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At just under fifty bucks and with as many as ten color options, the Amazon Basics enameled cast iron Dutch oven is one of the most affordable options for this type of pot at the major e-retailer. But is it good enough to be worth your hard-earned money?
I bought one six months ago with the goal of finding out, and have been cooking with it ever since. And so far, it has stood up remarkably well to pretty much everything I’ve thrown at it.
The Specs
The Amazon Basics Dutch oven is a 4.3-quart (4-liter) enameled cast iron pot from Amazon Basics, the e-retailer’s low-priced, private-label brand. If you’re cooking for a large family, there’s also a 6-quart (5.7-liter) and 7.3-quart (6.9-liter) option.
You can buy this Dutch oven in ten colors, though not every color is available at any given time. It can safely go in the oven at temperatures up to 500°F (260°C) and will work with every kind of stovetop, including induction.
It’s made in China from cast iron that, based on measurements, is about ¼ of an inch (that’s 63.5 mm) thick with the enamel. It has two handles and a lid with a screw-on steel handle.
What’s Great About It
Let me start by saying that the Amazon Basics Dutch oven is absolutely gorgeous. I got the red version, which sits beautifully on my black kitchen countertops, and I’ve had it on display since the very moment I unboxed it.
Amazon has stayed true to the classic Dutch oven design one would expect to see from higher-end brands such as the iconic Le Creuset: the gradient enamel darkening towards the bottom, the cream-colored interior enamel, the concentric rings on the lid, the lid’s sheeny steel handle … this Dutch oven looks a lot more expensive than it is.
The Amazon Basics Dutch oven is heavy for its size, as an enameled cast iron pot should be, but it’s still light enough to be relatively easy to haul around the kitchen, even when it’s almost filled to the brim with food or cooking liquid.
The cast iron takes a good five minutes to heat up. But once hot, it distributes heat evenly and retains it for a long time, making it a cinch to do any type of cooking from baking bread to braising chicken to shallow- and deep-frying cutlets to stewing beef.
The vitreous porcelain enamel is resilient and has managed to stay intact even after six months of weekly cooking, which I can’t say about every Dutch oven I’ve tested (including some at higher price points).
What I Wish Was Different
The Amazon Basics Dutch oven’s handles are big, but there isn’t enough space between the handles themselves and the pot’s body. This makes it difficult to safely hold the pot when moving it between the cooktop and the oven, whether with mittens or a kitchen towel.
The sides slope considerably. I measured the diameter at 10 inches (25.4 cm), but the base measured just 7 inches (17.8 cm). So, you lose about 30% of the cooking surface to the slope, which doesn’t leave a lot of space for searing meats through direct contact.
This leads me to my last complaint about this Dutch oven: while the enamel is durable and resilient, it’s not as smooth as it could be. The bumps and lumps are clearly visible under the light of my range hood, and cleaning the browned food residue from them can take a lot of elbow grease.
Still, given the price, I see these as necessary trade-offs. The alternative is spending a fortune on a high-end Dutch oven made in France, which not every home cook reading this review can do.
Why Buy an Enameled Dutch Oven?
The enameled Dutch oven is a true kitchen workhorse.
With a heavy bottom and thick walls that hold heat and a tight-fitting lid to keep it in, the Dutch oven excels at tasks that necessitate steady temperatures, whether on the stovetop or in the oven.
It’s a highly versatile piece of cookware, perfect for baking, roasting, braising, browning, and frying foods in. A good Dutch oven in the home kitchen is like having a pot, casserole, deep fryer, and bread oven all combined into one.
Enameled cast iron Dutch ovens are better than bare cast iron ones because the enamel stops the iron from reacting with the elements. It doesn’t need seasoning, can be used for cooking acidic foods, and is considerably simpler to clean than bare cast iron alone.
But choose carefully: Not all enameled cast iron Dutch ovens live up to their manufacturers’ claims. The enamel may chip, the lid’s handle might break, and some designs, while unusual and seemingly innovative, can be downright impractical.
Read on below to see our score for the Amazon Basics Dutch oven.
Is the Amazon Basics Dutch Oven Worth the Money?
The Pros:
- Stunning looks in a variety of color choices
- Comes in three sizes if you’re cooking for a crowd
- Enamel that doesn’t easily chip or crack
The Cons:
- Uneven, sometimes hard to clean enamel
- The handles are too close to the sides
- Not a lot of cooking surface
The Bottom Line:
I give the Amazon Basics Dutch oven a score of 8/10. It has some shortcomings and it’s probably not the best Dutch oven you’ll ever own, but it’s not going to be the worst either.
In this price range, it doesn’t get any better than this for enameled Dutch ovens. If you’re looking for something that looks great and can last a really long time, put this one somewhere at the top of your wish list — a decent Dutch oven at a great price ideal for the budget-conscious home cook.
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