Need to know
- Both the Aldi Special Buy Dutch oven ($26.99) and the Kmart Dutch oven ($30) performed well
- While both pots did well at baking bread and slow-cooking brisket, the Aldi pot is slightly cheaper and comes with a five-year warranty
- There's no clear consensus on which pot will last longer – long time users of both brands have reported chipping of the enamel over time
According to my husband, a household only needs one Dutch oven. But when the Aldi Special Buy cast-iron cookware goes on sale, it's hard to resist picking one up for just $26.99, even if you already have a near-identical $30 Kmart pot sitting on the bench at home.
So in the name of science (and to justify the purchase of a second Dutch oven), I decided to test these two similarly priced, similar-looking pots to find out which one comes out on top.
Here's how they compared.
Cost
The Aldi pot is just a smidgeon cheaper than the Kmart model ($26.99 vs $30), leaving you with an extra $3 in your pocket. It's not a big difference but every dollar counts, so I'm giving the Aldi pot the win on cost.
Warranty
Here's where things get slightly more compelling for the Aldi pot. The Kmart Dutch oven doesn't mention any warranty on the box or online product listing.
You always have your rights under Australian Consumer Law, which covers you if the product is faulty, and which states that a product should last for a reasonable period. How long you can expect a particular good to last depends on several factors, including price so considering the low cost of the pot you probably can't expect any support if you have a problem with it after you've been using it for a few years.
The Aldi Dutch oven, meanwhile, comes with a warranty certificate for five years
The Aldi Dutch oven, meanwhile, comes with a warranty certificate for five years, so if the pot reveals itself to be defective during that period, you'll be entitled to a repair, replacement or refund (realistically, I doubt they will be repairing this pot for you, so a replacement or refund seems a more likely outcome).
The warranty does clearly exclude normal wear and tear, or damage incurred by misuse (the pot comes with a manual with cleaning and care instructions). It also mentions that some staining of the pot is considered normal.
It's also worth noting that you should keep your receipt with the warranty, as Aldi may ask for this if you try to return it.
The Aldi pot looks sleek and high quality.
Appearance
When I first unboxed my Kmart pot, I thought she was a real beauty. But I have to admit that the Aldi pot blew her out of the water. While both pots are a similar sage green colour, the Aldi model has a kind of balayage effect, where the colour starts darker at the bottom and fades to a lighter green towards the rim of the pot. The effect somehow makes its appearance more premium.
Design
When it comes to the design features of these pots, they really do seem to be cut from the same cloth. Both have a 4L capacity and both have a self-basting lid (bumps on the underside of the lid, also known as basting spikes) with a stainless steel knob and an enamel coating.
Performance
When I took the Kmart Dutch oven for a spin in the kitchen, I put it to work baking a loaf of sourdough and braising and baking a beef brisket. So of course I had to put the Aldi pot through the same paces.
First, the sourdough – the Aldi pot did not disappoint, turning out a more or less identical loaf to the one cooked in the Kmart pot. The loaf rose just as expected while baking with the lid on for 30 minutes, then the final 30 minutes with the lid off allowed it to form a golden crusty exterior.
It seems I was more diligent with scoring and flouring my bread when baking in my Kmart Dutch oven a year ago (right) but the Aldi pot performed just as well (left).
Next, I cooked my go-to beef brisket to see how the Aldi pot compared to the Kmart.
It heated up nicely on my induction cooktop and easily seared the brisket and caramelised the onions without anything sticking to the surface. After leaving the brisket to slow cook in the oven for six hours, the end result was exactly as I'd expected – delicious. Again, the performance was very much on par with the Kmart product.
Both pots were easy to wash up after the first use, with no sticking or hard-to-scrub areas, despite how baked-on some of the food looked after the long cook-time.
Beef brisket cooked in the Aldi pot (left) and Kmart pot (right).
Durability
Of course, when there is an ultra-cheap version of an often-expensive product, everybody wants to know how long the bargain version will last.
Kmart
When I did my deep-dive on the Kmart pot, I discovered that my colleague Tracy had owned one for a couple of years. She used hers mainly for stovetop cooking and found the enamel on the outside had started to chip during that time.
My Dutch oven is now almost a year old and I haven't noticed any chipping, but I mainly use mine for bread baking and I've noticed significant staining on the outside of the pot. It doesn't seem to impact functionality, it just doesn't look that pretty anymore.
The Kmart pot after just over a year of use vs the brand new Aldi pot
Aldi
My Aldi pot is brand-spanking-new so I can't comment on how it stands the test of time. But a few other CHOICE staff members have owned an Aldi cast iron pot for a number of years now, and they report it has mostly lasted well.
CHOICE staffer Bohdan says he has owned a larger Aldi pot for over five years and it looks "almost like new" with no enamel cracking.
CHOICE staffer Bohdan bought a larger cast-iron pot from the Aldi Special Buys range over five years ago and he is very happy with how it has held up.
And CHOICE home economist Fiona Mair says she's been using her Aldi pot to bake bread for about six years. "The enamel has dulled inside and has a few chips," she says. "It's not looking its best."
So in terms of durability, it seems the Kmart and Aldi pots are again, quite similar. The fact that the Aldi pot offers a five-year warranty implies the manufacturer has more faith in its longevity and means that if there is an issue like a broken handle in your first few years of ownership, you have a good chance of getting a replacement.
The verdict
The Kmart and Aldi pots seem to be near-identical in terms of design and performance. But the Aldi pot is (ever-so-slightly) cheaper, comes with a five-year warranty and (in my opinion), looks better. So for me, it's a no-brainer – the Aldi pot is the winner. But the Aldi cast-iron cookware range is usually only on sale twice a year, and it can sell out quickly. It will also be difficult to get your hands on if you live in an area without an Aldi store nearby.
It's also worth noting that the Aldi Dutch oven comes in three different colours, whereas the Kmart pot is currently only available in one colour (although at the time of writing we noticed it was sold out online).
Stock images: Getty, unless otherwise stated.
