5 Best Bread Baking Cloches, According to Testing
The simple cookware you need to make crusty, chewy, bread-basket-worthy loaves.
Tested by Eva BleyerKitchen Appliances & Innovation Lab Reviews Analyst
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There's absolutely nothing wrong with freshly baked bread from a loaf pan or even a healthy store-bought bread. But if you want a gorgeous, crusty homemade boule — seeded no-knead bread, anyone? — you need a bread cloche. Most cloches are made from cast iron, enameled cast iron or ceramic. They consist of a flat pan covered with a domed lid that allows you to build heat and trap steam, two factors critical to creating a loaf with a crispy crust and a tender crumb.
When the experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test bread bakers, we consider the weight, shape, capacity and placement of handles. We also bake — and eat! — loaves of yeasted white bread and evaluate the color, crust and crumb.
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Bread Oven
Pros
- Sturdy, comfortable handles on the base and on the lid
- Comes in many colors
Cons
- Not the most versatile cookware
The experts in the Kitchen Appliances Lab have been impressed by Le Creuset for years. The brand is our top pick for Dutch ovens. And we were equally pleased with the results from this bread baker. Like the company's enameled cast iron cookware, mugs and utensil crocks, the baker comes in a wide variety of colors.
It's heavy, but it feels super sturdy and has handles on both the bottom, to make transporting easier, and the top, which is nice when you want to uncover your loaf for better browning in the last few minutes of baking.
In our tests, it produced a beautifully browned loaf every time, whether with yeasted breads or sourdough. The loaves also rose the highest out of all of the cloches tested. And for fun, we like that it has a design on the bottom that will imprint onto the bottom of your boule.
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| Material | Enameled cast iron |
|---|---|
| Oven safe temperature | Up to 500˚F |
| Dimensions | 13.78" x 11.81" |
| Weight | 9.7 lbs |
Pros
- Comes pre-seasoned
- Versatile piece of cookware
Cons
- No other colors available
Lodge makes our best overall cast iron skillet, and the quality construction is apparent here as well. The brand has created a highly versatile piece of cookware: When the sauté pan lid is paired with the deep pot, the two can be used as a Dutch oven or flipped to work as a cloche.
It comes pre-seasoned, so it's ready to use right out of the box. We like the easy-to-grasp handles on both the bottom and top pieces, which line up for easy carrying. But note that the design does mean you don't have a handle on the top when using it as a Dutch oven or bread baker.
The loaves we baked in the Lab were very nice with even browning, a rather fine crumb and few large air bubbles. The exterior had a nice crusty chew to it.
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| Material | Cast iron |
|---|---|
| Oven safe temperature | Up to 600˚F |
| Dimensions | 11.15" x 5.55" |
| Weight | 13.1 lbs |
Pros
- Produced quality bread with a nice crust
- Very durable design
Cons
- Heaviest on our list and all testers commented that it was a downside
The Challenger bread cloche is roomy enough for large boules and even small baguettes. The cast iron construction means it is very durable, and all of our testers agreed it produced evenly browned, crispy and impressive loaves, rolls, biscuits and flatbreads.
For all the positives, there is one standout downside: It is the heaviest baker on our list. Each of our home testers commented on the heft as a negative, with one saying, "It was too heavy when empty, and extremely heavy when it contained bread products." Another reported that "the weight keeps me from recommending it to all but the most serious bakers."
If you are a serious baker, you will appreciate the large handles on the side and the lid (though not on the top of the lid). They're large enough that you can hold them with oven mitts on, which is important because the company recommends you preheat the pan with the oven.
| Material | Cast iron |
|---|---|
| Oven safe temperature | Up to 475˚F |
| Dimensions | 11.5" x 9" x 5" |
| Weight | 20 lbs |
Pros
- Easiest to Clean
- Unique ridges on the bottom for crisping up your bread
- Can go from the freezer to the oven
Cons
- Short handle is somewhat difficult to grasp with an oven
The glazed ceramic of Emilie Henry's bread baker makes it very easy to clean. In our tests, a simple soak in the sink was all it took to remove any stuck-on bits.
This pick baked lightly golden boules with an airy, squishy crumb and crusty exterior. Our expert noted in particular that the ridges on the interior base of the cloche helped prevent sticking and crisped up the bottom of the loaves. The bread turned out nicely tender, not tough.
The handles on the side help with transporting, and they make the cloche feel balanced. And the handle on the top of the lid helps when you want to uncover your boule during baking, but we did note that it's a bit squat, which makes it harder to grasp if you're wearing an oven mitt.
| Material | Ceramic |
|---|---|
| Oven safe temperature | Up to 500˚F |
| Weight | 8.46" x 10" x 3.15" |
| Dimensions | 5.2 lbs |
Pros
- Lightweight
- Unglazed bottom will patina over time to be more nonstick
Cons
- Lacks side handles and feels more delicate than others
Perhaps best known for its wide range of quality flours, King Arthur also makes a variety of cooking and baking gear, including our best value pizza peel. Designed with a single handle on the top that is large and easy to grasp, it delivers a classic, minimalist aesthetic. It would look stylish on your countertop if you use it to store your loaf as well.
In our tests, we found the crumb of the loaves to be small and chewy (and delicious!), and the crust was nicely crisp. However, the browning wasn't even, and the bread stuck to the base more than it did with the other cloches in our test. (We recommend lining this baker with parchment paper for easier removal.)
We also noted that the lid doesn't sit on the base as easily as the other cloches and the base lacks side handles. In addition, the clay stoneware construction felt more delicate than the rest, especially those made of metal.
| Material | Clay stoneware |
|---|---|
| Oven safe temperature | Up to 500˚F |
| Dimensions | 7.5" x 11" |
| Weight | Not listed |
How we test bread bakers
The experts in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab test all kinds of bakeware, ovens and Dutch ovens.
When testing bread cloches, we used a standard recipe for yeasted white bread. We weighed the ingredients and timed the two proofing periods. We scored each loaf three times. We placed the dough in a room-temperature cloche and baked it in a preheated oven.
After baking, we noted the color and height of each loaf. We sliced them to check the crispness of the crust, the tenderness of the interior, the texture of the crumb (ideally a fine hole pattern rather than a large one) and the evenness of the bake. We also did the hard work of eating fresh bread to further evaluate the flavor and texture.
What to consider when shopping for a bread baker
✔️ Material: Generally speaking, bread baking cloches are cast iron, enameled cast iron or ceramic. Ceramic bakers might require a longer bake time; cast iron ones might produce a darker crust. But because we found all the materials effective in our tests, you should choose the style and weight that is best for you.
✔️ Size and shape: These factors are important in the styles of bread you can create, but they are also considerations for storage. Round bakers will allow you to create round loaves or only very small long loaves. More oblong bakers can produce longer loaves as well as round and oval loaves. Note the height of the lid as well, as some are harder to fit on shelves or oven racks.
✔️ Weight: Generally speaking, the larger the baker, the heavier it will be on its own. It can also hold a larger loaf, which will add weight when it's in use. While the overall weight is definitely a factor when shopping, it's worth noting that all of these pans are fairly heavy. So if you most often bake a certain recipe that works best as a specific size or shape, go with the cloche that will accommodate it.
✔️ Handles: Ideally, the cloche will have handles on the sides as well as on the lid. Handles on the sides of the baker make it easier and safer to place into and remove from the oven. A handle on top lets you easily lift off the lid toward the end of the baking to brown the boule if indicated by your recipe.
How do you use a bread cloche?
A bread cloche allows you to create a smaller oven within your oven. The cloche helps trap heat to help your bread rise and bake evenly, and it helps trap steam to develop a crisp crust and a springy crumb.
The best way to use it will depend on the manufacturer and your recipe. Some will suggest that you preheat the cloche as you heat the oven. This will result in a darker loaf with a crunchier crust. Others will call for a room-temperature cloche, which will keep the bottom crust from getting overbaked. The one common piece of advice: Do not chill your bread baking cloche and then put it directly in the oven; it can cause thermal shock and damage the cookware. If you cold-ferment your dough, allow it to come to room temperature before baking.
You may also find that some recipes work better than others in your cloche. Experiment with different recipes to find the styles and timings that produce the best loaves.
Can you use a Dutch oven instead of a bread baking cloche?
Yes! You can absolutely use a Dutch oven rather than a dedicated bread cloche. They function the same way: by creating a hot chamber that can trap heat and steam. The general advice is to preheat the Dutch oven while heating your oven. One pro of a Dutch oven is that it's extremely versatile. And there are more size options, if you like to make larger loaves.
The downside is that they can be heavier, and the deep sides make it harder to add your dough without changing the shape of the boule. One tip is to place your shaped dough on parchment paper and lower it into the Dutch oven. The flat bottom and domed top of a cloche allow you to avoid this common issue with loading since there's easy access to the baking surface.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Sarah Gregory Wharton is a deputy editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She has tested cooking gear like stand mixers and immersion blenders. She is a graduate of the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education) and has been cooking professionally since 2017.
Eva Bleyer is the reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. Since 2021, she has tested all kinds of kitchen gear for GH, including gas ranges and kitchen scales. She led the testing for these bread cloches and is an avid sourdough baker in her spare time.
Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
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