Prices taken at time of publishing.
A beloved culinary heirloom, Le Creuset makes the gold standard of Dutch ovens. I’m still using the one I borrowed from my parents’ kitchen 20 years ago, after who knows how many years of it being used to make our family’s beef stroganoff and day-long bolognese. The enameled interior shows a few signs of wear from over the years, but it only adds to the pot’s vintage charm.
Le Creuset’s lids are designed with raised bumps that function as condensation points, creating what Le Creuset calls a ‘self-basting’ effect, which makes it sounds more like a turkey than what it is — a clever way to keep moisture locked in and moving around so that food cooked in the Dutch ovens stays tender and juicy. It’s also one of the lighter-weight enameled cast iron Dutch ovens on the market, at 9.6 pounds, which is a nice feature if not a huge concern for me, personally. Cleaning the enameled cast iron is easy, but according to Le Creuset, the Dutch oven is dishwasher safe, though I would never. (For any stuck-on spots, I bring a little water and baking soda to a simmer and then go at it with a dish wand.)
Pros: Timeless, classic quality; enameled cast iron is quick to heat and able to produce a nice, even sear
Cons: The nearly $400 price point makes this a considerable investment.
