Are Cuisinart Dutch Ovens Any Good? An In-Depth Review

Are you shopping for a new Dutch oven and wondering if Cuisinart is a good brand?

In this Cuisinart Dutch oven review, you’ll learn everything you need to know to make an informed decision — materials, colors, sizes and shapes, performance, cost, and more.

I’ll share the pros and cons so you can get the complete picture.

I’ll wrap up by sharing what other reviewers think about Cuisinart Dutch ovens and answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

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Use the links below to navigate the review:

• Materials and Construction
• Design
• Colors
• Thickness and Weight
• Heat Retention
• Moisture Retention
• Sizes and Shapes
• Where It Is Made
• Price
• Downsides
• What Others Say About Cuisinart Dutch Ovens
• FAQs About Cuisinart Dutch Ovens
• Bottom Line: Are Cuisinart Dutch Ovens Worth Buying?

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Materials and Construction

Cuisinart makes Dutch ovens with stainless steel, aluminum, and hard-anodized aluminum. But in this review, I focus on their best-selling material: enameled cast iron.

Cuisinart doesn’t share manufacturing details for its Dutch ovens like Le Creuset and Staub. Both brands show the multi-step process, from melting pig iron to spraying enamel on the exterior.

However, Cuisinart confirms that the base of its Dutch oven is cast iron. It features a sprayed-on, glossy enamel coating on the interior and exterior of the cookware. The enamel also covers the knob on the lid.

Cuisinart Dutch ovens look and feel like Le Creuset and Staub, so they likely use similar materials and manufacturing processes. Unfortunately, they don’t disclose much detail about its construction.

Design

Cuisinart makes round and oval-shaped enameled cast iron Dutch ovens.

Like Le Creuset, Staub, Made In, and other popular cookware brands, Cuisinart offers a similar design — glossy exterior, loop-style handles, and hefty.

Let’s take a close look at the design of Cuisinart Dutch ovens.

Exterior

Aesthetically, Cuisinart looks most similar to Le Creuset. However, Cuisinart does not feature the two-tone gradient color palette that Le Creuset offers on many of its Dutch ovens.

With Cuisinart, you get a choice of red or blue. The exterior features a solid, even color with a striking glossy finish. It gives the cookware a more expensive look, even though it is much more affordable than the French brands.

As far as the shape of the Dutch oven, it has a conical body with straight, steep walls. And the bottom of the Dutch oven has a flat surface with a recessed logo in the center.

Interior

Cuisinart sprays the smooth interior with glossy enamel, just like the exterior.

The Dutch oven’s off-white color in the interior makes it easy to see the progress of your food and monitor fond development when searing or browning meats or vegetables.

The downside of the light-colored interior is that it will show stains and discoloration. Staub is a good alternative if you prefer a darker interior to hide those stains.

That said, removing stains and restoring the interior is easy. Follow the steps in this guide to cleaning enameled cookware.

The lip of the pot and the interior rim of the lid are exposed cast iron, which is typical. An enameled rim would chip from the lid going on and off. The enamel covers every other part of the Dutch oven: interior, exterior, handles, lid (besides the rim), and lid knob.

Lid

The lid is domed. For comparison, most Staub Dutch oven lids lay flat.

The standout design feature of this Dutch oven is the lid knob. Cuisinart lid knobs are enameled cast iron and the same color as the dutch oven.

Since the lids are the same material, the entire Dutch oven is oven-safe up to 500°F.

This is significant because other brands use a variety of lid knobs, from stainless steel to phenolic plastic. Therefore, knobs do not always match the cookware’s oven-safe maximum temperature.

For example, Le Creuset’s classic black phenolic knob is oven-safe up to 390°F, but the enameled cast iron cookware is safe up to 500°F.

Handles

The loop-style handles are squared and narrow. They do not offer much space between the side of the Dutch oven and the inner rim of the handle, making them difficult to grip with an oven mitt.

They are also smaller than Le Creuset’s handles, which are rounded.

Colors

Cuisinart enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are only available in two colors on the brand website: red or blue. However, other sites like HomeGoods and Target offer different colors like cream and a gray two-tone option.

Keep in mind these different offerings may be seasonal and subject to change at any time.

Check out Le Creuset or Staub if you want a specific color to match your decor or sense of style.

Le Creuset offers over 20 colors. Some colors are solid, and others feature gradient-style dark and light tones. Staub offers over a dozen colors with a choice of solid and two-tone colors.

Thickness and Weight

Although Cuisinart doesn’t provide details about its manufacturing process, one thing is for sure: these Dutch ovens are hefty. The walls are thick, and the pot is extremely heavy.

You can see the difference between Cuisinart and Le Creuset’s thickness below.

As a result of its thick walls, Cuisinart Dutch ovens are heavier than many other brands. For example, the Cuisinart 5-quart Dutch oven weighs 12.5 pounds.

For comparison, the Le Creuset 5.5-quart Dutch oven weighs 11.5 pounds despite having more capacity.

Heat Retention

Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are known for their heat retention. They take a while to heat up, but, once hot, they maintain their temperature.

They’re the perfect vessel for braising, stewing, browning, and searing. When you add ingredients, the heat remains steady and doesn’t fluctuate.

So how well does Cuisinart retain heat? To find out, I conducted a simple test. I poured 32 ounces of cold water into the Dutch oven, placed it on the stove, and turned the heat to high.

After the water began boiling, I removed the Dutch oven from the heat and set it aside.

After 10 minutes, the water in the Cuisinart Dutch oven was 128°F.

After another 10 minutes (20 minutes total), the water was 107°F.

I repeated this test with Cuisianrt’s top competitors, and below are the results. As you can see, Cuisinart performed better than Lodge, Le Creuset, and Great Jones but not as well as Staub and Tramontina.

Dutch Oven	Water Temperature (10 minutes)	Water Temperature (20 minutes)
Staub	136.2°F	111.3°F
Cuisinart	128.4°F	107.2°F
Lodge	130.8°F	105.6°F
Le Creuset	129.4°F	103.5°F
Tramontina	134.1°F	108.8°F
Great Jones	128.6°F	102.3°F

Moisture Retention

Another factor to consider before buying a Cuisinart Dutch oven is moisture retention.

Dutch ovens have heavy tight-fitting lids that lock in and redistribute moisture over the food. This self-basting process leads to more juicy and flavorful meals.

But some Dutch ovens retain moisture better than others. To see how Cuisinart stacks up, I conducted another test. Here’s what I did:

• I poured exactly 32 ounces of water into the Dutch oven.
• After securing the lid, I placed the pot on the stove with the heat set to high.
• Immediately after the water started boiling, I turned the heat to medium and simmered it for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, I turned the heat off and let the Dutch oven rest on the stove for another 30 minutes.
• Finally, I poured the water into a measuring cup to see how much liquid the Cuisinart Dutch oven retained.

The good news is that it retained 29.5 ounces, which means only 2.5 ounces escaped.

I repeated the test with a Le Creuset Dutch oven to get a benchmark. Le Creuset retained 31 ounces, about 5% more.

Although Cuisinart allowed more steam to escape, both brands retained moisture incredibly well.

This difference could only make a meaningful impact if you’re simmering sauce or braising meat for hours. Even then, evaporation can be good as it helps concentrate flavor.

Sizes and Shapes

Cuisinart keeps it simple. You can choose a round or oval Dutch oven. The round oven features three sizes: 3-quart, 5-quart, and 7-quart. The oval one is available in 5.5 quarts and 7 quarts.

If you want more variety, consider a brand like Le Creuset. Their Dutch ovens range in size from 1.5 quarts to 13 quarts.

Where It Is Made

Cuisinart Dutch ovens are made in China.

The brand doesn’t reveal details about its manufacturing process or quality control standards, like Le Creuset and Staub, which manufacture in-house in France.

Price

One of the most attractive features of Cuisinart Dutch ovens is the price. They are some of the most affordable enameled cast iron Dutch ovens around.

For perspective, you can purchase a Cuisinart Dutch oven for less than half the price of a Le Creuset Dutch oven of similar size and shape.

To see current Cuisinart prices, refer to the following chart. I’ve also included the costs of similar Dutch ovens from other brands for comparison.

Click the prices to view more details on Amazon.

Downsides

Here are the main downsides of Cuisinart Dutch ovens to consider.

Enamel Chips — One of the most common complaints is that the enamel chips easily. There are even reports that show Dutch ovens that arrived damaged. While chipped enamel does not hinder the cookware’s performance, it is unsightly and can lead to rusting and more chipping.

Interior Stains — The off-white interior is prone to stains, which is expected with any light-colored surface. Some brands (Like Staub) feature dark or black interiors to hide stains.

Narrow Handles — The narrow side handles make it difficult to grab, especially when wearing a bulky oven mitt or using potholders. Considering the weight of these pots, small handles can be a safety hazard when they’re full of hot food.

Limited Options — Cuisinart Dutch ovens come in two shapes (round or oval), a handful of sizes (3-qt., 5-qt., 5.5-qt, and 7-qt.), and two primary colors (blue or red). You’ll need to look elsewhere if you are looking for a specific color or size.

Quality Control — Many Cuisinart owners complain about quality issues like an uneven bottom and rough spots or bubbling in the enamel. Some reviews note chipped enamel straight out of the box before use. The Dutch oven I bought for this review has noticeable bubbling and inconsistencies in the finish. Although this doesn’t significantly impact performance, it indicates poor quality control.

Made in China — Cuisinart manufactures its Dutch ovens in China. The company doesn’t share the details of how the cookware is made, but there are known quality issues, such as chipped enamel.

What Others Say About Cuisinart Dutch Ovens

Cuisinart Dutch ovens are popular among home chefs because they are so affordable. But what do top review outlets and product testers think?

Here’s what others are saying about Cuisinart Dutch ovens.

Wirecutter (owned by the New York Times) reviewed the best Dutch ovens, and Cuisinart’s Chef’s Classic 7-Quart Round Dutch Oven was an honorable mention. Testers loved the large cooking surface and claimed it produced the best stew in kitchen tests. However, the pot is heavy, and the small handles make it difficult to grasp when you add food.

Serious Eats tested 19 Dutch ovens and picked the Cuisinart 5-Quart Chef’s Classic Round Dutch Oven as the best budget-friendly pick. It scored high in cooking tests, holding its own against higher-priced French brands, but the testers took note of consumer complaints about chipped or cracked enamel.

According to Gear Patrol, the Cuisinart 5.5-Quart Round Dutch Oven is one of the best Dutch ovens you can buy. Reviewers liked the color options and called the design simple yet elegant. The Dutch oven was called comparable to Lodge (Gear Patrol’s top choice) except for the narrow handles that make it difficult to lift when the pot is full.

NBC News Select calls the Cuisinart 5-Quart Chef’s Classic Round Dutch Oven one of the best Dutch ovens. Citing its high rating on Amazon, reviewers called it a popular choice for affordable enameled cast iron Dutch ovens. They also liked its heat retention, sleek look, and dishwasher-safe design.

The Cuisinart 5-Quart Chef’s Classic Round Dutch Oven was the best overall in a list of the best Dutch ovens by People Magazine. Reviewers noted it had good heft, cooked evenly, and passed all cooking tests with high marks. They even hit the Dutch oven with a metal spoon to test its durability and were impressed that it held up well, only revealing a slight chip on the lid.

FAQs About Cuisinart Dutch Ovens

Here are answers to the most frequently asked questions about Cuisinart Dutch ovens.

Bottom Line: Are Cuisinart Dutch Ovens Worth Buying?

Now that you know all about Cuisinart Dutch ovens’ design, construction, and performance, it’s time to decide if it’s the right brand for your kitchen.

Before I give my recommendation, let’s quickly recap the pros and cons.

On the positive side:

• They have a glossy, attractive finish and look similar to much more expensive brands.
• The walls are thick, and the construction is solid.
• They retain heat better than Lodge, Le Creuset, and Great Jones.
• They retain moisture nearly as well as Le Creuset.
• The pots and lids are oven-safe up to 500°F.
• It’s one of the most affordable Dutch Oven brands.

On the negative side:

• The enamel is prone to chipping.
• Interior stains are highly visible.
• The handles are narrow and difficult to grip with pot holders.
• Sizes are limited to 3, 5, 5.5, and 7 quarts.
• Colors are limited to red, blue, cream, and gray.
• Inconsistencies and bubbling in the finish are a sign of poor quality control.
• It’s made in China with no public information about the manufacturing process.

So, should you buy a Cuisinart Dutch oven?

If you’re not ready to splurge on a high-end brand and don’t need a specific size or color, a Cuisinart enameled dutch oven is a good option. I recently named it one of the best Le Creuset alternatives (although my top pick is the Made In Dutch oven).

However, its sizes and colors are limited, and its longevity is questionable. That said, you could buy a second Cuisinart Dutch oven and still pay less than one from a higher-end brand.

To read more reviews and see the current prices, check out Cuisinart Dutch ovens on Amazon and Cuisinart.com.