You just received your sixth wedding invitation in a year. You’re worn out, your wallet hurts, and you can’t keep straight which newlyweds are asking for contributions to their Crate & Barrel registry and which are planning a honeymoon to a zen yoga and sound treatment resort in the Catskills. Choosing a present right now is the last thing on your mind.
As a result, Dutch ovens are the best possible wedding present.
What exactly is a Dutch oven?
The Dutch oven is a gorgeous and functional need for any home kitchen and is a thoughtful wedding present for anybody from a close friend to a distant colleague. To those who are unfamiliar, a Dutch oven is a heavy cast-iron pot coated with enamel that can be used on the cooktop, in the oven, and even on the dining room table when it comes time to serve. They’re as if your go-to cast-iron skillet, casserole, and stock pot all got together to make your life simpler.
Dutch ovens are multipurpose and may be used for sautéing vegetables, cooking soups and stews, braising meat, and baking bread all in one pot. Even if you don’t find it on the register, this is still a thoughtful present that says, “I care about you!” , with little customization or work on your part required.
Which Dutch oven ought to you purchase?
So, you’ve decided to be the best wedding guest ever by giving the happy couple a Dutch oven as a gift. Now, the only decision to be made is whether to invest in a Le Creuset or a Staub. These French manufacturers are renowned for producing high-quality Dutch ovens, which are used by cooks of all skill levels.
Although Staub has only been established since the 1970s, its Dutch oven has challenged Le Creuset’s dominance in the market. Le Creuset has been producing their famous goods for almost a century. Both Dutch ovens can be purchased for about $300 and come in an assortment of fashionable colors and seasonal themes. Although not all of them are the same.
In our extensive testing of Dutch ovens, we discovered that although both the Staub and the Le Creuset could produce great meals every time, the Staub was far more kitchen-friendly due to its perfect roundness and discreet handles, which took up very little room in the cupboard and on the burner.
However, the Le Creuset, in all its showy glory, made it more difficult to use many pots at once because to its larger size and protruding handles. The Le Creuset, according to one of our food writers, Bethany Kwoka: “is attractive and performs terrific work—but always has to be the star of the show.”
This is why the Staub Round Cocotte (sold by Amazon) is superior to the widely sold Le Creuset. You can’t go wrong with a gorgeous and durable Staub; the couple will be grateful even if their register is full of cookware from the same brand.
