Lodge 7.5 Quart Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Lid – Dual Handles – Oven Safe up to 500° F or on Stovetop - Use to Marinate, Cook, Bake, Refrigerate and Serve – Island Spice Red

Ok first I must disclosed that I purchased this for my husband with the goal of getting him to cook more often. That said, we totally love this Dutch Oven. I provided the Dutch Oven, a recipe subscription, and showered him with praise, but the jokes is now on me. In this magical pot he has produced restaurant quality meals repeatedly and he love it. As far as the pot, it large enough to make meals and leftovers, it’s easy to clean, and looks great even when it’s just sitting it the cabinet and now I know what it’s like to have a wife.

Time will tell the durability, but the heat distribution after first use, weight, smart shape and visible quality are great. Nice product for pricing

I own a Staub dutch oven and love it. My brother asked for a dutch oven for Christmas. Since he didn't tell me what size or color he needed, I searched the internet for reviews on various dutch ovens. I found a wonderful review of a Lodge vs LC using a tried and true beef stew recipe. The results, the Lodge gave just as good a performance as the LC in all the various steps for making the stew - browning, sauteing the veggies, stove top heating and oven cooking. So, I bought my brother a Lodge - this one in fact.My family has a summer cottage that we share and there are many meals shared with family and friends. Every year we have a huge meal with all our friends and lots of food. My brother has been experimenting with braising for some years now, and he always makes a braised cut of meat for our big bash. I told him that the Lodge dutch oven was a "place holder." He was to use it over the winter and then it would go to the cottage, and then I'd buy him a Staub (my preferred brand) of the size and color he wanted for home use.Well, this particular dutch oven might stay at the cottage, but it will be replaced with another Lodge. There is no reason to pay 3 times the price for a LC or a Staub. My brother reports that his braises have been flawless, he gets an excellent sear on his meat and that the pot cleans up like a dream.Personally, I like the black interior of the Staub dutch ovens better. It is more difficult to see he darkness of the fond - almost impossible in fact - but you can easily judge how things are by the color/sear on meat and any vegetables. I have read reviews about the LC chipping, and virtually all of them state that the white interior stains after many uses. The LC dutch ovens that are used on America's Test Kitchen all need foil over the top of the food and under the lid to prevent steam from escaping. These faults simply don't occur with a Staub dutch oven, particularly the tight seal on the lid. I have seen Staub products used in restaurants to cook and serve on. I have never seen a LC used in a restaurant.But, for 1/3 the price, I'm willing to use foil.My only wish is that Lodge made a black dutch oven - my preference would be for a matte black exterior finish, but a shiny black would do. Popular kitchen colors come and go. People change their dinnerware. But, an enameled dutch oven with a matte black exterior finish always looks like the traditional, un-enamaled, cast iron dutch oven.UPDATE - I have since used the above dutch oven to cook a brisket. Perfect. Use foil for a tight seal on the lid and save a hundred bucks or so.

This Dutch Oven is absolutely beautiful! I read a lot of the Reviews here before deciding to purchase the 7.5 quart Dutch Oven. I recently threw out my large non-stick large stockpot because the coating was peeling. I was looking for a non-toxic replacement that I could use for soups, stews, boiling large amounts of pasta, etc.I haven’t cooked in it yet. I will update this review after I have used it for a few months.I wanted to post a Review now before I cooked in it because I read a lot of reviews which stated people were receiving damaged pots out of the box. Others complained their pot was damaged the first time they used it. My Dutch Oven came tripled boxed. I’m pretty sure this is to protect it in transit. It comes with rubber protectors between the lid and pot. The Owners Manual states to use these when storing it. The Manual also gives directions for heat levels and seasoning with oil the first time you cook with it. I am a home cook. I knew I needed to read the Manual thoroughly because I have never owned an enameled cast iron pot. I learned things I may not have thought of before cooking in it the first time. So please, take the time to read the directions for cooking, cleaning and storing. I think a lot of the negative reviews wouldn’t be here if purchasers took the time to read the Manual/Directions. This Dutch Oven is a naturally created pot. The enameled finish is made from glass. There are some slight bumps that are just a normal part of a natural finish. You need to treat this pot with care when cleaning and storing.Amazon is offering Returns through the end of January due to Holiday gift giving. This also swayed my decision to give this pot a try. If I’m dissatisfied after cooking in it, I know Amazon will take the return in the original boxes and refund me!Update 3-28-25I have used my pot many many times to make various soups, stews, bolognese sauce, cook pasta, bacon, sausage, etc…I love this pot! Cleans up easily. I use a sponge with a scrubby side for anything that may stick. If discoloration takes place on inside bottom, I spray a little Clorox Cleanup with bleach and let sit a few minutes, use my scrubby side of sponge and color us back to original off white.