Who has / Wants a La Creuset Pot?

I know, I know. I have too many threads in this section. I do other things aside from hang around here, honestly. :redface: As soon as I type this, I'm off to hang up washing, and do the dishes (:doh: So many dishes!).

Okay. Have been thinking about this for a while. And I want one! (A La Creuset pot or something similar, like a Le Chasseur?).

Have you got one? And if so, what size, and what can you fit in it (like what size joint or piece of meat), and how often do you use it? And, you can put the lid in the oven too, can't you (even though it has that little black handle)? Are they worth the investment? For example, I have a big Bessemer saucepan (one without handles, whatever they are called), with a lid that is the same depth as the pan, which I paid $5 for at a garage sale. That was worth my $5 investment, but I'm not sure I could convince myself to have forked out the several hundred dollars for a new one, IYKWIM. Considering that when I bought it, I only bought it for the Man's BBQ, and because it was 'tacky orange' (okay, I confess... I like orange in my kitchen... how :redface:). It was only when a friend told me what it was (the base is so built up with black stuff that you can't see any writing at all), that I poached it back for the stove only!

And if you're like me, without one.... :( Do you want one.... :hooray:

I am sure it is overkill, but I think I would like to have a red 6.2L one. Not sure how well it might fit on to my stove, but I'm sure I could manage. I think I would prefer to use a pot like this as opposed to my slow cooker sometimes (because I am not happy with the sc results all the time), but having said that, it would probably not get used all that often with two small 'lids getting about, and I would use the sc to make sure they don't lean on the oven door. I don't even have a stock pot that I could use on the stove to get used to stovetop slow cooking. Should I start there? (After all, a good quality stock pot is still much cheaper than a la creuset...)

I have one! Cherry red LeCreuset french oven and much to my shame (and Cai's disgust :p) I only started using it recently even though I have had it for around 5 years!!! I have no idea what the size is but its pretty big and oval.
I've made lots of casseroles in it, risotto, and it's great for slow cooked curries etc... You could fit a very decent sized roast in it and yep it goes from stove to oven no worries - that's what it's made to do.
I've seen the one I have on sale just recently discounted from $439 down to around $360ish- as far as value for money - if you use it then I would say GREAT investment and something like this lasts forever basically...
My DH used to work in homewares and all our really excy stuff like Analon and Scanpan (that are well looked after) still look new after 5-6 years of daily use. There is a thread around that I started a while back too that I will hunt down for you - there are some great recipes and ideas in there too! :)

ETA - Here is my receipe thread - might give you some ideas about what you might use it for!

I sooooo want one! Infatc i want more than one! Any size, red. Think i'll keep dreaming! lol

Tan, you were the one (and Cai too probably) that got me thinking about them. I remember the thread that you are talking about I think, and had to smile at Cai's reply. I think her instructions involved a car, your pot, and driving it to her house if I remember correctly? :rolleyes:

The big one I have seen, I saw on sale for $369 (from 529), and its the round one. The cherry red (that's the colour!) risotto pot (6.2L also) is oval, and is $320 (not on sale). Plus $10 shipping from a place called kitchenwaredirect. They have some really lovely looking things.... :loveshower:

Falguni, have a look at that site I mentioned just above.... I'm dreaming too..... (:pray: La Creuset for Christmas, La Creuset for Christmas, La........ Think maybe if I'm good I'll get one?)

Oh Tan, also... Does it seem very heavy? Especially when its full of food, or you're taking it in/out of the oven? I'm not weak, but when I'm old I might not like it. I know, when I am too old and decrepit to lift it, I'll give it to Steph. If she's anything like me, she'll want it before then anyway!

Ah gotcha! The one I have is the French Oven - not the risotto pot, and I think it is the 5.3 l. It is heavy, even without anything in it but having said that I have lifted it in and out of the oven ok while pg. Old and decrepit might be different! ;) That site has some great stuff on it and some great prices too!!! :) Good luck deciding! Maybe go check them out in the store and take prices and see if they will price match - if not, have a look at what you want and then buy it online!

Mmm, French oven..... What colour is yours on the inside?

If I go out somewhere with a kitchen store I will try to remember to have a touchy feely, but I will probably end up getting on online. Especially if I get one for Christmas, since the Man will have to get it for me. At least he is good at getting me the right thing if I tell him what it is I'm after.

I also want to get a good German? (brand) chef's knife. The last one I had was a cheap thing (but great size and weight), and the rivets ended up splitting. Wonder if the Man would take it the wrong way if I said I wanted a big chef knife?

I used my 21st birthday money to buy one! I have the 6.2L Le Cruesset (sp??!!) - it cost me about $300 back then but I also got a free 1.5L.

Its now 7 years old and is still like brand new - it even lived through my old flatmate leaving it ON THE STOVE overnight (I honestly nearly hit her :angry:), it has even survived my husband! LOL

One of the best things I have ever bought, it will be wth me forever and we use it for everything. Well worth the money - much better than teh scanpan I bought at the same time which I have had to return!

Oh wow - I have found you all at last :)

So I am incredibly greedy (and lucky) and have 3 in various sizes and a roasting tray and frypan as well. [Muppity suddenly becomes glad that noone knows where she lives - "no officer - the only thing missing is my cookware - they left the TV!"]

I love love love them and use them all the time.

If you are serious about getting one David Jones usually have really good deals on them in the post Christmas sales (although not always the entire range - but usually a good selection) and also Peters of Kensington also have a selection for really good prices.

The thing that I would check is get a ruler and make sure that the big ones will fit in your oven. I have one that doesn't fit in our current oven and I can only use it on the stovetop. (but it is a good excuse to get my new kitchen - DH isn't falling for that one yet :) )

Mine is cream on the inside hun. We also have a full block set of Wusthof Classic knives and OMG - they are probably my fav thing in the kitchen! I hate going anywhere to cook or help out if they have cr@ppy knives! I love my knives! Definitely worth it and yep you probably just need a great cooks knife and that's it. We got the block set as DH got them so much cheaper and I do use them all but you can get away with just the one great knife really! :)

Wish I knew when I could get one with a freebie! I would have just about killed anybody leaving it on the stove over night too! Note to self; don't buy scanpan. (Unlike the ads are they? Safer bet to go with a tattoo?)

Hi Muppity. There had to be someone like you out there, didn't there.... Unfortunately there is no smilie icon with its arms crossed tapping its foot.... ;) Yes, you should be glad we don't know where you live.... :hide::think:

Maybe instead of collecting anything else for my kitchen (because goodness knows I don't need anything else) I can set about collecting la creuset pieces.... I don't really see myself as being able to get into dj's post christmas sales (or any other), as I'm due in the first week of January! I couldn't send anyone either! Peters of Kensington had quite a range... nice.

Check on the ruler hint. I can't get a new kitchen until we move. This place is a rental, and the oven is good. :( Good luck with working on DH for the new kitchen though. Even if you do have a most enviable collection of la creuset pieces....

Tan, thanks, I thought that the cherry red ones would be cream on the inside. Cream is good.
Ideally I would love to get either just one good chef knife, from mundial or wusthof. I only ever use just one knife for everything. Again, have to go to a knife shop and play with their balance and size. Then tell the Man what to get for me! :)

Netix, check out Victoria's basement - they often have le chasseur at pretty good prices - and you can get some peters of kensington on line ;)

My first scan pan actually bubbled up! But they replaced it. I would rather use the le crfesuet any day anyway, one day i'll buy some more....... But for now I cant fit anything more into my kitchen ATM!!!

i have a le creuset (red, love it) lasagna dish. I used to have an oval dish too but i dropped it on the tiles - split in half.
Ive got a bit of scanpan, and personally i wouldnt be without it....but then again, i only have a lasagna dish to compare.

Ohhh and i bought a scanpan chefs knife from peters of kensington, and i cannot believe the sharpness of it. It can cut paper. Love it.

Mbear - I suppose you threw the oval one out? If it was one of the cast iron ones (I only say that because they do have a crockery oval one too) they would replace it. I split one and they replaced it no questions asked because of the "lifetime warranty".

Netix - I can just see you standing there arms crossed tapping your foot! Should I go and check that my pots are covered in the household insurance :rofl:

Tan - I hear you on the knives. I can't stand crappy knives.

Have you tried Global knives? They are the bomb. Japanese single piece knives, absolutely stunning to use, the balance is superb.

I'd love a Le Crueset but have Bessemer, which I adore, except that the lids don't go in the oven (plastic handles). Bit annoying that. My housemate discovered that the hard way, broke the handle, thought she'd fix it with glue and not tell me, next time I used it on the stove went to take off the lid and the handle came off because the glue had softened. Moron. Luckily the handles are easily replaceable...

I have a Le Crueset 1.8 litre French Blue cream interior casserole pot with lid.... AND LOVE IT! It's about 5 years old and looks as good as new. You can put the whole pot in the oven. The round black handle looks like plastic but it is totally heat-proof (yes, I was sceptical at first too). I bought it at Myer during a post-christmas sale. It was only about $100. I used to use it about once a fortnight. ... less now that we are a family of 5 (I need a bigger one) but it is still really good for puddings like baked custard, rice custard, coconut sago pudding. I used to make dahl in it alot too when we were a family of 3.... also lots of soups. I especially like how the heat is distributed evenly and constantly... important with egg and creamy dishes. You could definatly use it for slow cooking too. We don't eat red meat but you could do a meat stew for a couple in the size that I have. I've done a chicken casserole when we were just a family of 3 in it as well.


I really look forward to buying the next size up... oh and the tart tartin Le Crueset dish as I have mastered that recipe in another cast iron frying pan (which is also French but 14 years old and the handle is dying).

Absolutely love Le Crueset products. They are lifetime pieces. I'm more than happy to pay a bit more for things that last forever.

I am soooo wanting some! I'm going to wait until I have a kitchen though, as DH doesn't want a blue kitchen (I do) so if we get a neutral kitchen, then blue it will be!

Every week we watch BH&G and watch the lady chef with her la crueset dish and am envious! If only I had thought to put them on our wedding register ...

I wonder if we were to do a co-op type thing we could get a good deal?

ooh I would love a Le Crueset. I'm thinking one will be my christmas present :)

Can I hi jack the thread and ask if anyone knows the difference between Le Crueset and Le Chasseur?

Nic

I have 2, although 1 of them now resides at my Mum's. And I love them, one of the best investments I've made, & IMO well worth the money, although I do mostly use them in autumn/winter. Peters of Kensington have sensational sales (well, they used to) twice a year, which is where I got mine from. Their website is pretty good, if a little addictive.

The stew I cooked the other day only just fitted in to my largest pot. I didn't even have room to stir it, let alone add dumplings to it :(. The stew was okay, the smell of it lingered in my house for over a day, and the smell is still in the fridge! Anyway, I said to the Man over dinner that it only just fitted into the pot, and he got polenta (how the hell do you cook that stuff well?????) instead of dumplings because there was no room. ..."However I have seen a pot I really like, that is nice and big, but it is about $370"..... His reply... Well, guess you're not going to get that are you? :( Thanks darling. Will have to scrounge and save myself then I reckon. Trying to arrange our household finances a bit better, so maybe I can get some out of that..... ;)

Muppity, good to know about the lifetime warranty if I ever get one...
Good visual! Yes... Household insurance... good idea....

Suse, haven't heard of them, but haven't been looking yet. I just know of a couple of brands through chefs I used to know. Nice friend with the lid!

I hate that lady (and fast ed when he is in the 'domestic' kitchen) on BH&G because they both have a large selection of le creuset.... Hmm, Muppity, your collection may be safe yet ;)

Nic, apparently le creuset have an extra layer of enamel. I think. REad it the other day. I think maybe through kitchen direct website? Oh, and $$$ too.

Ho hum... Keep dreamn...

I've got a big Le Creuset oval pot that gets used regularly - however if you can't justify spending the hundreds of dollars up front then just go to a camping store and buy a heavy cast iron dutch oven, once you have seasoned the pot according to the instructions it is 95% as good as a Le Creuset but only around 10% of the price.

A good thick bottomed stock pot is always a good thing to have around the place too...

Thanks Bear, I was thinking of just getting a cast iron pot from the camping store. I can see it getting hijacked by the Man when 4wding.... :rolleyes: I can use that cast iron one to see exactly how often I would use a big pot, and if further down the track I can get a la creuset, then goody.
Yep, gotta get a stock pot! Might get an arcosteel one, as I have an arcosteel saucepan (my second largest one, but only just!), and I really like that one. Its got a thick great base.

We use ours when 4wding too - many of the recipes that you would make in your kitchen using a shiny enamaled pot work perfectly in a cast iron dutch oven around a camp fire.