Le Creuset

Beth S.
8 reviews
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Lifetime Limited Warranty - and it works!

When I found a crack in the bottom of my Le Creuset enameled cast iron French oven, I was beyond surprised. These are the pots that last forever and ever and ever - what could have gone wrong?

I shoved the pot into the back of a cupboard and forgot about it until a recent visit to a Le Creuset outlet store. I told my story and the clerk mentioned the warranty. Based on my description, I was due a new pot.

A new pot? A new seven-quart French oven that retails for something over $300? Was this a joke?

Apparently not - I called the company and was given a return number and the address - I had to ship my defective pot back.

This afternoon a box was left outside my front door. Inside was my brand-new, enormous, gleaming seven quart pot. I can't wait to make ratatoille again. (I also have an extra lid - they have you keep that.)

That's customer service!

James E.
49 reviews
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The last pots and pans you'll ever buy!

Le Creuset is that rare type of kitchenware that doubles as artwork. The beauty in design and color begs to be left out (clean, of course!) on top of your stove burners for all to see and admire. But it doesn't end there...these pots are as effective as they are beautiful. Easy to clean up, even cook temp, and generous in size. They are heavy though because under the hood you get cast iron like your grandmother used to use. Yes, pricey they are, however, you'll never buy another set of pots again. Seriously, you will put these in boxes and move them each time you move because they are made to last, even beyond your lifetime. Sustainability is about consuming less, and it's way better to buy that one, well-made, object, rather than 10 replacement objects over a lifetime.

Switching to Le Creuset was prompted by the enormous amount of science out there about PFOAs in my then-current teflon. But it didn't stop there. Apparently, there are some high-end space-age coatings getting used these days in (some very expensive) cookware that contain all sorts of chemical soup-I'd rather not wait for the definitive toxicology reports thank you. Even while DuPont (maker of teflon) pays fines for misleading the courts on their own scientific findings (which did show danger of teflon as commonly used under normal cooking conditions), teflon is still alive and well and for sale everywhere. Aluminum is another scary metal that is making the rounds in the latest studies as a contributing cause of Alzheimer's disease. These types of disorders take a lifetime to present their effects on our health, so makers of products containing heavy metals and chemical coatings don't have much to worry about in the near-term, and this stuff isn't too well tracked in the long-term by industry. Today, America operates on a "buyer beware principle," compared to the growing standard in Europe called "the precautionary principle," where the manufacturer must prove their product is safe for human use.

James' keywords: pfoa alzheimers aluminum pots pans cookware coatings kitchenware

Hilary P.
14 reviews
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Worth It's Weight in Gold

Okay, so they are a little pricey (thanks, Mom!). BUT I think of it as an investment, my mother has been using the same set for forty years.They are beautifully crafted, conduct heat evenly, can go in the oven, and come in a variety of colors! I use mine for just about everything - from pasta to roasted chicken, even a tempeh or two! I love that its so heavy and it comes with a lid. Seriously - I wish I had a whole set. To find them at reduced prices, checkout a Le Crueset Outlet (there's one outside of Portland).

Hilary's keywords: Le Crueset

Adam W.
209 reviews
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Awesome Cast Iron Cookware

The only reason I am giving these 4 stars instead of 5 is because they are CRAZY expensive. Like "I can go to Bed Bath and Beyond and buy a 12 piece set for the price of one of these pots" expensive. When all is said and done though, there is a good reason - these are the highest quality cast iron pots and pans you can buy.

The problem with non-stick pans is that they have Teflon on them, a carcinogen that is activated by heat. Get that? There is stuff on your pans that is a carcinogen, but only when you heat it. Wait - what is that you say? What do you do with pans? Oh right - YOU HEAT THEM.

Now I am not saying I don't own any non-stick pans. They are so awesomely convenient, but I know in the long run they are literally killing me. I have two Le Creuset pans (one skillet and one casserole) and I use them whenever I get the chance (and when I will have time to clean them - they do not wipe off nearly as easily as my Teflon crap pans).

Definitely recommend these products - plus they double as home protection! Hit a robber in the head with a Teflon pan and he'll just get mad - hit him with one of these and he's down for the count!