The 9 Best Cast Iron Cauldrons

For stews over an open fire, the Bruntmor 6-Quart Potjie has the old round-bellied cauldron shape and is sold as real cookware. Three legs hold the pot above the coals, and the lid flips over to work as a small skillet. It arrives pre-seasoned, and the snug lid keeps slow-cooked food moist. It holds enough for a family meal with leftovers. On a flat stovetop, though, the legs keep the base off the burner, so it heats slowly there.

Kitchen cooks will do better with the flat bottom of the Lodge Double Dutch. It sits flat on gas, electric and induction burners, goes in the oven and handles a campfire too. The lid is a shallow skillet with two handles, so one set gives you a pot and a pan. Lodge has made cast iron in the U.S. since 1896. The catch is weight: the pair is a heavy lift when full.

Built for cooking with coals, the Camp Chef DO-10 stands on short legs and has a lid with a raised rim that holds hot briquettes on top, so food bakes from above and below. Turn the lid over and it rests on little feet as a griddle. A small notch lets a thermometer probe slip in without lifting the lid, and a lid lifter comes in the box. The warranty runs only 90 days.

For a church supper or a backyard gumbo, the Bayou Classic CI7405 holds five gallons and comes with a steel tripod stand that sets it at the right height over an outdoor burner, which is sold separately. The iron lid hangs on the side of the pot while you stir. It comes seasoned, and Bayou Classic backs it for a year. The set is very heavy, so it takes two people to move and level ground to stand on.

The MangalGrills Kazan is the deep, round pot that Uzbek cooks use for plov, the rice and lamb dish that is browned and then steamed in one vessel. Its thick walls spread heat evenly over a fire, and a flat spot on the bottom lets it sit on a stove or go in the oven. It comes seasoned, with a heavy iron lid. The maker warns that the hand-cast surface can be rough or uneven in spots.

A small pot for one or two campers, the Stansport 16018-20 stands on short legs and has a wire bail for hanging, plus a lid with a loop handle on top. It can go in a home oven as well as over the fire pit, and it comes pre-seasoned. Stansport has sold camping gear since 1949. It holds about two quarts, so it's too small for a family stew or a whole chicken.

Think of the Lodge HCK as a cauldron for the table. This seasoned iron kettle holds about a pint, enough for warm queso, baked beans for two or a single bowl of chili, and its steel bail lets it hang or be carried by the handle. Short legs keep it steady on a trivet or a bed of coals. There's no lid, and it's far too small to cook a meal for a family.

For an altar, a shelf or a Halloween table, the New Age Imports 4-Inch looks the part, with three stubby legs, a tall arched handle and a fitted lid. The lid smothers burning incense or charcoal and keeps dust out between uses. New Age Imports markets it for smudging, incense and decoration, not as cookware, so keep food out of it. The iron gets hot under charcoal, so set it on sand or a tile.

The New Age Imports 3-Inch is a palm-size incense burner that costs very little. Its open, shallow bowl gives a charcoal tablet or a cone room to breathe, and the small bail and side tabs let you move it once it has cooled. It's sold for incense, smudging and candles, never for cooking. There's no lid to put anything out, and a layer of sand in the bottom helps protect the surface underneath.