Our top picks for truly non-toxic dutch ovens from brands that do not use forever chemicals.
I’ve used my Dutch oven for baking bread, making pie, and to cook and steam stew and dumplings, among other things. This versatile pot is a must for most kitchens, but only if it’s PFAS-free.
Here are some other things to consider when choosing a Dutch oven:
Material:
- Cast iron (my go-to!):
- Durable
- Non-toxic
- Oven-friendly
- Great at retaining heat
- Non-stick when properly seasoned
- Sometime have a skillet lid that makes them even more versatile!
- Enameled or ceramic-coated cast iron:
- Easy to use
- Typically non-toxic
- Non-stick (at least for a while)
- Great for heat retention
- Good for more acidic or salty dishes (non-reactive)
- Nice to look at (lots of color options!)
- Not as durable as plain old cast iron (the coating cracks over time)
- Stainless steel:
- Non-toxic
- Lighter than cast iron
- Durable
- Oven-safe
- Not quite as non-stick
- Can react to more acidic foods
- May warp if not well made
- Pure ceramic:
- Typically non-toxic
- Usually non-stick (at least at first)
- Somewhat durable
- Not compatible with induction stovetops
- Prone to cracks, especially with thermal shock
- Ceramic-coated aluminum:
- Lightweight
- Non-stick (at first)
- More affordable
- More likely to warp and crack
- Less heat retention
- Not suitable for induction stovetops.
Size
| Size | Best for |
| 3.5 quart | Single folks or smaller dishes |
| 5 qt. | Small family meals or side dishes, with some leftovers |
| 6 qt.-plus | Bigger families, baking bread, larger cuts of meat, and batch cooking |
Other considerations
Some Dutch ovens have special lids with raised bumps that help collect steam and drip it back into the dish. This helps to maintain even moisture, which is great if you typically use your Dutch oven for braising meat.
My Lodge cast iron Dutch oven has a skillet lid with side handles but no top handle. This smart design lets me fry and cook a wide range of meals, and we also use the skillet for cornbread, biscuits, and other baked goods. It’s sometimes called a ‘Double Dutch’ design and can be a little tricky to find. In my opinion, though, it’s well worth it.
Dutch ovens are usually round, but you can get oval ovens that are a better fit for some meals. If oven space is tight, you might also prefer an oval Dutch oven as you can often slide other cookware in beside it without losing any cooking volume.
The downside of an oval Dutch oven is that it may not fit well on stovetop burners, unless you have a smoothtop with extendable cooking areas.
Baking a sourdough loaf, galeite, or something else you want to lift carefully out of your Dutch oven? Need to make clean-up even easier, especially when camp-cooking?
Lodge offers handy Dutch oven parchment paper liners! Check them out on Ace Hardware.
Why use a Dutch oven anyway?
A good quality Dutch oven is the workhorse of many a kitchen, mine included. You can sear, sauté, braise, stew, and steam with a well-made Dutch oven.
The main differences between a big old pot with a lid and a Dutch oven are the heat retention and lid seal you get with a Dutch oven, and the ability to transfer dishes from stovetop to oven. These pots usually have heft, and if you get a good one and treat it right, a Dutch oven can become a family heirloom you pass down to your children or grandchildren.
Watch out, though, for Dutch ovens made with PFAS. These non-stick pots have a PTFE coating that makes them much less durable, unsuitable for high oven temperatures and high heat on the stovetop, and a toxic nightmare from manufacture through to disposal.
Below, you’ll find our top picks for Dutch ovens, ranging in size from 3.2 quarts to 9 quarts, and with a variety of designs.
Our top picks
Alva Nori 6 Qt. Oval Dutch Oven
Highlights: Gorgeous enameled cast iron Dutch oven made with recycled materials and a non-toxic, non-stick enamel coating.
- Made in France by top-notch forgers
- Looks fantastic
- Quality construction with brass knob on lid
- Three thick coatings of non-toxic enamel
- Company is transparent about testing and materials
- Made using recycled metals by a sustainably minded company
- Enamel will chip and crack over time, though surface beneath is non-toxic
- Very heavy!
- Only one color available
- Much more expensive than Lodge’s pure cast iron option
Alva’s Nori collection is a top choice for non-stick, non-toxic cookware. The collection boasts two Dutch ovens: this 5 Qt. Round Dutch Oven and a 6 Qt. Oval Dutch Oven.
Both options are fantastic, but I’ve given the round pot a higher standing because it works best for most folks’ stovetops with round burners.
This Dutch oven looks the part in any modern or traditional kitchen and is easy to use, clean, and maintain.
The round lid also boasts raised bumps in a swirl pattern to help redistribute steam and keep food basted while cooking.
The biggest downsides to this Dutch oven are the weight (a colossal 17.4 lbs.!) and price. At nearly $300, this beauty is almost four times the price of the more durable Lodge Double Dutch Oven.
Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven 5 Qt.
Highlights: Incredibly affordable cast iron Dutch oven and skillet in one! Made in the US. Durable, non-toxic, and pre-seasoned to be non-stick.
- Two in one – skillet and Dutch oven
- Solid cast iron
- Suitable for all cooktops and campfires
- Well fitted lid
- Made in the US
- Super affordable!
- Non-stick when seasoning is maintained
- Excellent size for most uses
- Easy to use handles
- Excellent heat retention
- Pre-seasoned and easy to maintain seasoning
- Durable, heirloom quality construction
- Heavy
- No top handle can make it tricky to hold and lift lid
The Lodge Cast Iron Double Dutch Oven is my favorite piece of cookware. I’ve had mine for nearly 15 years and it is my go-to for almost all cooking and for baking beautiful bread.
I love its heft and heat retention, its versatility and durability. It also looks great and turns out delicious meals time after time.
The Dutch oven is made in the US and comes pre-seasoned with vegetable oil. I’m fairly fastidious about how I clean and maintain my cookware, but this Dutch oven has survived many a friend or family member unfamiliar with cast iron. It’s also proven very forgiving even if you leave more acidic leftovers or, gasp, soapy water sitting in the pot for a while.
The dual skillet and Dutch oven design is super smart. I can cook up a stew, chili, or soup in the pot and then quickly whip up cornbread or biscuits in the skillet to bake in the oven. The slightly rounded skillet sides are also nice for easily turning out more shapely cornbread and other delights, where a steeper sided skillet can make things harder to lift.
The only downsides to this Dutch oven are its weight and the lack of top handle. Obviously, having a top handle would mean the lid wasn’t usable as a skillet. Still, it does make it a little trickier to remove the lid. The easiest solution is to spin the lid slightly, so the skillet handles and pot handles aren’t aligned, then you can lift the skillet lid more easily.
As for the weight, this model is actually a lot lighter than many enameled Dutch ovens. The 5 Qt. model weighs in at 12.4 lbs., which is 5 lbs. lighter than the Alva Nori Dutch Oven of the same capacity!
Lodge cast iron always offers a quality, smooth surface that is genuinely non-stick. And because there’s no enamel or ceramic coating that can chip, this Dutch oven should last many lifetimes.
Compared to other Dutch ovens, the Lodge 5 Qt. Double Dutch Oven is an absolute bargain. At around $76 typically (and on a phenomenal sale for just $49 currently at Amazon!), this double-duty delight is around a third of the price of most other options on our list.
Lodge Logic Cast Iron Dutch Oven 9 qt.
- Hearth ready solid cast iron
- Suitable for all cooktops and campfires
- Well fitted lid with basting dimples
- Made in the US
- Super affordable!
- Non-stick when seasoning is maintained
- Large size for batch cooking and bigger families
- Excellent heat retention
- Pre-seasoned and easy to maintain seasoning
- Durable, heirloom quality construction
- Heavy!
If you need a cast iron Dutch oven to go from over the hearth to stovetop to campfire to oven, this 9 qt. Lodge Dutch Oven is just the ticket. Complete with wire bail handles, this robust pot is where it’s at if you want to make soup over an open fire.
As you’d expect, the Dutch oven is well designed and seriously durable, meaning you can pass this down to your soup-making successors.
The 9 qt. volume makes batch cooking a breeze. The only downside/bonus being the weightlifting you’ll need to do to move this pot around. At 19.57 lbs., lifting this when full is akin to lifting a large toddler, albeit less squirmy.
As with other Lodge items, this one is traditionally made in the US and is super affordable, with a price typically under $150. That’s a lot of Dutch oven for very little money.
Made In 5.5 Qt. Dutch Oven
Highlights: Gorgeous Dutch Oven available in several colors, with glossy non-stick enamel coating.
- Impressive capacity
- Beautiful design and color options
- Non-toxic enameled cast iron
- Easier to see fond (and food in general) with light interior color
- Weighs less and costs less than Alva’s Nori Dutch Oven
- Company is now more transparent about its testing and cookware
- Expensive
- Enamel will chip eventually
Made In recently launched its Enameled Cast Iron Collection and the first piece, this 5.5 Qt. Dutch Oven, is a beauty.
This new collection is made in France by traditional craftsmen, using cast iron and quality enamel coatings. The Dutch Oven offers the fantastic heat retention of cast iron with the ease of non-stick enamel.
I appreciate the lighter interior color of this Dutch oven as it makes it much easier to see fond developing. The trouble with cast iron is that the dark interior can make it hard to keep an eye on how food is cooking.
Made In also designed its Dutch oven lid with care, incorporating pea-sized dimples to allow moisture to collect and drop back down onto food.
I haven’t yet had a chance to try out the Made In Dutch Oven but I am hearing great things about this new collection and am excited to try it out!
The downsides to this one are the price tag and the risk of chipping that lovely enamel. Made In’s Dutch Oven is actually a little more affordable than Alva’s Nori model though, and you get more color options.
Lancaster Cast Iron 5 Quart Dutch Oven
Highlights: Beautiful, made in America, cast iron Dutch oven with genuinely non-stick seasoning right out of the box.
- Solid cast iron
- Suitable for all cooktops and campfires
- Well fitted, heavy lid to keep steam in
- Made in the US
- Non-stick right out of the box
- Lancaster skillet fits on top, beneath the lid
- Durable, heirloom quality construction
- Self-basting lid
- Very expensive
- Lid doesn’t function as a skillet itself
- Slightly heavier overall than Lodge 5 qt. Double Dutch
Lancaster’s cast iron Dutch oven is an heirloom quality piece that is non-stick out of the box, thanks to careful factory applications of grapeseed oil. For me, this is the main advantage of the Lancaster over the Lodge, because while the latter arrives with factory seasoning, it needs a few uses before the pan is genuinely non-stick.
For folks new to cast iron cooking, this slower process can be off-putting.
So, if money is no object, the Lancaster Dutch Oven is a nice gift for anyone you’re trying to win over to cast iron.
The Lancaster Dutch oven comes with a No. 8 lid with a solid brass knob and self-basting design. The lid (which weighs 5 lb.) also fits over the Lancaster No. 8 skillet, which means you can layer your cast iron kit to steam and braise all in one.
You can also buy the lid separately if you just want to turn your Lancaster skillet into a mini Dutch oven.
Lancaster’s cast iron is made in the US and is beautifully designed and a treat to cook with. The company boasts about how light this Dutch oven feels, but it’s actually a little heavier than the Lodge 5 qt. Dutch oven with skillet handle (13 lb. vs. 12.4 lb.).
All in all, the Lodge gets my vote because of the double use and price point. Costing almost a tenth of the price of the Lancaster when on sale, the Lodge is just as robustly made in the US and is actually lighter and more versatile.
Lodge Skillet Dutch Oven 3.2 Qt.
Highlights: Affordable, versatile, smaller cast iron Dutch oven and skillet with long handle. Made in the US. Durable, non-toxic, and pre-seasoned to be non-stick.
- Two in one – fry pan/skillet and Dutch oven
- Solid cast iron
- Suitable for all cooktops and great for campfires
- Well fitted lid
- Made in the US
- Affordable
- Non-stick when seasoning is maintained
- Convenient longer handle
- Excellent heat retention
- Pre-seasoned and easy to maintain seasoning
- Durable, heirloom quality construction
- Heavy (in part because of the longer handle)
- Smaller size best for singles or side dishes
- Lid/skillet is fairly shallow
If you’re looking for a smaller Dutch oven that works for side dishes, smaller portions, or just for baking loaves, the Lodge 3.2 qt. Dutch Oven with skillet lid is a fantastic choice.
This design has a long handle that can be a bit more ergonomic for most folks compared to the loop handles. The long handle also makes it a nice choice for campfires and other outdoor cooking.
The downside of the long handle is that the overall weight of this Dutch oven is 12.9 lbs., which is actually heavier than the larger capacity Dutch oven with smaller loop handles.
Given, you know, physics and fulcrums, the longer handle smaller skillet is easier to maneuver, however. (When was the last time you read the word ‘fulcrum’ in a cookware review?!)
Alva Nori 6 Qt. Oval Dutch Oven
Highlights: Lovely 6 qt. enameled cast iron Dutch oven in a convenient oval shape. Made with recycled materials by a sustainably minded company.
- Made in France by top-notch forgers
- Looks fantastic
- Larger 6 qt. capacity
- Oval shape can help squeeze more into the oven
- Quality construction with brass knob on lid
- Three thick coatings of non-toxic enamel
- Company is transparent about testing and materials
- Made using recycled metals by a sustainably minded company
- Enamel will chip and crack over time, though surface beneath is non-toxic
- Doesn’t fit shape of most stovetop burners
- Very heavy!
- Only one color available
- Much more expensive than Lodge’s pure cast iron option
Just like the Nori Round Dutch Oven, the Oval Dutch Oven from Alva is gorgeous and sustainably made. It features the same thick coatings of enamel and the same brass knob aesthetic, just in a different shape and slightly bigger (6 qt. vs. 5 qt.).
If you’re keen to cook big roasts and to pack more into your oven, this oval design is a top choice.
Again, though, this Dutch oven is very heavy and quite costly. It weighs in at 18 lbs. and costs more than $300. There’s also only one color option.
We are fans of Alva for its transparency and overall sustainability, however. And every Alva piece I’ve tested has been well made and smartly designed.
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Highlights: The classic enameled cast iron Dutch oven, available in gorgeous colors and very well made. With a few major downsides though!
- Classic aesthetic
- Great fitting lid
- Wider, with larger capacity at 6.75 quarts
- Reputation for durability and quality
- 12 color options
- White inner coating shows fond well
- Made by traditional craftsmen in France
- Dishwasher safe (unlike pure cast iron)
- Very expensive
- Le Creuset isn’t transparent about materials and coatings
- Enamel can crack with thermal shock
- Need to use wooden, silicone, or plastic kitchen utensils to avoid scratching enamel
- Enamel can crack or scratch
- Phenolic-resin knob
Le Creuset’s Signature collection enameled cast-iron Dutch oven is a timeless cookware classic with an immediately recognizable look. It marries the functionality of cast iron for heat retention and even heating with the non-stick, colorful coating this brand is known for.
This signature Dutch oven offers a wide, round design with 6.75 qt. capacity and a self-basting lid. The lighter interior is excellent for monitoring fond development to ensure good flavor without food burning or sticking. And if food does stick, this enameled cast iron is dishwasher safe. I’d still wash it carefully by hand though, so as to extend its lifespan.
The main downsides of Le Creuset’s Dutch oven are:
- Price – much higher than similar items from less well-known brands
- Lack of transparency over coatings – Le Creuset doesn’t release third-party testing data. There may well be traces of heavy metals such as cadmium in those lovely colors
- The phenolic-resin (essentially Bakelite) knob – Unlike the metal knobs on Alva and Made In Dutch ovens, this plastic knob is only oven-safe to 500 F and isn’t eco-friendly
- Potential for cracking of the enamel due to thermal shock or bangs, bumps, and scratches.
All in all, I wouldn’t recommend anyone spend hundreds of dollars on a Le Creuset Dutch oven when there are other fantastic (and more affordable) options available from companies that are much more transparent and concerned about heavy metals.