Enameled Cast Iron Cookware - Le Creuset or Staub?
 

I'm going to get my wife some enameled cast iron cookware for Christmas and I'm wondering if anyone has experience with these two brands.

From what I can tell the handles on Staub are metal and can withstand higher temperatures in the oven and the interior is a black matte finish enamel while the Le Creuset is has the same gloss enameled finish inside and out.

Any opinions on which way to go? I'm leaning toward Staub at this point.

http://www.staubusa.com/prod_cocottes/imgs/cocottes.jpg

Why enameld? Cast iron cookware once it's seasoned cleans better than you would imagine plus it adds iron to your diet

Our Le Creuset has colored enamel on the outside and an off-white enamel on the inside. You can also buy the metal handles for the Le Creusets. The "plastic" handle is good for 375 degrees. I haven't checked out the Staub brand, but I doubt you can go wrong with either.

Of course, the above advice does not cover the topic of whether or not cookware is a good Christmas gift...;)

Le Creuset. Mine has the white enamel inside and metal handles. I use it a lot. Made a ragu bolognese last night, boeuf bourguignon a couple days ago, peposo notturno before that...

I have regular cast iron as well and the enameled versions clean up so much easier.

No experience with Staub.

JR

I have used Le Creuset for over 20 years. It is durable, cleans up easily and allows the same advantages of cast iron without the require seasoning or care. For delicate sauces and flavors, non enameled cast iron can induce flavor changes. And not good changes either.

The plastic handles have never caused any problem to me, but then I prefer slow low heat over high and quick any day.

i absolutely brutalized my Le Creuset. i have turned the insides into a dark, blackened mess. i bet dollars to donuts the lighter colored interior has to do with heat transfer..but honestly a black interior would be much more practical.

having said this, my 5.5 qt LC pot is my kitchens workhorse. i use it for everything from soups to deep frying.

i just wrapped a cheaper MACY's model up for my brother. he is making more and more stews. he sucks at it. i am giving it to him for the holidays. i bet i paid $50. china cranks out a fantastic version. target's version ranked #2 with America's TEST KITCHEN. i think the le creuset won first place on name alone.

btw, i sweettalked the little old lady at the store into giving me an updated steel handle. free. baking bread in the pot required the +500 degree tolerance.

whatever you do..if you have a family of four or bigger..buy the bigger pot..7 qts or so. you will thank me.

My wife loves her Le Creuset stuff. I've found two pieces that were in mint condition at Goodwill. $20 is much better than $250! Supposedly you can just buy a metal drawer pull for higher oven temps.

We have lots of Le Creuset, and really like it. But most was purchased quite a while ago, while the dollar was a lot stonger. The new enameled cast iron line by Lodge looks like a much, much better value.

Porsche or Ford?

LeCrueset or Staub?

You decide. I have one piece of LeCrueset that I have used once in 5 years. It was twice the price of a similar but cheaper design, but it worked beautifully. You decide whether the greater price of the real, French-produced product is worth it.

Will-from one Southern boy to another, and the Lord knows we love to cook and eat down South. How are you going to get away with buying your wife some cookware for Xmas?

I'd get her an ironing board too,

And a mop.

or something with an electric cord.

She actually likes to cook, 90% of the stuff she has mentioned is for the kitchen. She is English so she doesn't have the entitled attitude that most American women have. I'd get her a mop but she would have no idea how to use it.

Well, God forbid it, but if anything happens to my wife, I now know what country to fly to to find a suitable replacement!!! I had a buddy that had some antique aircraft. He came down with cancer and had to sell them off. Most were sold to an English guy. Quite wealthy and an ******* from Hell. Extremely arrogant. Anyway, a few years ago I had the privilege of meeting some (as they called themselves) working class English who were here in Florida on vacation. I found them to be some of the most delightful, down to earth people I have ever met. Drank beer with them half the night. I'd consider you pretty lucky to land a girl from there.

I can't add much but we do have 1 Le Creuset piece, a large dutch oven, and it is superb. The enamel holds up well as long as you don't literally beat on it, and it's reasonably non-stick compared to other (non-teflon) surfaces.

Le Creuset rocks.

The End.

Or anniversary...

I remember watching a program (Robert Leach) call something like The best Of... and they had pick Staub.

Shortly after I saw it at Costco but as per the usual Costco modus operandi but the time I decided to get it... they were all gone and never seen again.