BARE Dutch Oven

BARE Cookware was founded in Rotterdam in 2018 with a stated mission of redesigning traditional kitchen tools for modern cooks. After five previous Kickstarter campaigns, the brand presented the BARE Dutch Oven as its sixth, describing the Dutch oven as the workhorse of the kitchen and saying the design went through several years of iteration. According to the source, the campaign raised more than $750,000 from over 4,600 backers.

Two layers instead of enamel

The core idea is a two-layer build: a 304 stainless steel interior bonded to a 5mm aluminium exterior. With no enamel coating, the maker says there is nothing to chip and no exposed spots to rust, and that the steel surface handles high heat, builds fond readily and is easy to deglaze. The aluminium layer, according to BARE, conducts heat four times better than cast iron, spreading heat quickly to avoid hot spots; the brand cites tests in which heat spread evenly across the pot even over a small flame.

On heat retention, the maker points to aluminium's heat capacity per unit mass, roughly twice that of cast iron. In a cooling test after heating to 200°C in an oven, BARE says the pot retained heat on par with a conventional model twice its weight, which should help keep temperatures steady when cold ingredients go in or the flame changes.

Key specifications, per the maker

• Weight: 3.9kg (8.6 lb), described as more than 40% lighter than traditional cast-iron Dutch ovens (said to average over 7kg)
• Size: 28cm diameter, 6.7L capacity, pitched at meals for four to five people
• Heat sources: induction, gas, electric and ceramic
• Oven-safe to 260°C (500°F)
• Dishwasher-safe, PFAS-free, with a surface said to resist metal utensils
• Lifetime warranty against manufacturing defects
• All metal materials described as recyclable

Designed for stovetop-to-oven cooking

Because it moves between hob and oven, the pot is positioned for one-vessel cooking, from searing on a wide base to slow braising. The lid is designed to keep steam in and circulate it, which the maker says benefits both stews and bread baking, where trapped steam helps produce a crisp crust. BARE also says the pot needs none of the seasoning or rust-prevention upkeep of cast iron, and that colour options will be selectable after the campaign ends.