Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT vs Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black)
Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT
Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black)
The short answer
Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black) comes out ahead overall with 8.1/10 against 7.8/10 for the Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT. Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT is stronger on enamel durability and ease of use. Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black) is stronger on lead & cadmium safety evidence, health & materials and value.
- Choose the Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT if: For cooks who want a light interior for judging fond, and who accept a manufacturer-reported leach-test pass.
- Choose the Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black) if: For buyers who want a proven premium pot with the clearest explicit lead- and cadmium-free claim.
Scores by criterion
| Criterion | Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT | Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black) |
|---|---|---|
| Cooking Performance | 8.5TechGearLab #3, and recommended by Food Network, Reviewed and ATK. | 8.6TechGearLab and ATK recommend it. The self-basting lid retains moisture well. |
| Lead & Cadmium Safety Evidence | 7.2A manufacturer pass/fail statement with a stated method but no report. | 8.5The most explicit free-of claim in the pool, plus a testing statement. No published report, and the supporting XRF screen is old. |
| Enamel Durability | 8.6No chipping in TechGearLab's lid drops. | 8.2Matte enamel holds up well in owner reports. CNN reported one handle break. |
| Ease of Use | 7.2Light interior and 580°F rating. It weighs 13.69 lb and is hand-wash only. | 6.6Heavy, the dark interior hides fond, and ATK says the spiked lid is harder to clean. |
| Health & Materials | 8.2Reported PFAS/BPA passes; made in France. | 8.8PFAS/PTFE-free, lifetime warranty, made in France. |
| Value | 7.0About $298, roughly Staub's price with weaker paperwork. | 7.5About $300 for top-tier performance and the clearest claim. |
Specifications
| Spec | Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT | Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black) |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity | 5.5 qt | 5.5 qt |
| Weight (with lid) | 13.69 lb | — |
| Max Oven Temp (with lid) | 580 °F | 500 °F |
| Interior Enamel | Light-colored enamel | Black matte enamel (quartz-enhanced) |
| Manufacturer Says Lead-Free | Yes | Yes |
| Lead/Cadmium Claim Wording | Made In blog: enameled cast iron passed 4/4 heavy-metal leach tests (Light Labs, Sept 14, 2025; 4% acetic acid). The 'made without Lead, Cadmium' wording is seen only in search snippets of product pages. | Staub: "Cadmium Free, Lead-Free, PFOA Free, PTFE Free, and PFAS Free"; regular third-party certified lab testing; meets FDA and Prop 65 limits |
| Manufacturer Says Cadmium-Free | Yes | Yes |
| Manufacturer Says PFAS-Free | Yes | Yes |
| Third-Party Tested (claimed) | Yes | Yes |
| Country of Manufacture | France | France |
| Induction Compatible | Yes | Yes |
| Dishwasher Safe (per maker) | No | — |
Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT
Pros
- Light interior makes fond easy to judge
- 580°F oven rating, the highest in this group
- TechGearLab saw no chipping in lid drops
- Recommended by four independent reviewers
- Made in France; induction compatible
Cons
- Safety evidence is an unpublished manufacturer pass/fail statement
- Hand wash only
- Heavy at about 13.7 lb
- Lid spikes are hard to clean
A strong cooker with reasonable safety evidence. Choose it if a light interior matters to you, and pick a neutral color from the maker's own site.
Full Made In Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven 5.5 QT review →Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black)
Pros
- Most explicit lead- and cadmium-free claim among major brands
- Recommended by TechGearLab and America's Test Kitchen
- Self-basting lid, induction compatible, 500°F oven rating
- Made in France with a lifetime defect warranty
- PFAS-free and no nonstick coating
Cons
- Dark interior hides fond and makes browning harder to judge
- Heavy; spiked lid is harder to clean
- CNN Underscored reported one handle breaking during washing
- Premium price; no lab report published
The best choice for buyers who want a proven premium pot and the strongest lead-free paper trail available. An older independent XRF screen of a gray Staub found no lead or cadmium, which supports the claim but does not verify this black matte unit, since it covers a different color and measures total content rather than leaching.
Full Staub 1102625 (5.5 qt Round Cocotte, Matte Black) review →Both products are part of our guide The Best Lead-Free Enameled Dutch Ovens of 2026, where you can see every pick, how we score and current prices from each retailer.