<p>I’ve waited years for someone to give me a Christmas or Birthday gift that I really want; a LeCruset pot. LOL. Really. Well, I don’t have one so I’ve decided to buy it for myself. However…</p>
<p>There’s a 40% off sale on Martha Stewart enamel-cast iron pots at Macy’s. Been waiting around forever for a decent sale on LeCruset around here…no chance. As a practical matter, has anyone found a real difference between Martha’s enamel pots and the stuff from France?</p>
<p>stick to stainless clad, aluminum/copper cores and bottoms.</p>
<p>What???</p>
<p>LongPrime, don’t tell me that you’ve never used an iron skillet, for example. As for stainless steel pots, I’ve always feared that if you keep them in the over for too long, the core/base will get too hot and separate from the body. At least I read it can happen.</p>
<p>LakeWashington, this thread has mixed advice for you:</p>
<p>[Martha</a> Stewarts enameled cast iron? - Cookware Forum - GardenWeb](<a href=“http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load/cookware/msg121927522607.html]Martha”>Martha Stewarts enameled cast iron?)</p>
<p>And this site has good information, and links to reviews:</p>
<p><a href=“http://theinductionsite.com/induction-cookware.shtml[/url]”>http://theinductionsite.com/induction-cookware.shtml</a></p>
<p>Never bought an Martha Stewart cookware, but I have several Le Creuset pieces which I have owned for 25+ years, and they are the best. Nothing beats the big dutch ovens for stews, chilis, roasting, etc. The best, hands down.</p>
<p>I have never bought a SET of cookware. I love my Le Creuset pieces for oven roasting, all day stews and braising. I have several different makes for my saucier pans and even love heavy duty cheap Lodgepole for cast iron fying pans. Every good manufacturer seems to have a strength in a different application.</p>
<p>I have a red Tramontina Dutch Oven from Target–it was a Cooks Illustrated Best Buy a couple of years ago. I love it.</p>
<p>Le Creuset! Le Creuset! Le Creuset! Le Creuset!</p>
<p>I love Martha, she’s my favorite felon and I faithfully subscribe to her magazine and think she’s brilliant and wonderful, but Le Creuset is truly stellar, and wonderful to cook on. It’ll be an heirloom!</p>
<p>Yowie – I beg to differ.</p>
<p>I got a set of Le Creuset pots and pans for a wedding gift 32 years ago.</p>
<p>The Dutch oven was the first to go – it was so heavy that I literally couldn’t pick it up. Now, I use some nice Farberware pots – one 8-quart; one 12-quart – when I want to make stews and soups.</p>
<p>I also have a 6-quart Le Creuset pot that we use, mainly, to boil eggs in. It’s lined in white enamel, and some of the enamel wore off a while ago. Consequently it has nicks and scratches and even a small rust spot or two. I continue using it because I own it, but I would mind getting rid of it.</p>
<p>I also have a 6-cup saucepan that I use to heat gravy in. Nothing remarkable, except that the handle is hollow with a hole at the end, so when I put it in the dishwasher, I have to be careful how I position it or water stays in the handle.</p>
<p>Then I have two small frying pans – maybe 4 inches across, with white enamel bottoms. These work well for frying eggs.</p>
<p>The best piece of the bunch is a six-inch frying pan with cast iron inside. This works well for omelets and it can be put under the broiler to melt cheese on top. </p>
<p>But if I had to do it all over again, I’d go with Farberware.</p>
<p>YMMV.</p>
<p>Le Creuset and Staub are the pinnacle of dutch ovens, and the price reflects it. I’ve been looking into substitutes because I can’t justify spending that much money on one pot, and so far it looks like the Mario Batali dutch ovens have the best ratings for quality of the second tier of dutch ovens (Martha Stewart, Basix by Staub, Staub Elite and Mario Batali).</p>
<p>But they weigh 30 pounds!!</p>
<p>sorry, I was thinking cast skillets.
DW complained that the cast skillet was too heavy to throw around.
The enamel pans always got scratched.</p>
<p>I love nonstick cast iron skillets, they work great.</p>
<p>I don’t know what the big deal is with Le Creuset. They’re quite expensive, and the nonstick doesn’t work too great. I tried one once and the first thing I made in it (eggs) stuck so badly I couldn’t clean it off. It went back to the store.</p>
<p>I’m in the market for one. From what I’ve heard, one thing that distinguishes the higher end dutch ovens is the precise fit and finish of the lid. That is supposed to be somewhat important if you do a lot of braising.</p>
<p>I wouldn’t use Le Creuset for non-stick applications… For non-stick things, I just get the cheap restaurant supply pans and use those, because non-stick pans inevitably get scratched. </p>
<p>Le Creuset is great for retaining heat, heating evenly, and having all of the great properties of cast iron without having all of the issues of cleaning and seasoning that cast iron has. It does have the propensity to chip, and you have to be careful about that, but if you cook with it and care for it with its limitations in mind, then it’s great.</p>
<p>If you’re not the kind of cook who would want to deal with seasoning and cleaning cast iron cookware, though, then enameled cookware might not be worth the cost…</p>
<p>I bought my son one of the Martha dutch ovens, and it looked pretty comparable to LC. He’s enjoyed having it for his first apartment, and I thought it was a great price (would not want him practicing on LC). Maybe I’m a status whore, but I do love the LC for my own kitchen, and I love my Staub dutch oven even more because it has the little braising dimples on the lid.</p>
<p>LakeWash, when I really, really wanted a LC giant risotto pot, I found one on sale at the factory outlet store up in Marysville. Have you looked there? They have some good sales from time to time, and you can call to inquire before driving there.</p>
<p>The only LC cookware I have is the Dutch oven. I have had it for 25+ years – no chips or cracks. I love it.</p>
<p>Thanks Fauxnom, I’ll check out Marysville the next time I’m up that way, although bringing an iron pot back with me on the airliner would probably cost more than the pot. LOL. Former Nor’westerner now living in the “Center of the Universe” for longer than I care to remember.</p>
<p>Oops, I was just guessing that you still lived in the Northwest. In this case, I’d go with the Martha pot - it looked very comparable, so if the size is right for you, I would recommend it. If you don’t love it, you could always pass it on to your offspring. I thought my son was pretty lucky that he didn’t have to wait til he was over 40 to get a nice enamel cast iron dutch oven!</p>
<p>I own quite a few LC’s because I went on a spree in an outlet store one day. They are gorgeous and display beautifully. Love to serve in them and use their minis for fun individual desserts.</p>
<p>But for actual cooking, for me it’s All Clad all the way. I find the LCs make my stews to watery. Maybe I just need to learn the tricks.</p>