Quick answer
Enamel cast iron: safety, pros and cons
Enamel is a glass layer fused onto iron. That rules out PTFE, but it adds a question bare cast iron does not have: what is in the glass?
Enamel means no PTFE and no seasoning. The catch is disclosure: Le Creuset, Staub and Chasseur all score 51–55, because none publishes its enamel composition or lead and cadmium testing. Bare cast iron scores higher: Smithey 83, Lodge 78.
It is a disclosure score out of 100, not a safety rating: what it is made of, who tested it, where it is made, whether the claim matches the evidence. A product can score 20 and be perfectly fine to cook in. What a low score means is that nobody outside the company can check. The rubric is here.
Enamelled pots we have scored
Staub Round Cocotte 24cm (David Jones)Made in France. Black matte enamel, composition not published.51/100See the full entry →
Chasseur Round French Oven 26cm (Myer)Made in France since 1924. Enamel never described.51/100See the full entry →
Enamelled or bare?
| Compared | Enamelled | Bare |
|---|---|---|
| Seasoning | None needed | Oil, baked on |
| Adds iron to food | Not while the enamel is intact | Yes, most in acidic dishes |
| Recipe published? | No maker we score | One metal, nothing to publish |
| Our best score | Le Creuset / Staub, 55 | Smithey No. 12, 83 |
Lodge’s California filing lists nickel, cadmium and chromium compounds for its enamelled line. That is a declaration against a chemical list, not a leach test. The makers above publish neither.
Where the enamel has gone you are cooking on bare iron, and the edge can keep flaking. Check your warranty: Le Creuset Australia gives a lifetime warranty to the original owner; Chasseur’s is lifetime if you follow the manual.
Every enamelled pan we have scored
| Product | Score /100 | What touches the food | Our call |
|---|---|---|---|
| 55 | 34/60 | Read the caveats | |
| 55 | 34/60 | Read the caveats | |
| 55 | 34/60 | Read the caveats | |
| 51 | 34/60 | Read the caveats | |
| 51 | 34/60 | Read the caveats | |
| 34 | 34/60 | Read the caveats |
- No maker photo55/100Le Creuset Signature Skillet · US
Enamelled cast iron with a black interior enamel “specially formulated for higher surface temperatures” — enamel composition never disclosed
The full entry → - No maker photo55/100Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole 24cm (Myer / David Jones) · AU
Enamelled cast iron
The full entry → - No maker photo55/100Staub 7 qt Round Cocotte · US
Enamelled cast iron with a “textured black matte” interior enamel — composition not disclosed
The full entry → - 51/100
- 51/100
- No maker photo34/100Maxwell & Williams Cast Iron Casserole 26cm (Myer) · AU
Cast iron “made from Australian iron ore”
The full entry →
Questions people ask
Is enameled cast iron as good as cast iron?
For cooking, many people find it easier: no seasoning and no rust. On disclosure it scores lower: our best enamelled pans score 55, bare cast iron 83, because makers do not publish what is in the enamel.
What are the disadvantages of enameled cast iron?
The price, the chance of chipping, and that no maker we score publishes its enamel composition or lead and cadmium testing. Le Creuset Australia describes its enamel only as “a type of glass”.
Is cast iron enamel good for you?
Intact enamel is a glass surface with no PTFE. Whether a given enamel contains lead or cadmium is something makers do not publish, so nobody outside the factory can check. Lodge’s California filing lists cadmium compounds for its enamelled line.
What shouldn’t you cook in enameled cast iron?
The makers we read publish heat limits rather than a list of foods: Le Creuset Australia rates its casserole from −23°C to 260°C, and Chasseur’s steel knob to 250°C. Avoid heating it empty, and use the lid knob’s rating as your ceiling.
Related
Sources
- Lodge California AB 1200 materials disclosure. www.lodgecastiron.com
- Study of iron gain in foods cooked in iron pots, Malawi, Int J Vitam Nutr Res. storage.imrpress.com
- Le Creuset Signature Skillet — maker or retailer page. www.lecreuset.com
- Le Creuset Signature Round Casserole 24cm (Myer / David Jones) — maker or retailer page. www.lecreuset.com.au
- Staub 7 qt Round Cocotte — maker or retailer page. www.zwilling.com
- Staub Round Cocotte 24cm (David Jones) — maker or retailer page. zwilling.com.au
- Chasseur Round French Oven 26cm (Myer) — maker or retailer page. chasseur.com.au
- Maxwell & Williams Cast Iron Casserole 26cm (Myer) — maker or retailer page. maxwellandwilliams.com.au
- MessyPig materials rubric. MessyPig materials rubric
One useful email a fortnight
New scores, brands that finally answered, and any rule change that affects what you can buy. The list is not open yet — email us and we will add you when it is.