Riess ⭐ Top pick

Nine generations, unchanged craftsmanship. Riess perpetuates the art of enameling since 1550, combining ancestral traditions with sustainable production. Each utensil is born from the marriage of fire and metal in their carbon-neutral forge in Ybbsitz.

In 1550, in the Ybbs valley of Lower Austria, a family forge was founded in Ybbsitz. The Mostviertel region was then a major metalworking center, fed by surrounding forests and by rivers that supplied hydraulic power. The Riess family forged tools, utensils, and everyday objects. For nearly four centuries, the trade was passed down from generation to generation.

In 1922, the ninth generation of the Riess family made a decisive turn and specialized in enameling. The process consists of fusing silicate glass (enamel) onto an iron base at 850°C. The raw materials are natural: iron, quartz, clay, feldspar, soda, and potash. The result is cookware that is acid-resistant, hygienic, and non-porous, retaining neither odors nor flavors.

The factory remained in Ybbsitz, on the same site as the original forge. The Ybbs river next to it provides the hydroelectricity that powers all production. Riess was carbon-neutral before the concept became fashionable. Production is entirely Austrian, from metal cutting to final enameling. Each piece goes through more than 30 manual steps. Colors are applied one by one and kiln-fired between each layer.

Nine generations later, Riess is still independent and family-owned. The ranges go from classic saucepans to colorful mixing bowls, from tart molds to garden buckets. The design has evolved, but the techniques remain the same. While most brands count their history in decades, Riess counts in centuries.