The 3 best Dutch ovens of 2024, tested and reviewed

I love Lodge cast iron for its reliable combination of high performance and low price; its Dutch oven succeeded in meeting my high expectations. The construction is ideal for cooking and serving. The side handles are easy to grasp with a dish towel, and the interior enameled surface is easy to clean, even after slow roasting barbecue-sauce covered pork. Plus, the exterior is deeply colored, cleans easily, and looks beautiful on a table. 

The bread test cemented this oven as my top choice. Cutting into the loaf revealed an even crust on the sides, top, and bottom. The crust held together without flaking, giving a satisfying crunch to the loaf.

The round shape makes it easier to scrape every drop of stew or sauce with a spatula, but more difficult to get sharp edges on a baked good. The Lodge has a particularly gentle curve from the side to the bottom, which made both of these qualities really shine in our pick for the best Dutch oven.

Only time will tell if this piece holds up as well as the Le Creuset. I have more confidence in the Le Creuset oven's durability because I've seen pieces from the brand perform just as well decades after their first use. However, Lodge continues to impress me, and I see no reason why it won't hold up.

My top pick until I tested the Lodge Dutch oven, the Le Creuset Dutch Oven is hard not to love. The handles are roomy and just as comfortable to hold with bulky oven mitts or a dish towel.

Some Le Creuset pieces have black phenolic knobs, which are oven safe to lower temperatures than stainless steel. However, Le Creuset's Dutch ovens come standard with stainless steel knobs that are oven-safe at any temperature, making them extremely versatile. 

Sliding a soft dough into a preheated Dutch oven isn't an easy task, and I often ended up with dough folding over itself or not settling evenly in the dish. The oval shape of the Le Creuset gave the dough a narrower space to fall into, which ended up producing a more symmetrical loaf and a more domed crust. In general, oval Dutch ovens are better for baking and cooking large cuts of meat.

The loaf itself was evenly browned on the bottom and sides. The crust was on par with that from the Lodge, if slightly flakier instead of solid.

The Staub Cast Iron Tall Cocotte could have been a top pick and we still highly recommend it. It just didn't outperform the Le Creuset as the best Dutch oven upgrade and, with a $500 price tag, it was one of the most expensive we tested.

I prefer enameled Dutch ovens for their cooking and serving versatility, but I had no issues using the Lodge non-enameled Dutch oven.

While an enameled coating can theoretically chip or wear down over time, cast iron seasoning becomes part of the metal and can be reseasoned if need be. Consider getting the best Dutch oven with a non-enameled interior if you want the ease of nonstick with the heat retention of cast iron — however, be prepared that the nonstick seasoning may take a few uses to really develop. 

This Lodge oven has dimples on the underside of the lid, which Sitrin says is to allow for condensation to drip back into the pot and baste the contents. Though the side handles are slightly smaller than those on the enameled oven, I prefer the looped handle on the lid to the other oven's knobs. It is easier to grasp and offers a more secure grip. 

Acidic foods can damage the seasoning on cast iron. You can just reseason the pot, but it may be a hassle if you plan to regularly cook tomato dishes or other acidic foods in your cookware. Seasoned cast iron can also be more difficult to clean. After roasting pork shoulder, the sauce and fat were pretty caked on the bottom of all the pans, but I had an easier time cleaning it off the enameled surface.

Material: The majority of the Dutch ovens we tested are enameled, including two of our top picks. Enameled cast iron makes for a more versatile pot that lets you cook a wider variety of ingredients without worrying about acidity damaging the cast iron seasoning. Plus, enameled Dutch ovens come in a range of attractive colors that make them great as serving dishes.

Weight: Due to their size and shape, Dutch ovens can be seriously heavy and difficult to carry around the kitchen. Most of the ovens we tested are cast iron, which makes them even heavier. If you have trouble lifting heavy items, but still want the best Dutch oven, consider an enameled one and choose a color you like. That way you can feel comfortable leaving it out instead of moving it in and out of storage.

Shape: A round version of the best Dutch oven is ideal for stovetop cooking, like simmering and braising. Oval Dutch ovens are great for baking projects and roasting large, oblong cuts of meat. Though they have different strong points, you can easily use oval and round Dutch ovens interchangeably with small adjustments. For instance, allow an oval shape to preheat a little longer on the stove top to compensate for not matching the circular burner, and roast smaller pieces of meat in a circular pot.

Over the course of several months, I cooked with seven of the best Dutch ovens from six legacy and start-up cookware manufacturers. I also spoke to Roger Sitrin, lead recreational chef instructor at the Institute of Culinary Education, about the merits of buying and using a Dutch oven. Here are the criteria I used to evaluate each of the Dutch ovens I tested.

Cooking meat: To cook the pork well, you just need a pot that can sustain a low and slow cook, which is a defining trait of Dutch ovens. Our pulled pork test (based on this recipe from SSerious Eats) didn't reveal substantial differences between the ovens.

Baking bread: Dutch ovens are great for baking bread due to their shape, lid, and thick sides. We baked the NYT Cooking no-knead bread recipe in each oven, the cooking vessel recommended by this and other no-knead bread recipes. One of the benefits of baking bread in a Dutch oven is that covering the loaf traps steam and produces a not-too-thick, not-too-thin crust. We evaluated the crust on the finished loaves, looking for an even brown all over, especially on the bottom. 

Cleaning: After each cooking test, I checked for staining or discoloration on the enamel surface. I also checked for any nicks, scratches, or stains after cleaning burned pieces of pork off the pots.

What is best to cook in a Dutch oven?

The most common ways to use a Dutch oven are baking bread, braising meat, and cooking stews or soups. Anything that requires a long cook on a low and consistent heat is great in the best Dutch oven. It's also a great (albeit slightly heavy) option for boiling large batches of pasta or corn on the cob.

What is the best Dutch oven size?

A 5-quart Dutch oven is the best size for most people and should be able to accommodate nearly every recipe. If you regularly cook in big batches, you may consider going up to a 7-quart Dutch oven.

How do you clean a Dutch oven?

An enameled Dutch oven is easy to clean: use soap, water, and a slightly abrasive sponge on the burnt parts. Seasoned cast iron must be cleaned according to the manufacturer's instructions to avoid rusting or scratching away the seasoning. 

Check out our guide to the best cast iron skillets for more in depth cleaning tips.