The best cookware doesn’t just let you make a quality meal this week or this month. The top offerings provide a lifetime of quality cooking and sustainability, while also providing a stunning aesthetic to the kitchen.
Le Creuset produces high-end cookware that combines superb craftsmanship with beautiful designs. This Signature 10-Piece Cast Iron Cookware Set is a comprehensive top option from a company known for luxury and reliability.
Le Creuset cookware is best known for the Dutch oven, used for braising, baking, boiling water and making soups and stews.
Le Creuset also offers fry pans, skillets, stock pots and soup pots. These are kitchen cookware essentials that form the heart of a cookware set from any company. Most kitchens prefer two skillets of different sizes and at least one soup pot and a larger stock pot.
Grills and griddles are also available: these relatively flat pans provide fast, uniform heating for eggs, pancakes and sandwiches, among other meals. Lastly, Le Creuset offers braisers — more specialized versions of the Dutch oven — as well as roasting pans designed for cooking beef, chicken and other meats.
Le Creuset cookware is made from various materials, each with its own benefits and drawbacks.
Le Creuset cookware is a high financial investment. However, these items, with proper maintenance, are designed to provide a lifetime of use.
Le Creuset cookware is known for its exciting, unusual colors. The company offers about 20 colors at any time, with names such as chambray, nutmeg, sage and artichaut — French for "artichoke." Colors vary by season and region of the world in which they are sold. Some are enduring, while others eventually retire.
Le Creuset sells cookware products individually or as a larger set. The sets cover the basics you need in a frequently used kitchen, with anywhere from three to five to even 10 pieces. They come at a high upfront cost, but typically end up cheaper than buying each piece individually.
Keep in mind that sets are uniform, so those looking to mix and match colors should avoid them.
Le Creseut also makes specialty cookware pieces. These include a wok, a rice pot, a heart-shaped skillet and a fondue set.
Le Creuset cookware comes at a high price tag. An average single piece costs anywhere from $150 to $500, depending on its size and versatility.
A. Le Creuset items are made for durability and longevity. Each comes with specific instructions on best care practices, which include compatible materials and heating limits. It's advised to wash all products by hand, although some are safe in a quality dishwasher.
A. For those seeking their first Le Creuset item, the Dutch oven is most popular and offers varied use. Even if it's the only Le Creuset cookware you own, the bright colors you can choose provide a striking look in the kitchen.
Le Creuset Signature 10-Piece Cast Iron Cookware Set
What you need to know: This comprehensive set includes the signature Dutch oven as well as a skillet, braiser, saucepan and roaster to cover most cooking and baking.
What you’ll love: Made of cast iron, these are durable, easy to clean and provide superior heat distribution and retention. They are offered in a variety of stunning colors.
What you should consider: This set comes at a high price, and each item is quite heavy, even when empty.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Sur La Table
Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron Signature Dutch Oven
What you need to know: The item Le Creuset is best known for, the Dutch oven is a beautiful, versatile lifetime investment that belongs in every kitchen.
What you’ll love: It comes in a range of colors, including signature Flame, and various sizes. It requires no prep for cooking and offers simple cleaning afterward for easy use and maintenance.
What you should consider: It's heavy and comes at a fairly steep cost.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Sur La Table
Le Creuset Toughened Nonstick Pro 10-Piece Set
What you need to know: At a relatively low price, this set offers ease of use and plenty of coverage in a busy, versatile kitchen.
What you’ll love: The style is elegant and modern. The set comprises two fry pans, two saucepans, stock pot and saute pan to cover most kitchen needs. The nonstick surfaces and stay-cool handles are convenient features.
What you should consider: It lacks the iconic look and branding Le Creuset is known for.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Sur La Table
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Anthony Marcusa writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
