The Dutch Oven is one of the most coveted piece of cookware by home cooks and chefs. It allows you to braise, bake and stew food with its superior heat retention. In the past, Le Creuset have dominated this field. But in the past few years. A slew of manufacturers have attempted to manufacturer their own to capture the market. Tramonita Dutch Oven is one of the more popular choice. But how exactly does it compare with other manufacturer and is it even good? Is a dutch oven just a dutch oven? Our tramontina dutch oven review will take a closer look at how its constructed and discuss whether it performs as well as other manufacturer like Le Creuset.

Quick Summary

Categories	Tramontina Dutch Oven
Performance	Good
Colors	Variety of Color
Brand Awareness	General Consumer, Brazil and America
Weight	Weight: 9 lb (4085 g) Lid Weight: 3.3 lb (1522 g)
Country of Manufacturer	China
Pouring Lip	No
Thoughts	A good dutch oven at a fraction of the price of its competitor. However, the durability of the Enamel Coating is the major issue.
Tested Cookware	5.5 qt Dutch Oven

Who is Tramontina?

Tramontina is a Brazilian Cookware manufacturer. In the past, they were more known for their affordable cookware that caters to the mass market.In terms of quality and reputation, they are in the league of Cuisinart and Caphalon. However, recently, they have been trying to push cookware that is made in USA and in Italy. I am assuming that they are trying to improve the reputation of their brand. Although I do see a big jump in quality, their fit and finish of the product is still not to the standard of the higher end cookware. But for the price that you pay, it is incredible value.

Variations of Dutch Oven Design

The major issue that I have with these mid-tiered cookware manufacturer is that they have too many variations. They do not keep a consistent model for any of their cookware, including the dutch oven. The particular dutch oven that I have from tramnontina, is one of their early design. In the past 2-3 years, there is possible 3-4 different revision. Buying the correct model per that review will be incredibly difficult. If you want a specific model, I highly recommend that you either source it from Ebay or buy it from amazon. At least there, you can get the free return if you did not get the right model that you want. Use my review as a guideline and check to see if the features of the cookware suit your need.

Tramontina Dutch Oven Design

Handle

Depending on the model that you get, there will be different handle design. The one that I have is a older design that has wide oval shape. In terms of ergonomic, it is incredibly comfortable and practical. The reason for this is because it allows for a firm and easy grip. Emphasis on the easy part. You do not want to struggle to carry a heavy pot of scalding liquid. Manufacturer like Staub, have a very narrow handle that encumbers you. While their handle looks pretty, its not very practical.

Shape

The shape of a pot has an adverse affect on the usability of a cookware. While its not as attractive as Staub or Le Creuset. Tramontina Dutch Oven incredibly practical in terms of the design. For the 5.5 qt model, the cooking diameter is almost 8.25 inch, .25 inch more than staubs dutch oven. The height is is a very generous 5.25 inch which lets you hold more liquid. The walls are not straight though, it has a slight belly to it. It looks a little like Ruffoni’s Stock Pot. I personally don’t find it to be particularly attractive but taste can vary.

Lid

The lid is very interesting, it has round lines throughout the bottom of it. This is in contrast with Staub who has dimples and Le Creuset who has none. The affect that this will have is that liquid will start pooling there. Eventually, it will drop back down into the stew. While Staub claims that theirs is designed so that it can baste the food, I wonder if Tramontina designed theirs this way for that same affect. The top of the lid isnt too interesting. All it has is a ring on the top. The knob is also plastic so that it wont get hot to the touch.

Enamel Coating and Color

The enamel coating is the major issue with this dutch oven. It is simply not as durable as the other manufacturer. When new, I already had two or three chips around the handle. In my experience, the most durable out of all the manufacturer would be Le Creuset. The colors are also very limited, you have you standard red, blue, white and black. But its not as extensive as Le Creuset. If you are very specific on your color choices, I recommend a different brand.

The interior coating is a Crema enamel. When new, it will be nice and glossy. Overtime, stains and mark will start to develop. It simple wont last that long. You can see a stark difference between the bottom of the lid and the bottom of the pan. Just be aware of this when purchasing this dutch oven.

The rim is also left bare. There is a lot debate about whether those rims are coated in Enamel, they are not. The reason for this, is to prevent it from fusing at high temperature. The enamel coating will fuse together if you paint it.

Thickness

The thickness of the cookware is pretty standard. I measured mines to be around 4.3 mm. This is thicker to those that you will get from Le Creuset, Staub, or even Lodge. Theirs usually hover around 3.8 mm. In general, you do not want one of those thin lightweight cast iron. They are riddle with heat spot issues. It wont also retain heat as well, which the whole point of getting cast iron. It is a good sign that you are getting more for your money.

Fit and Finish

Fit and Finish is ok. The paint quality is riddled with orange peel. If you shine the pot in the correct lighting condition, you can see a lot of ripple in the paint. Le Creuset has this issue as well but just not to this extent. Staub however, has the best out of all of them. While its still there, the dark vibrant color hides it really well.

Tramontina Dutch Oven Specs

Note:These measurement are done by me with the tools that I have on hand. The manufacturers have their own measurement guidelines and that should be assumed to be accurate. What I find on this review can vary widely due to several factors, such as ambient temperature, location, water, tool calibration, stove btu, etc..and should only be considered as my opinion.
Weight: 4085 g 9 lb Lid Weight: 1522g 3.3 lb
Rim Width:Around 10 inch
Base Cooking Diameter: Around 8.25 inch
Height: Around 5.24 inch
Thickness: 4.3 mm

Tramontina Dutch Oven Thoughts

Overall, I think their dutch oven is pretty well made. You get beefier cast iron pot than those of Le Creuset or Staub. The cooking surface is wide and the dutch oven is tall. The major issue is that the enamel coating durability. With it chipping, it will not stay pretty for long. And even then, I never considered it to be attractive. If you want something that is functional for a fraction of the price of its competitor, Tramontina Dutch Oven is highly recommended.

I hope you found this Tramontina Dutch Oven review to be informative, If you would like to see more, please visit our Pots and Pans Review page.