Lodge 3 Quart Dutch Oven Review
For those of you who have experienced the joy of an enameled Dutch oven, the Lodge 3 quart Dutch oven will not disappoint. The smaller sibling of the 6 quart, that incidentally won the Best Dutch oven award 2018 in our tests, this is also a fantastic Dutch oven.
In our cooking test, I made a beef stew fully expecting something mediocre at best. I was wrong, the end result was absolutely fantastic and on par with the expensive Dutch ovens I tested like the Staub and Le Creuset.
Should this be a surprise? Well yes, you fully expect something so cheap to be poor. I couldn’t have been further from the truth.
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Cooking performance
The cooking performance on the Lodge EC3D43 Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven was fantastic. The searing process was fantastic and very similar to the Le Creuset I tested. It did take slightly longer than the Staub but nothing too significant.
The end result was a fantastic stew. The sauce was nice and thick with the flavors infused wonderfully. The meat was tender and properly cooked. I couldn’t have been more surprised yet delighted with the results.
Build quality
As you would expect for the price, the end finish does not match up to the very expensive premium brands. Do not let this fool you though, the build quality is still very good. If I compare to other brands in the same pricing bracket, the build quality is the best.
The color was nice and glossy and the enamel was flat yet slightly inconsistent in thickness. The lid fitted very well too which was unexpected but reassuring. For the price, it was more than acceptable and even without considering the price, you would still expect it to retail at a higher price level.
Design and aesthetics
It is clear that Lodge have gone in a different design direction to the rest of the market. It is the curviest out of all the Dutch ovens I looked at. The Lodge 3 quart Dutch oven is bowed out in the middle and I have to say is a very attractive design. The handles are a good size making it easy to move and the knob on the lid is oven safe to 500F.
Value for money
This is where this is the clear winner…by a long way. Click here to view the latest price on Amazon. I would genuinely put this Dutch oven in a higher pricing bracket so at this price, it is a steal. Even if you have a larger premium Dutch oven, this is a perfect secondary Dutch oven for smaller tasks. Let this do the hard work to keep your more expensive ovens looking pristine.
Verdict
Buy the Lodge 3 quart Dutch oven. It’s great. I know this sounds like a very simple conclusion…but on this occasion, there is nothing more to say than…it’s a great Dutch oven at an even better price.
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