According to my husband, a household only needs one Dutch oven. But when the Aldi Special Buy cast-iron cookware goes on sale, it's hard to resist picking one up for just $26.99, even if you already have a near-identical Kmart pot sitting on the bench at home.

So in the name of science (and to justify the purchase of a second Dutch oven), I decided to test these two similarly priced, similar-looking pots to find out which one comes out on top. 

Here's how they compared, and how they're holding up over time (I bought the Aldi pot just over a year ago now, and the Kmart pot is almost two years old).

Cost

The Kmart pot is just a smidgeon cheaper than the Aldi model ($25 vs $26.99), leaving you with an extra $2 in your pocket. 

It's not a big difference but every dollar counts, so I'm giving the Kmart pot the win on cost. (Although when I bought the Kmart pot a couple of years ago it cost $30 – too bad for me.)

Warranty

Here's where things get slightly more compelling for the Aldi pot. The Kmart Dutch oven doesn't mention any warranty on the box or online product listing.

You always have your rights under Australian Consumer Law, which covers you if the product is faulty and states that a product should last for a reasonable period. 

How long you can expect a particular good to last depends on several factors, including price, so considering the low cost of the pot, you probably can't expect any support if you have a problem with it after a few years of use.

The Aldi Dutch oven, on the other hand, comes with a warranty certificate for five years

The Aldi Dutch oven, on the other hand, comes with a warranty certificate for five years. So if the pot reveals itself to be defective during that period, you'll be entitled to a repair, replacement or refund (realistically, I doubt they will be repairing this pot for you, so a replacement or refund seems a more likely outcome). 

The warranty does clearly exclude normal wear and tear, or damage incurred by misuse (the pot comes with a manual with cleaning and care instructions). It also mentions that some staining of the pot is considered normal. 

It's also worth noting that you should keep your receipt with the warranty, as Aldi may ask for this if you try to return it.

The Aldi pot looks sleek and high quality straight out of the box.

Appearance 

When I first unboxed my Kmart pot, I thought she was a real beauty. But I have to admit the Aldi pot blew her out of the water. 

While both pots are a similar sage green colour, the Aldi model has a kind of balayage effect, where the colour starts darker at the bottom and fades to a lighter green towards the rim of the pot. This somehow makes its appearance more premium.

After a year or so of use, however, neither pot could be described as beautiful, due to the significant staining. In retrospect, I'd probably just opt for the darkest colour so that it hides the stains better. 

After a year or so of use, however, neither pot could be described as beautiful, due to the significant staining

Since I bought my Kmart pot the retailer has released more colours, including a dark red colour that might hold up better against staining.

Aldi is also now offering its Dutch oven in a darker shade of blue, which might be a better bet than the light shade I chose.

Design

When it comes to design features, these cast iron pots really do seem to be cut from the same cloth. 

Both have a 4L capacity and both have a self-basting lid (bumps on the underside of the lid, also known as basting spikes), with a stainless steel knob and enamel coating. 

Performance

When I took the Kmart Dutch oven for a spin in the kitchen, I put it to work baking a loaf of sourdough and braising and baking a beef brisket. 

So of course I had to put the Aldi pot through the same paces. 

First, the sourdough. The Aldi pot did not disappoint, turning out a more or less identical loaf to the one cooked in the Kmart pot. 

The loaf rose just as expected while baking with the lid on for 30 minutes, then the final 30 minutes with the lid off allowed it to form a golden crusty exterior.

It seems I was more diligent with scoring and flouring my bread when baking in my Kmart Dutch oven a year ago (right), but the Aldi pot performed just as well (left).

Next, I cooked my go-to beef brisket to see how the Aldi pot compared to Kmart's Dutch oven.

It heated up nicely on my induction cooktop and easily seared the brisket and caramelised the onions without anything sticking to the surface. 

After leaving the brisket to slow cook in the oven for six hours, the end result was exactly as I'd expected – delicious. Again, the performance was very much on par with the Kmart product.

Both pots were easy to wash up after the first use, with no sticking or hard-to-scrub areas, despite how baked-on some of the food looked after the long cook-time. 

Beef brisket cooked in the Aldi pot (left) and Kmart pot (right).

Durability

Of course, when there is an ultra-cheap version of an often-expensive product, everybody wants to know how long the bargain version will last.

Kmart

When I did my deep-dive on the Kmart pot, I discovered that my colleague Tracy had owned one for a couple of years. She used hers mainly for stovetop cooking and found the enamel on the outside had started to chip during that time. 

My Kmart Dutch oven is now almost two years old and I haven't noticed any chipping, but I mainly use mine for baking bread, and there is a lot of staining on both the inside and the outside of the pot. The staining doesn't seem to impact functionality, it just doesn't look pretty anymore. 

I'm genuinely confused by how stained it seems to get as I always line the pot with baking paper when I cook bread, so food rarely comes into contact with the interior.

Frequently cooking sourdough in the Kmart pot seems to have caused some crazy staining – inside and out.

Aldi

My Aldi pot is now almost a year old and is really starting to show its age too. The staining inside and out means it's no longer a beautiful feature on my bench – more of an eyesore. 

Having said that, there's no chipping, and while it's not beautiful anymore it still functions perfectly well, time after time. 

A few other CHOICE staff members have owned an Aldi cast iron pot for a number of years now, and they report it has mostly lasted well.

CHOICE staffer Bohdan says he's owned a larger Aldi pot for over five years and it looks "almost like new" with no enamel cracking. (I'm not sure what Bohdan's wash routine is but it seems a far sight better than mine.)

The Aldi pot is no longer an attractive feature on my bench.

CHOICE home economist Fiona Mair says she's been using her Aldi pot to bake bread for about six years. 

"The enamel has dulled inside and has a few chips," she says. "It's not looking its best." 

So in terms of durability, it seems the Kmart and Aldi pots are again, quite similar. 

The fact that the Aldi pot comes with a five-year warranty implies the manufacturer has more faith in its longevity, and it means that if there is an issue like a broken handle in your first few years of ownership, you have a good chance of getting a replacement.

The verdict

The Kmart and Aldi Dutch ovens seem to be near-identical in terms of design and performance. 

The Kmart product is ever-so-slightly cheaper, but Aldi's comes with a five-year warranty. 

The Aldi pot comes in three different colours, while the Kmart pot comes in four (although, as noted, the colour will likely look pretty different after a year of use). 

If I had to choose a winner I'd probably choose Aldi, just because of the warranty showing some confidence in the product. 

But the Aldi cast-iron cookware range is usually only on sale twice a year, and it can sell out quickly. It will also be difficult to get your hands on if you live in an area without an Aldi store nearby.

Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.

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