Lodge Essential Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven, 6 Quart, Island Spice Red

I bought this Dutch oven because I wanted to start making sourdough, and since I’d never owned one before, I didn’t want to spend a ton of money. I’m so glad I went with this one. It’s super sturdy, feels really well made, and has worked perfectly for every loaf I’ve baked so far. It’s also easy to clean, which I wasn’t expecting with something this heavy. The only thing I’d mention is that the color is a little more gray in person than it looked online, but I still really like it. For the price, I honestly don’t think you can beat it. It fits perfectly in my oven, and the quality is way better than I expected. I’d definitely buy it again, and I already know this is going to be one of my go-to gifts for friends or family who want to get into sourdough.

This is an easy product to like.! I have been a user and a fan of cast iron cookware for a long time. We used it 50 - 60 years ago while I was growing up and I continue to use it today. There are several good manufacturers of cast iron cookware on the market today. And there are even more if you consider the ones from the not-so-distant past.! But most of them were of the standard "black" or "grey" iron construction. It is only in the more recent past (say maybe the last ten or fifteen years..) that enameled porcelain has been used as a surface treatment for cast iron cookware. The advantages are many, but for me ease of maintenance and the ability to cook acid ingredients without damaging the pot or causing off-tastes in the food are what make me give these "new-fangled" cast iron pots a try. Lodge is one of the names that almost everyone has heard of (in the cast iron cookware business..). I am very happy to see that they have now decided to join the growing trend toward coated cast iron. The Lodge name on this pot was enough to make my decision for me. I have wondered about these pots for several years..... now I know the answer. I guess it doesn't matter too much which brand you choose, these coated pots are FAR better than the older style CI pots for cooking stews or soups or anything that contains tomatoes or other acid ingredients. For these tasks, these coated pots are perfect. I decided to make the purchase when I discovered that Lodge had seemingly broken through the price barrier and their pots were available at a much better price point than other brands (which I won't mention here..). I was pleased to see this addition to the Lodge line and jumped at the possibility to own one of these pots without raiding my 401K or seeing a banker for a loan.!! If you base your buying decision on performance alone, you will have a difficult decision. There are several brands available... all of which are top quality products. It is when you factor in VALUE that the Lodge line seems to rise to the top. This is a top quality product, beautifully made and finished, that cooks like pots that cost double or triple the amount. I made my decision based on value. I bought this pot because I wanted one... and I could justify the expense of THIS one. It does the job perfectly. It cooks just like you would expect a Lodge pot to cook. And it looks beautiful as well. The bottom line was price. Since I chose this Lodge pot, I can now afford to buy a second one of a different size.!! Yay.!! Give one of these a try. Top quality + Decent price = VALUE. Highly recommended. You cannot go wrong with this.

Excellent product. Bought on a whim but does not disappoint. Great quantity for a one pot meal for family meals. Holds steady heat. Cooks fast, cleans well and really lovely looking to have around the kitchen. Has become our go-to for weeknight soups/gravy dishes as well as rice etc.

Heavy! In a GOOD way. Beautiful, All things typically Lodge in great quality. Of course, cleans easily and fits on my Lodge stand as not only functional and practical, but also lovely.

I purchased the Lodge 6 qt. enameled dutch oven in Island Spice Red. I bought it to replace a cheaper enameled dutch oven that I had received as a gift and which had discolored almost immediately when used. So far this dutch oven has not discolored - and I have used it almost 2 dozen times to make things such as soup, stews, tomato sauce and several pot roasts. I let the pot cool down and then hand wash it in hot soapy water, using only a nylon scrub brush or synthetic scouring pad to remove any of the stubborn areas. So far it looks just as it did when I took it out of the box. I usually use only wooden utensils when cooking in it as I know metal could scratch the surface - and I am sure over time scratches would lead to discoloration. As for the size....the 6 qt. is perfect for my needs. I have done meals for 4 or 5 people and it has always been ample enough to handle the job. When I make pot roast I usually do a 4 lb roast and it handles that plus the carrots and onions and potatoes just fine. Cooking it at a long slow braise (275 for 4 hours or so) everything comes out perfectly. As for clean-up, when I cooked my first pot roast, I opened the lid and it was heavily coated with caramelized cooking juices and quite darkly stained. I thought this was going to be the beginning of a long, intense scrubbing and cleaning session that would result in discoloration of the inside of the lid. After letting it cool, and using just a nylon scrub brush with plenty of soap and very minimal effort, it was completely clean and like new! I had also read reviews that were negative regarding the way the lid was manufactured, thus producing a gap between the pot and the lid, allowing for excess evaporation - which would be a problem with long slow braising in the oven. Later reviews said that this seemed to be fixed in newer product and I was very happy to see that it was no longer an issue. The seal is secure between the pot and the lid. I would recommend taking care when using it, as with any enamel ware, and use only wooden or silicon utensils whenever possible. Also, as the insert recommended, remember to lift the pot and not drag it across oven racks and burners (this requires some muscle when the pot is full) - so as not to scratch it. It has already become an invaluable piece of cookware in my kitchen, and with the proper care I am hopeful that it will remain as such. As for the being made in China and concerns about lead...I did quite a bit of research regarding the lead in cookware coming out of China and feel confident that Lodge is closely monitoring its production to insure the safety of its cookware. While I do wish it was not made in China, it is one of the main reasons it is not well over $200 dollars like other top brands and is the main reason I could afford it. If I am ever able to find a Le Creuset outlet where I can buy just such an item at a reasonable cost I would definitely do so - but for now I am very happy with my purchase of the Lodge Dutch Oven.

I have been making soups in the pot all month on top of my induction oven with no problems. I thought it was a beautiful pot, but unfortunately there may be some flaws because I ran into a problem with mine the first time I used it in the oven. This should not happen !!! That said however the company is replacing the pot for me and that is why I've upped my review from a "1" star back up to "4" stars because LODGE is a very good company and I want to be fair to the company which is located in Tennessee. Here's the deal I bought the Pot on October 6th 2018 and used it for nearly 30 days mostly making soups on my induction top and it worked out nicely with no problems. But the first time I use it in the oven I made a roast at 300 degrees for 3 hours (the meal turned out just fine.) I then let the pot cool before I soaked it with dish soap in the kitchen sink. Almost immediately THE ENTIRE POT TURNED A DUSTY WHITE. It was indeed strange, so I cleaned the pot by hand and upon closer inspection I noticed THE CLEAR COAT HAS COMPLETELY BAKED OFF !! The pot looks like hell. I've washed it by hand since day one and the first time I put it in the oven it goes to crap. Now it's Nov. 11th and I'm "SIX" days outside of the Amazon return period !!! Great. No button to return this back to Amazon. So I called the Lodge company in Tennessee and talked with Ms. Reba in Customer Service. Explained the situation, after sending pictures of the pot to the company a couple of days later they informed me they strive for good customer service and they are replacing the pot. I can only hope the replacement holds up better than the first one. If it doesn't then I will look into another replacement brand like the Le Creuset, which would cost a whole lot more. I also bought a back up 6 Quart Dutch Oven from my local KHOL's store made by "Food Network" for less than $50, because I need it this weekend. It too is a beautiful blue pot made in China. I'm gong to try both pots before buying something more expensive. BOTTOM LINE: I would not be afraid to try the LODGE Dutch oven sold here on Amazon. It's reasonably priced and they company will back you up as long as you take care of the product. Just FYI: I own two other Lodge cast iron (Pre-seasoned) frying pans, with glass tops. Bot of those are black old fashion cast iron and they are 100% made in the USA. No problems with them what so ever. Both frying pans are available on Amazon and the glass lids from LODGE are also on Amazon. I recommend those highly. Therefore I've upped my review of this item back to FOUR STARS ****. Had the Red Dutch Oven been made in the USA like the other Lodge cast iron frying pans I'd give it five stars.

Beautiful pot I love it, cooks great easy too cook in. Really Easy to clean. Everything I cook in it comes out great. No mess. Rust resistance I don't know yet, I always keep mine clean and dry. Pretty pot.

Amending my previous review, Lodge was amazing to work with and is replacing my dutch oven. It's so nice to have good customer service, I'll be a Lodge customer for life! Technically I loved the function of this Dutch oven. It worked perfectly and was easy to clean. My issue is that I've had it for a few years, and I don't use it that often, and despite taking excellent care of it, never using metal utensils and making sure to use the bumpers for the lid, I have enamel flaking off everywhere. It's not safe to use anymore and I'm just so disappointed because it obviously cost a lot of money and was an investment piece for my kitchen. I plan on reaching out to Lodge to see if there's anything they can do.

Well made.

Got a little sketched out initially by people claiming their enamel was chipping but thankfully after getting mine I can chalk that up to people trying to get a refund for a pot they ruined. I've baked at 500, seared and simmered soup in this thing so far and it looks 100% as good as new. Super heavy and holds heat great. I do have criticisms - the bottom is a bit too rounded and shrinks the cooking area a bit too much for me - but the enamel isn't one of them and for $100, who cares? Don't use metal, buy a non-scratch sponge and use a plastic scraper for stubborn bits and this thing will give you a good life. Cannot reccomend enough for others like me who want a dutch oven that lasts but can't swing the $400 for LC. Also worth mentioning - for whatever reason the pot's colour gets way darker when it's hot. I don't know if that's intended but it always goes back to normal once it cools so I'm not stressed about it but be aware that's a thing that happens. Actually kinda handy so you know when it's dangerous to grab. Edit: A few months after writing this my pot sponatneously chipped while it was being preheated. I've been regularly baking bread in it requiring 500 degree temps for hours and was searing in it so I think it was thermal shock that did it. Contacted Lodge and they asked a few questions immediately offered to replace it - seems like as long as you don't admit to absolutely abusing the pot they're pretty happy to send you another one. I've had that one for about a year now and it's great. Again this is essentially a budget version of another product (LC) so I'm not expecting perfection and a lifetime of use, and the company offering to send me a new one at no charge is all I could really ask for. For stovetop use I still think this pot is absolutely 5 stars, but maybe avoid for bread baking unless that's the only thing you plan on using it for. I still use the old chipped one for baking and it's great for that. Overall a little disappointed at the lack of flexibility but in terms of value for price I'll still happily call this 5 stars.

I have a cheap stove, so it's not easily possible to stew things at lower temperature with regular pots. The heat dissipates too quickly, so it just stops simmering. Not with this pot: It has amazing heat retention, so it has become indispensable since I bought it. It is extremely heavy though, which is to be expected by such a large mass of cast iron. Maybe it can double as a makeshift bomb shelter in a pinch. I guess any dutch oven has to measure up to Le Creuset, which I don't personally have any experience with. However, I can see that the Le Creuset costs at least twice as much on Amazon. I doubt that it can be twice as good because this pot is damn near perfect. At 6 liters, it is a bit too big for two people, but that's hardly Lodge's fault. Only disadvantage to me is that the lid edges are kind of rough so they feel like unglazed terra cotta. That means that putting the lid on, taking it off, or moving it makes a scraping sound which I personally hate more than nails on a chalkboard. Fortunately, the lid is very heavy as well so it's not like you move it around too much. I'm kind of blindly rating its taste though. I have not tried eating it because I find cast iron too hard to chew, but I have to assume it's delicious.

Finally bought a big enamel dutch oven that's affordable, well made and very good looking! I put 3 whole chicken leg (about 300gm each), 4 thighs (about 600gm), 4 chicken wings (about 600gm), 2 onions, and 4 packets of brown shimeiji mushrooms into the 6-quart dutch oven and baked them in an oven. The meat turned out really well. They were soft and juicy and the whole family loved it. The next time I cook this dish, I will experiment with shorter baking time & lower temperature.

Very high quality cast iron