Say hello to my cooking VIP, which has rightfully secured a permanent place on my stove. (Britt Ross/Yahoo)(Britt Ross/Yahoo)
As a former professional baker who still likes to spend my weekends whipping up homemade treats and tackling complicated cooking projects, I'm well aware of the hold Le Creuset has on food obsessives. And for good reason: Its products are built to last, not to mention absolutely gorgeous. (My colleague, Senior Home Writer Lisa Schweitzer, swears by hers, and you can actually snag her Dutch oven for a discount at the moment.) But, can I go out on a limb and say that my Lodge Dutch oven, an Amazon bestseller that retails for a fraction of the price of its fancy French counterpart, performs just as well? Both are made of sturdy, enameled cast iron and come in a bevy of beautiful hues, but one will have your wallet breathing a sigh of relief — especially now that this Amazon Prime Day deal drops the price even lower.
Related: I'm a pro baker turned deals hunter: These are the Prime Day kitchen deals that are making me salivate
"I'm giving my mom this new fan from Shark to help her keep cool this spring and summer. It can be used indoors and out, with or without the base (so it can sit on a table). The fan can be plugged in or will run cordless up to 24 hours. And it's boujee — complete with a portable water tank and mist functionality! I’m also considering one of Shark's new mini misting fans for my sister, another mom who deserves to feel pampered at home and on the go. (I can also see this coming in handy when she's sitting on the bleachers at my niece's summer softball games.)" — Kristin Granero, Home Writer
The Barefoot Contessa herself approves of this wildly popular and versatile pan, which is made of durable cast iron that'll last for years. It comes pre-seasoned and can withstand heat from any cooktop — it can even be used over a campfire. Nothing's better when it comes to achieving the perfect sear on your meat — and I can say from personal experience that it makes the best pancakes too.
Check out my full Lodge Cast Iron Skillet review for more.
I don't expect this sturdy hand vac to conk out anytime soon, but when it does, I'll be ordering another one right away.
If you sleep hot, these moisture-wicking pillows will help keep you comfortable. They're filled with a plush down alternative (100% polyester) that's encased in a soft, breathable sateen cover. Score the set while they're well over half off.
"My husband and I are very picky about our pillows, and we are pleasantly surprised at how comfortable these are," said one five-star fan. "We are both side sleepers, and these have helped both of us have better nights of sleep. They support our necks without feeling like we are too propped up, and they offer enough give to help feel like our necks are being cradled. I'm glad I found these."
Why keep tripping over bottles when these handy shower shelves exist? This top-selling set claims to hold up to 40 pounds (that's a lot of gel, shampoo, conditioner and emollients) and comes with five storage racks in different sizes for all your bathtime essentials. All you need to do is apply the included adhesive to stick 'em on the wall.
If you spend lots of time in the kitchen, your feet deserve a cushy surface to stand on during all of that cooking (and dishwashing). This highly rated anti-fatigue mat is made from a comfy foam to help take some of the pressure off of your muscles and joints, and its nonslip bottom will stay put without sliding around. The waterproof material is also easy to wipe clean.
This cushy comforter, which has tabs and can double as a duvet insert, was designed for all-season use, keeping you cozy yet cool during the warmer months and toasty come winter. Box stitching helps keep the fluffy filling evenly distributed.
Check out our full Bedsure Comforter review for more.
Amazon's No. 1 selling electric pressure cooker is the Instant Pot Duo Plus, and it's close to half off right now (its lowest price in months!). It can pressure cook, slow cook, steam, sauté, make rice, make yogurt, sterilize things and warm food. So if you want an appliance to help you prep meals this fall for tailgates and school nights, or just love a hearty stew, it's worth grabbing it while it's on sale.
"The cooking performance is outstanding," said one impressed customer. "Meals that used to take hours to prepare are now ready in a fraction of the time, without compromising on flavor or texture. The Instant Pot Duo Plus consistently produces tender, flavorful dishes, from perfectly cooked rice to fall-off-the-bone meats."
When you're on hosting duty, this roomy pot can feed a crowd — and looks good doing it.
This pot typically retails for around $100, which is still a great value when you consider a Le Creuset can cost $300-plus. But at a super-reasonable $75 (in many colors — hooray!), it's a no-brainer. In fact, I plan on snagging another one while I can get it for such a steal; I haven't seen it on sale for less all year. Plus, it's made without "forever chemicals," and you can't put a price on peace of mind.
Prior to purchasing my Lodge Dutch oven a few years ago, I'd already been a longtime fan of the brand's 10-inch cast iron skillet, which I swear by for making the best pancakes. (Ina Garten loves this pan, which is also on sale too — and if it's good enough for my culinary queen, it's good enough for me.) My old, cheap Dutch oven had started to chip, and after researching replacement options, Lodge seemed like the clear winner.
I've used Le Creuset Dutch ovens in the past, but they're so expensive that I find myself being too precious with them out of fear of ruining them. I don't want to be afraid of my cookware — I want to be able to put it through the wringer if need be! At under $100, the Lodge is both reasonably priced and has a respected brand name to back it up. (Lodge has been crafting cast-iron cookware since 1896, so they know what they're doing.) In her roundup of the best Dutch ovens for 2025, Schweitzer, who's a French Culinary Institute grad, agreed with me on the value: Though she gave Le Creuset top marks, she named Lodge the best budget option, calling it "an excellent choice if you're looking to keep costs in check."
Just by lifting this pot, you'll be able to tell it was made with durability in mind. I'm a 5-foot-tall weakling, and moving it from the stove to the oven while it's filled with food can be a challenge. (If you're someone who prefers lightweight cookware, check out my Our Place Perfect Pot review). That said, I appreciate the Lodge's heft; cast iron is excellent when it comes to evenly distributing and retaining heat, so I'm willing to give my arms a workout if it means it will improve my cooking experience ... and my dinner.
While we're on the subject of cooking, there's not much I haven't made in this thing. From soups and stews to baked pasta, braises and even fried doughnuts, this pot has seen it all — and once baking season rolls around, I look forward to trying out some loaves of homemade bread. Everything I've made has been cooked exactly to my liking, aside from the time I mistakenly set my timer for an hour and a half instead of half an hour. User error!
I appreciate its light-colored interior, which allows me to see when my garlic is getting a little too crispy, and thanks to its 6-quart capacity, I find that I'm able to prepare enough food in it to feed about six hungry people (more if it's a side dish). Since it's heat-safe up to 500°F, I never have to worry when placing it in the oven.
The slick enamel coating means that cleanup never consists of more than a rinse with soap and water followed by a quick wipe; just make sure you let the pot cool down before washing and never use abrasive materials on it. After years of use, mine still looks like new.
Dutch ovens are arguably just as sought-after for their looks as they are for their cooking capabilities, and I'm happy to report that the Lodge excels in the aesthetics department. I'm partial to the Cornflower Blue, but there are nearly 20 gorgeous colors to choose from, whether you like muted neutrals, eye-catching brights or pretty pastels. If I must nitpick: Does Le Creuset, with its more angular lid, have a slightly sleeker silhouette? Sure, I guess. But until Architectural Digest knocks on my door wanting a tour, I'm perfectly happy with the way the Lodge brightens up my kitchen. In fact, I display it on my stove at all times — it's way too attractive to hide in a cabinet.
Over 31,000 Amazon shoppers are just as in love with their Lodge Dutch ovens as I am.
"I am loving it!" exclaimed an ecstatic home cook. "It does get heavy when you fill it with yummy food, but the handles are a nice size, and I feel secure moving it from stovetop to oven to counter. I made bread in it right away ... the crust was amazing! I then braised short ribs. My first time braising anything. The smell in my kitchen was fantastic while it was in the oven. Even after braising for four hours, it was a breeze to clean."
"I love Le Creuset, but I just couldn’t bring myself to spend over four hundred dollars on a Dutch oven from them, so I bought this one," shared a fellow convert. "I have quite a few other enameled cast iron [pieces] from LC, and I see no difference in performance. The lid to this Dutch oven fits well and stays in place, and the heat distribution appears even."
"Excellent-quality Dutch oven," raved a thoughtful present-purchaser. "We liked ours so much that we bought a second one to gift away. Ours looks as new as the day we bought it; enamel is still in good shape and no rusting [is] visible anywhere."
"I have always wanted one of these Dutch ovens, and [I'm] glad I finally broke down to purchase one," said a generally pleased buyer. "I use it all the time." Their one note? "I wish the sides were straight instead of angled inward, but all in all, a great investment! Beautiful and heavy pot."
"Lodge has nailed it with this Dutch oven," wrote a final fan. "This oven cooks just as [well] as the high-end brands that are triple the price or more. The only slight difference that may irritate some, but it's not a big deal to me at all, is the bottom is not 100% flat compared to the Le Creuset or Staub Dutch ovens. This could mean the edges of your meat don't sear as well as they would on a flat bottom, if you had a large cut of meat. However, this isn't a big deal to me and wouldn't sway me from recommending to anyone." (I actually prefer the rounded bottom, as it makes stirring with wooden spoons easier, and you don't have to worry about gunk getting trapped in the corners!)
Psst: My aforementioned Lodge skillet is also a fab deal for Prime Day...
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The reviews quoted above reflect the most recent versions at the time of publication.
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