Dutch ovens really are the perfect pot for the kitchen, now I am not a master chef by any means but I do know that things are better of being heated slowly to start with otherwise they tend to burn. Once you have the temperature set then you want your pots to hold that temperature evenly, and that is exactly what cast iron will do. Another thing with cast iron Dutch ovens is that you can take them straight from the stove and into the oven without any problems, no wooden or plastic handles to burn or melt. There are a vast array of Dutch ovens available in all sorts of sizes and if you are interested you should check out the Dutch oven review sites online as these are a great help in letting you know what is available. These pots are all pre-seasoned so they are ready to use straight out of the box.