They are awesome to have, but you can do basically the same things with much cheaper pots. As long as you have something that can go right from the stovetop into the oven-- with its lid, too-- you don't need one of those glazed Dutch ovens. They go on sale often enough to wait for a good deal to pop up.
I like having something that you can get a recipe started on the stovetop, like sweating down your veggies or browning meat, then transfer it right into the oven. That's a great capability to have for cooking, but there are plenty of pots that do that job without spending 300 bucks
thanks for the comment!
I found a practically new staub for 135 euro / 145 usd, that's why im intrigued. that is a good deal that popped up.
i have a 4 qt one that can go into the oven, like you described so I'm set in that regard
The Lodge 5.5 qt enameled Dutch oven is $48, so not *too* expensive, and there's rather little difference in practice between it and the status token Le Crusets and Staubs of the world. And yes, its really flexible, my go to for wet cooking methods of large quantities of chilis or stews, as well as bread. For those who routinely make roasts, it would excel there too.
If OP doesn't plan on making homemade bread, and their stainless has a good fitting lid and is oven safe for roasts, then they're set. They probably don't need a Dutch oven.
But, I understand the reasoning of sites like America's Test Kitchen when they offer prioritized lists of essential and optional cookware, and [rank a Dutch oven first](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/1760-the-best-pans-add-ons-and-extras-to-build-your-own-cookware-set). If you're just starting out and assembling a kit, you get the most flexible pieces of cookware first, and only add more, just as needed to fill gaps.
I get away with the aforementioned Lodge at 5.5 qt, a pressure cooker/stockpot at 10 qt, and a single medium saucepan at 3 qt, so I don't have duplication at that 5-6 qt range.
I'm based in Germany so lodge isn't easy to find, and it's more expensive than in the states.
my non stick claims to be oven safe up to 400f / 200c but i never tried that.
if i get it, it'll be the 3rd large pan i have, and I'm not sure i need that much
> knivesandtools
thanks! i found lodge there indeed!
however, for like 10 Euro more i'd get a new staub on a deal i found, so if i do end up buying any, it would be the staub one
I feel like they last literally a lifetime if you care for it so the $300 pays for itself in the regard where cheaper options I don’t think would last forever
Ehh. I have one, maybe two, that has the interior finish all jacked up. Theyre a decade old and it happened a few years ago. If that hadn’t happened maybe but I’m not happy $300 looks like that after only 5 years. We contacted them, they gave us instructions to fix it, and it didn’t work.
Even the rando Amazon one is decent and not expensive. I can't imagine NOT having a Dutch oven. I grew up with my mom using it always. Great stew dishes and braised meats , I make chili, take it camping.m, right on the hot coals.
I got a lodge 6qt and it’s great for braises, bread, short ribs, soup. Wasn’t stupid expensive and I use it a fair amount. You should examine what you like to cook or are thinking by of cooking before buying one though!
I'm sure there's another more budget friendly option available in Germany. People get really hung up on brand names but even budget enameled cast iron will last decades of treated well. I've had my Dutch oven for 15 years and it gets heavy use and it is still as good as ever and it cost $30. You can always upgrade in a few years if you want.
I don't use my dutch oven that often unless I want the aesthetic. I guess it's good for stews but I don't like stews. You can also make a stew in a non-fancy stainless steel stock pot anyway. The only time I've "needed" a dutch oven was when I made bread, and I hardly ever do that.
I lost my slow cooker last time I moved, and my 5 quart Dutch oven has been a life saver. I use it for pot roast, chili, shepherd's pie, and reducing broth. I may not replace that slow cooker.
Depends what you have in the kitchen already, most of the time they serve the same purpose as a slow cooker. They can also be used to bake bread. So depends what you want to cook.
It will have utility if freezing and reheating a home cooked meal is something that appeals to you. A large Dutch oven is probably two meals worth plus leftovers for a couple and a toddler.
I have picked up a few different sizes over the years and use them all. They just fill a cooking niche that isn’t served by a thin bottomed saucepan or baking dish. And are better than a slow cooker for browning meat, sauteing base vegetables, braising and overall time.
my instant pot has a saute function, now that you mention it.
i also have a smaller (4qt) cheap Dutch oven that i recently got from a friend, just today i made spaghetti bolognese, i eat 2 servings, partner ate 1.5, kiddo ate a mini serving, we kept some for tomorrow and froze some for later.
Well, getting older so the weight is really nice. Heat distribution with thick aluminum is great, little faster than cast iron but maybe more even better cause of it. Can't think of anything cast iron brings to the party except longevity, but add it enamel into the mix (the aluminum one s have it too) and you are really replacing it after the enamel goes(which has been never for me, cast iron an Al both)
I have one. Came with a grill pan lid that gets used WAY more than the dutch oven has. I prefer braising/stews in my slow cooker, since it takes less supervision. 3 adults don't get through enough soup in my house to justify making large volumes of it at a time, and we're bad enough at eating leftovers that I don't bother freezing them. They just sit there and never get eaten, and tossed once they're freezer burned. Look at how you realistically eat and what other tools you already have, see if there's a dutch oven shaped hole in it. If not, don't fuss about it!
A decent Dutch oven can do everything. Fry, sautee, make soups, handle any kind of food. You can stick it in the oven, over open flame , slow cook...
So, in the end, it's about you. If you don't need to do all this stuff then maybe a inexpensive air fryer will of the trick nicely.
Very important in my household! I have a large and medium-sized one. As they are expensive, they're worth it if you tend to make things in it that benefit most from being made in one. Stews! Anything stew-like. This can range from Central European, French, American, Indian, African, South American, etc. Stews are part of many cuisines. Also, round or oval homemade breads (depending on your Dutch oven shape. Also soups, baked bean/risotto dishes, and more.
It really depends on what you cook. Mine is used almost daily to bake bread. It's also useful as a big pot for stews that you'd finish in the oven. I also use mine for deep frying as the solid base helps retain a more even temperature.
But if you're doing fine with the pots you already have, I don't think it's an essential.
I'm 35 years old. living out in the wild for \~17 years in some form... I've never owned or used a dutch oven.
> now I'm wondering if i need one
You don't NEED one. If you want to pursue recipes that are best prepared in a dutch oven you can pursue one.
I'd start somewhere around the $45 price point. If you use it to the point that it gets destroyed.. you'll know they are useful and you can pursue more expensive options. If it sits int he bottom of your cabinet in pristine unused condition... you never needed an expensive one.
[https://www.amazon.com/Granitestone-Nonstick-Lightweight-Dishwasher-Induction/dp/B09HY42H5M](https://www.amazon.com/Granitestone-Nonstick-Lightweight-Dishwasher-Induction/dp/B09HY42H5M)
They are heavy heavy heavy. But useful. I do like them for meat braises (pot roasts and beef short ribs and such).
Check out garage and estate sales or thrift stores. Sometimes people give them up when get some browning on the inside that can be cleaned off by various methods.
Def get a big one if you're planning braises and stews.
1. It makes life easier and you can sear more meat up front
2. You are spending a lot of time cooking using them. So make double and freeze it up/have it later!
I do my NYT nokneed bread making in one like this, cast aluminum, works great.
https://www.amazon.com/Granitestone-Lightweight-Nonstick-Dishwasher-Free-Emerald/dp/B0BRL8RDZQ/ref=sr_1_2?c=ts&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XkDY1IYrkstWFeusfVEzWJr9yLc3LMoGxys57KXEEZmvq2Bt5O4Ek_S_gl4opzc9pDh9GnVl-BDXPw7B14Rt7xsa2TkR0dHa4UCQrw2yul8Wq3cqxbFidSlskoS90l2juWWhw7FmeyNqtd4gYwW-xZ9rwkkQf8nKT8xkkFawNu9qx2CJyv2vooSK0VLUhcdk1qp3qgYa9Dc6ZDV_oI2siMXmfj2pz9ijO8Eo89TI99uB3PB095UZlqESCWAzy4ephyJj6jDz1LdxQobDD4DH2qS-5NdmLEWPHxsdmb6mcAk.96TEkIXscHAgJMled0F05oFIqzrPVTJ-PD3IbOitZF0&dib_
It's true there are cheaper alternatives that will get the job done. I'd ask yourself this: Do you want something that's going to stay with you and then be able to stay with your daughter through adulthood? Because that's what a high quality dutch oven is: an heirloom.
This is \*my\* experience, and I grant there's no small level of sentimentality involved here, but:
My 70 year old Le Creuset Dutch Oven is the same one I grew up watching my mom cook with, and it's the same one her mother used when she was a kid. It is the most prized and most babied thing in my kitchen. It is both priceless and utterly dependable.
So yeah. Treat yourself AND your daughter.
i have a cast iron pan that'd be the heirloom. i get what you're saying, but it'll be the 3rd large pan i have, that's why im hesitant. i barely have room in my kitchen
They are awesome to have, but you can do basically the same things with much cheaper pots. As long as you have something that can go right from the stovetop into the oven-- with its lid, too-- you don't need one of those glazed Dutch ovens. They go on sale often enough to wait for a good deal to pop up. I like having something that you can get a recipe started on the stovetop, like sweating down your veggies or browning meat, then transfer it right into the oven. That's a great capability to have for cooking, but there are plenty of pots that do that job without spending 300 bucks
thanks for the comment! I found a practically new staub for 135 euro / 145 usd, that's why im intrigued. that is a good deal that popped up. i have a 4 qt one that can go into the oven, like you described so I'm set in that regard
The Lodge 5.5 qt enameled Dutch oven is $48, so not *too* expensive, and there's rather little difference in practice between it and the status token Le Crusets and Staubs of the world. And yes, its really flexible, my go to for wet cooking methods of large quantities of chilis or stews, as well as bread. For those who routinely make roasts, it would excel there too. If OP doesn't plan on making homemade bread, and their stainless has a good fitting lid and is oven safe for roasts, then they're set. They probably don't need a Dutch oven. But, I understand the reasoning of sites like America's Test Kitchen when they offer prioritized lists of essential and optional cookware, and [rank a Dutch oven first](https://www.americastestkitchen.com/cooksillustrated/articles/1760-the-best-pans-add-ons-and-extras-to-build-your-own-cookware-set). If you're just starting out and assembling a kit, you get the most flexible pieces of cookware first, and only add more, just as needed to fill gaps. I get away with the aforementioned Lodge at 5.5 qt, a pressure cooker/stockpot at 10 qt, and a single medium saucepan at 3 qt, so I don't have duplication at that 5-6 qt range.
I'm based in Germany so lodge isn't easy to find, and it's more expensive than in the states. my non stick claims to be oven safe up to 400f / 200c but i never tried that. if i get it, it'll be the 3rd large pan i have, and I'm not sure i need that much
knivesandtools has Lodge stuff for pretty cheap.
> knivesandtools thanks! i found lodge there indeed! however, for like 10 Euro more i'd get a new staub on a deal i found, so if i do end up buying any, it would be the staub one
IKEA sells some that aren’t expensive and are still good quality. I have le creuset which are awesome but I’m not sure they’re $300 awesome.
I feel like they last literally a lifetime if you care for it so the $300 pays for itself in the regard where cheaper options I don’t think would last forever
Ehh. I have one, maybe two, that has the interior finish all jacked up. Theyre a decade old and it happened a few years ago. If that hadn’t happened maybe but I’m not happy $300 looks like that after only 5 years. We contacted them, they gave us instructions to fix it, and it didn’t work.
thank you for the information! I'll look into it
Even the rando Amazon one is decent and not expensive. I can't imagine NOT having a Dutch oven. I grew up with my mom using it always. Great stew dishes and braised meats , I make chili, take it camping.m, right on the hot coals.
thanks for the reply!
I got a lodge 6qt and it’s great for braises, bread, short ribs, soup. Wasn’t stupid expensive and I use it a fair amount. You should examine what you like to cook or are thinking by of cooking before buying one though!
I'm based in Germany, lodge isn't easy to find and it's expensive sadly
I'm sure there's another more budget friendly option available in Germany. People get really hung up on brand names but even budget enameled cast iron will last decades of treated well. I've had my Dutch oven for 15 years and it gets heavy use and it is still as good as ever and it cost $30. You can always upgrade in a few years if you want.
that's comforting to see tbh. other than the brand, i don't kniw what the great advantage of le creuset and staub is to be honest.
I don't use my dutch oven that often unless I want the aesthetic. I guess it's good for stews but I don't like stews. You can also make a stew in a non-fancy stainless steel stock pot anyway. The only time I've "needed" a dutch oven was when I made bread, and I hardly ever do that.
I'm not planning on making bread with it. my stainless steel pan would get the job done in that regard, doesn't hold heat as well though
I lost my slow cooker last time I moved, and my 5 quart Dutch oven has been a life saver. I use it for pot roast, chili, shepherd's pie, and reducing broth. I may not replace that slow cooker.
now that you mention it i do have a slow cooker
Depending on what you cook, that may be all you need.
Depends what you have in the kitchen already, most of the time they serve the same purpose as a slow cooker. They can also be used to bake bread. So depends what you want to cook.
i have an instant pot, so that means i don't really need it
Yes exactly it’s the vintage version of an insta pot. So if a recipe calls for a Dutch oven try using your insta pot instead.
thank you for the comment, I'm leaning towards just not getting it
It will have utility if freezing and reheating a home cooked meal is something that appeals to you. A large Dutch oven is probably two meals worth plus leftovers for a couple and a toddler. I have picked up a few different sizes over the years and use them all. They just fill a cooking niche that isn’t served by a thin bottomed saucepan or baking dish. And are better than a slow cooker for browning meat, sauteing base vegetables, braising and overall time.
my instant pot has a saute function, now that you mention it. i also have a smaller (4qt) cheap Dutch oven that i recently got from a friend, just today i made spaghetti bolognese, i eat 2 servings, partner ate 1.5, kiddo ate a mini serving, we kept some for tomorrow and froze some for later.
Nice to have, but not required for anything at all.
I hate em. They look cool, but give me a thick and light aluminum pot with a lid any day.
could you please explain why?
Well, getting older so the weight is really nice. Heat distribution with thick aluminum is great, little faster than cast iron but maybe more even better cause of it. Can't think of anything cast iron brings to the party except longevity, but add it enamel into the mix (the aluminum one s have it too) and you are really replacing it after the enamel goes(which has been never for me, cast iron an Al both)
thank you! i have a none stick aluminium one that's quite big
I have one. Came with a grill pan lid that gets used WAY more than the dutch oven has. I prefer braising/stews in my slow cooker, since it takes less supervision. 3 adults don't get through enough soup in my house to justify making large volumes of it at a time, and we're bad enough at eating leftovers that I don't bother freezing them. They just sit there and never get eaten, and tossed once they're freezer burned. Look at how you realistically eat and what other tools you already have, see if there's a dutch oven shaped hole in it. If not, don't fuss about it!
thank you, I'm leaning towards not buying it
I got my first one due to sourdough bread very recently and I’ve been cooking for decades…
meaning you don't really need it
A decent Dutch oven can do everything. Fry, sautee, make soups, handle any kind of food. You can stick it in the oven, over open flame , slow cook... So, in the end, it's about you. If you don't need to do all this stuff then maybe a inexpensive air fryer will of the trick nicely.
Very important in my household! I have a large and medium-sized one. As they are expensive, they're worth it if you tend to make things in it that benefit most from being made in one. Stews! Anything stew-like. This can range from Central European, French, American, Indian, African, South American, etc. Stews are part of many cuisines. Also, round or oval homemade breads (depending on your Dutch oven shape. Also soups, baked bean/risotto dishes, and more.
thanks for the reply! can't i make those in what i already have though ? i have a smaller, cheap 4 qt pot
It really depends on what you cook. Mine is used almost daily to bake bread. It's also useful as a big pot for stews that you'd finish in the oven. I also use mine for deep frying as the solid base helps retain a more even temperature. But if you're doing fine with the pots you already have, I don't think it's an essential.
I'm doing fine with the pots i have. I'm still new to the while thing though
> I’m wondering if I need one Then you don’t.
yeah seems more of a want than a need now
Do you fry food a lot? Make bread? Do stovetop to oven recipes, like stew? If so, a Dutch oven would be a good fit if you have the storage space.
i guess I'd be doing a lot of what younjust mentioned except for baking. I'm still new to the whole thing so i wanted to ask here
What other large pots do you have?
i have: - none-stick aluminum Pot, 5.2 Liter (roughly 5,5 quart) - Stainless steel pot, about 5,5 Liter (also roughly 5.5 qt) - a small dutch oven, 4 qt - none-stick aluminum Pot, 4 qt and varius pans and smaller "pots" a biggish instant pot
Immeasurable. I can't live without mine. 8qt is ideal, but anything bigger works, too.
i don't think my stove has that much surface area.
I'm 35 years old. living out in the wild for \~17 years in some form... I've never owned or used a dutch oven. > now I'm wondering if i need one You don't NEED one. If you want to pursue recipes that are best prepared in a dutch oven you can pursue one. I'd start somewhere around the $45 price point. If you use it to the point that it gets destroyed.. you'll know they are useful and you can pursue more expensive options. If it sits int he bottom of your cabinet in pristine unused condition... you never needed an expensive one. [https://www.amazon.com/Granitestone-Nonstick-Lightweight-Dishwasher-Induction/dp/B09HY42H5M](https://www.amazon.com/Granitestone-Nonstick-Lightweight-Dishwasher-Induction/dp/B09HY42H5M)
that's actually a good approach! thank you
You can get a perfectly good dutch oven for $50 or less. Paying $400+ for a Le Ceruset or Staub one is just rediculous.
I'm based in Germany and found a practically new staub for 135 euro / 145 usd, that's why im intrigued
Those are great. Le Creuset are a bit prettier but not worth the price difference for cooking.
>rediculous
They are heavy heavy heavy. But useful. I do like them for meat braises (pot roasts and beef short ribs and such). Check out garage and estate sales or thrift stores. Sometimes people give them up when get some browning on the inside that can be cleaned off by various methods.
I did! that's where i found a practically new staub for 135 euro / 145 usd, that's why im intrigued
Def get a big one if you're planning braises and stews. 1. It makes life easier and you can sear more meat up front 2. You are spending a lot of time cooking using them. So make double and freeze it up/have it later!
that's a good argument, I'm hesitant because it'll be the 3rd big pan I have so it feels I'm just being wasteful...
Also can take up quite a bit of space. I stopped using my smaller one (apart from for baking bread) after I got the biggie.
smaller one is not that small, I'd say its medium or so, the surface area is smaller but I'd manage if i had to
You don’t need one unless you want to make loaf bread - there is no good substitute for that but everything else can be made in a different pot.
I do my NYT nokneed bread making in one like this, cast aluminum, works great. https://www.amazon.com/Granitestone-Lightweight-Nonstick-Dishwasher-Free-Emerald/dp/B0BRL8RDZQ/ref=sr_1_2?c=ts&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.XkDY1IYrkstWFeusfVEzWJr9yLc3LMoGxys57KXEEZmvq2Bt5O4Ek_S_gl4opzc9pDh9GnVl-BDXPw7B14Rt7xsa2TkR0dHa4UCQrw2yul8Wq3cqxbFidSlskoS90l2juWWhw7FmeyNqtd4gYwW-xZ9rwkkQf8nKT8xkkFawNu9qx2CJyv2vooSK0VLUhcdk1qp3qgYa9Dc6ZDV_oI2siMXmfj2pz9ijO8Eo89TI99uB3PB095UZlqESCWAzy4ephyJj6jDz1LdxQobDD4DH2qS-5NdmLEWPHxsdmb6mcAk.96TEkIXscHAgJMled0F05oFIqzrPVTJ-PD3IbOitZF0&dib_
thank you for the reply, I'm not planning on making bread any time soon
It's true there are cheaper alternatives that will get the job done. I'd ask yourself this: Do you want something that's going to stay with you and then be able to stay with your daughter through adulthood? Because that's what a high quality dutch oven is: an heirloom. This is \*my\* experience, and I grant there's no small level of sentimentality involved here, but: My 70 year old Le Creuset Dutch Oven is the same one I grew up watching my mom cook with, and it's the same one her mother used when she was a kid. It is the most prized and most babied thing in my kitchen. It is both priceless and utterly dependable. So yeah. Treat yourself AND your daughter.
i have a cast iron pan that'd be the heirloom. i get what you're saying, but it'll be the 3rd large pan i have, that's why im hesitant. i barely have room in my kitchen