Mario Batali 4-Quart Essential Pot, Pesto

I bought this pot on a Lightening Deal just before Christmas '09. Love the value and the pot. However in order for the cookware to last you must follow the care instructions. You cannot cook on any temperature higher than medium. So if you are boiling water it takes awhile. However, once you get it boiling the pot will retain the heat very well. The clean-up is easy, but keep it out of the dishwasher. I love that it can go in the oven and it is pretty enough to place on the table and serve from in a casual dining setting. I typically store my pans in the cupboard with the lids inverted on top of them. According to the care instructions this will lead to chipping of the enamel on the lid. In order to avoid that they suggest placing the rubber clips that come as part of the packaging around the rim of the pot before inverting the lid on top. So everything takes a bit of extra time and effort with this cookware. Just be aware and be sure you are up for that before you order...Read more

this is a closeout color with a price that was very good. the ability to slow cook with enameled cast iron made processing our garden tomatoes a breeze this year. i think mario would be proud of our tomato sauce ;)

I've had this pot for about 6 months now. While I have loved the performance; heats up like a dream, holds heat well, beautifully non-stick, nice braising points on lid, it is not holding up to everyday use. Granted, I use this a LOT; nearly every day. But I am very careful (I've had my Chantal cookware for >20 years now and they are still going strong), always handwash, never heat dry, etc. The handles already have large chips in the enamel. Worse than that, the inside surface on the bottom has become brown and irretrievably stained; trying to clean it, even with a soft sponge, has resulted in spots where the non-stick enamel surface has worn away and created hot spots. There are multiple fine cracks all along the enamel at the inside base of the wall. It's a shame, because I truly love this pot and it has changed the way I cook; but it's not a good value if I have to replace it every year. I'm going to spend the $$ for a Le Creuset and see if that holds up better.