Cast iron Dutch oven: enamelled or bare, 11 models compared

A cast iron Dutch oven holds heat better than any other pot: the thermal inertia of cast iron, a very heavy iron alloy, is what lets you simmer for hours on the lowest heat. Our Dutch oven page compares every material; this one is about cast iron only, enamelled or bare. I picked 11 models on sale, from the small 20 cm Le Creuset to Staub's 6.7-litre cast iron pot, by way of Chasseur, Lodge and Amazon's entry-level pots. I read their manufacturer pages and checked their prices on 07/10/2026. Each one's drawback comes before its strengths.

Cast iron Dutch oven: our 3 picks

For a French enamelled pot that goes in the dishwasher, the 24 cm Le Creuset; for the self-basting lid and the best price per litre among the big brands, the 26 cm Staub; on a tight budget, the 26 cm Overmont.

For a pot that serves 4: Le Creuset Signature round 24 cm (189.99 € on 07/10/2026). Its drawback first: it weighs 4.3 kg empty, and Le Creuset does not give its maximum oven temperature on the pages we could read. In return, it is the roomiest of the 24 cm pots at 4.2 litres, it is made in France, goes in the dishwasher and its listing states a lifetime warranty.

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For braising for 4 to 5: Staub round 26 cm matte black (159.00 € on 07/10/2026). Its drawback: 5.65 kg empty according to Staub, and a matte black enamel interior that hides the colour of the browned bits. But its flat lid with spikes drips the steam back onto the meat, it is oven safe up to 260 °C and, on the day of our check, it cost less than the 24 cm Staub (199.99 €).

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On a tight budget: Overmont round 26 cm (48.26 € on 07/10/2026). Its drawback: made in China, it has no manufacturer page outside Amazon, it is hand wash only and its maximum oven temperature is unclear. For under 50 €, though, you get 5.2 litres of enamelled cast iron that works on every hob including induction, with cotton oven mitts.

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The price shown on Amazon when you buy is the one that applies.

Our best cast iron Dutch oven comparison will rank these models brand by brand. This page helps you understand what makes a good cast iron pot before you choose.

Why choose a cast iron Dutch oven?

You choose cast iron for slow cooking: it heats up gently, then holds and spreads the heat evenly across the base and the sides. Staub sums it up on its listings: cast iron keeps heat, and even cold, for a long time, so a dish stays hot at the table.

• It simmers unattended. Once a boeuf bourguignon or a veal blanquette is under way, the heat goes down to the minimum and the cast iron pot keeps it at a gentle simmer.
• It sears then braises in the same pot. You brown the meat, take it out, deglaze the browned bits with wine or stock, then cover and put it in the oven to braise. Roasting a chicken works the same way, with the lid off at the end.
• It is tough and lasts. Le Creuset states a lifetime warranty on its listings, and Lodge describes its bare cast iron as built to be handed down for generations. There is no non-stick coating to wear out.
• Its limit is weight. From 3.1 kg (Le Creuset 20 cm) to 7.09 kg (Staub 28 cm) empty in our selection. If that puts you off, the aluminium Dutch oven on our main page weighs about a third as much.

Price matters too: a branded cast iron pot costs 159 € to 250 € in 24 to 28 cm in our checks, while cast iron made in China starts at around 30 €. It is the most expensive piece of a cookware set, but it stands in for a braiser, a stockpot for stews and a roasting dish.

Enamelled or bare cast iron Dutch oven?

The enamelled cast iron Dutch oven is the most common: 9 of the 11 models in our selection. Bare cast iron, without enamel, accounts for just two, from Lodge and Amazon Basics.

The price shown on Amazon when you buy is the one that applies.

Enamelled cast iron, the traditional version from the big French brands, cleans like a saucepan and copes with the wine in a coq au vin or the tomato in a stew, since the food never touches the metal. Bare cast iron needs regular care, but nothing can chip: its seasoning improves with use, and it goes from the oven to the embers. It suits people who cook outdoors or bake bread in a Dutch oven every weekend.

Le Creuset or Staub cast iron Dutch oven?

The two brands are alike on the essentials: enamelled cast iron made in France, every hob including induction, dishwasher allowed, handles easy to grip with oven gloves. They differ on the lid, the inside enamel and the capacity.

• The lid. The Staub has a flat lid, described as tight-fitting, with spikes underneath: the steam condenses and drips back onto the food, which Staub calls continuous basting. The Le Creuset Signature has an enamelled cast iron lid and a heat-resistant stainless steel knob; its listing does not mention spikes.
• The inside enamel. Staub uses a rough-textured matte black enamel, meant for searing and caramelising. Le Creuset describes a hard-wearing interior enamel.
• The capacity. At 24 cm, the Le Creuset holds 4.2 litres and the Staub 3.7 litres according to its maker. The Le Creuset is also slightly lighter: 4.3 kg against 4.69 kg.
• The oven. Staub states 260 °C; we could not find its rival's figure.
• The price. On 07/10/2026, the Staub cost more in 24 cm (199.99 € against 189.99 €), but less in 26 cm (159.00 € against 249.99 €) and in 28 cm (223.82 € against 241.28 €).

The price shown on Amazon when you buy is the one that applies.

To go further, our Le Creuset or Staub head-to-head will detail both ranges, and each brand will have its own page: Staub Dutch oven and Le Creuset Dutch oven. Chasseur, part of the Invicta group, is the third French cast iron brand in our selection, handmade in the Ardennes according to its Amazon listing.

How to choose a cast iron Dutch oven

A cast iron Dutch oven comes down to five criteria: capacity, shape, hob compatibility, the lid, then weight and warranty.

What size cast iron pot for how many people?

Allow about 1 litre per person for a stew or a pot-au-feu: a 24 cm pot serves 4, a 28 cm serves 6 to 8. But at the same diameter, brands do not give the same capacity, because the wall height varies.

For a big table, the 28 cm Staub (6.7 litres) is the largest round pot in our selection, and the two Amazon Basics entry-level pots reach 5.7 and 6.62 litres.

Round or oval Dutch oven?

The round one suits stews, pot-au-feu, soups and bread: it heats evenly on a round burner. The oval one takes a whole chicken, a roast or a shoulder of lamb. On the 27 cm oval Le Creuset, capacity drops to 4.1 litres, less than a round 24 cm: you pay for length, not volume. An oval pot also needs a large burner, or its ends heat less.

Cast iron Dutch oven on induction: the precautions

Ten of the eleven cast iron pots in our selection are stated as induction compatible, as well as gas, ceramic and electric hobs; the listing for the 5.7-litre Amazon Basics does not say. Chasseur asks you to heat cast iron gradually and not to use the booster function. Also check the base diameter, smaller than the advertised size: 21.7 cm for the 26 cm Staub, according to its Amazon listing. Pick a zone the size of the base, and lift the pot rather than sliding it across the glass.

The lid: spikes, ridges or plain

The lid makes the difference for slow cooking, through condensation. Staub puts spikes underneath, Chasseur ridges that condense and spread the moisture according to its listing, Overmont describes a thick lid that condenses steam, Lodge a tight-fitting lid; Le Creuset's listing does not mention spikes. All of them keep the moisture in; spikes and ridges are designed to drip it back onto the food. Prefer a stainless steel or cast iron knob, which goes in the oven, to a plastic one.

Weight, warranty and where it is made

Think about the weight once full: a 28 cm Staub weighs 7.09 kg empty, more than 13 kg with 6 litres of stew. Warranties vary: lifetime at Le Creuset according to its listing, 2 years on Staub's Amazon listing. As for manufacturing, Le Creuset, Staub and Chasseur make theirs in France, Lodge in the United States for bare cast iron and in China or Vietnam for enamelled, Overmont and Amazon Basics in China.

How to care for a cast iron Dutch oven

Enamelled cast iron is cleaned with hot water and a non-abrasive sponge; bare cast iron is washed by hand, dried straight away and given a thin coat of oil.

• Enamelled cast iron. Le Creuset and Staub allow the dishwasher; Lodge, Overmont and Amazon Basics ask for hand washing, and Lodge advises against metal utensils. Avoid thermal shock: do not plunge a very hot pot into cold water. If the bottom has caught, let it soak rather than scraping the enamel.
• Bare cast iron. Lodge sells it pre-seasoned with vegetable oil. After each use, the brand asks for hand washing, immediate drying and a thin coat of oil. The seasoning, that layer of baked-on oil protecting the metal, builds up over many cooks.

The 11 cast iron Dutch ovens in brief

The price shown on Amazon when you buy is the one that applies.

How we selected these cast iron Dutch ovens

I picked 11 cast iron Dutch ovens on sale on 07/10/2026 to cover every size (from 2 to 8 people), both shapes and both surfaces, enamelled and bare. For each one, I checked the price, availability and seller on the Amazon listing, then cross-checked capacity, weight, oven rating and care with the manufacturer's page (Staub on the Zwilling website, Chasseur, Lodge). Prices are those shown on Amazon on 07/10/2026. The price shown on Amazon when you buy is the one that applies. When Amazon and the manufacturer disagree on a specification, the manufacturer wins, as for the capacity of the 20 cm Chasseur; a value we could not find is marked "n.c.". Le Creuset's website could not be read at the time of our check: its figures come from its Amazon listing, sold and shipped by Amazon. None of these pots has been tested hands-on: the score out of 5 is an editor's review based on material, lid, care, weight and price, as explained on our method page.

The models we did not keep

The 24 cm Invicta 402241, a cousin of the Chasseur, was only sold by a third-party seller at 181.68 € on 07/10/2026: more than twice the price shown by the brand on its own website. The 29 cm oval Le Creuset was only offered by a third-party seller, at 345.09 €. The 26 cm round Chasseur (163.97 €) has an Amazon listing that contradicts itself: 5 litres in the title, 13 litres and "dishwasher: no" in the table. The Tefal LOV, Tefal's cast iron range, was only available in limited stock from third-party sellers, with listings that describe it in turn as cast iron, "cast steel" and non-stick coated. Finally, the Tefal Air and Cookut's L'Incroyable Cocotte are not iron cast iron but aluminium: they are on our main page. The price shown on Amazon when you buy is the one that applies.

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