Is Le Creuset worth it?

[zorrow]

I love the way their products look but I'm aware they certainly come with a hefty price tag. Price aside, is this cookware worth getting? Are they still as heavy as they used to be?

I have loads of Le Creuset - cheap from charity shops. I also have some of the Sainsbury’s dupes. There is no difference in quality that I can see.

That said, if I won the Euromillions, I would be getting the Harry Potter X Le Creuset collection,

I use some big ones all the time. One of my all time favourites is beef cheeks slow cooked in red wine and that is the best if done in a big le creuset in the oven.

Aldi do very good dupes every now & then.

Some of the ones like it are actually better if you use it at high temperatures because the knob isn't plastic. I have a mixture from LC to Lidl & Sainsburys plus one I got in France 30 years ago. All fine.

TK MAXX often have their casserole dishes, mugs, teapots etc pretty cheap

And yes the cast iron is still very heavy

We've had our Le Creuset Saucepans for 30 years plus. They still look in pretty good shape with almost daily use (originally on gas, but then on induction).

I don't know whether they still do them, but our cast iron non-stick frying pans didn't last as long so I wouldn't buy those.

I've also bought a 30cm flat casserole dish (regularly feature in cookery shows) from Aldi and some skillets. The quality isn't quite there, but I was able to get a replacement (Le Creuset) knob for the casserole when it broke after a few stints in the oven.

They have the range on sale at the moment (it's a bit pot luck in the shops):
www.aldi.co.uk/search?q=cast%20iron%3Apopular&page=0

As others have said, you can also pick up used sets online.

I have a Le Creuset metal casserole that we got as a wedding present. It always sticks on the bottom. Always.

I'm not a fan. Maybe their ceramic stuff is better though.

It's very good, but as others have said, the Aldi and Sainsbury's dupes are just as good. My current favourite pan which has sidelined the Le Creuset a bit is a cast iron skillet from an American brand called Lodge, which I absolutely love. (And the Le Creuset lid fits it as a bonus.)

I'd say yes. I have a Lidl dupe and it's not lasting as well and the inside is flaking.

While the Le Creuset is a lifetime purchase.

I had the real ones, gave then away as now find them too heavy to lift when full. I prefer pans that can go in the DW as well.

I have some old John Lewis le creuset fakes, which cost almost as much, twenty years ago.

I love mine (mix of presents and other people's cast offs) and I put them in the dishwasher. IMO they're not overrated but they are overpriced by comparison with the Sainsbury's dupes.

I have a mixture of le creuset and Aldi dupes. I have had all of them for over ten years and use them daily. There is no difference in quality between them as far as I can see.

I’ve got the Aldi version. I love them and food does cook lovely in them. I wouldn’t pay the price for the branded ones though.

I love mine and really do find them fabulous to use and easy to clean. Having said that, I'm looking around at the Sainsbury's options (although our Sainsbury's is now all Habitat and the fake le creuset seems to have disappeared) for a couple of things.

I can no longer cook bolognaise in a regular saucepan. it just comes out better if I use one of the le creuset pots.

We got given some and whilst they are great (had them years) they are very heavy.

I had one loved it and then the enamel started to break down and I got the Sainsburys version for an eighth of the price as a temporary replacement whilst I saved up for a Proper One .Ten years later the Sainsburys one is still going strong .

Yep Sainsbos dupes here as well. I prefer them to LC tbh, mainly because I don’t have to take out a second mortgage to buy them!

I don't think so, my mum has some from years ago, they hold up well, but so do my John Lewis and Amazon Basics copies as well.

Bought myself a sainsbury copy years ago...and have inheritated an LC ...it just feels better but the frying pan is just too heavy..

Le Creuset do really good roasting tins and trays. Totally worth it.

For the enamelled cast iron cookware I think Staub is better (especially quality of handles) and usually marginally cheaper.

@Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies

I have loads of Le Creuset - cheap from charity shops. I also have some of the Sainsbury’s dupes. There is no difference in quality that I can see.

That said, if I won the Euromillions, I would be getting the Harry Potter X Le Creuset collection,

Oh wow I've just looked at these. They are gorgeous but HOW MUCH!?!

I have a couple of roasting dishes that I got half price in TKMAXX and a cast iron casserole that I got at the dump for £4. They're great but wouldn't be worth the full price IMO

The quality of Le Creuset is lifetime where the cheaper dupes seem to wear out earlier. My parents have some Le Creuset that's 30 years old and still going strong!