With its look and design, Dunelm’s casserole range jumped out to me as a contender to the Our Place perfect pot. I tested the 24cm cast aluminium casserole dish, but for those looking for a shallower pot, Dunelm’s 28cm cast shallow aluminium casserole dish is worth noting, too (£42, Dunelm.com).
At 940g, this pot is extremely light and easily manageable around the kitchen. Despite the weight, I didn’t find it flimsy and it held its place on my raised gas hob.
Much like the Our Place perfect pot, I was keen to test the non-stick abilities of the Dunelm casserole dish. It features a dual layer of non-stick, scratch-resistant coating, which I trialled by cooking a variety of dishes that notoriously don’t fare well in my usual steel pot. First up, I challenged it with scrambled eggs, which it rose to without a quibble, producing fluffy perfectly cooked eggs with no sticking in sight. Washing up after leaving it for an hour was an easy job, too.
I also tested how evenly the pot heated up by cooking a chickpea and potato soup. The recipe I used asked for the onions, garlic, lemongrass and ginger to be blended up and added at the same time – something I would normally delay in my usual cookware to prevent the garlic and spices from overcooking. To my delight, each ingredient became fragrant and cooked down perfectly, without a single slice of garlic taking on that slightly burned brown I’m used to.
I also noted the pot got to temperature quickly, in around 30 seconds. Bringing it to a simmer took a little patience after adding 400ml of stock and a can of coconut milk, but then it happily worked away to cook my soup.
The dimensions and capacity of this dish compared to the Our Place perfect pot are smaller, but I found it had enough space to make a meal for four people. If you have a larger family or like to entertain, the perfect pot’s 5.2l capacity might be better suited.
Featuring lots of dimples, the self-basting lid helps to retain moisture in meats while they cook, making them more tender. As a vegetarian I was unable to test this feature, but I can imagine for roasts or casseroles this would be a game changer.
Like the perfect pot, the handles and pot become really hot so take care to use a tea towel when manoeuvring it around the kitchen.
Visually, the whole range including this pot is beautiful. In contrast to the rough ceramic look of the Our Place perfect pot, it has a subtle glazed finish. There are fewer colourways with the Dunelm dish – a duck egg green (which I tested) and smart dark grey – but they would seamlessly align with the design of most kitchens.
Unlike the perfect pot, this Dunelm’s cast aluminium casserole is dishwasher safe – although Dunlem says due to its size, it’s best to hand wash it. Plus, its guarantee is two years longer than Our Place’s. Overall, if you’re unsure whether to invest in Our Place’s perfect pot, Dunelm’s cast aluminium casserole dish is a reliable alternative at a third of the price.
