How to Choose the Right Size Cookware for Your Cooking Style

When it comes to cookware, size really does matter, but not in the way you might think. You don’t need the biggest Dutch oven in the shop or a drawer full of every pot imaginable. You just need the right pieces for the way you cook.

Maybe you’re mostly cooking for one. Maybe you batch cook for a crowd every Sunday. Or maybe you’re somewhere in between, winging it with whatever pan’s clean. Wherever you sit, here’s how to choose the right size cast iron cookware for your cooking style.

If You Cook for One or Two, Go Small

Smaller cookware doesn’t just save space, it also heats up faster, uses less energy, and makes portioning easier. If you’re usually cooking for one or two people, or just making sides and sauces, you’ll get far more from compact pieces than oversized pots.

Our Small Cast Iron Cookware range is built for exactly that. Think:

• The Baby Dutch Oven (20cm) – great for risottos, pasta, stews or baking a mini sourdough.
• The Baby Saucepan (16cm) – ideal for porridge, boiling eggs or reheating leftovers.
• The Brekkie Pan – perfect for eggs, pancakes or single-serve meals.

They’re also a game-changer for smaller kitchens, where storage space is tight and benchtop real estate is gold.

Don’t let the size fool you – a baby Dutch oven is extremely versatile! 

If You Cook Most Nights, Medium’s Your Sweet Spot

If you’re cooking regular meals for a household of 2–4, or like to make enough for dinner and leftovers the next day, medium-sized cookware is where it’s at. Big enough to feed the crew, but still manageable to lift, clean and store.

Our Medium Cast Iron Cookware range includes the Classic Round Dutch Oven (26cm) – probably our most versatile size. It handles everything from soups and pasta bakes to slow-cooked curries and roast veg.

You’ll also find the Shallow Casserole Dutch Oven here, which is great for anything that needs a wider base, like paella, gratins or baked chicken thighs with crispy skin. If you’re only going to own one pot, something from this range is usually the one.

Medium-sized Dutch ovens do the most heavy lifting in most kitchens – everyday meals, sorted.

If You Cook for a Crowd or Love Batch Cooking, Go Large

Feeding a big family? Cooking for the week in one go? Hosting regular dinner parties? That’s when you want larger cast iron pieces that can handle serious volume without boiling over or crowding your food.

Our Large Cast Iron Cookware collection includes:

• The Oval Dutch Oven (30cm) – made for roasts, whole chickens and big-batch everything.
• The Family Cookware Bundle – a mix of our largest, most practical pieces to cover all your bases.
• The Ultimate Non-Stick Set – great if you want a full-size setup that’s still easy to clean.

These pieces are designed to cook evenly, hold heat beautifully, and serve a crowd without the juggling act. And they look good doing it.

Not Sure Where You Fit?

Here’s a quick way to decide:

• Mostly cooking for 1–2 people? Go small.
• Cooking for 3–4 most nights? Medium will be your go-to.
• Regularly cooking for 5+ or meal prepping like a boss? Large is worth the investment.

And if you’re somewhere in between, a mix of sizes will give you the flexibility to cook whatever’s on the menu, without dragging out the wrong pan every time.

Find the Cookware Size That Fits You

The best cookware isn’t the biggest or the fanciest; it’s the one that fits how you cook. Whether that’s weeknight pasta for two, Sunday roast for eight, or just whatever’s in the fridge, Crumble’s cast iron range has a size that suits.

Explore our Small, Medium, and Large Cast Iron Cookware collections to build a line-up that works for your kitchen, and the way you actually cook.