Sales Rank: 3479


Features:

Dishwasher-safe; 101-year warranty

Can be used in the oven or on the stovetop

Made of enameled cast iron--unexcelled for heat distribution and retention

Heavy, tight-fitting lid; plastic knob on lid is ovenproof to 450 degrees F

Holds 7-1/4 quarts; 11 inches in diameter

Average Rating:
Rating: - Heavy Duty Cooking at a Great Price
Anyone serious about Cooking should have at least one cast iron pot and Le Creuset is the best quality available today. The 7 quart pot is perfect for anything which requires long slow cooking either on the stovetop or in the oven: stews, baked beans, pasta fagioli, paella, cassoulet, soups, etc., etc. An iron pot takes longer to heat up than say stainless steel or aluminum but it holds heat longer than either. I have even used my Le Crueset on the BBQ to bake a cake or make cornbread so as not to heat up the kitchen in the summer. In fact, this past summer when the electricity went out, I even made all the components of Lasagna Bolognese as well as baking it complete in my Le Crueset on the BBQ. It was round, shaped like a cake but it was delicious. I've had one of my Le Creusets for over 10 years (that calculates to 91 more years on the 101 years warranty!) with no sign of any obvious wear mainly because I have taken care when using it: wooden instead of metal spoons or spatulas and using non-abrasive cleansers on the interior.

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Rating: - Great for the tasks for which it's intended
First, I couldn't disagree more with the person who claimed getting one of these "sets" of the same line of cookware is a desirable thing. They tend to be overpriced and feature things you rarely use. (Notice they never feature a 5 qt sauté pan - but you can always count on some useless little 8 or 10-inch "omelette pan.")

If you do any serious cooking, you know that certain cookware types are great for some tasks but not others. This goes for Le Creuset, copper, All-Clad Yuppieware, or whatever else. With that in mind, Le Creuset is made for - and best at - braising, stews, and other slow cooking. It's fabulous for things that go into the oven after starting on the stovetop (osso buco etc.). Yes, you should take care to use wooden spoons instead of metal on the enamel. And no, it doesn't fire up quickly. Then again, neither does All-Clad, it's much touted "inner layer " of aluminum notwithstanding. If you need to quickly sear things, black'n'blue steaks, etc. get yourself copper or Calphalon Pro Hard-anodized, both of which are much better heat conductors than steel.

If you want to make Coq au Vin, curries, and other things that simmer gently or need to be finished in the oven, this is your guy.

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Rating: - This pot is my pride and joy
I had been "lusting" after a Le Creuset Dutch Oven for a couple of years, but couldn't justify the cost to myself. I love to cook, and my specialties are soups and stews. I finally decided I was worth it, and asked for it for Christmas last year. I love it! It gets lots of use, and was well worth the price. I sear meat in it, add my other soup/stew ingredients, and once brought to temperature, I turn the burner (gas) as low as it will go and just let it simmer happily for hours, with never a scorch or hot spot. It does not allow your soups/stews to cook away through steam, as the heavy tight-fitting lid retains the moisture and redeposits it back to the food. And it's so darn pretty! As Emeril would say, it makes me "happy, happy, happy".