The Best Cocotte - 2021
We looked at the top 7 Cocottes and dug through the reviews from 11 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best Cocottes.
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Our Picks For The Top Cocottes
- The Best Cocotte
- 1. Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Mini Cocotte, 10.5-Ounce
- 2. Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocottes, Set of 4
- 3. Staub Round Cocotte, 5.5-Quart
- 4. All-Clad Stainless Steel Cocottes, 2-Piece
- 5. Sweese Porcelain Ramekins, Set of 4
- 6. Staub Ceramics Mini Cocotte Set, 3-Piece
- 7. Restaurantware Mini Round Cocotte, 3-Ounce
Petite Yet DurableSmall dishes remain free of toxins in this Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Mini Cocotte, 10.5-Ounce.
Small Enamel BakewareBake small dishes or make your sides more presentable in these Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocottes, Set of 4.
Reliable Dutch OvenThe Staub Round Cocotte, 5.5-Quart cooks mid-sized entrees evenly and serves them with distinction.
Those who favor a consistent cooking experience will love these All-Clad Stainless Steel Cocottes. Their steel construction distributes heat nicely, and the tall sides keep food from bubbling out. The material also lets them fit in well with traditional kitchenware.
Why we recommend these cocottes?
Products Considered
Products Analyzed
Expert Reviews Included
User Opinions Analyzed
Our experts reviewed the top 7 Cocottes and also dug through the reviews from 11 of the most popular review sites including and more. The result is a ranking of the best of the best Cocottes.
DWYM is your trusted roduct review source. Our team reviews thousands of product reviews from the trusted top experts and combines them into one easy-to-understand score. Learn more.
The Best Overall
Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Mini Cocotte, 10.5-Ounce
Our Take
The Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Mini Cocotte may be small, but it's durable. In the oven, it can withstand temperatures up to 450 degrees. The porcelain coating remains presentable after cooking and is free of PFOAs and PTFEs.
What other experts liked
What other experts didn't like
Our Cocotte Findings
Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Mini Cocotte, 10.5-Ounce
What We Liked: The Tramontina Enameled Cast Iron Mini Cocotte may be small, but it’s durable. In the oven, it can withstand temperatures up to 450 degrees. The porcelain coating remains presentable after cooking and is free of PFOAs and PTFEs.
Staub Round Cocotte, 5.5-Quart
What We Liked: The matte enamel on the Staub Round Cocotte comes in a variety of appealing colors. The texture on the interior makes for quicker meals, heating up food evenly. It cooks mid-sized dishes faster and more consistently.
Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocottes, Set of 4
What We Liked: With an 8 ounce capacity, these Le Creuset Stoneware Mini Cocottes make a visual statement on any table. Thanks to the non-porous enamel, they’re just as good at baking as they are at serving. The finish resists cracks, scratches or lingering odors from a variety of dishes.
Sweese Porcelain Ramekins, Set of 4
What We Liked: The Sweese Porcelain Ramekins are made from glazed white porcelain and are free from BPAs and other toxins. They bake small dishes with ease and the included lids make for easy storage afterward. They’re equally safe in the broiler or dishwasher.
Staub Ceramics Mini Cocotte Set, 3-Piece
What We Liked: The Staub Ceramics Mini Cocotte Set is beautiful enough to pass on to family but durable enough for everyday use. They can stand up to baking in the oven, microwave and can even store in the freezer. The enamel finish is exceptionally scratch-resistant.
Our Cocotte Buying Guide
For such a versatile piece of cookware, not many casual home chefs know what a cocotte is. Even some experienced chefs might have one around the house and not know what it is, since they might be used to calling it by its more popular name: A Dutch oven.
There’s some debate over what the distinction is between a cocotte and a Dutch oven, or if there’s any distinction at all. The term “Dutch oven” conjures images of the original use for this hefty, deep cast iron pot, cooking family-size stews and roasts over an open campfire. It’s mainly merchandisers who refer to the same pot as a cocotte, and while cocottes might be more commonly coated with porcelain or enamel to make them more presentable, it’s essentially the same thing.
Whatever you call them, cocottes have come a long way since campsite cooking. The cast iron construction makes them slow to heat up, but when they do, they hold that heat exceptionally well. Put the lid on top, and you’ve got a vessel that will make everything from moist, tender chicken to fluffy desserts.
A good porcelain or enamel coating over that cast iron won’t hurt the cooking process appreciably, and it makes the cookware equally suitable for presenting that dish at the table. Smaller cocottes might be used just as often as containers for side dishes and snacks as they are for actual cooking.
There’s no set size for a cocotte, and volume can range from 8 ounces or so to 9 quarts or more. The bigger they get, the more serious cooking you can expect to do with them.
While not all cocottes are made from cast iron, be sure to look for that type of material if you plan on getting the most out of Dutch oven recipes. Stainless steel or copper cocottes might be lighter and less expensive, but they won’t cook nearly the same way cast iron will.
DWYM Fun Fact
The term “cocotte” certainly sounds more refined than a Dutch oven, which is another perfectly acceptable thing to call your cast iron pot. As you might expect, the word is originally French. But while its early meaning does indeed translate to a type of pot, it has a number of slang translations as well, including a child’s word for “hen.”
The Cocotte Tips and Advice
- Cocottes have plenty of uses but look for one that has a recessed lid if you want an extra bit of versatility. The convex surface may take a little space away if you’re covering a full pot, but you can use the makeshift bowl to cool down your dish quicker by filling it with ice. You can also use it to hold sauces or extra sides. Get creative!
- If your cocotte is made of “naked” cast iron, you’ll get much better use out of it by seasoning the pot before the first use. Simply coat it with a thin layer of oil, then leave it upside down in the oven for 45-60 minutes at 350 degrees. (The oil will drip, so you may want to lay down a sheet of foil underneath it.) This coating of dried oil will give your Dutch oven non-stick properties and help food cook more evenly. If your cocotte has an enamel or porcelain coating, there’s no need for seasoning, though you may want to oil up any exposed portions of cast iron at the lip of the pot.
About The Author
Tod Caviness is a professional writer and journalist for the past 20 years. Tod's years of experience writing a nightlife column for the Orlando Sentinel have cursed him with an affinity for cocktails he can't afford. He makes up for it with his cheap yet killer slow cooker cuisine. At least, his wife hasn't kicked him out for them yet.