I love cooking at least one meal in cast iron cookware; so far, I have a trusty skillet and a newly bought Dutch oven. Unfortunately, as someone recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, dealing with the weight of the cookware, especially the Dutch oven, has become problematic for me. It is simply too heavy to handle with pain in my hands. I am sure many of you find cast iron and enameled Dutch ovens troublesome for their weight and construction quality, respectively. Even stainless steel counterparts sit on the heavy side.
The founders of BARE Cookware from Rotterdam understand that a Dutch oven is a kitchen workhorse and needs to be flawless and lightweight. To that end, the company sought to find the perfect solution to fit everyday cooking adventures. To our relief, the brand has designed the Bare Dutch oven that takes all the best qualities of a cast iron counterpart and replaces its disadvantages with a much lighter version with a 2-ply construction weighing just 3.6 kg (8.6 lbs).
For the uninitiated, a standard cast iron pot often weighs 7 kg (15 lbs), which, let’s face it, will reach over 10 kg when you are cooking. The Bare cookware requires no seasoning, which is a bonus. It has a diameter of 28 cm (11 inches), perfect to sear a steak on with a capacity of 6.7 liters (7.2 quarts).
BARE Cookware has removed all the accompanying flaws of the traditional cookware. There is no enamel layer, so you can use metal spoons and spatulas to cook without worrying about enamel chipping. The Bare Dutch oven, unlike cast iron, heats evenly to ensure there are no hot spots to burn your food.
The brand gave the cookware a modern makeover with the use of modern materials. The 2-ply construction of the Bare Dutch oven includes a 304 stainless steel interior, which provides a non-reactive, durable, and chip-free cooking surface, and a 5mm aluminum exterior that conducts better heat and has excellent heat retention for even cooking. Moreover, the pot comes with precise measurement markings inside, keeping track of the liquids when you cook.
It will allow you to cook anything and everything in a superior pot that weighs nearly half that of cast iron Dutch oven. You can simmer, sear, braise, boil, sauté, stew, slow cook, and bake in this amazing pot. You can even bake a crusty sourdough loaf in it. The accompanying lid traps moisture inside the pot, so you get the softest bread with that perfectly golden and crunchy crust. But what makes it even better for me is that the Bare cookware is induction compatible and dishwasher safe.
Also Read: Best Cast Iron Skillets for 2025 – From Perfectly Seasoned to Perfectly Reasoned
Thanks to the aluminum core, the Bare pot works exceptionally on induction, gas, electric, and ceramic surfaces with even heating. It is also oven-safe up to 260 degrees Celsius (500 degrees Fahrenheit). Its lightweight construction ensures that it is easy to move, from stovetop to oven and table. Its big handles make the job easier, even if you are wearing oven mittens. This works best for people like me, who have chronic pain or live alone, who would still like to have a trusty and sturdy pot like a Dutch oven in the kitchen.
Currently crowdfunding on Kickstarter, the Bare Dutch oven could be yours for an Early Bird price of €129 (roughly $150). The pot comes in three colorways: black, red, and blue, which you can select post-campaign. I am off to make my pledge so I can get the black Bare in November 2025, when shipping begins.
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