Does it have to be Le Creuset?

A decade ago I got my first Le Creuset piece as a gift.  It was a 5.5 quart oval French Oven.  Suddenly I was making every "one pot" recipe I could find.  I really liked the idea of starting a recipe on a stove top and then transferring the entire pot to the oven to finish.  Then I read all I could about why the french product line was so magical and so costly.  Turns out the process of the applied enamel to the cast iron is done in such a way that makes for even temperature distribution under the pot and allows for slow cooking and the cast iron holds heat for a long time...still I couldn't see spending so much...yes the bright colors were cool but still...

I started exploring other similar product lines such as Lodge and an even cheaper brand that Walmart carries called Tramontina.  I found an awesome green colored 6 quart round dutch oven for $35.  A Lodge brand round dutch oven rang in at $49. A Le Creuset 5 1/2 quart round dutch oven goes for between $250 to $300.  So the green color and the low price called to me and I purchased the Tramontina with the intension of testing the heck out of it.  It passed with flying colors and I had already had my Le Creuset for a few years...I knew how the brand performed.  The only negative thing I will say about Tramontina is that it is a bit heavier than Le Creuset.   For the money saved...I still opt for the bulky Tramontina. 

Then I realized I needed something just a bit bigger for some dishes I wanted to make.  Then I was at Ross in Santa Fe and found a 7 quart oval dutch oven by a brand called Gibson.  It was going for $45.  Le Creuset's 6 3/4 quart oval goes for between $275 - $350.  It is one of my favorite pots to cook in due to its size.  Whether I am cooking a whole chicken or just making some stock it really meets my needs. 

I really like to find ways to save money when it comes to the kitchen.  This one is a
no-brainer as far as I am concerned.  I will say one thing in Le Creuset's favor though, they have a program where if you damage your pot, you can contact them and at a very reasonable price (much much less than what you paid initially) they will replace the pot and pay for shipping too!  So...don't drop your off brand pots on the floor...only Le Creuset!  ;-)

Look at that extra wad of cash in your pocket!

robert