Bought a cheap dutch oven off Amazon and it actually works fine

Everyone in the baking groups keeps saying you gotta spend at least $100 on a Lodge or Le Creuset or your bread will come out terrible. I had my doubts because $35 seemed way too good to be true for a 6 quart enameled pot. Picked up one called the Cuisiland brand back in March just to see what would happen. First sourdough loaf came out with a perfect crust and the inside was fluffy. I've used it maybe 20 times now and the enamel is still holding up fine with no chips or cracks. Not saying expensive ones are bad but this cheap option worked for me. Anyone else had good luck with off brand bakeware?

2 comments

2 Comments

faithjones2d ago

Oh man, I gotta say your mileage may vary for sure but I picked up a cheap stainless steel roasting pan from like Walmart for $20 last year and I still use it for all my Sunday chickens. The expensive ones people swear by just don't seem worth it when you're only cooking for two people in my experience. I did have one of those no name Dutch ovens crack on me after about six months though, so I think it really depends on the brand and how hard you use it. The enamel probably won't last as long as a Le Creuset but if you're not using it every single day it might be fine for years.

the_kelly2d ago

Nah I gotta push back a little bit here. I bought a cheap $25 dutch oven from Target and it was totally fine for about a year, then one day I was making chili and the handle just snapped right off when I went to pick it up. Hot chili everywhere, burned my arm, ruined the whole dinner. I saved up and got a Le Creuset after that and honestly? It's been like 4 years now and it still looks brand new. Sometimes you really do get what you pay for with cookware, especially with something you're using for high heat or long cooking times.