With an unrivaled selection of bold, rich colors in a range of finishes and materials, Le Creuset is the leader in highly-durable, chip-resistant enameled cast iron.
Traditional cast iron needs to be regularly seasoned, and you can't use soap or detergent to clean it. Enameled cast iron, on the other hand, cleans easily, and it doesn't need seasoning. You can use as much soap and detergent as you like on enamel, and you don't need to worry about causing any rusting.
Expensive — the cost for a 5 1/2-quart pot is $420 when it's not on sale. The light interior can be easily scratched by metal tools and stained by food (although you can eliminate some stains with a bit of elbow grease).
Le Creuset Dutch ovens have nice wide handles, easily grippable with oven mitts, and are lighter than most other enameled cast-iron Dutch ovens available today. The 5.5-quart Dutch oven we tested from Le Creuset weighed in at a little over 11 pounds.
Enameled Cast Iron
Individually crafted by French artisans from the finest quality materials since 1925, the iconic cookware is beloved for its perfected design and exceptional heat retention that produces superior results, from stove to oven to table.
Distinctive French Quality and Craftsmanship. Since 1925, Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron has been produced in our flagship foundry in Fresnoy-le-Grand, France. Each piece is hand-crafted to perfection by no less than fifteen artisans, and no two pieces are alike as they are individually cast in single-use sand molds.
Le Creuset makes two types of cookware: cast iron and ceramic stoneware. According to Natural Baby Mama, the stoneware she had from them tested high for Lead and Cadmium on both the inside and the outside with a Niton XL3T XRF. Tamara Rubin also found high lead in a blue stoneware pot (source).
Why is Le Creuset cookware so expensive? The short answer is: because you get what you pay for. Le Creuset makes some of the best cast iron cookware on the market, including the best Dutch oven money can buy.
Turn down the heat – Le Creuset skillets and pans retain heat exceptionally well. So you only need to use medium to medium-high heat for searing. One of the most common reasons that food sticks to our pans is using a heat setting that is too high.
Cast iron cookware's disadvantages include its heavy weight, the need for seasoning and maintenance, potential reaction with acidic foods, and lack of slickness for delicate cooking tasks.
It is recommended to use silicone, wooden or other heat-resistant tools when cooking. NEVER use knives or other sharp metal utensils that may mark and scratch the enamel cooking surface. NEVER knock metal utensils on the top rim of the product to avoid chipping or breaking the enamel surface.
Le Creuset products that are not cast-iron may be made in other countries, such as China (accessories or silicone products), Thailand (kettles and ceramics), England (enamel cleaner), Portugal (stainless steel), and Eswatini (clay pots).
While Le Creuset's enamel is designed to be durable in most conditions, says Nate Collier, spokesperson for Le Creuset, "Thermal shock may still occur," which could cause the enamel to crack or flake off. In general, subjecting your Dutch oven to extreme temperature fluctuations can be damaging.
Avoid Cooking Acidic Foods in Cast-Iron Pans
You should avoid cooking acidic sauces in cast-iron pans for two reasons: first, the acid loosens trace amounts of molecules from the metal that can then leach into your foods, imparting a metallic flavor.
Both enameled and bare pans are great at searing.
As for cleaners, our Le Creuset Cast Iron Cookware Cleaner will help keep your Dutch oven looking great, and is ideal for removing metal marks caused by metal tools. Bar Keeper's Friend, or a paste of baking soda and water, also comes in handy for cleaning tough stains, oil residue and marks on your Dutch oven as well.
Add a splash of oil to a Le Creuset braiser then place over medium heat and once the oil just begins to smoke, carefully lay the meat in the vessel leaving space between each pieces. After a few minutes, turn the meat exposing that beautifully browned crispy surface.
With a little care, your Le Creuset cookware will last for your lifetime.
The Dutchess is a good alternative for an oval Le Creuset Dutch oven, but if you want something more inexpensive yet still very modern-looking, there's the Beautiful by Drew Barrymore 6-quart enameled Dutch oven.
The French brand has curiously become something of a status symbol for Gen Z, who like to share their rainbow Le Creuset hauls on TikTok while making jokes about buying expensive homeware in lieu of actual homes.
Le Creuset cookware is warranted to you by Le Creuset of America, Inc. to be free from defects in material and workmanship at the time of its purchase. For this Lifetime Limited Warranty to apply, you must follow the care and use instructions provided with the utensil. This warranty covers normal household use only.
Short answer, no. Le Creuset doesn't use Teflon in their non-stick range. All their products are PTFE and PFOA free and made using their own proprietary technology. Because the coating is 4x tougher, it also means that it doesn't peel easily, so no nasty surprises in your dinner.
For our recommendations, we stick to stainless steel, cast iron, and enamel or ceramic coatings. If you're making the switch from traditional nonstick cookware, you should look into ceramic or enameled cookware. These coatings tend to hold up for years, especially if you cook over medium to low heat.