• Handle temperature: This Dutch oven's handles were good at keeping temperatures low eNough to touch without a potholder when used on the stovetop. You'll definitely need a potholder for sets scoring Fair or Poor. We also consider the size and shape of the handle when scoring.
• Speed of Heating: This Dutch oven was excellent in speed of heating, which gauges the amount of time needed for 4L of water to rise 110 degrees F. Those scoring Excellent require less time; those scoring Poor require much more time.
  
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• Simmering Performance: This Dutch oven was excellent in Simmering performance, which gauges how evenly the Dutch oven simmers tomato sauce. Those scoring Excellent can evenly simmer; those scoring Poor can Not evenly simmer tomato sauce.
• Evenness Performance: This Dutch oven was excellent in evenness, which gauges how evenly the inner bottom of the pot heats.
  • Bread Baking: This Dutch oven was excellent in bread baking, which gauges how well the pot can proof and bake bread. Those scoring Excellent baked bread that had a crispy crust and a nice interior; those scoring Poor had a dense interior along with a yeasty flavor.
  • Ease of cleaning: This Dutch oven excellent in cleaning, which gauges the amount of scrubbing needed to remove baked-on food. Those scoring Excellent require minimal effort; those scoring Poor require lots of scrubbing.

The Our Place Perfect Pot is part of the Cookware test program at Consumer Reports. In our lab tests, Dutch Ovens models like the Perfect Pot are rated on multiple criteria, such as those listed below.

Ease of cleaning: Ease of cleaning reflects how easy or difficult it was to clean after browning and cooking a beef brisket.

Bread baking: How well the pot can proof and bake bread. Those scoring Excellent baked bread that had a crispy crust and a nice interior; those scoring Poor had a dense interior along with a yeasty flavor.

Sauce simmer: Indication of how well the pot can evenly simmer tomato sauce.