The Complete Casserole Buying Guide
Andi Healey
Web Manager
Overview
A casserole is one of the most useful pieces of cookware in any kitchen. From hearty stews and soups to curries, risottos, and even bread, it's a pan that quickly earns its keep. But with different materials, sizes, shapes, and brands to choose from, which casserole is the right one for you? This complete guide will help you make the perfect choice.
Quick Summary- A 24-26cm cast iron casserole suits most households, feeding 3-5 people comfortably.
- Cast iron retains heat brilliantly for slow cooking; stainless steel offers lighter weight and faster responsiveness.
- Round is the most versatile shape; oval suits whole poultry and long cuts of meat.
- Shallow casseroles offer more surface area, ideal for searing, risotto, and pasta dishes.
Expert Tip: First-time buyer? Start with a 24cm enamelled cast iron in a neutral colour. It's the most versatile option and holds its resale value brilliantly if you decide to upgrade later.
Decision Helper
- Cooking for 1-2 people? Start with a 20-22cm round casserole
- Family of 4? A 24-26cm is your everyday workhorse
- Large family or love entertaining? Go for 28-30cm
- Want lightweight and responsive? Choose stainless steel
- Love slow cooking? Cast iron is your friend
- Want more surface area for searing? Consider a shallow casserole
What to Consider When Buying a Casserole
Traditional, versatile, and built to last generations. Cast iron heats evenly and retains heat beautifully, making it perfect for slow cooking, batch meals, or any recipe where steady, consistent heat matters.
- Weight: Heavy (3-7kg depending on size)
- Heat-up time: Slow, needs gentle preheating
- Maintenance: Easy-clean enamel, avoid metal utensils
- Induction: Yes, compatible
- Lifespan: Decades, often handed down through families
Best for: Slow-cooked stews, soups, bread baking, dishes that need to hold temperature.
Lighter and quicker to heat. Ideal for everyday stovetop cooking when you need responsive temperature control. Easier to lift and manoeuvre when full.
- Weight: Light to medium
- Heat-up time: Fast and responsive
- Maintenance: Dishwasher safe, can use metal utensils
- Induction: Yes, when multi-ply construction
- Lifespan: 20-30+ years
Best for: Sauces, quick stovetop dishes, precise temperature control.
| Feature | Cast Iron | Stainless Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Heavy (3-7kg) | Light-Medium |
| Heat-up | Slow, even | Fast, responsive |
| Best for | Slow cooking, braising | Quick meals, sauces |
| Lifespan | Lifetime | 20-30+ years |
| Price | £££-££££ | ££-£££ |
Size Guide: Finding Your Perfect Fit
Choosing the right size matters more than you think. Too small and you'll be making multiple batches; too large and your food won't cook properly.
Ideal for 1-2 people or side dishes. Perfect for couples, small households, or as a second casserole for sides and sauces.
24-26cm (4.2-5.3 litres)The sweet spot for most households. Feeds 3-5 people comfortably and handles everything from weeknight dinners to small gatherings. If you're buying just one casserole, this is typically the best choice.
28-30cm (6.7-8.4 litres)Built for larger families, entertaining, or serious batch cooking. Brilliant for feeding 6-10 people or making big pots of soup to freeze.
Size Decision Made Easy: Cooking for 4? Buy the 26cm, not the 24cm. The extra capacity is invaluable when entertaining or batch cooking. You can always put less in a larger pot, but you can't put more in a smaller one.
Shape: Round, Oval & Shallow
Shape affects not just what you can cook, but how well your casserole performs on the hob. Here's an honest breakdown of each.
The most versatile shape and the right starting point for most people. A round base matches the shape of a hob burner, meaning heat is applied evenly across the entire bottom — making it the strongest performer on the stovetop. Deeper sides suit soups, stews, curries, and bread baking, and it's the easiest shape to store.
- Heats evenly on the hob — base matches burner shape
- Deep sides suit soups, stocks, and liquid-heavy dishes
- Excellent for bread baking — traps steam effectively
- Widest range of sizes and colours available
- Easiest shape to store
- Less surface area than shallow for searing large batches
- Not ideal for whole poultry or long cuts of meat
Designed primarily for the oven rather than the hob. The elongated shape fits whole poultry, legs of lamb, pork loin, and other cuts that don't sit comfortably in a round pot. Its narrower profile also means you can fit side dishes alongside it on the oven shelf. Because the base extends beyond most hob burners, it heats less evenly on the stovetop — so use it primarily in the oven, and start on a lower heat if you do use it on the hob.
- Fits whole poultry, legs of lamb, and long cuts of meat
- Narrower profile leaves room on the oven shelf for sides
- Performs as well as round in the oven
- Good capacity for larger gatherings
- Heats less evenly on the hob — base extends beyond burners
- Shallower sides than round make it less suited to soups and stocks
- Harder to store than a round casserole
- Best as a second casserole rather than a first
The shallow casserole fills a genuine gap between a frying pan and a standard deep casserole. Its wide, flat base gives more surface area for searing without crowding, while the tight-fitting lid lets you finish dishes in the oven and go straight to the table. Particularly well suited to dishes that start on the hob and finish in the oven — sear, add liquid, cover, and braise.
- Maximum base area for searing without crowding
- Ideal hob-to-oven-to-table presentation piece
- Excellent for risotto, pasta dishes, and braising
- Wide base reduces sauces and liquids quickly
- Tight-fitting lid retains moisture for oven finishing
- Not suitable for soups or dishes needing a large volume of liquid
- Takes up more cupboard width than a round of equivalent capacity
- Heavier than a frying pan of similar diameter
The ideal two-piece combination: A 24-26cm round and a 26cm shallow casserole cover almost every cooking scenario. The round handles soups, stews, and bread; the shallow takes care of searing, braising, and dishes that go straight to the table.
Which shape should I buy first? Round, without hesitation. It's the most versatile on both hob and oven, the easiest to store, and handles the widest range of dishes. Add an oval or shallow once you know how you cook and what you're missing.
How Different Brands Compare
We've carefully selected brands that represent the best in quality, craftsmanship, and value. Here's how they differ and which buyer they might suit.
| Brand | Strengths & Characteristics | When a Buyer Might Choose It |
|---|---|---|
| Le Creuset | Excellent reputation, strong resale and brand trust. Enamelled cast iron with many colour options. Lifetime guarantee. | For someone who wants a safe bet, a brand they know, with excellent resale value and a wide range including shallow casseroles. |
| Staub | Premium heavy cast iron with subdued finishes. Self-basting lid design. Strong performance in high-heat braising. | If someone wants premium cast iron but prefers different aesthetics or the self-basting lid feature. |
| Netherton Foundry | Traditional spun and cast iron made in Shropshire. Authentic craftsmanship with natural iron that develops patina over time. | Ideal for buyers wanting UK-made iron cookware with authentic feel and supporting British manufacturing. |
| Samuel Groves | Classic stainless steel used by top chefs on The Great British Menu. Birmingham-based with 180+ years of heritage. | A good pick for sustainability-conscious buyers, Samuel Groves offers a "pans for life" refurbishment scheme. |
| Demeyere | High-performance stainless steel and multi-ply cookware. Belgian-made with advanced technology for induction performance. | For someone who prefers lighter, responsive cookware over heavy cast iron. |
| Grunwerg | Accessible premium brand with the Commichef Cast Aluminium range. Good value and quality construction. | A good middle ground: reliable performance without the extreme price tag of premium brands. And a lot lighter. |
Note: Some brands favour certain materials, Demeyere is stronger in stainless and clad constructions, so it's not always straightforward to compare with heavy cast iron. Decide what material suits your cooking style first, then pick among brands.
Still not sure? Visit our shops in Cobham or Reigate to see and feel the difference. Or call us on 01737 222996 to speak with our team.
What Customers Ask About Casseroles
Will a 24cm casserole fit in my oven?
A 24cm casserole typically measures around 32cm total length including handles. Most UK ovens are 60cm wide, so this will fit comfortably. Measure your oven interior before purchasing to confirm.
How does cast iron compare to stainless steel?
Cast iron retains heat more effectively, making it ideal for maintaining steady temperature during slow cooking. Stainless steel heats and cools more quickly, excellent for responsive temperature control but less suited to extended braising.
What makes premium casseroles worth the price?
Premium casseroles use thicker cast iron (4-5mm vs 2-3mm) providing more even heat distribution. The enamel coating is applied more thickly and fired at higher temperatures, making it more durable and chip-resistant.
Should I buy round or oval first?
Start with a round casserole. It's more versatile for everyday cooking, soups, stews, curries, risottos, and bread. Add an oval later if you regularly cook whole chickens or long cuts of meat.
What is a shallow casserole best used for?
A shallow casserole excels where you want a wide base for searing, plus a lid for finishing in the oven. It's particularly well suited to risotto, pasta sauces, paella-style dishes, and any recipe requiring you to brown meat before braising. Think of it as a wide, deep sauté pan with a casserole lid.
Care & Making It Last
- During cooking: Use low to medium heat, let it warm gradually
- Utensils: Stick to silicone, wood, or nylon to protect enamel
- Cleaning: Let cool slightly, wash in hot soapy water, dry thoroughly
- Never: Plunge hot cast iron into cold water, thermal shock can crack enamel
Common Mistake: Never put cold water into a hot cast iron casserole. Let it cool for 10-15 minutes first.
- Cleaning: Dishwasher safe, though hand washing preserves shine
- Stubborn marks: A specialist stainless steel cream cleanser works well
- Discolouration: White vinegar or lemon juice removes heat marks effectively
- Utensils: Metal utensils are fine
Good to Know: Rainbow discolouration on stainless steel is caused by overheating, not damage. It's purely cosmetic and can be removed with a little white vinegar on a cloth.
Why Buy From Art of Living?
Founded in Reigate in 1972, we've spent over five decades helping customers select quality cookware. We've been twice nominated for the Excellence in Housewares award for customer care, and we stock brands we genuinely believe in, chosen because they perform, not because of margins.
- No-quibble returns, even used items
- Half-price accidental damage replacement for two years
- Price match guarantee
Read our full guarantee policy | Questions? Call us on 01737 222996 or visit our contact page
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need more than one casserole?
Many keen cooks eventually own two or three. Start with one good 24-26cm round, it'll handle 90% of your needs.
What's the difference between a casserole and a Dutch oven?
They're the same thing. "Casserole" is more common in the UK, whilst "Dutch oven" is the American term.
Can I use metal utensils?
Not with enamelled cast iron, stick to wood, silicone, or nylon. Stainless steel casseroles are fine with metal utensils.
How long will a quality casserole last?
A well-made casserole should last decades. Le Creuset and Staub offer lifetime guarantees. Many families pass cast iron casseroles down through generations.
What if I've used it and don't like it?
Return it anyway. Our no-quibble guarantee covers used items, if it doesn't do what you wanted, we'll refund you.
How long does delivery take?
Standard delivery to mainland UK addresses can take up to 7 working days, but is usually 3-4, and is free for orders over £49. Next day delivery may be available for £9.95 on orders placed before 1pm Monday to Thursday, depending on your location and stock levels. You can also collect from our shops in Cobham or Reigate, or our warehouse in Redhill.
Is it worth buying an expensive casserole?
A quality casserole from Le Creuset, Staub, or Netherton Foundry will last 30+ years (often a lifetime), meaning the cost per use becomes pennies. Budget alternatives may need replacing every 5-10 years.
Ready to Find Your Perfect Casserole?
Browse our complete collection or get expert advice from our team.
Visit us in Cobham or Reigate | Call 01737 222996
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