Average Rating:

Negatives:

The Handle on the lid broke on the first day. They Sent me a new one very fast with no hassle.
The new lid handle won't stay perfectly tight, but it works.
They should use a riveted metal handle
I think the bottom cooking surface is becoming slightly roughened from use.
Doesn't brown meats evenly, especially at the recomended medium heat.
Some people might not like the heavy weight.
I have nothing to compare it to, so I don't know for sure if it's better

A slow cooker is great for ease of use (throw everything in and forget about it) and for bringing out the flavors of food, but I've found that my Le Creuset accomplishes the same result in less than half the time.

Another factor in its favor is that the oven allows true one pot cooking. I can use the oven to brown meat, caramelize onions, etc. prior to putting in the rest of the ingredients. Try doing that with a slow cooker!

One of my favorite ways to use my oven is to make beans in it. I start by cooking a bit of bacon in the oven, along with onions, garlic, etc., then tossing in the beans and a generous amount of water. Set the heat to "Low", and in a couple of hours the beans are done - Easy!

As with my other Le Creuset pieces, the tight-fitting lid helps retain moisture during cooking, which means I no longer need baking bags or foil when baking. Given the cost of baking bags, a piece of Le Creuset used as little as twice a week will pay for itself in a surprisingly short period of time, then actually *save* money. (Do the math!)