Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 7-1/4-Quart Round French Oven, Cherry Red

Comment: I already own two 6 quart cast-iron dutch ovens but I wanted a larger one. One of my cast-irons pots is a 100+ year old antique and one is new at $30.

I wanted (this was a luxury purchase) a larger dutch oven and something that would be a bit more attractive than the fairly ugly black cast-iron pot sitting on the stove.

What are the differences between an inexpensive non-enameled cast-iron dutch oven and the enameled Le Creuset that cost 10 times as much?

1. The Le Creuset requires no seasoning. A big initial time saver.
2. Easy to clean. When a non-oily stew boiled over in the oven (and baked on), the exterior cleaned up in seconds with a plastic brush. I was very surprised. I thought this was going to cost me hours in clean up time.
3. It's attractive. Due to limited storage, I leave it on the stove and it brightens up the room.
4. The Le Creuset is enameled. Even though it's fired at a much higher temperature than what other manufacturers use, it will eventually chip.

1. The cast-iron pots require a lot of work to get them properly seasoned and now it cleans as easily as Teflon. Many people can't properly season cast-iron cookware which is why you often see cast-iron cookware at garage sales selling for pennies on the dollar.
2. While a cast-iron dutch oven would fit right at home on a cast-iron stove (which we had for quite a few years), it's incongruous on a modern stove.
3. The cast-iron dutch oven has no enamel -- it can never chip. One of my cast-iron dutch ovens is over 100 years old and will be in the same exact condition in the next hundred years. Will a Le Creuset be able to stand that test of time?

Once properly seasoned, the $30 (or even much less expensive) cast dutch oven performs just as well as the Le Creuset. We simply *wanted* a 7.5 quart enameled Le Creuset and we're satisfied with the product but it doesn't cook any better or worse than my other non-enameled cast iron cookware that costs 1/10th as much. In my particular case, both clean equally easily (but it was a nasty, bear of a job to get the cast-iron dutch oven nicely seasoned).

If I were to buy any additional enameled cookware, I would want the enamel to be fired at the much higher temperatures that Le Creuset uses. In other words, I wouldn't buy cheaper, inferior enamel cookware which is much more likely to chip or the cookware crack in half.

Comment: I friggin' love this thing! My food always tastes incredible (especially things like soups). I'm a little paranoid about cooking with Teflon, so I basically use this pot and Lodge cast-iron skillets for everything. If you get this pot buy Alice Water's "The Art of Simple Food." The pair makes for a great wedding present, too.

Comment: I have the 7-1/4 Quart and have been using it for months. I cook a lot, I mean everyday so it gets a work-out. I find that food sticks and burns to the bottom (maybe I have a bad cooktop, I don't always use high heat, if that's what you are thinking.) Also, it is hard to clean, I have burned spots on the bottom (yes, I use non abrasive cleaners....) I really wanted this brand because of all the hype but I find it really is not worth the very and I mean very high price. (did I mention it is HEAVY to lift??)
On the positive side it is very beautiful on my cooktop, which is where I leave it for all to see. (it won't fit in any cabinet)

Comment: My wife and I have been more than pleased with this product. It cooks beautifully. It washes up wonderfully. Although it is a little expensive I would buy it again in a second.

Comment: My mother has had a le creuset dutch oven for about 25 years and I always envied the tight-fitting lid that keeps braised dishes from cooking dry over hours when my dutch oven (stainless Revere Pro) constantly ran dry. The price was an impediment to picking up this fantastic oven but I finally invested.

Wow. So far I have only used it to make roasts (pot roast and pork loin) but each time the results are extremely tender and flavorful meat, with great drippings for sauce. Cleanup is a snap.

One word of caution - read the directions first. I did and learned a couple of things like not using metal utensils (can leave silver marks or chip the enamel) and not using very high heat (this is intended for low to medium heat). I cannot recommend this highly enough - bon appetit!