How we pick our products
Welcome to our big casserole test 2023. Here we present all the casseroles we have tested in detail. We have compiled detailed background information and added a summary of customer reviews on the internet.
We would like to make your purchase decision easier and help you find the best casseroles for you.
You will also find answers to frequently asked questions in our guide. If available, we also offer interesting test videos. Furthermore, you will also find some important information on this page that you should be aware of if you want to buy a casserole dish.
Summary
- Casseroles come in different shapes and sizes, with and without handles.
- When choosing a saucepan, it is important to consider the material and its heat conductivity.
- With the right casserole set, there are no culinary limits.
The Best Casserole: Our Picks
Guide: Questions you should ask yourself before buying a casserole dish
What is a casserole?
Nowadays, there is a wide range of different sizes, shapes and applications. Whether large, small, round, oval, with or without handles: The gourmet casserole is a true kitchen talent.
Saucepan – This cooking utensil is particularly suitable for preparing sauces.
What can be cooked in a casserole?
A casserole with a lid is a good alternative to a wok, for example, as the temperature is evenly distributed. The large casserole models are ideal for preparing larger roasts with vegetables.
Casseroles are also ideal for casseroles or braised vegetables. Fish dishes with fresh herbs can retain their aromas excellently and give great pleasure to the palate.
What does a casserole cost?
For example, enamel casseroles can be purchased at a reasonable price, whereas larger and more elaborately processed pots made of coated materials such as cast aluminium with a Teflon coating tend to be more expensive.
Compare several casseroles in different price ranges and set yourself a financial limit in advance.
As a rule, casseroles in the higher price range also have high-quality parts. However, this does not mean that a more expensive casserole dish is necessarily of a higher quality. In many cases, the manufacturer’s name can also affect the price.
Decision: What types of casseroles are there and which is the right one for you?
If you want to quickly find out which casserole you need for your kitchen, you’ve come to the right place. The wide range of casseroles includes different shapes, materials, techniques and manufacturers.
The most important difference is the material. A distinction is made here:
- Casseroles made of cast aluminium
- Stainless steel saucepans
- Copper saucepans
- Cast iron saucepans
- Enamelled saucepans
Every material and every production has special properties with advantages and disadvantages. It is important to think about how you want to use the casserole and where your preferences lie. Factors such as heating time, temperature distribution at the bottom and heat storage influence the cooking result.
Coatings simplify handling and influence care. To help you find the right casseroles for your needs, we therefore briefly introduce the different materials.
What are the special features of cast aluminium saucepans and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
Whether professional or amateur chef: cast aluminium pots are trendy. The robust surface convinces with a special sealing.
The good heat conductivity provides optimal results when frying. At the same time, the heat is stored in the pot for a long time, which means that the cooked food stays warm for longer.
A non-stick coating on the inside ensures both grease-free and low-water cooking and easy cleaning. These properties make the cast aluminium casseroles something very special.
Cleaning in the dishwasher is possible without any problems despite the coating. In addition, cast aluminium pots are significantly lighter than models made of stainless steel or enamel.
When looking for an all-rounder, you should not only look for good workmanship but also whether the casserole dish is also suitable for induction cookers.
What are the special features of stainless steel casseroles and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
One of the most popular materials is rustproof and heat-resistant stainless steel. The special insensitivity is a special feature. Some stainless steel saucepans have an aluminium core in the base, which ensures optimal heat conductivity.
High temperatures, steam, humidity and food acids cannot harm the material. Stainless steel casseroles are hygienic as well as odourless and tasteless. Coated stainless steel pots are particularly suitable for allergy sufferers.
What are the special features of copper saucepans and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
Copper is considered the star of heat conduction and is rustproof at the same time. The extremely robust and durable metal ensures balanced heat distribution and perfect results when preparing food.
However, copper reacts to highly acidic foods. To prevent this, a thin stainless steel layer protects the inside of the casserole. Aggressive cleaning agents can tarnish copper pots. Therefore, cleaning by hand and a copper care product are highly recommended.
Copper is not a ferromagnetic metal and is therefore not easily suitable for induction. Modern manufacturing techniques make induction-suitable copper casseroles possible, but they are in a much higher price segment.
What are the special features of cast iron saucepans and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
The cast-iron casserole dish not only looks good. Cast iron is also one of the most traditional materials for cookware. The high-quality material ensures optimal and even heat distribution. The heat is distributed from the bottom over the walls to the edges and the lid.
Cast iron is particularly suitable for braising and roasting meat. The food can retain its aroma and be cooked at low heat in the casserole. When cleaning cast-iron pots, however, a few basic rules should be observed.
Casseroles made of cast iron have a great advantage over other materials because they are suitable for induction. Due to the long heat storage, particularly energy-saving cooking is possible.
Basically, a distinction can be made between two forms:
Enamelled cast iron
Thanks to the protective layer of enamel, cast-iron casseroles are available in a variety of colours. This means that the casserole dish makes a good impression twice over. In addition, the smooth surface makes it easier to care for the casserole.
Cast iron in its raw form
In their raw form, casseroles form a natural coating over time. This protective layer is called patina. It contributes to the aroma of the food. A patina is a matter of taste and not a must. If necessary, it can be removed with a somewhat laborious cleaning process.
What are the special features of enamelled casseroles and what are their advantages and disadvantages?
Enamel is a fused glass and is applied layer by layer to the metal casserole until the final shape is created. This makes the casserole very durable, robust and at the same time cut and scratch resistant. In addition, the pot cannot rust because the surface is made of glass.
Despite the complicated processing, enamelled casseroles are also available for little money. Since enamel is nickel-free, this material is particularly suitable for allergy sufferers. The coating is tasteless and leaves the food unchanged.
The metal core of the enamel pots distributes the heat well and evenly, enabling energy-saving cooking. The non-porous and smooth surface makes the cookware easy to clean and maintain.
Buying criteria: You can use these factors to compare and evaluate casseroles
This chapter describes the most important factors that can be used to compare and evaluate casseroles. In addition to the right material and area of application, there are a number of important characteristics that distinguish good and high-quality casseroles.
You will find the most important criteria in this chapter:
- Shape
- Handles
- Bottom
- Heat source
The right shape
Casseroles are available in a variety of shapes. Whether round, oval or square with or without a handle depends very much on the intended use.
Square casseroles
Square casseroles are also often called gourmet casseroles. For example, they can have a ribbed base, which creates a thin strip on meat and fish. Here, special attention should be paid to cleaning, as poorly made casseroles leave residue stuck in the corners.
Oval casseroles
Oval casseroles are particularly suitable for large roasts, such as duck or rabbit. Make sure that your hob has enough space, otherwise the model may not work optimally. This casserole model is also ideal for roasting in the oven.
Casseroles with handle
Casseroles with handles are similar in shape to gourmet casseroles. The big difference is the long handle.
Cooks particularly like to use this form of casserole dish for cooking sauces, as the long handle makes it easy to tilt. The saucepan simplifies serving and the additional plastic protection on the handle ensures that the saucepans fit securely in the hand.
Smaller models can be held comfortably with one hand, whereas the large gourmet casserole needs to be gripped well with both hands.
The heat source
The majority of casseroles are suitable for gas, electric or ceramic hobs. Induction cookers, on the other hand, require casseroles with a ferromagnetic base. Cookware made of cast iron or stainless steel with multi-layer bases is usually suitable for induction.
When buying your saucepan, check whether it is suitable for your heat source. This is easy to find out in most cases, usually this information is marked on the bottom of the pot. There is a specific symbol used to indicate the type of cooker that is suitable for each pot.
Take special care not to move pure cast iron pots back and forth on ceramic and induction hobs, as this can leave scratch marks on your hob.
The lid
Another important point when choosing the right casserole is the lid. It has a significant influence on the cooking time, the nutritional content of the food and the energy consumption. If the lid is not in the right position, food cannot cook properly and both steam and important nutrients can be lost.
If the lid of your saucepan has a knob, make sure that it is firmly screwed to the lid and that no water can penetrate. The screw and thread should also be made of stainless steel.
The handles
Handles are there to hold and lift the pot and should make it easier to handle. In order to ensure this even when the saucepan is hot, the handles should be made of a poorly conductive metal. Stainless steel handles have the advantage that they are both ovenproof and dishwasher-safe.
Plastic handles, on the other hand, are usually attached to the pot separately and do not get hot even during prolonged cooking. In most cases, plastic handles can withstand up to 240 °C in the oven. Most manufacturers also offer replaceable handles.
Cast-iron saucepans often have handles made of the same material. The disadvantage of cast-iron handles is that they heat up during the cooking process. Remember to always hold cast-iron handles with an oven mitt. The advantage of this material is that the casserole can be placed in the oven without hesitation.
As a rule, handles should be firmly welded or screwed to the pot and therefore safe.
If a handle becomes loose, it is a matter of time before it comes off the pot completely. There are also clear quality characteristics when it comes to fixing the handles. As a rule, well-known manufacturers anchor the side handles firmly to the outer wall of the pot.
For pots with plastic handles and glass lids, you should find out about the heat resistance beforehand. Pots with wooden handles are taboo for the oven and dishwasher.
The base
The base is one of the most important quality features of a saucepan, as heat conductivity and distribution play an important role here and depend, among other things, on the pot materials already described. To ensure that heat is transferred from the hob to the pot, the base should be flat on the inside.
This is the only way that the food can brown or braise evenly in the pot. You can tell if the bottom is flat from the inside by placing a piece of butter in the middle of the hot pot. Watch how the butter melts, if it only runs into the corner of the pot, then the bottom of your casserole is not flat.
In addition, the bottom of the saucepan should rest exactly on the hotplate, as this is the only way to ensure optimal energy transfer from the saucepan. This means that shorter cooking times can be achieved and electricity can be saved. Naturally, pots expand during cooking. With high-quality pots, this change is already taken into account in the design.
In general, when buying a saucepan, pay close attention to the quality and compare different models and manufacturers. As a rule, high-quality casseroles are also in a higher price range. In most cases, this investment is worthwhile in order to enjoy the cookware for a long time.
Facts worth knowing about casseroles
How do I care for my cast iron casserole?
Once you have chosen a cast-iron casserole, the question of how to clean it properly quickly arises. With the right care, cast-iron cookware can be used and passed on for generations, as cast-iron pots, pans and casseroles are extremely robust.
For proper care, it is recommended to rinse cast iron cookware only with hot water without detergent. It is best to wipe out the casserole or pan with a paper towel only.
For raw cast iron, burnt-on particles can be removed with a light scrub. To do this, simply rub in two tablespoons of salt and a kitchen towel and clean. For optimal care, pots and pans should always be lightly greased to prevent corrosion.
The procedure is similar for enamelled cast iron. However, enamelled cookware can also be cleaned with washing-up liquid if necessary and does not require greasing.
Image source: unsplash.com / TerriC
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