PRACTICAL PLATE

A quick note on my recommendations: These are the tools I recommend based on years of trying various options and settling on what actually performs, what doesn’t, and what performs but isn’t worth the price. Some of the items I have and love, I’ve used so long that the exact model is no longer available. For those, I’ll link a good current example and explain what to look for when making your purchase decision. For many others, this is the exact tool I own and use — and I’ll always let you know which is which.

A heads-up: these are affiliate links, so if you buy through one I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

A Dutch oven isn’t an absolute must-have. You can cook everything on this site without one, and if you have limited grip or wrist strength, a full enameled cast iron Dutch oven is weighty. But the good news is they’re not all cast iron — you can absolutely find a stainless steel option that’s lighter in weight and better suited to you.

The reason I recommend Dutch ovens is that the versatility is unmatched. One pot that sears, braises, simmers, bakes, and goes from stovetop to oven — it does the job of several pieces of cookware, and the heat retention gives you a deep sear and a low, even braise that’s hard to beat. The thick bottom of cast iron Dutch ovens adds to the even cooking surface. I get less burn but more browning using a thick-bottomed pan. But it doesn’t have to be cast iron. Stainless steel Dutch ovens also perform exceedingly well, as long as you stick to the mantra that it needs a thick bottom.

For the kind of cooking we do here — stews, braises, big batches — it’s one of the most useful things in the kitchen. So here’s how to choose the best Dutch oven for your kitchen.

Best Dutch Oven By Size — How to Match It to How You Cook

• A 5–6 quart is the do-everything standard and the right pick for most households; it handles dinner for a family of four, a braise, a batch of chili, and it’ll cook your bone broth.
• A smaller 3–4 quart suits cooking for one or two — still great for a smaller batch of bone broth, and noticeably lighter to lift if weight is a concern.
• A larger 7–8 quart is great for big-batch cooks: whole chickens, double batches of stew, feeding a crowd, making enough stock for the fridge with extra to freeze for later.

If you cook the way I do — big batches, plenty of leftovers — sizing up rarely goes to waste. But you can definitely opt for a smaller version if it’s just you, a small family, or if the weight of a large full pot is more than you want to manage.

I have a 6-quart, there are only two of us, and it’s perfect for how I cook (lots of leftovers). There’s plenty of headroom, so there’s less splashing, things don’t boil over, and I don’t get spillage inside the oven.

Best Dutch Oven by Material — Where Budget and Weight Come In

Enameled Cast Iron — the one I actually use

Beautiful heat retention, needs no seasoning, cleans up easily, naturally non-stick without forever chemicals. It’s the priciest and heaviest, but the premium versions last decades and often get handed down generation to generation. And although I say they’re the priciest, they’re far more affordable than the premium designer brands people tend to picture — while performing every bit as well.

I own two Mueller DuraCast Dutch ovens and make my beef stew in them — you get exactly the deep sear and even braise a Dutch oven should deliver. It’s PFOA-free, oven-safe to 500°F, works on any cooktop including induction, and comes in 4.5, 5.5, 6, and 7.5 quart (and a range of colors), so you can match it to your household.

FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

One more note about the Mueller: it’s also a favorite among sourdough bakers. That’s not my schtick, but it’s worth mentioning if you’re into baking sourdough bread (yum!).

Bare Cast Iron — the budget, rugged route

I’ve cooked in bare cast iron for years, so I know the trade-offs and drawbacks well — I know my personal preference, and it’s why I went with enameled when picking a Dutch oven. But that doesn’t mean bare cast iron isn’t a good choice. It’s an excellent choice.

If I were buying new, this is what I’d look for: pre-seasoned so it’s ready to use, heavy-duty, and roomy enough for big batches. The Amazon Basics Pre-Seasoned Cast Iron Dutch Oven is a good example — a 7-quart that checks those boxes.

Just know bare cast iron needs real care: no dishwasher, no long soaks, and dry and oil it after washing or it’ll rust. If you don’t mind the upkeep, it’s a lot of pot for the money and, properly maintained, it lasts generations.

Bare cast iron also has one trick the others don’t: it’s truly rugged. You can cook with it over an open flame or nestle it right down into hot coals — think campfires, fire pits, and outdoor cooking. If you want one pot that can go from your stovetop to the great outdoors, this is it.

(This is a bare cast iron perk only — enameled cast iron is perfectly happy on a gas stovetop, but it shouldn’t be set directly in campfire coals or an open fire, which can damage the enamel.)

FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

Stainless Steel — the lightweight route

If the weight of cast iron is your dealbreaker, stainless is the answer, and I’ve used stainless pots like this for years.

If I were buying one today, here’s what I’d want — and the Cooks Standard Professional Stainless Steel Stock Pot is a solid example of it: a metal lid (not glass) so it’s oven-safe, which many stock pots aren’t; a thick bottom for even heating, which is key; and induction compatibility.

Even if you don’t have induction now, it’s still a great feature. My stovetop isn’t induction, but I was gifted a single-burner induction cooktop and it’s my FAVORITE way to cook outdoors — now I’m thankful to have pots and pans that are compatible.

Cooks Standard stainless steel pots run from 6 quart up to 30 (just remember, the bigger the pot, the heavier it gets). Six quart is a good size for batch cooking. Going up in size might make sense if you’re cooking for a large family or want to use these for water bath canning.

The honest trade-off with stainless: it won’t retain heat or sear quite like cast iron, but it still sears and braises well, weighs a lot less, and is easier to maintain than cast iron.

FTC Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.

When You Might Not Need a Dutch Oven

If you already lean on a slow cooker or Instant Pot for your braises and stews — like a lot of our recipes do — you may not need a Dutch oven at all, or you can get by with a smaller one for searing.

They’re great tools. But if you don’t have (or don’t want) an Instant Pot, slow cooker, and stock pot, a Dutch oven is an all-in-one tool that will do all three jobs. And it does those jobs exceedingly well.