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Product FeaturesSize: 6.5 Quart | Color: Vibrant Red
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Product Description
Size: 6.5 Quart | Color: Vibrant Red
Amazon.com Product Description
Friends and family will quickly gravitate to the dining-room table with this beautiful casserole as the centerpiece. Measuring 14 by 11-2/7 by 7-4/5 inches, the covered pot holds 6-1/2 quarts, making it perfectly suited for slow cooking homemade soups and stews, sauteing vegetables, braising meats, roasting poultry, baking, and even frying. It also works well for one-dish meals: start by sauteing onions and browning meat, then add liquid and other ingredients to finish on the stovetop or in the oven. The vessel's interior features a light-beige, smooth, porcelain-enamel finish that requires no seasoning, so it's ready to use right out of the box, while its exterior sports a gleaming, vibrant red porcelain-enamel finish that adds a splash of color to any cookware collection.
Constructed from heavy-gauge cast iron, the vessel not only retains and distributes heat evenly (no hot spots to worry about), but it also resists scratches, stains, and the damaging effects of regular household use. Use it on any stovetop, including induction, electric, gas, and ceramic; it can also withstand an oven's heat up to 450 degrees F. Two integrated side handles flank the casserole, helping to ensure safe transport from the kitchen to the tabletop or buffet for use as serveware. The vessel's heavy, secure-fitting lid keeps heat, moisture, and nutrients contained, and its round stay-cool lid knob makes it easy to remove the lid when it's time to give contents a stir or serve up dinner. The covered casserole carries a limited lifetime warranty and cleans up easily by hand with hot, soapy water.
Product Description
An essential item in any kitchen, Tramontina’s Gourmet 6.5 Quart Covered Cassrole in a vibrant red porcelain enamel finish is the perfect vessel for slow cooking soups and stews, braising meats, baking and even frying. The heavy-gauge cast iron vessel provides even heat distribution. The vessel's interior is coated with a light beige smooth porcelain enamel finish, so no seasoning is required and the pan is immediately ready for use.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
180 of 183 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
The price can't be beat! $45 with free shipping is a great value regardless of what I write in this review. I was excited to open the box, and loved the color immediately! I continued to be impressed by the weight of the pot. But after completely un packing, I placed the lid on the pot, and looked at my wife and said, this is why a Le Creuset is $245, and this was only $45. The lid does not seal tightly, and you need to rotate the lid to find the position where it seals best, though it's still not 100%, closer to 90%.
Would I buy it again? Probably. Would I have bought it in a store, where the faults were clear before making the decision to purchase? Probably not. I just cannot justify the $200+ dollars for the "real deal".
I hope this helpful.
UPDATE: After using this dutch oven many times for a variety of dishes, I would increase my rating to 4 stars. The initial dissappointment of the ill fitting lid has faded, and what remains is a pot that does its job well and even out on my bakers rack, next to a Le Creuset, holds its own in terms of looks.
Would I buy it again? Probably. Would I have bought it in a store, where the faults were clear before making the decision to purchase? Probably not. I just cannot justify the $200+ dollars for the "real deal".
I hope this helpful.
UPDATE: After using this dutch oven many times for a variety of dishes, I would increase my rating to 4 stars. The initial dissappointment of the ill fitting lid has faded, and what remains is a pot that does its job well and even out on my bakers rack, next to a Le Creuset, holds its own in terms of looks.
83 of 85 people found the following review helpful
After several years the cracks began to appear...LITERALLY!!! You get what you pay for with this imitator.
April 7, 2010
I've used Le Creuset for years, but as my family grew, I wanted to get a larger Dutch Oven. I was hesitant in forking over the money for a 7 qt. Le Creuset, but when I saw the 6.5 qt. Tramontina for a fraction of the cost of the Le Creuset, I figured I couldn't lose especially since there was a Lifetime Warranty. I used this Dutch Oven for everything from braises, stews, to bolognese. My only qualm was that the interior would stain which I expected after reading the little manual...no big deal. I noticed that the enamel interior wasn't as thick as the Le Creuset, but I didn't care as long as I can cook with it. I liked the heft of the pot and its heat retention ability.
The fact that you can't use this pot at a setting higher than medium was ridiculous to me, but I complied so that my warranty would not be voided. I seared my meats in a stainless steel pan and then transferred the meat and deglazed the fond into the dutch oven. This was a bit of a pain, but it didn't really bother me that much.
Well, the lack of all the layers of enamel that Le Creuset uses that Tramontina skimps on came to haunt me in what I now regard as an obvious inferior product. The old cliche definitely rings true in this case, "you get what you pay for." After making a pot of beans, I soaked the pot. When I went to hand wash the pot, there were several raised bubbles underneath the layer of enamel. My pot was not chipped on the inside, but there were discolored "veins" that ran on the inside of the pot. These veins were actually cracks that allowed water to get under the thin layer of enamel. This was not cool. This pot is now absolutely useless! I'm afraid of rust problems under the enameled layer and the idea of chunks of enamel cracking into my food is not very appealing.
I contacted Sam's Club and they had someone at Tramontina contact me. They seemed helpful and sent me a return label and promised a replacement after inspecting my dutch oven. I miss having a large Dutch Oven. I'm willing to give the Tramontina another try hoping that maybe my pot just didn't have enough layers of enamel on it and I'm waiting for my replacement pot. If I run into the same problems again, I will write the product off for good and just cough up the $300 for the Le Creuset (which I've owned for 20+ years and have never seen this issue). A year ago, I would have given this product 4/5 stars because of it's excellent value and ability to serve my needs, but with cracks surfacing, I can't recommend this inferior pot.
Update: After over two months, I just received a shipping e-mail confirmation from Tramontina that my pot is going to be shipped back to me. Here's hoping everything pans out and that my problems were a batch quality issue. I'm changing my rating from 1 star to 3 stars because the company stands by their lifetime warranty and is trying to stand by their product. Excellent service from Tramontina makes me feel a bit more confident about this dutch oven. I'll see in a year or so if the pot stands-up to actual use in my kitchen.
Update 01/25/11: I got my pot back at the end of May 2010. They ended up sending me a brand new pot. I actually liked the look of this pot better because it was a solid cherry red color instead of the one red color blending into another deeper red color. I've used this pot a handful of times to make some ragus, marinas, and pot roasts. As expected, I experienced some minor cosmetic staining on the inside which of course is not a big deal. The pot also suffered a chip on its exterior near the handle(I don't know how this happened because I've never dropped the pot) which does not affect its performance and of course is not a big deal. The heat retention is excellent (I'm able to keep a gentle boil at a medium-low heat for my braises). I have not put this pot through the oven yet this time but I don't expect any surprises.
The only "issue" I've noticed after over 6 months of use is that the texture on the bottom of the pot is different than the texture closer to the top. It has a matte feel and look and does not have the gloss of the enamel. I experienced the exact same thing last time with the change in texture and I think because there were dimples in the enamel on the inside (uneven layers of enamel), these became such weak points that it lead to the enamel cracking (this is just my theory, Tramontina never commented). No cracks in the interior of the pot yet for water to seep through and raise concerns about rust.
At this time I don't think the change in texture will affect its performance. I still think it's great that Tramontina will stand by its product so you don't have anything to lose to give this product a try. I'm still leaving the product at 3 stars because of it's great performance ability and its excellent value, but I'm still unsure about the quality of the interior's enamel and how long it will last since I can already see obvious changes. I'll continue to use this pot as long as I don't get any dangerous cracks.
The fact that you can't use this pot at a setting higher than medium was ridiculous to me, but I complied so that my warranty would not be voided. I seared my meats in a stainless steel pan and then transferred the meat and deglazed the fond into the dutch oven. This was a bit of a pain, but it didn't really bother me that much.
Well, the lack of all the layers of enamel that Le Creuset uses that Tramontina skimps on came to haunt me in what I now regard as an obvious inferior product. The old cliche definitely rings true in this case, "you get what you pay for." After making a pot of beans, I soaked the pot. When I went to hand wash the pot, there were several raised bubbles underneath the layer of enamel. My pot was not chipped on the inside, but there were discolored "veins" that ran on the inside of the pot. These veins were actually cracks that allowed water to get under the thin layer of enamel. This was not cool. This pot is now absolutely useless! I'm afraid of rust problems under the enameled layer and the idea of chunks of enamel cracking into my food is not very appealing.
I contacted Sam's Club and they had someone at Tramontina contact me. They seemed helpful and sent me a return label and promised a replacement after inspecting my dutch oven. I miss having a large Dutch Oven. I'm willing to give the Tramontina another try hoping that maybe my pot just didn't have enough layers of enamel on it and I'm waiting for my replacement pot. If I run into the same problems again, I will write the product off for good and just cough up the $300 for the Le Creuset (which I've owned for 20+ years and have never seen this issue). A year ago, I would have given this product 4/5 stars because of it's excellent value and ability to serve my needs, but with cracks surfacing, I can't recommend this inferior pot.
Update: After over two months, I just received a shipping e-mail confirmation from Tramontina that my pot is going to be shipped back to me. Here's hoping everything pans out and that my problems were a batch quality issue. I'm changing my rating from 1 star to 3 stars because the company stands by their lifetime warranty and is trying to stand by their product. Excellent service from Tramontina makes me feel a bit more confident about this dutch oven. I'll see in a year or so if the pot stands-up to actual use in my kitchen.
Update 01/25/11: I got my pot back at the end of May 2010. They ended up sending me a brand new pot. I actually liked the look of this pot better because it was a solid cherry red color instead of the one red color blending into another deeper red color. I've used this pot a handful of times to make some ragus, marinas, and pot roasts. As expected, I experienced some minor cosmetic staining on the inside which of course is not a big deal. The pot also suffered a chip on its exterior near the handle(I don't know how this happened because I've never dropped the pot) which does not affect its performance and of course is not a big deal. The heat retention is excellent (I'm able to keep a gentle boil at a medium-low heat for my braises). I have not put this pot through the oven yet this time but I don't expect any surprises.
The only "issue" I've noticed after over 6 months of use is that the texture on the bottom of the pot is different than the texture closer to the top. It has a matte feel and look and does not have the gloss of the enamel. I experienced the exact same thing last time with the change in texture and I think because there were dimples in the enamel on the inside (uneven layers of enamel), these became such weak points that it lead to the enamel cracking (this is just my theory, Tramontina never commented). No cracks in the interior of the pot yet for water to seep through and raise concerns about rust.
At this time I don't think the change in texture will affect its performance. I still think it's great that Tramontina will stand by its product so you don't have anything to lose to give this product a try. I'm still leaving the product at 3 stars because of it's great performance ability and its excellent value, but I'm still unsure about the quality of the interior's enamel and how long it will last since I can already see obvious changes. I'll continue to use this pot as long as I don't get any dangerous cracks.
83 of 87 people found the following review helpful
I bought this pot about a week ago and was amazed at just how sturdy (around 20 pounds in weight!) and versatile it is! I plan to use it to fry chicken on the stove and to bake bread in the oven. This pot was highly recommended by Cooks Illustrated so I feel confident that it's going to work like a charm! Couple things to note...the lid is only good to 400 degrees due to the knob, not 450 like the product description states. I purchased a Le Creuset knob to replace the Tramontina knob, but the screw for the Le Creuset knob is shorter and skinner than the one that comes with this pot so I'll have to get a new screw before I can make the swap. Oh, and you'll have to season this pan before you use it. That was no big deal really...just put a little shortning on the top of the pan where the lid rests and then stick it in the oven for an hour at 350 degrees and you're in business. All in all, I'd say this pan is terrific and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a versatile pan in the kitchen to use on the stove or in the oven. It's a tremendous deal when you compare it to it's cousin, Le Creuset, that costs around $300!!!
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Bummer
I have used this dutch oven for three years. To call it "gourmet" is a travesty. I have used it lightly. The enamel is pitted in places and the bottom is starting to rust through. Read more
Published 27 days ago by Denisduffy
Beautiful value
This is a beautiful & substantial dutch oven. It performs just as well as the much more costly Le Creuset. Read more
Published 1 month ago by A. Hartwig
Ceramic nicked on first use
Boy, what a let down. I used this for the first time, and nicked the ceramic in my initial wash, despite being extremely careful. Read more
Published 1 month ago by Book Lover and
A first class bargin
This pot was highly recommended by America's Test Kitchen, which compared it to the far more expensive LeCreuset version. They were right! At half the price this pot is a steal. Read more
Published 2 months ago by arock10
Dutch Oven
I bought this through Wal-Mart during the Christmas sales for under $45 total- delivered to my door . At that price nothing else can touch it. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Sheshechic
scary - enamel's blue "undercoat" leached into my applesauce
I finished making the applesauce and pulled off the lid. The way the pot is made, the top rim is exposed cast iron, which is fine I guess. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Amazon fan from Belmont, CA
Beware - Poor Quality Control
I picked this item up at the local Sam's Club on sale for around $48. It's a very attractive item. Very heavy. Unfortunately the lid did not fit tight. Read more
Published 7 months ago by Ramzilla
Nice Dutch Oven
I am very pleased with this Dutch oven - it is big and heavy and does a nice job of evenly heating things. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Danschy
arrived damaged
The porcelin finish on the inside of the dutch oven was chipped which would have caused problems with cleaning when it was used. So we returned it.
Published 13 months ago by kg
excellent le creuset substitute
amazon usually has competitive prices. why are they charging twice what walmart does for the very same dutch oven?
Published 13 months ago by Allen EH
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Size: 6.5 Quart | Color: Vibrant Red
