What are the alternatives to Le Creuset cast iron?

[IbizaToTheNorfolkBroads]

I would like to buy a cast iron casserole dish/dutch oven. 3-4 litres, 26 cm size.

I just can't justify the £350+ price tag new. I've been to their outlet shop in York, but even then the £200 + is hard to swallow!

What are the alternatives?
Are the £35 Sainsbury's/Habitat ones any good?
ProCook have excellent looking LC copies at c. £65. Any experienced?
Lodge do unenamelled cast iron dishes at around £90.

I would like something cast iron that will last me a lifetime. I'm not interested in the aluminium pots I've seen (m&s, JL, Lakeland). I know cast iron is heavy, but I can deal with that.

Staub

I think Staub is better than Le Creuset (I have both) and I managed to get a huge cast iron Staub casserole dish on Brand Alley for around £80 (instead of the usual £450!). I gave it to my friend as a Christmas gift and she was so happy. Staub appears on Brand Alley every few months. Staub also have an online factory outlet (in France) with seconds that are very good value but post Brexit you will probably get screwed with customs charges.

I've looked at Staub, but cost wise, not disimilar. I'll keep an eye on Brand Alley.

I’ve had several Le Creuset casseroles over the years and don’t rate them. The enamel stains and chips.

The one I’ve used for years is from IKEA, but I also have 2 Pro Cook ones that are as good just different sizes/shape.

My biggest piece of advice is don’t pick one with a painted enamel lining. Choose one with a cast iron lining as you can take a scouring pad on it.

The Aldi stuff is as good and a fraction of the price. I paid less than £30 for a large shallow casserole. It's brilliant.

My Sainsburys one is just as good as my Le Crueset one.

The Le Crueset one is about 30 years older though. It gets used most weeks and the enamel inside is as good as new.

Bide your time, Aldi do their Crofton brand casseroles once or twice a year. I picked up a dark blue 26 cm one last year which is great.

The best way to make them last is to hand wash rather than dishwasher.

My Sainsbury’s ones are 15 years old and going strong.

I also have some one from Aldi but find it a lot heavier so use it less.

I've got a Nuovva Dutch oven - I like it. https://www.nuovva.co.uk/product-category/shop-by-collection/cast-iron-collection/

Really? I bought an Aldi one and don't rate it at all. Stuff sticks to the bottom, which it never did with my old Le Creuset.

I have both LC and Aldi. My Aldi one is comparable. No sticking issues for me 🤷‍♀️
I'm on a few cheffy food groups on FB and they pretty much concur. The LC is 10x the price but not 10x better than the Aldi one. They perform about the same.

Mine are almost all from Lidl, collected over a few years by buying a different one every time they had them in.

They're absolutely brilliant, every bit as good as the single genuine Le Creuset I got in a charity shop years ago!

My Sainsbury’s one is brilliant. I’ve also got a Denby one which is rubbish, everything sticks & the lid chipped after a couple of uses.

My biggest piece of advice is don’t pick one with a painted enamel lining. Choose one with a cast iron lining as you can take a scouring pad on it.

I did wonder about that.
The Lodge ones are completely cast iron, no enamel. They're not so pretty as the brightly coloured enamel ones.

DM and DBro both have supermarket dishes which are around 5 years old, and the handles have come off both their lids.

I tend not to favour cast iron. For stove tops I have stainless steel. For stovetop to oven I have pro cook. The best just over casseroles are my vintage Pyrex and Ray ware

I've been very happy with Sainsbury cast iron stuff.

What is it you have from ProCook for stovetop to oven?

Chasseur is still expensive but less so than le creuset - a 26cm comes in around £250.
If you're in the south it's worth considering getting a ticket for the Andover warehouse sale - really good discounts as long as you're not fussy on colour. Or maybe worth buying one of the big brands second hand?
There was a newspaper article comparing cheap and pricy brands - the difference was in things like how level the base is (important for even cooking), how close the seal etc. I'll see if I can dig it out

Not sure if it's this one but might be useful! The best casserole dishes to buy now

www.thetimes.com/article/38c3733a-530c-425d-b154-d0dfacc71f35?shareToken=be8339d8044563cb665f86ccf20a8c9d

Thank you @JeanGabin.
Not south I'm afraid!

I an article from The Week comparing casseroles stuck to the fridge for ages, but obviously, it's gone now!

Different pieces here, but I'd also recommend the Aldi brand too. Price-wise there really is no comparison. What is it, something like up to 10x the price for equivalent LC? Personally I would say keep an eye out (maybe on the app, keep a look out for their new specials, on Thursday and Sunday, it think)for when they have them again. I have received and also gifted these (actually, same Xmas and same recipient! Only difference was one of us had gifted a 26" and the other a 23"!). Anyway, for that price I would definitely just give it a try if you can.

I have a lot of cast iron and the one I pick up the most is the one I got in tkmaxx probs 15 years ago now as a teenager. I just don't feel sad about putting it in the dishwasher etc. Idk if they still sell cast iron, always did around Christmas time. I don't go anymore. I have staub and le cru but I don't pull them out as much as I dishwasher them (yes I know) and I feel bad. So I always reach for my cheap one because if it breaks, f it. It hasn't. 😂

Cast iron I'd get cheap again np. Stainless steel pots - please invest. Le cr have amazing ss pots would recommend!

We’ve got a Sainsbury’s one which cost £35 and it’s great. Had it for at least 6 years and no issues with it.

Shame you're not close to Andover for le creuset purposes. I'd offer to go (I love a warehouse sale and live nearby) but really can't justify buying anything (which I know I would!)