Compare Dutch Ovens
Caraway Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven scores higher on safety - here's why.
The most important dimensions, side by side.
Caraway's lead testing meets California's Prop 65 standard — roughly 10x stricter than baseline FDA limits. Results are independently verified and publicly available. This is the gold standard for lead safety in cookware.
Vermicular explicitly tests to California's Prop 65 lead standard — the strictest in the US. Their three-layer enamel process is designed for precision, and their compliance documentation backs it up.
Cadmium was historically used in red and yellow enamel colorants. Caraway's 20+ heavy metal testing panel includes cadmium — verified clean by an independent lab.
Cadmium-free under Prop 65 testing. Cadmium was historically used in vivid colored enamel glazes — having it explicitly covered in their compliance documentation matters.
Caraway tests for over 200 types of PFAS — far more than most brands even claim to check. Independent results are published. While vitreous enamel on cast iron is inherently PFAS-free by material, having the lab data to prove it is a meaningful differentiator.
Traditional vitreous enamel is made by fusing glass to cast iron — PFAS simply cannot exist in this material. It does not need a PFAS test panel because the chemistry makes it impossible. This is different from a ceramic coating, where an explicit test is necessary.
Caraway backs this cast iron dutch oven with a limited lifetime warranty — the same class of coverage you get from Le Creuset and Staub. If the enamel chips from a manufacturing defect, Caraway covers it.
A 30-year warranty is not quite lifetime, but it is longer than almost any other dutch oven on the market outside of Le Creuset and Staub. Vermicular stands behind their manufacturing quality.
At 500°F, nothing is off the table — Dutch oven sourdough, searing followed by a low braise, high-heat roasts. No temperature ceiling for typical home cooking.
At 450°F, Vermicular handles braises, roasts, soups, and most bread baking. If you regularly bake artisan bread at 500°F+, check your specific recipe requirements before buying.
Cast iron holds heat better than any other common cookware material. Once this pot is hot, it stays hot — perfect for the kind of long, slow, low-heat braises that are the dutch oven's signature use.
The 0.01mm precision lid seal is Vermicular's signature feature — it creates a near-airtight environment that holds heat and moisture exceptionally well. Reviewers consistently rate it on par with Le Creuset and Staub for braising performance.
At 13.4 lbs empty, this pot demands respect. Full of a Sunday braise, you are managing serious weight. This is the fundamental tradeoff of cast iron — unmatched cooking performance, real physical demands.
At 9.3 lbs empty, Vermicular is heavier than Caraway but lighter than many comparable cast iron options. The weight reflects the cast iron body that makes it cook so well.
At $195 you get Caraway's full testing program applied to a genuine cast iron dutch oven. That is roughly half the price of Le Creuset with the same class of safety verification.
At $450, Vermicular is a significant investment. This is a pot you buy once and keep for decades — the 30-year warranty and Japanese manufacturing quality are part of the value equation.
Everything you need to make the call - who each one is for, and who should skip it.
Go for it if you...
You want the most rigorously third-party-tested dutch oven in the category — Caraway tests more PFAS types and heavy metals than any competitor we evaluated.
You want genuine cast iron performance: excellent heat retention for long braises and 500°F oven capability for Dutch oven bread.
You are comfortable with 13.4 lbs and want a pot that will last a lifetime under a solid limited warranty.
You want the single best non-toxic dutch oven available and are willing to invest accordingly.
Long, slow braises and soups that benefit from exceptional, consistent heat retention are central to how you cook.
You value Japanese manufacturing precision and want a pot designed to last decades.
You want a 30-year warranty as an assurance of long-term quality.
PFAS-free status based on inherent material chemistry (vitreous enamel) rather than a test claim feels more trustworthy to you.
The main thing to know
Caraway's enameled cast iron dutch oven combines two things that are hard to find together: the most rigorously third-party-tested chemical safety profile in the category (200+ PFAS types, 20+ heavy metals, Prop 65 verified for both lead and cadmium) with genuine cast iron performance — excellent heat retention, 500°F oven capability, and a limited lifetime warranty. The honest tradeoff is weight: at 13.4 lbs, this is a heavy pot for daily family cooking. If you want safety verification without cast iron weight, the ceramic Caraway non-stick dutch oven is the lighter option, though it scores lower on heat retention.
The Vermicular earns the highest R3 score in the dutch oven category by combining Prop 65-compliant safety credentials, inherently PFAS-free vitreous enamel, exceptional heat retention from Japanese precision manufacturing, and a 30-year warranty. The tradeoff is price — at $380-$450 it is the most expensive option in this comparison, and it is oven-safe to 450°F rather than 500°F+.
Skip this if you...
You cook daily and need a lightweight option — at 13.4 lbs this is a physically demanding daily driver.
You are on a tight budget — at $195 there are cheaper cast iron options, though none with these safety credentials.
You want the lightest possible dutch oven — look at Emile Henry (8.8 lbs) or the ceramic Caraway non-stick version instead.
Your budget is under $250 — Caraway delivers strong safety credentials at less than half the price.
You regularly bake bread at 500°F+ and need an oven-safe rating above 450°F.
You need a lightweight pot — at 9.3 lbs it is manageable but heavier than Caraway.
Neither of these quite what you're looking for?
I've reviewed all Dutch Ovens options at every price pointEvery Dutch Ovens in our database is scored using R3's deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. For this comparison, we evaluated Caraway and Vermicular across 3 independent criteria: Safety (87%), Efficacy (12%), Usability (1%). No sponsored rankings. No paid placements.
Straight answers - no sponsored content, no filler.
I'd start with Caraway Caraway Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven - it scored 9.9/10 overall in our scoring system. Safety is our top-weighted scoring pillar, followed by efficacy, and usability. Check which pillar matters most to your family and compare those specific scores.
R3 uses a deterministic scoring system - the same inputs always produce the same score. We evaluate each Dutch Ovens across Safety, Efficacy, Usability using independently verified data. No sponsored rankings. No paid placements. Every score is fully reproducible.
Not necessarily. The overall score reflects our weighted rubric, but your priorities may differ. If you care most about safety, compare the safety scores directly. If budget drives your decision, the prices tell a clearer story. The "right" pick is the one that matches what matters most to your family.
Not the right match? Explore these alternatives in the same category.
