Name: Reviewing Misen's $289, 2-in-1 Dutch Oven
Brand: Misen

I bought my first Dutch oven from a yard sale because I'd seen an artisan bread recipe that required one. And after I used it, I was hooked. I started making everything I could in my new (to me) Dutch oven, and I even lugged up a few miles up a trail for a camping trip! Then, when I lost it during a move, I promptly bought another one (despite staggering price tags) and still have it to this day.

Long story short, I love these multitasking pots and was delighted when I got the chance to try Misen’s Dutch Oven. It has officially earned its place in my kitchen, sending my trusty old cast iron Dutch oven into storage. And that’s a feat!

Misen Dutch Oven

Misen

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Cozy

Nonstick surface works well for deglazing
Compatible with all types of stovetops
Oven-safe up to 500°F
Does not require high heat for boiling water, reducing sauces, or browning meats
Grill lid creates grill marks easily and heats evenly
Dishwasher compatible but easy to clean by hand

Not so cozy

Grill lid (my choice) doesn’t have a knob on top, so it’s a bit more challenging to remove
Handwashing is recommended despite being dishwasher compatible
Weighs over 16 pounds with the body and the lid (mine has a 9.8 lb body, 6.4 lb lid)
May scratch glass cooktops if you slide it to move instead of lifting and placing

Frequently Asked Questions

How does the Misen Dutch Oven compare to Le Creuset?

This is the comparison everyone wants to make, and honestly? The Misen holds its own remarkably well. Both are enameled cast iron, both distribute heat evenly, and both are oven-safe to high temperatures. The Le Creuset has decades of brand heritage and a slightly more refined enamel finish. The Misen costs roughly half as much and performs at about 95% of the level. For most home cooks, that math makes the Misen the smarter buy.

Can you use the Misen Dutch Oven on all cooktops?

Yes — it works on gas, electric, ceramic, and induction cooktops, plus it's oven-safe up to 500°F. Cast iron is naturally compatible with induction (it's magnetic), so there's no issue there. It also goes from stovetop to oven to table without needing to transfer to another dish, which is kind of the whole point of a Dutch oven.

Is enameled cast iron better than regular cast iron?

It depends on what you're cooking. Enameled cast iron (like the Misen Dutch Oven) doesn't need seasoning, won't react with acidic foods like tomato sauce, and cleans up easily. Regular cast iron develops a nonstick patina over time and can handle higher heat. For braising, soups, and slow cooking, enameled is the better choice. For searing steaks at screaming-hot temperatures, bare cast iron wins. The Misen Dutch Oven is designed for the former — and it does that job beautifully.

How heavy is the Misen Dutch Oven?

It's heavy — that's the nature of cast iron. The 7-quart version weighs in at around 14 pounds empty, which means it's a two-hand lift when it's full of stew. That weight is actually a feature, not a bug: it means excellent heat retention and even cooking. Just know that if you're lifting it in and out of the oven regularly, you need to use proper oven mitts and plant your feet. It's not a one-handed operation.

About

Misen

Misen’s Story: It All Started with a Lost Pan

Misen (pronounced Mee-Zen) was born when a friend of Founder Omar Rada lost his favorite pan. It had been a gift, and he was shocked at the $200 price tag when he went to replace it. Rada was so shocked that he launched a Kickstarter in 2015 to bring amazing kitchen tools to customers at honest prices.

Rada's story is relatable for me since I lost my first Dutch oven in a move and suffered sticker shock when I looked online for a new one. But I digress.

Misen's Kickstarter began with a chef’s knife, but that was just the beginning. Misen soon grew more prominent, and it now offers a full range of quality knives, cookware, and prep tools. After my excellent experience with their Dutch oven, I’ll be adding more of these quality products to my kitchen.

Misen has added many incredible people (and 18 adorable office dogs) to their team. And these amazing people have helped make it the reliable brand it is today.

Further reading: Check our review of Misen's Nonstick and Carbon Steel Pans

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Misen’s High Standards

Omar Rada wanted to put premium cookware on the market at affordable prices. That's something that many brands claim to do, but few live up to those goals. Misen is among the unique companies that offer exactly what they promise: quality materials, thoughtful design, and honest prices.

The fact that every Misen product is tested, tested, and then tested some more is one of my favorite points. They make any necessary adjustments and repeat the process until the cookware delivers premium results. For example, they dropped a 2-lb steel ball into the Dutch oven from 3 feet in the air to test the enamel coating, and it remained chip-free! The other brands they tried—both budget and expensive options—chipped and flaked, but the Misen Dutch Oven looked like new. You can see the results for yourself on the Dutch oven product page.

As a clumsy person who makes mistakes in the kitchen (we’re all human), I thoroughly appreciate the testing Misen puts into their products. I might not drop a steel ball into my Dutch oven, but who says I won't grab a metal spatula or drop a heavy, smaller lid into the pan when it's empty? I've done it before with other pans and regretted it instantly, but I'm not so worried about that with my Misen Dutch Oven.

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What I Love About Misen’s Dutch Oven

I was delighted when I first pulled my beautiful blue Misen Dutch Oven from its practical, no-nonsense box. Everything was securely packed with the lid in a separate box, presumably to eliminate the risk of damage during shipping. And yet, I wasn’t overwhelmed with a ton of excess packaging! It’s a rare balance these days.

I picked the option that comes with a Grill Lid for 2-in-1 versatility, adding even more functionality to the Dutch oven’s workhorse resume. When I took it out of the small box, I knew I made the right choice. The lid has a flat top that allows you to flip it over and use it as a grill pan, with wide handles for easy grip. The other option was a classic lid with a single knob, which might be easier to maneuver, but I don't regret my choice.

The Misen Dutch Oven is weighty and impressive, with a beautiful enamel that looks and feels like it will last a lifetime (just like Misen promises).

The Misen Dutch Oven is weighty and impressive, with a beautiful enamel that looks and feels like it will last a lifetime (just like Misen promises). It has plenty of room to bake a big loaf of bread, simmer stews, braise roasts, and deep-fry indulgent treats, and I was eager to do it all. And since Fall is on the horizon for me, it was perfect timing.

Misen Dutch Oven Set — Four separately-fired layers of top-of-the-line enamel are applied around its cast iron core

And don’t forget the additional silicone lid, which forms an airtight seal over the Dutch oven base. I’ll probably use this lid often, and I keep it between the Dutch oven and the grill lid in storage to prevent accidental chipping.

All cookware comes with pros and cons, but the cons for the Misen Dutch Oven feel more like inevitabilities than actual cons. On the other hand, the pros set this Dutch oven apart (especially in its affordable $148 price range). See what I mean below:

Try as I might, I could only come up with this small list of cons, but I probably could have kept adding to the already sizeable list of pros. I think that says bounds about the quality of this product.

Test Drive: Misen Dutch Oven Review

The Misen Dutch Oven is a high-quality, enamel-coated Dutch oven with five cheerful colors and two different lids. Each one comes with an additional silicone lid for convenience and storage, making it a three-piece Dutch oven set instead of the standard two-piece lid and oven set with no other lid options.

I love that the Dutch oven is already an all-around workhorse, but the grill lid adds even more functionality!

The grill lid made the Misen Dutch Oven special to me. I love that the Dutch oven is already an all-around workhorse, but the grill lid adds even more functionality!

Misen Dutch Oven and Grill Lid — The Dutch Oven comes with a Grill Lid for 2-in-1 versatility

The first thing I cooked in this was a quick spaghetti sauce in the Dutch Oven body on my stovetop with meatballs on the Grill Lid in the oven. I admit that I tend to cook with pretty high heat, and I underestimated the heat-retention of this beauty. I had spaghetti sauce splashing everywhere at a near rolling boil before I knew it. So, I reduced the heat to low and popped the silicone lid on to control the mess, even though the grill lid was in the oven!

The benefits of the additional lid were immediately evident after the spaghetti sauce incident. And when I took the meatballs out of the oven, they had perfect grill lines that made the dish look restaurant-quality! And I had a spare lid for the sauce.

Next, I cooked a loaf of sourdough bread in my Misen Dutch Oven with the cast iron grill lid on top. About 10 minutes before I pulled the loaf, I needed to remove the lid to create a crust, and I was worried it would be difficult without a knob. Thanks to the large handles, though, my oven-gloved hands were able to lift the lid from the Dutch oven body easily and safely rest it on the stovetop to cool. The bread came out smelling delectable with a light crackling singing from the cooling crust, and the Misen Dutch Oven won me over.

Finally, I made a batch of vegetable soup to go with that beautiful sourdough bread and completed my Misen Dutch Oven test drive. I used wooden and nylon utensils to protect the enamel coating, and it still looks brand new. The weight was perfect for every task, and the Misen enamel coating was nonstick as promised. There's not a thing I'd change, and that’s more than I can say for most other cookware in my collection.

The weight was perfect for every task, and the Misen enamel coating was nonstick as promised. There's not a thing I'd change, and that’s more than I can say for most other cookware in my collection.

After testing the Misen Dutch Oven for a week, I promptly packed my old cast iron Dutch oven to put in storage. Sorry old friend, but you've been replaced!

A Positive Experience with Misen

I’ve been learning to cook for over 20 years now, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that quality kitchen tools help you cook better. For example, if you're cooking in a pan that sticks, you're more likely to ruin your dish. Likewise, if your Dutch oven doesn't retain heat well or has a low-quality coating, your food may cook unevenly and even make you sick! But if you have quality tools that cook the way they’re meant to, you can focus on following the recipe and honing your skills.

The Misen Dutch Oven performed better than any equally priced Dutch oven I’ve ever used, and I would 100% recommend it.

The Misen Dutch Oven performed better than any equally priced Dutch oven I’ve ever used, and I would 100% recommend it. It’s officially the only Dutch oven in my home, and I can’t wait to make dozens of cozy Fall and Winter dishes in it over the coming months. At $148, you’re not going to find a better deal. And if you’re looking for a perfect present for the home chef in your life, you’ve found it!

About Our Editorial Team

Shelby Golding

Contributing Editor

Shelby Golding is a Colorado-based writer/editor with over a decade of experience. She has a college education in interior design and enjoys woodworking in her free time.

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