Cuisinart CI650-25BG Classic Enameled Iron Cookware, Cast, Provencal Blue

Product Information

The company is the only one we found that didn't mind cooks using coals on their pot lids, which replicates an oven-like environment outdoors. Even though this cast iron pot is dishwasher safe, I would recommend hand washing to avoid damaging the enamel.

Many people find it frustrating to scrub down a grill pan after use, and some are let down by the lack of smokey flavor. However, we were also diligent about oiling up the pan before cooking to prevent things from sticking too much.

May pan styles are available for cooking soups, sauces, casseroles, grills quiches, breads, and etc. A thicker enamel-coated cast iron braiser will keep foods hot much longer than a thinner stainless steel model. Our reviewer found great success with everything from frying eggs and browning chicken to slow, controlled simmering in her in-home tests. And while Le Creuset and Cuisinart both offer a Limited Lifetime Warranty, they do not claim to cover damage from normal wear and tear. The handles on the Le Creuset and the Cuisinart Dutch ovens are looped, which gives a better grip when carrying your Dutch oven.

While an increasing number of brands are producing enameled cast iron Dutch ovens, the pot's basic design has changed very little over the years. We found that a brush worked best to loosen up food trapped between the ridges, and it only took a few minutes of scrubbing to get the pan clean. The other contender in our Dutch oven battles is the Cuisinart Chef’s Classic Enameled Cast Iron Dutch oven.

This enamel layer means you don’t have to worry about seasoning your Dutch oven before its first use. However, our home tester found that the whole housing—including the temperature knob—got very hot with the burner turned to the highest and even medium-high settings, making it hard to use and a safety hazard, especially with kids around. Whether you need an extra electric burner for parties, buffets, or just because you do a lot of cooking, the Cuisinart Countertop Single Burner will come in handy in the kitchen, dining room, and at potlucks. The interior is also coated with porcelain enamel, which ensures the pan doesn’t absorb odors or flavors.

inch burner can hold pots and pans with a diameter of up to 9 inches, but the manual advises that pots significantly smaller than the burner may heat inefficiently. Removing melted plastic from a burner can be a stinky process, so you'll want to set up your portable burner outside before you start this process. We photographed the Dutch ovens with a thermal camera to see how heat spread around the pots, but we couldn't see much of a difference from brand to brand.A flat cooking surface—either in the form of a heavy cast-iron plate or smooth tempered glass—is easier to clean but adds cost. As we washed, cooked with, lifted, and examined the pots, we noticed which details made certain Dutch ovens more user-friendly and which frustrated us. You can boil water on any portable electric burner—the question is how much water do you want to boil, and how long will it take? At Le Creuset's factory in Fresnoy-le-Grand, about two hours north of Paris, 15 employees inspect every pot before it ships out.

If the Cuisinart isn't available, we also found the 5 1/2–quart Tramontinato be a very solid choice that's comparable in cost.While chipped enamel on the lid or rim of the pot won’t affect the cooking ability, it does diminish the beautiful appearance.