Product Description

This 6 Qt enamel Dutch oven is great for cooking, marinating, refrigeration and freezing. The color porcelain enamel on cast iron can be used on gas, electric, ceramic and induction cooktops, as well as in the oven. Not recommended for use on outdoor grills or over open outdoor flames. Not for use in microwaves. Lodge Color Porcelain Enamel on Cast Iron cookware is cast from molten iron in individual sand molds. The porcelain surface eliminates the need to season cast iron. The cast iron vessel has superior heat distribution and retention, evenly heating bottom sidewalls and even the lid. Tightly fitting lid seals in moisture. The excellent heat retention reduces the amount of energy needed for cooking. Two layers of very hard, glossy porcelain enamel are chip resistant and easy to clean. Lid knob is oven safe to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. The black rim on the pot is matte porcelain, not exposed cast iron. Hygienic porcelain enamel is non-reactive with food. Although dishwasher safe, hand washing with warm soapy water is recommended to preserve the cookware's original appearance. 10 3/4" diameter, 4 1/2" deep. Caribbean Blue

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #272 in Kitchen & Housewares
• Size: 6Qt
• Color: Caribbean Blue
• Brand: Lodge
• Model: EC6D33
• Released on: 2007-07-15
• Dimensions: 12.00" h x 7.00" w x 14.00" l, 17.00 pounds

Features

• Easy clean up.
• Two layers of porcelain enamel are chip resistant
• Superior heat distribution and retention
• Tightly fitting lid seals in moisture
• Porcelain surface eliminates the need to season

Customer Reviews

Le Creuset on a budget
Enamel on cast iron cookware like this, was, until recently, only available from makers like Le Creuset. Lately, several lower cost makers have come on the scene, like Target and Innova. The new budget priced Lodge cookware is in the same price range as the low cost alternatives but completely out performs them.

I have all of the brands I have mentioned. The Lodge is the same weight as the Le Creuset which is much heavier than the other budget models. The ridge where the lid and sides meet is a matt black porcelain on the Lodge and Le Creuset but is just exposed cast iron for the other budget models (which leads to rusting if you are not careful). The porcelain resists staining (even tomato sauces) in the Lodge and Le Creuset but the other budget models stain very easily. And finally, the Lodge and Le Creuset maintain a very polished interior finish that resists sticking which others do not. So, I see no performance differences at all between the Le Creuset and the Lodge whereas the comparably priced budget models are certainly inferior.

If you plan of using these pots very heavily (every day for example) you might want to upgrade to the higher priced Lodge product. It has 4 coatings of enamel as opposed to 2 in this model. But if you use them once or twice a week I dont think you will need the added wear resistance.

Excellent value and construction
I purchased this from Amazon around mid-December and have been using it probably 3-4 times/week since then. It is as well constructed as my mother's Le Creuset french ovens, but at a much more reasonable price. I find Lodge products to be a good value, although this piece represents a departure for them as it is not made in the USA, but rather China. Nonetheless, it is very well constructed, with details like the black porcelain enameled rim of the pot and the lid setting it apart from some of the other inexpensive alternatives. I have used mine for mussels in white wine, no-knead bread (more on this below), stew, and various other dishes, and it has held up very well thus far. In another 20 or 30 years I should have a better idea of whether it will hold up as well as my mother's LC pots, but the materials appear to be suitable for the long haul. At one-sixth the price of Le Creuset, I'm willing to take that bet.

One aspect of the pot which I found wanting was the knob. The black phenolic knob completes the Le Creuset lookalike styling, but as with the LC product, it is not heat-safe to 500 degrees. I preheat the vessels for my bread baking at 500-550 degrees for 30-60 minutes, and the knob would not survive. Therefore, I went to the local hardware store and bought a substantial chrome-steel knob of the same base diameter as the included knob, with matching screw, and have used it ever since. For $9 total, the unit is now safe to 550 degrees F and beyond. Net cost: $59.

Great value and I recommend it highly.

Great lodge product that cleans up easy
I purchased this pot becuase I needed a large dutch oven I could use for sauces and other items without worrying about having to re-season my cast iron. I came across another, but was concerned about the company backing it. The Lodge was due to come out and so I pre-ordered. Since it showed up, I couldn't be happier with it.
It washes up easy, it's solid Lodge cast iron, and the brilliant blue color matches my cobalt blue wall very well. The inside is white porcelain, and cleans up easy, but it will be interesting to note how it holds up over the years. I even fried in it and it worked beautifully. The high sides kept the spatter to a minimum and the burned bits wiped clean in under a minute. The knob is black plastic and says it's rated for 400 degrees. I'm using it on a gas stove.