What can you tell me about Le Creuset's tagine, 27 cm diameter?

[IllMetByMoonlight]

I've been offered a piece of kitchenware of my choice for Christmas, and have my eye on a LC tagine. They come in two sizes; 27 and 31 cm diameter. I am interested in the smaller one, but suspect that it is still fairly massive. Can anyone tell me which part of it is 27 cm in diameter? Is it the bottom of the base, or is it the inside OR the outside of the upper rim? I don't want to sacrifice the space for the bigger size and imagine the smaller will easily have capacity enough for my family of four.
Does anyone have one, and feel able to advise?

[dairyfarmerswife]

I have one! I have just been and measured it it is 27 cm diameter to the outer rim, so max size. It is about 6 cm deep. I love it, and it cooks meat beautifully. I would say it easily serves 4. I've had it 7 years and it is still immaculate.

[lastnightiwenttomanderley]

Ask yourself honestly whether you'd use it. We cook a lot of Moroccan and middle eastern food that would be amazing in a tagine but have used ours about twice in 4 years...

If you already have a solid range of cookware then go for it. If not then I'd be inclined to go for one of their casseroles or the big shallow sauté pans that are hob to oven.

[IllMetByMoonlight]

Thank you for your replies! That is really useful. I know it might not be my most frequently used pan, but it'll be so nice when I do use it I've already got several of their casserole dishes of various shapes and sizes, including the very versatile shallow one, but the tagine keeps popping into my mind...

[Newbrummie]

How often do you use all your casserole dishes etc ? Every time there's a discount I nearly buy one, but somehow end up with leather leggings instead. Do I need one ? I am a grown up, just fighting it successfully

[IllMetByMoonlight]

Good question. I picked my first unmatching, chipped and pitted pair up from a wall outside someone's house when I was a student 20 years ago, a huge oval casserole which is now "the biryani pan" (fortnightly) and a medium sized round casserole. We do loads of stews, bakes, soup and grains/pulses, so I figure they (and the extra few I have acquired since) get used several times a week. I stew a lot of fruit for breakfast and desert and also use them for cakes and puddings, so there's usually at least one in use for each mealtime. I should add that I've picked them up second hand, which is just fine as they're pretty indestructible and I quite like the unmatchy look. The tagine will be my first not pre-loved one. Unless, of course, I plump for a pair of leather leggings instead