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

[Aspiringcook]

Been dreaming of owning a cast iron pans collection for years but never wanted to invest much as I was never a great cook. I am trying my best to improve and really make an effort every day. I have a LC one which I adore and am considering expanding my collection as I was given a John Lewis voucher at work. The next one I'd like is a shallow casserole as I think I'd use it a lot to make risotto, pasta, curries etc. I also really want a grilling pan and a small dutch oven (like 20cm or so) for porridge or rice. I cannot afford to get them all but I am dreaming of it. Are they really worth it? Many insta accounts I follow only seem to use these types of pans although I have noticed some of them have the cheap dupes. Are those same quality of LC/Staub? Somehow I can't get around the idea of buying a fake one, would rather wait and save for the real thing but maybe it isn't worth it?

I've had my LC pans for decades and I think they're great. I think the oldest, a small white casserole with lid, is probably about 40 years old. I used to buy one a month or every other month if it was a big expensive one. It's turned out to be money very well spent on cost per use basis.

Sainsbury’s have lovely cast iron products and often on sale

We got a set of Le Creuset saucepans as a wedding present, but when they needed to be replaced, we chose a set of John Lewis stainless steel pans, with a thick base. The Le Creuset pans look gorgeous, but once they were full, I could barely lift the bigger ones.

We do have Le Creuset casseroles, though, and they are definitely worth having - they make a gorgeous casserole.

Just bear in mind some of these pots and pans are very heavy. I collected a set of LC pans and found them difficult to manoeuvre and drain. Wooden handles really help.

I've given them all away now bar one knock off large cast iron casserole dish I can use two hands for.

They are lovely but also very heavy. I have the large lc frying pan and had to stop using it as I really struggled to lift it up when it was full.

They are lovely but heavy. I did buy a master class one I think it was which is cast aluminium - looks very similar but lighter weight.

As do ProCook if you've got one near you My sainsbury one needs a bit of jiggling to get the lid to sit flat, the LC you can just plonk the lid on and it fits perfectly, is that worth an extra £150+ though.

if you can get to one of the outlet centres like MacArthur Glenn. They have LV and Staub

Just a tip that curries, casseroles in Dutch ovens etc do cook better in the oven than stovetop.

No a cast iron pan will not turn you into a great cook.

If you can't make stuff that tastes good in budget hardware, moving to cast iron isn't going to miraculously make it taste better.

Save your money. Get better instructions/lessons and buy better ingredients.

Not all the gear no idea.

My LC saucepan set and casseroles are all inherited, and I love them. They’re pretty non stick and easy to cook in. The only thing which annoys me is that you can’t put them in the dishwasher because of the wooden handles. I also have a purple classic LC casserole dish which I was given and use more than any of the others, probably because I can put it in the dishwasher

Does anyone have the griddle pan and is it worth it? I read mixed reviews about food sticking too much

My wrists thanked me when I gave mine away in favour of lighter pans. I do cook for a large family though, so mostly big portions.

@CatsorDogsrule I have a 24cm dutch oven from LC and find it very manageable so far. Are you referring to the skillsets with 1 handle?

I was a bit of a sucker for cast iron cookware. I grabbed a wok from Woolworths for £3 or £4 back in the day, and it does keep on trucking. An elderly family member moaned about them being heavy, and I was like: what you talking about? These days I have to go through a bit of a pan dance. Move the wok, move the frying pan/skillet, move the smaller frying pan. And I have gotten a bit sick of moving them about. I like my bare iron frying pan. I have two casserole dishes, and they don't get used that much, but come into their own in the winter. Got the bread in one today. But again. They are heavy, I was considering down sizing them today. Work out where you can place them near to the cooker, and don't smash your induction hob with them. Oh and try not to drop the lids. You can chip enamel.

I have a couple of LC casseroles that will no doubt outlast me, I use them all the time, I also have a couple of cast iron roasting dishes that are great for roasting and doing things like lasagne - combination of LC and supermarket ones bought in France. I wouldn’t buy the saucepans because everything I want to cook I can do in the casseroles or roasting pans, and the saucepans are heavy to lift with one hand.

One a month?! What are you; an influencer?

I have the full set. The only thing I use is the griddle frying pan which is great for steak. I don’t use the pots as they are so heavy and unwieldy. Lovely to look at but hugely impractical.

It can be a nightmare to clean, I can just see those lines now and going up and down them multiple times with a cloth trying to get bits off!
I probably wouldn't have bought it if it hadn't been a gift. The stripes on a steak are satisfying though!

I like Le Crueset and have some that's quite old and still in good shape. I gave some to my oldest who really likes to cook. I tend to use the Dutch Oven the most, I prefer my carbon steel pans and wok.

They're just too heavy. I have a 6qt, 4ltr, 2.4ltr (aluminium) and a 1.3ltr

The aluminium gets used where possible. It heats up a bit quick though so you have to adjust your timings

We have a belfast sink and Im paranoid about cracking it when Im trying to clean the cast iron ones.

My adult DS has LC saucepans and a huge Overmont cast iron Dutch oven he uses a lot in a gorgeous hunter green. They have the red and blue on offer ATM. They are lovely but just too heavy for me to lift especially once it's full.

I have a Le Creuset grill pan. It's okay but it can be a bugger to clean. It shouldn't stick if you keep it properly seasoned and don't turn the heat up too much. I used to have a gas hob though and found it was hard to get the whole surface heated evenly. I might start using it more again now that I've got an induction hob with big flexi zones.

I gave the LC set away, as too heavy when full, so not practical for me I have a stainless steel set from J Lewis, plus a cast iron griddle pan and small cast iron frying pan both made in England.

I've got some cast iron cookware (not LC) but I never use it, its far too heavy as other PP have said. If you want decent pans you can't go wrong with John Lewis stainless steel pans. I've had mine 15years now and they look like new

^^