Enamel Coated Dutch/French Ovens

I'd like to know the answer to this question, too!

 

Most of the other brands haven't been around long enough to compare longevity-wise with the Le Cruset products.

Other than that, there is no reason they shouldn't do the same jobs. They're made the same way.

About a 18 months or so back I got an 8-quart oval Calphalon, and it's served me in good stead. Will it compare to the Le Cruset products we got as a wedding gift more than 40 years ago? Only time will tell.

I get this one on sale at Bed Bath & Beyond. Paid 70 bucks for it. But even its normal price is only about a quarter or a third what a comparable Le Cruset costs.

 

Schmoozer, it's not simply a choice between Chinese-made and Le Cruset. Enamaled cast-iron is made in several countries, including the U.S., Italy, and France (that is, French companies other than Le Cruset).

By "made the same way" I meant the process. As I said, long-term quality is an open question.
As to Chinese cast iron, it runs the gamut from poor to excellent. Any problems, though, are likely to show up on the poor end, because the castings tend to be poreous, and don't cure readily. But that's not an issue if it's been enamaled; the coating fills in any large pores, pits, and occlusions.

 

The Lodge enameled cast iron pots you see at places like wally world or some of the kitchen stores are made in China. I guess you just have to ask your self with all of the contaminated products we have seen in the news over the last year or so if you are comfortable trusting your health to a cooking product made there. There could be impurities in the thin cast iron that could lead to early failure but I would be a lot more concerned with the chemicals that were used to color the enamel. I wouldn't want to trust any of the thin Chinese made enamled cast iron pots at temperatures required for a no knead bread recipe. I have read a lot of complaints about the lids on the Chinese Lodge and the Batali lines warping. There's not exactly a lot of over sight in the Chinese manufacturing process so God only knows what kind of metal they are using.
IIR Lodge does make an enameled line in the USA but it is more expensive than Le Creuset or Staub. If it helps I picked up an 8 quart Le Creuset oval at Costco for $160.

 

I'm a Le Crueset fan all the way.  If you've had one for this long and been happy with how it performs and it's durability, why go with anything else?

I have used Lodge and been reasonably happy with it, but not as happy as I am with LC.  And Staub seems to have the quality of LC, IMO, but I've never bought one because they are even heavier than LC.  And nobody has the color and size choices offered by LC (did you know they have eight colors now????)

And let's be honest.  Don't you like it when your guests look at your cookware and recognize it from The Food Network and know it's what Julia Child used to use? 

I did a post recently on my blog to help people determine what size dutch oven they should buy, and what shape would work best for them. I hope you enjoy it and find it valuable.

Enjoy your new cookware!

 

I am SO very sorry - I evidently gave you a bad link!  My apolgies.  Here is the correct link:   WHAT SIZE DUTCH OVEN SHOULD I BUY

 

I have the Lodge L series large dutch oven and I love it.  I used to covet it while watching I think it was Dave Lieberman (?) on the Food Network.  It's that apple green with the metal (L?) on top (so I've no problems with knobs).  When I went to buy it, I liked it a lot better than the Lodge Color Series which is much easier to find and is the type most people find at your local Target (I wasn't impressed with that line too much).  My L Series weighs a ton so it always sits on my range.  I've owned it for a few years now and used it often and it's been great. I also coveted the Le Creuset, but for the size, I couldn't afford one and I really have been happy with this one.  I've never seen these in stores, but bought mine off of Amazon when there was a special price....

 

Schmoozer,

I'm sure you'll be happy with your LC, if it wasn't for the ungodly price I'd get one too.  As I posted today on another thread, I had an inexpensive, presumably Chinese knock-off, market by Martha Stewart.  The enamel has begun to separate.  There are a couple of brands listed above that I'll look into but so far, with the exception of LC, they all have experienced similar problems.  Even Lodge has their enamel done in China.

Happy braising,
Rich

 

so glad that you got the LC, Schmoozer.  And I hope the information on my blog was of some use to you.  BTW - GREAT point on the black interior on the Staub.  Never thought of that, but you can be sure that I will mention it on the blog sometime soon.

I've got two pieces in the black onyx and I like them. Perhaps the least 'pretty' of the colors, but certainly the most serviceable.  and since we bring our largest Le Creuset Dutch Oven with us when we go away for the summer, the black just seems to go with everything more easily.