Höfats: Circle

Cast Iron Pot with Lid

Tonight, the grill gets a pot over the fire

A steaming chilli in the middle of the table, bread and small dishes alongside it and the visible flames of the CIRCLE 35 underneath – cooking can certainly be more sociable than disappearing into the kitchen. The höfats CIRCLE Cast Iron Pot has been designed as a dedicated accessory for the CIRCLE 35 Table Grill, transforming its cooking area into a compact fire kitchen. Made from black enamelled cast iron, the pot has a 2-litre capacity and measures 27.5 cm wide, 23 cm deep and 8 cm high. A stainless steel lid is included. The substantial cast iron absorbs heat and distributes it evenly through the food, while the lid helps retain warmth inside the pot. This makes it an inviting choice for stews, soups, sauces, curries or cheese fondue, all cooked or kept warm directly at the table. And because dinner is simmering where everyone is already sitting, nobody has to miss half the conversation while checking a saucepan in the kitchen.

A table grill with a rather useful second career

The appeal of the CIRCLE Cast Iron Pot lies in its simplicity. Instead of adding another appliance for every type of meal, your existing CIRCLE 35 takes on another role. The pot sits on the Table Grill above the flames and uses their heat for cooking. Cast iron is particularly suited to dishes that benefit from steady heat or need to remain warm over a longer meal, while the enamelled finish protects the surface and makes the pot pleasantly practical for regular use.

Its 2-litre capacity provides ample room for food made to share without placing an oversized casserole in the middle of the table. The stainless steel lid creates a calm contrast against the black cast iron, giving the pot a considered appearance that works just as naturally at an outdoor dinner as it does on a carefully laid table. The CIRCLE Cast Iron Pot is specifically designed for the höfats CIRCLE 35; the Table Grill itself is not included.

At höfats, a flame rarely has only one job

Founded in 2015 in Germany's Allgäu region, höfats develops products in which design and engineering are closely connected. Fire sits at the heart of the collection, not simply as a visual effect but as a reason for people to gather. The range includes SPIN table fires alongside grills, fire baskets and fire bowls such as MOON. Even the brand name has local roots: it comes from Höfats, the distinctive grass mountain in the Allgäu Alps. A rather literal connection to home, thankfully without making the products look remotely rustic.

Where does höfats manufacture its products? The company and its development heritage are rooted in the Allgäu, although the information provided for this particular CIRCLE Cast Iron Pot does not establish German manufacture, so we would not claim an origin that the manufacturer has not specified. What the CIRCLE concept does demonstrate clearly is the brand's approach to versatile design. With different accessories, one Table Grill can become a fondue setup, a shared pan-grilling experience or, with this pot, a small cooking station above the fire. MOON belongs to the same höfats fire collection but is a separate fire bowl and is not required for this pot.

One pot, plenty of plans and perhaps another slice of bread

The CIRCLE Cast Iron Pot gives the Table Grill a life well beyond conventional barbecue season. On warm evenings, a Mediterranean stew can simmer outside; autumn calls for chilli or curry; and in winter, cheese fondue suddenly has a rather convincing place above the flames. This versatility makes the accessory particularly appealing for anyone who would rather not limit the CIRCLE 35 to a single way of cooking.

Combine it with the CIRCLE Fondue Set or CIRCLE pans to adapt the system to the way you enjoy eating together. Add good bread, a few serving bowls and glasses that are in no hurry to leave the table. The rest tends to happen naturally. After all, a pot placed right in the middle has one rather lovely side effect: everyone moves a little closer together.