topic Re: Le Creuset Questions in Kitchen

Le Creuset Questions

Puzzle Piece — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 22:07:00 GMT

How is this product any better at cooking that an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven and it's various sizes?

I have the braiser from Corning Ware when it was made and I don't know if there's any benefit from purchasing this other brand.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

January121 — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 23:00:25 GMT

@Puzzle Piece wrote:
How is this product any better at cooking that an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven and it's various sizes?
I have the braiser from Corning Ware when it was made and I don't know if there's any benefit from purchasing this other brand.

I like the TSV but, I would stick with the Corning Ware Dutch Oven ... the TSV weighs 20.6 pounds without anything in it .... that is too heavy for me!!

Re: Le Creuset Questions

KentuckyWoman — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 23:44:06 GMT

The brand has a loyal following so if you love it and purchased it, bon appetit.

I have an enameled cast iron dutch oven I purchased at a local hardware store years ago and it still serves us well. I know Le Crueset is a lovely brand, but the day has never dawned I will spend $270 for a pan.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

Sooner — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 23:58:05 GMT

@Puzzle Piece wrote:
How is this product any better at cooking that an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven and it's various sizes?
I have the braiser from Corning Ware when it was made and I don't know if there's any benefit from purchasing this other brand.

I hate Corniing Ware and find it difficult to clean--I usually have to get out the Bon Ami--especially the glass lids. LC pots clean up wonderfully--just don't get the heat too high and damage the interior.

I wouldn't buy the TSV for me because of the weight of the lid, and it is a pretty small pot. The next size up with the regular lid would be my choice by far. Outlets have great staff and are helpful if you want something and call them.

I had a lot of Corning Ware, but it isn't what I use now. I will take stainless steel or LC any day.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

Puzzle Piece — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 00:08:44 GMT

@Sooner I have no problem with my Corning ware - I use a spray non-stick product and no problem cleaning up at all - even the lids.

The weight of the LC product is a vital concern. The cost is a hard one to swallow. I won't buy things just because 'they cost a lot' and other products work as well for considerable less.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

Sooner — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 00:10:31 GMT

@Puzzle Piece wrote:
@Sooner I have no problem with my Corning ware - I use a spray non-stick product and no problem cleaning up at all - even the lids.
The weight of the LC product is a vital concern. The cost is a hard one to swallow. I won't buy things just because 'they cost a lot' and other products work as well for considerable less.

Then you probably shouldn't consider buying LC.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

HonnyBrown — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 00:31:26 GMT

I personally think Le Creuset items are best as a set. I have a fairly large collection in Cobalt, and when I'm entertaining, the pieces look great on the table, over the Le Creuset trivet.

Unless you need two braisers, I don't see the point in purchasing another.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

NycVixen — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 08:32:48 GMT

I'm glad they have options at different price points for everyone.

I'm not at the stage yet to cook for a family, but my mom instilled in me the mantra to buy once. So , I look for quality. My mom has a set of Le Creuset that I grew up with. She also has a set of cookware set from another brand she bought when she was 20 years old before she had any children.

So, if the quality remains the same, I plan to buy this brand in the near future when I begin my life as a cook for my family. I've bought one set so far from a different brand that did not last and honestly I don't want to lose my investment again (before I got married). This company has a limited lifetime warranty I believe and has been in business for 90 years. So, unless something has changed, this is the way I plan to go when I can. I'm going to explore places like TJ Maxx etc. to get them at a better price.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

Alsee — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 02:57:26 GMT

It probably isn't any better. With Le Creuset you pay for the name and the hype.

Watch the presentations all day and they convince you that you have to buy it.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

jaxs mom — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 03:26:59 GMT

@Puzzle Piece wrote:
@Sooner I have no problem with my Corning ware - I use a spray non-stick product and no problem cleaning up at all - even the lids.
The weight of the LC product is a vital concern. The cost is a hard one to swallow. I won't buy things just because 'they cost a lot' and other products work as well for considerable less.

So don't buy it.

Personally I love my Le Creuset enameled cast iron. I have some Corningware also but it's like comparing apples and oranges. They are different materials and I don't use them to perform the same functions.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

Sooner — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 03:48:47 GMT

@Alsee wrote:
It probably isn't any better. With Le Creuset you pay for the name and the hype.
Watch the presentations all day and they convince you that you have to buy it.

You do pay for the name, but the quality is there too. If that's what you want. Nobody has to have quality cookware to cook great food. Like everything we buy, it is a matter of choice what you can afford, how you choose to spend your money, and what you enjoy having.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

Puzzle Piece — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 05:11:42 GMT

@January121 wrote:
@Puzzle Piece wrote:
How is this product any better at cooking that an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven and it's various sizes?
I have the braiser from Corning Ware when it was made and I don't know if there's any benefit from purchasing this other brand.

I like the TSV but, I would stick with the Corning Ware Dutch Oven ... the TSV weighs 20.6 pounds without anything in it .... that is too heavy for me!!

Whoa ! 20 plus pounds ! No, not for me.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

SharkE — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 14:18:29 GMT

Mary Beth said 12 yesterday.

J.C. Penny has a pot on sale today with coupon and using their Penny credit card for 40. Just a heads up.

12 is still to heavy for me. All that cast iron stuff is going to be heavy though.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

italia8140 — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 14:36:03 GMT

@Alsee wrote:
It probably isn't any better. With Le Creuset you pay for the name and the hype.
Watch the presentations all day and they convince you that you have to buy it.

EXACTLY. TOTAL HYPE. The prices of LC are RIDICULOUS! And YES, I had some pieces and didn't think they were worth anywhere near the price. They were also WAY too HEAVY.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

chickenbutt — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 17:30:10 GMT

It's perfectly great for people to have opinions and I will always advocate for choices. But one cannot make up one's own facts.

What you pay for is quality - quality of materials and quality manufacturing. You also pay for a Lifetime Warranty.

You pay to have enameled cast iron pots that will not chip easily, will not stain (if used properly), and will not, like many of the Chinese-made counterparts, have the enamel completely crack in half and remove itself from the cast iron.

Again, choice is always good. People should buy what they want to buy, based on the criteria of their choosing. But facts are facts and are indisputable.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

novamc1 — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:34:12 GMT

@Puzzle Piece

You asked: How is this product any better at cooking than an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven?

I use my "old fashioned" Corning Ware dutch oven for certain things that don't take long to cook.........my 3-qt. glass-lidded CW oven is fine to bake dressing for turkey or chicken dinners. It only stays in the oven for about 40 minutes before the dressing is fully heated, so it is an efficient piece of cookware for that purpose.

On the other hand, I would never select a glass-lidded Corning dutch oven to braise a big piece of tough meat for several hours, nor would I use Corning to simmer spaghetti sauce, beans, stew or soup on the stove or oven for hours. The heavy, tight lids on LC dutch ovens have much to do with how well the food gets cooked and moisture is retained over a long period of time.

Different cookware for different jobs. You can't brown ground beef or cook bacon or sear a piece of meat in Corning Ware, either.

Le Creuset can do every single job mentioned above, even if I still do occasionally pull out the Corning Ware for short-term cooking.

I most often use my Corning casseroles for storing leftover dishes that were cooked in Le Creuset pots. Corning is good for reheating leftovers in the microwave. For THAT job, it is very handy and nice to have around.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

peachesncream — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:07:25 GMT

@novamc1 wrote:
@Puzzle Piece

You asked: How is this product any better at cooking than an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven?

I use my "old fashioned" Corning Ware dutch oven for certain things that don't take long to cook.........my 3-qt. glass-lidded CW oven is fine to bake dressing for turkey or chicken dinners. It only stays in the oven for about 40 minutes before the dressing is fully heated, so it is an efficient piece of cookware for that purpose.

On the other hand, I would never select a glass-lidded Corning dutch oven to braise a big piece of tough meat for several hours, nor would I use Corning to simmer spaghetti sauce, beans, stew or soup on the stove for hours. The heavy, tight lids on LC dutch ovens have much to do with how well the food gets cooked over a long period of time.

Different cookware for different jobs. It just so happens that Le Creuset can do every single job I just mentioned, even if I stil occasionally pull out the Corning Ware for short-term cooking.

My experience is similar. I have a Corning Ware piece and several glass baking dishes. They're fine for casseroles, hot dips, fruit crisps.

For slow cooking dishes (stews, baked beans, paella, oven risotto, etc.) I love enameled cast iron. You can brown food in it, then put the pot in the oven. You can't do that with glass. I only have one - a Staub Dutch oven - but I wouldn't be without it.

Cast iron is heavy. And expensive, although Lodge and a few other brands are more affordable.

People should use what they love. And we all have different priorities when it comes to spending.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

jaxs mom — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 18:39:08 GMT

@January121 wrote:
@Puzzle Piece wrote:
How is this product any better at cooking that an old fashioned Corning Ware dutch oven and it's various sizes?
I have the braiser from Corning Ware when it was made and I don't know if there's any benefit from purchasing this other brand.

I like the TSV but, I would stick with the Corning Ware Dutch Oven ... the TSV weighs 20.6 pounds without anything in it .... that is too heavy for me!!

There is no way the TSV is 20 lbs. I own the 15 qt goose pot and it is 25 lbs and it's more than 3x the size. My 3.5 qt oval oven weighs 9 lbs with the lid and it's only 1 qt smaller than the TSV.

By the way, the QVC listing says it weighs 12 lbs which should be accurate given the grill pan lid.

Re: Le Creuset Questions

novamc1 — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 21:02:18 GMT

One of the most obvious quality differences between Le Creuset and the less-expensive brands is readily seen by comparing the rims of pots.

The LC rim is narrow, very finished-looking, and unique to LC. Cheaper pots begin to rust and chip in their rim areas because they have an uncoated, very "unfinished" wide black strip of exposed cast iron.

I have two non-LC pots (one Rachael Ray that has rust spots on the rim but no chips and no problems so far with the enamel), and one unusual Staub that seemed to have been sold only by QVC and had chips and a very sloppy finish near the rim from the very beginning.

I still use both pots, but am not impressed with how they have held up, in contrast to those I have from LC. Do they cook as well as LC?---probably. But who needs rust and chips for dinner?

Re: Le Creuset Questions

chickenbutt — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 21:28:18 GMT

Hi Novamc! Was the Staub piece you had from QVC a round 5qt?

I purchased that years ago and, while it was a decent pot, noticed that the finishing was nowhere near as good as the LC pots I purchased after that.

I'm not saying it was awful or anything but there was a discernible different in the detailed quality. I don't know if that was just because it was sold here, so I'm not dogging the brand as a whole.

I did end up selling that one to a nice young lady who wanted a good quality enameled cast iron pot but didn't have the money for an expensive one. She paid me $25 for it and I know it got a good home. I just hope that it continued to perform well for her, although I was concerned about a tiny chip (it had from the beginning), and the apparent less-than-stellar finishing.