Moving to Cast Iron pans and casseroles only, is it worth it?

I have a set of Le Creuset stainless steel pans. They are still heavy, but each one has two handles for lifting. I’ve had them for more than ten years, and I still enjoy them coming out of the dishwasher as they look brand new!

I’ve got a knock off large shallow dish that’s handy for starting on stove and finishing in oven, a large oval le creuset casserole dish that rarely comes out these days now I don’t make sourdough (which it was excellent for) it’s heavy and great for stews. And a smaller knock off casserole dish that is used more in the winter now there isjust 2 of us. The knock off ones are absolutely fine. The6 all go in the dishwasher.

I have some and agree they are good, sturdy, value for money. But they are heavy.

Now in my 60s with a wrist issue (possible arthritis, not sure), I don't feel I can lift and move a full pot with total confidence.

So by all means invest in them if you want to, and enjoy them, but be aware that you might need to move to lighter pots and pans at a later date.

I wouldn't have any cast iron pans. They are so heavy and my wrists are getting weaker. Unless you're a young, strong and very keen cook, I don't think cast iron is worth it.

Grill pans are v common on EBay/Gumtree if you really want one. Indeed, I’d give you mine if you were in London. Reddit is a huge source of info on unenamelled cast iron and seasoning!

The bottom surface of LC inside the casserole chip off after a while. I had 3 and they all did it.

I love mine. Yes they are heavy but they're also indestructible. You don't have to worry about scratching the surface or anything like that. Just season them every so often and they're pretty much non-stick.

Personally I try to avoid teflon pans because I with about pfas. So cast iron or stainless steel are the way to go imo.

It's definitely worth paying for the "real thing" in my opinion. Quality items last a lifetime.

I have 3 Le Creuset casserole dishes. Two I bought in the early 1980s and the other one was inherited from my MIL, so probably pre-dates mine by a decade or two.

In 1985 I bought a carbon steel wok from Harrods, for about £30. I still use it at least once a week.

Just wait till you drop one on your toe.

Ive had a griddle pan and a fry pan for about 40 years. It was on the back of the trend for steaks with griddle lines. Seasoned well and with some oil on the meat, it doesn't stick. But I.prefer steaks in the air fryer now. Have a huge Villeroy and Bosch dutch oven which is great but takes up a whole shelf.

Thinking about it, my most used cast iron pans are a Lodge double skillet (a deep pan and the lid doubles up as a shallow skillet). They're not pretty, but you can cook pretty much anything in them.

I cook a lot but I wouldn’t use cast iron pans for everything. I have a large LC, a smaller one and a shallow one. The smaller one is a Habitat one and it’s just as good as LC and about a third of the price. My older LC one started to chip and when I went to the shop and asked them to re-enamel it under warranty, they said they’d only do that if I could produce the receipt. Who keeps receipts from 15 years ago?

There’s also a brand called Nuovva which makes affordable cast iron pans. I’m going to get one as they look exactly like LC but for Habitat prices

I used to have LC that my ex husbands parents bought us, which I lost in the divorce. I bake sourdough twice a week so need a good cast iron. I bought my current one from sainsburys and it’s been brilliant. I have a big one for bread and a smaller one for casseroles and I wouldn’t have LC again as it’s not worth the money.

I love them but you don’t need a full set!!

They are great for curries, sauces, etc. But no point using one to boil water etc. I have a mix of different types of pots for different purposes.

yes, they are heavy but that’s fine! The heaviness shoukd not be an issue unless you are disabled.

I have ended up with quite a few cast iron casserole dishes (mostly hand-me-downs) and they are great to use in the oven, while also useful for weight-training but as I get older (nearly 70 now) I can see most of them being handed over to foodie DS. Too large for two people, so the bigger ones will go first. I'll retain one or two for large groups.

I have the largest Le Creuset casserole. I rarely use it as it's so heavy but used it last weekend for a gathering and noticed that my curry was cooked beautifully in it.

We have a big casserole and a skillet, and Dh uses them all the time. He’s European and MIL won’t use anything else, so he was indoctrinated. They’re too heavy for me. I never use them, and refuse to wash them up.

I have lots of LC, love it and use it all the time. However one of the main things I love about it is that you can use it oven-to-table, which I wouldn’t do with stainless steel pans. That doesn’t really apply to the griddle so that wouldn’t be a priority for me.

I find the weight fine but all my LC are the two handle type. I can imagine a frying pan might be trickier.

One thing to note if you are planning to build up a collection is that some of the colours are always available and others come and go, so if you want everything to match then check that you have chosen a colour that will always be available. Mine are all mismatched which I like but some people prefer a matching set.

I have one large oval casserole which I use all the time to do stews, bolognaise, curries, pot roast and one 28cm fry pan with a wooden handle for steak. They are over 20 yrs old and still going strong! I wouldn’t get the griddle, fry pan more useful. Reviews always rank Le Creuset cast iron v highly and they have a lifetime guarantee so IMO worth it, especially on sale. Brand Alley have discounted Le Creuset and Staub at the moment. I have le creuset stainless steel saucepans and a non stick sauté pan, but to be honest there are better alternatives for cheaper eg Kuhn Rikon do a stainless steel range which also looks great.

I also like my John Lewis stainless steel pans, I treated myself to a decent set 15 years ago when I moved house after a lifetime of using cheap non stick ones. They are still as good as new and are so easy to clean, mainly in the dishwasher but also by hand. If something sticks ( I am a bit haphazard at stirring!) I just soak in hot soapy water while I eat then just rinse off. I am finding them heavy though as I have arthritis in my hands so if I had LC type ones I would not be able to lift them! I think these pans will outlive me and May daughter has lain claim to them when I pop off!

I admit I’ve got to the stage where is something is not dishwasher proof I do not buy it!

No way do I want or need more than 1 cast iron casserole. I cook a lot. Le Cruset is day light robbery. I bought my first LC casserole for
40 francs in a French hyper market years ago , they don’t last forever and are 100s of pounds now. There are others on the market that are better.

The Procook one fits my induction ring perfectly, is smooth on the bottom and far better. My mum had an entire LC set she got rid of after turning 60
as she could no longer lift it.I had no need for any of it.

Have a look on ebay, you would be surprised. I found mine (26cm) for £60. The condition is still great. I recently got a saucepan for £25, I only had to replace the lid knob because it was broken, the pan itself was intact.
Last time I checked they were selling Enzo Mari designs that are out of production now.
For frying pans, I use de buyer. bought them new, but they are a lot cheaper.
Very happy until I have to wash them, it is a pain and my wrists hurt.

I have a griddle pan and you need to treat it with love and then they are fab. You need to season it properly so an oil coating inside and out and bake as hot as you can in the oven, this creates the non stick coating then you clean with just water (no soap) then a thin wipe of oil to store, iIf food gets stuck / you have to scrub it then you need to reseason it and start again.

I have an aga and cast iron works well but I bought mines from Denbys. Tesco clubcard used to do great value voucher multipliers I think now it just doubles? I’ve had cast iron enamelled pans from there for over a decade and they are still fabulous.

I have the Aldi dupe griddle pan and Dutch oven. They're perfect but I wouldn't want a full set of pots. My mother gas LC pots and them were so heavy for everyday use.