If you're a home baker, passionate about baking bread, whether it be sourdough or a seeded loaf, what you choose to bake it in might make a difference to the result of your crusty loaf.
While we've tested dedicated benchtop breadmaker appliances in our kitchen labs, CHOICE experts agree that although they generally perform well, they aren't a must-have for baking great bread. Rather, they say you can get great results baking bread in a cast-iron Dutch oven that you may already own.
Now you can even get specialised dome-shaped cast-iron ovens, designed to be the optimal vessel for baking bread. CHOICE home economist Fiona Mair put both to the test to find out which is best.
On this page:
- Dutch oven vs bread oven – what's the difference?
- Should you buy a Dutch oven?
- Should you buy a bread oven?
- How much do they cost?
- How do they compare for baking bread?
- Expert verdict: Which cast-iron pot is best for baking bread?
A classic Le Creuset Dutch oven.
Dutch oven vs bread oven – what's the difference?
Dutch oven
A Dutch oven (also known as a casserole dish or cast iron cookware) is a heavy-duty piece of cookware, a deep pot, constructed mostly of enamelled cast iron. It's ideal for cooking meals that require braising or searing and then slow cooking, allowing flavour to develop over an extended period of time. You can use a Dutch oven to cook dishes like:
- stews
- soups
- pasta sauces
- risotto
- baked bread
- pot roasts.
A new Crumble cast iron bread oven.
Bread oven
A bread oven is similar to a Dutch oven in terms of its sturdy enamelled cast iron construction but has a more specialised design, which is said to create the ideal environment for baking bread. It features a low-profile shallow base with a dome lid.
"A bread oven is quite a specialised piece of cookware and isn't as versatile as a Dutch oven, but you could use the shallow base for roasting meats like lamb shanks or chicken," says Fiona.
Should you buy a Dutch oven?
Dutch ovens are available in a range of sizes, shapes and aesthetically pleasing colours. Brands like Le Creuset, Chasseur, Crumble and Baccarat are known for their offerings. "If you've never cooked with a Dutch oven before but are keen to give it a go without splashing out hundreds on a top-of-the-range pot, cheaper options are available from places like Kmart, Target, Amazon and Ikea," says Fiona.
There are many benefits to using a Dutch oven that make it a worthwhile addition to your artillery of cookware.
- Heat retention They're praised for their ability to provide excellent heat distribution and retention, as well as excellent moisture retention thanks to their tight fitting lids that help to trap and circulate steam. This is perfect for slow cooking where meals can produce a depth of flavour over a long period of time. It also creates an ideal environment for baking bread, helping to achieve even baking while creating a crusty exterior and maintaining a soft, airy interior.
- Versatility You can use a Dutch oven on the cooktop to sear, sauté or braise meats and then move it into the oven for baking. It eliminates the need for multiple pots and pans which is welcome when it comes time to clean up.
- Durability Their cast iron construction makes them a durable piece of cookware. With proper care and maintenance, a Dutch oven can be passed down for generations.
- Aesthetically pleasing Some brands offer Dutch ovens in a variety of colours. If you buy one that matches your kitchen aesthetic, you can leave it out on your cooktop as a statement piece.
Should you buy a bread oven?
If you're really into baking fresh bread at home, then a specialised bread oven might have caught your eye. They are a niche product, available from brands like Le Creuset and Crumble. While they aren't as widely available as Dutch ovens, they also come in a range of colours to make a statement in your kitchen.
The low-profile base pan makes loading and unloading bread much easier in comparison to a Dutch oven. The shallow interior edges also work to promote faster and even browning. They also usually come with a matte black enamel interior (although the Aldi bread oven has a cream interior) which is said to allow for a darker crust colour, easier cleaning and less sticking. The dark interior also means oil stains and marks that naturally result from baking won't be as visible as they tend to be in a Dutch oven (which usually have lighter coloured interior surfaces).
The perfect environment to form a crispy crust while allowing plenty of room for maximum rise of the dough
The dome lid sits tightly on the base and works to trap and circulate steam and heat inside the pot, creating the perfect environment to form a crispy crust while allowing plenty of room for maximum rise of the dough.
A bread oven is versatile – suitable for both the cooktop and oven – however, it's designed primarily to bake bread. The base can be used as a skillet, but if you also like to slow cook stews and soups, you'd need to consider buying a Dutch oven too.
How much do they cost?
We've tested over 20 Dutch ovens that range in price from $25 for the Kmart Anko 4L Cast Iron Casserole (also available from Target) to $825 for the Staub Round Cocotte 26cm/5.2L.
While all the products we recommend cost upwards of $280, you don't have to splurge hundreds to get one that'll give good performance. Not too far behind our recommended products are Dutch ovens from Aldi, Kmart and Ikea that cost under $100 and are rated as "good" overall.
You can expect to pay more for the specialised design of a bread oven, especially if it's from a reputable well-known brand. We've tested two models from Crumble and Le Creuset, that cost $429 and $570 respectively.
We also recently got our hands on Aldi's Crofton Cast Iron Enamel Bread Oven, which cost only $40. If you were lucky enough to snag this bargain, our testing shows you picked a winner, proving you don't need to spend hundreds to get a great performing product.
How do they compare for baking bread?
We bake bread to assess the ability of both Dutch ovens and bread ovens to withstand a very hot oven, as well as their ability to prove and bake a loaf of bread.
Bread ovens
All three bread ovens produced perfect results for baking bread – all scoring 100% in our tests. They all produced a crunchy crust and a slightly moist, tender and springy crumb, with a nice golden colour all over.
Their shallow base means we couldn't conduct our other Dutch oven performance tests (brown rice, bolognaise and chilli beef) on the bread ovens.
Dutch ovens
When it comes to baking bread, the Dutch ovens we tested had scores ranging from 85% to 100%. In fact, 12 of the 21 Dutch ovens we tested produced "excellent" results for baking bread. Even the lowest score of 85% in this test is still considered a "very good" result by our experts.
"Most home cooks would be pleased with the bread-making results from these Dutch ovens," says Fiona.
Keep in mind, because Dutch ovens are a deep pot, it can be tricky to place the dough in there nicely. It's much easier to do this in the shallow pan of a dedicated bread oven.
Expert verdict: Which cast-iron pot is best for baking bread?
The three bread ovens we tested produced consistently perfect results. However, you can also get these results from many of the Dutch ovens we tested.
Whether you opt for a bread oven comes down to how often you bake bread. If you're a dedicated bread maker you may be willing to splurge on this specialised piece of cookware.
However, Fiona says, "if you are short on space and want a versatile pot that can do more than just bake bread, a Dutch oven is the better choice."
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Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
