ovens are made of thick aluminum with non-stick interiors and ceramic or coated exteriors.

Break in your new Dutch oven with a rich and hearty beef bourguignon or fresh bread recipe tailored just for this wonderful kitchen cookware essential.