Le Creuset is a lot of things: classic, traditional, reliable, and covetable. The one thing that it isn't is cheap. So, is Le Creuset worth it? I've found some ways to save on the luxury brand as well as some alternatives to Le Creuset.
I grew up in a Le Creuset home. I know, lucky me. We had the bread oven, the dish sets, the bowls, and the mugs. In fact, you name it, my parents had collected it over the years. It was lovely. What wasn't lovely was moving out and trying to work out how I could have a Le Creuset kitchen on a graduate salary. Aldi's Pumpkin Casserole Dish is still one of the best pots that I own, but sometimes it's nice to have some real deal Le Creuset too.
With Prime Day right around the corner, there's a good chance that there'll be some of the best Le Creuset deals of the year dropping. However, is Le Creuset worth buying? And what should you prioritise in the sales? I've got the answer to both of these questions, including advice on my top Le Creuset picks and places where STAUB, Aldi, All Clad, and Zwilling might have some other options for you.
What makes Le Creuset special?
So, where did all the Le Creuset craziness begin? If you want the historical answer, Le Creuset was founded in 1925, manufacturing colourful cookware that most closely resembles their Dutch ovens now. The timelessly designed pieces have since taken up places in chef, celebrity, and family kitchens alike. Over the last hundred years, they've expanded their repertoire to cover lasagne dishes, saucepans, tableware, bakeware, and cookware.
Each piece of covetable kitchenware comes with a lifetime guarantee. In my family kitchen, we have a Dutch oven that's older than me, lasagne dishes that are well over thirty years old, and mugs that are even more ancient (even though they're used every day). Aside from the fact that they resist cracking, chipping, and warping, the enamelled coating on all of the cast iron means that it doesn't pick up any smells or stains. In fact, it's all non-porous, non-reactive, and non-toxic too. So, what makes Le Creuset special? Well, it's a special recipe of classic design, quality materials, and brand promises, with some prestige and reputation sprinkled in too.
Is Le Creuset worth it?
If money was no object, I would have a kitchen full of Le Creuset, but my bank account isn't bottomless. Although, you wouldn't know that if you ransacked my cupboards because I've been smartly and savvily accumulating Le Cresuet over the years. I've found some clever ways to justify and work around the price tag.
For the pieces that I paid full price for, I always think, Le Creuset comes with a lifetime guarantee. When you divide the cost of the number of uses that your Le Creuset pan, dish, or bowl will get, it becomes a relative bargain. My cappuccino mugs cost £16 to buy. I've had them for eight years and I drink for them every day. If you run the numbers, they've cost less than 0.5p to use on each day. The numbers are only going to get better over the years.
The best examples of Le Creuset's quality are its famous casserole dish and Dutch ovens. Aside from using the lifetime warranty to justify the £200 price tag that most of these sports, there's another factor that comes into play. The enamelled cast iron pots are incredibly durable and reliable. This means that you can use them often and in many different situations. People use their Le Creuset Dutch Ovens for baking bread, slow cooking, making stews, soups, sauces, braising, browning, and even deep frying.
The fact that most Le Creuset is coated with enamel, which is non-porous, non-toxic, and non-reactive only enhances the value of these. Where lots of cookware stains and clings onto bad smells, when you wash your Le Creuset, the garlic, onion, spices, or tomato colourings will disappear.
Which Le Creuset pieces are worth the splurge?
There are some Le Creuset essentials that will never go out of style. They'll always be worth the price tag, even if you can't shop them in the Amazon Prime Day sales. I've made all of these investments and I don't regret them. You can keep scrolling to find out the places where there are good alternatives to Le Creuset.
The Dutch Oven is Le Creuset's best seller and it's really worth it, if you're a one-pot meal kind of chef. You can slow cook, braise, boil, stew, and warm using this. I've actually used mine to bake bread too, because it's oven safe.
Another versatile player in the Le Creuset collection, the skillet can be used for searing, roasting, and baking. Most skillets are crafted from cast iron and, whilst this is too, the enamel coating makes this much lower maintenance than ohers.
I recommend the shallow casserole to a very specific kind of cook. It's perfect for simmering, casseroles, and braising. If that's your bag, Le Creuset are the best in the business. If not, you're better off saving for a Dutch oven.
Alternatives to Le Creuset that you should get instead
Of course, it's nice to have a little Le Creuset in your kitchen, but they're not the only players in the stoneware, ceramic, cast iron, and stainless steel game. I've tested all of these against my parent's Le Creuset pieces and there wasn't any difference. In some cases, the alternatives were - dare I say - even better. One of the best examples that I have is Aldi's cast iron set. It's £230 less than Le Creusets and yet it looks (and feels) really similar.
I've put Le Creuset head-to-head with the best stainless steel pans on the market and I found plenty of pans that out performed Le Creuset. Tefal were amongst my favourites, for convenience, performance, and storage.
I'm the first to say that Le Creuset's stoneware is stunning, but STAUB baking dishes are just as nice. They're cheaper, but they still feel like a premium treat for your kitchen. I've found the perfect way to gift STAUB too.
Le Creuset might be the cast iron innovators, but Lodge are hot on their heels. The brand's skillets offer comparable performance at a fraction of the price. That's hard to argue against.
When it comes to seasonality, you can't forget about brand specials. Aldi makes some surprisingly good, classic designs for every season. I look forward to the launch of their collection every year and they never disappoint.
FAQs
What is the downside of Le Creuset?
Aside from the hefty price tag, Le Creuset pans might require a little more TLC than your other kitchen accessories. For example, the skillet isn't dishwasher safe and, for that reason, I also only hand wash my Dutch oven. It'll help them to stay in better shape for longer.
Why is Le Creuset so expensive?
When a brand garners a reputation like Le Creuset, it comes close to designer status, just in the kitchen world. Not only are these pans made to super high standards, double enameled, and coated with non-toxic materials, they're also really popular. A combination of price and demand has driven the price up.
Why is Le Creuset better than other brands?
le Creuset pans are coated in enamel, they retain heat well, and they diffuse heat evenly across the base of all of their cast iron. They also come with a lifetime guarentee, which means that you should only ever have to buy the pan once. If you divide the RRP by uses, Le Creuset is great value.
If you're thinking about picking up some Le Creuset, I recommend a few things. First, check the Le Creuset deals and sales on right now. Whether it's Amazon Prime Day, Black Friday, or Pay Day sales, you might be able to save a few pounds on these luxurious pieces. Failing that, think about how much you'll use your piece. If it's a solid staple that you want the lifetime guarantee for, I promise that Le Creuset won't let you down. If you're merely curious about whether you need, say, a cast iron skillet, it might be worth testing out some other options. And you can trust me when I recommend an alternative because I try to justify my Le Creuset purchases at any available opportunity.
