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Written by Martin Seymour | Editor, The Mayfair Foodie | About Me
This is not a sponsored review. I purchased my Le Creuset casserole pots with wedding gift money in 2005 and have used them weekly for 21 years. I have no affiliate relationship with Le Creuset and receive no commission if you click any links on this page. My mother also owned Le Creuset for decades before me.
I was in the kitchen the other day cooking a slow-cooked spaghetti bolognese, using my small round Le Creuset casserole pot, and I worked out that my two Le Creuset pots are 21 years old this year. I know the date so well, as they were bought with money from our wedding in 2005. We bought two casserole dishes: one round 20cm 2.4-litre pot and the other a larger oval 29cm 4.7-litre pot, both in grey. We also bought some Le Creuset saucepans and a griddle pan – more about these later.
Unfortunately, I have no idea what we paid for these pots back in 2005, but the current list price is £249 for the round pot and £345 for the larger oval pot. Not cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but if you take into account their age, that works out at £11.85 a year for the small pot and just under £17 per year for the large oval pot, which makes them look rather good value.
1 How Have My Le Creuset Pots Stood Up to 21 Years of Use?
So how have the pots stood up to 21 years of slow-cooked dishes, everything from cooking beef brisket for six hours to a midweek curry or bolognese? I’m guessing we use one of the pots every week.
Firstly, the size we chose seems to work for most of our needs, but perhaps the next size up for both would have been ideal. However, I recently bought some HexClad hybrid frying pans in a set that also included a 32cm large hybrid sauté pan, which works well for larger slow-cooked dinners.
Appearance-wise, I think you’ll agree from the outside the pots look remarkably good. The main issue is on the inside: we did not pay attention to the cleaning instructions and, early on took a metal scourer to the pots to get rid of baked-on sauce, which in effect ruined the enamel and the look of the pots inside, totally our fault and not a reflection on the quality of Le Creuset pans. Performance-wise, however, they still work well. The beauty of these pots, being cast iron, is that once they heat up, they hold the heat and cook at a consistent temperature – ideal for slow cooking.
Unfortunately, Le Creuset do not offer a re-enamelling service. I think I would have my pots re-enamelled if they did – I do love them, but looking at the inside upsets me every time I use them.
2 How to Clean Le Creuset Casserole Pots
As I mentioned above, I wish I had adhered to the cleaning instructions before we took a scourer to the pots, but hey ho, too late now. So here are the recommended instructions.
To clean your Le Creuset casserole pan, first let it cool, then wash with warm soapy water and a soft sponge; for stuck-on food, soak or simmer with baking soda and water, then scrub gently with a nylon brush or non-abrasive sponge, always rinsing thoroughly and drying completely to prevent rust. Avoid metal scouring pads or harsh chemicals, and while dishwasher safe, handwashing is recommended.
3 What Do the Le Creuset Lid Markings Mean?
For instance, on my larger oval pot, there are four stamped markings: 29 for the internal diameter in centimetres, France for the country of manufacture, and the final two are 5 US qt / 4.7 ltr, confirming the capacity in both American and metric measurements.
I understand the newer pots have fewer markings and the letters are raised rather than stamped.
4 A Brief History of Le Creuset
Well, dear reader, if you are going to invest in premium cookware, it helps to know the story behind the brand. Le Creuset was founded in 1925 in the small town of Fresnoy-le-Grand in northern France by two Belgian industrialists: Armand Desaegher, a casting specialist, and Octave Aubecq, an enamelling expert. The location was chosen because it sat at the crossroads of major shipping routes for iron, coke and sand – the essential ingredients for making cast iron.
The name “Le Creuset” translates to “the crucible” or “the cauldron” in French – rather fitting, don’t you think? At the time, most cookware was utilitarian and came only in dull grey or black. Desaegher and Aubecq saw an opportunity to bring colour to the kitchen, and their first creation was the cocotte (French oven) in a vibrant orange hue they named “Volcanique” – now known as “Flame”. The colour was inspired by the intense, glowing orange of molten cast iron in the foundry’s cauldron.
Remarkably, 100 years on, every piece of Le Creuset cast iron cookware is still manufactured at the original foundry in Fresnoy-le-Grand. The company was purchased by South African businessman Paul van Zuydam in 1988, and has since expanded into stainless steel, stoneware, and various kitchen accessories. Le Creuset celebrated its centenary in 2025 and has produced over 300 million pieces for customers in more than 60 countries. Not bad for a company that started with a single orange pot.
5 What About the Le Creuset Saucepans?
You might be wondering about the saucepans and skillet pans. Well, I actually sold them on eBay in 2024. We were in the process of planning a kitchen refit and decided to clear items that we did not use very often. At the time, we had a gas hob and we found the saucepans heavy for everyday use – they also took a long time to heat up – so reluctantly, we sold them. The good news is that Le Creuset is a premium brand and we had no problem finding a buyer who drove 50 miles to snap up the pans. He seemed very pleased with his purchase.
6 Our Other Le Creuset Products
We do own a couple of other products from the Le Creuset range, including my beloved egg cups, which I love. A set of two stoneware egg cups will set you back £22 – worth every penny. We also have a stoneware Heritage rectangular dish (32cm), which retails at £65 now. You will see the dish featured many times on the Mayfair Foodie recipe page, like our creamy fish pie recipe – sorry, I couldn’t resist a quick plug.
I’m guessing we have had both for about five years now, and as you can tell, we’re very happy with them.
7 Le Creuset Alternatives: Budget-Friendly Options
Specialist cookware retailers like ProCook and Lakeland offer their own versions of the Le Creuset casserole pot, and ProCook offer a 25-year guarantee. Most large general retailers such as John Lewis and Robert Dyas also offer versions, as do supermarket chains. All of these own-brand options will be considerably cheaper, though most will be Chinese imports.
The main difference is in the manufacturing process. I’ve highlighted two main differences below.
The casting process is where Le Creuset really distinguishes itself. Each piece is sand-cast in individual moulds that are broken after a single use, which allows for more precise shaping and thinner, more even walls. Cheaper manufacturers often use permanent moulds and faster production methods, resulting in thicker, heavier pieces with less consistent wall thickness. Uneven walls mean uneven heat distribution and hot spots.
The enamel is perhaps the biggest difference. Le Creuset applies multiple layers of its proprietary enamel, which is fused to the cast iron at extremely high temperatures. This creates a harder, more durable, and more chip-resistant surface. Budget brands typically use fewer layers of generic enamel that chips and stains more readily. The interior cooking surface on Le Creuset is also engineered to be slightly textured for better browning while remaining easy to clean.
8 Where to Buy Le Creuset Products
Most good department stores stock Le Creuset, as well as independent cookware retailers. Le Creuset also have their own online store at lecreuset.co.uk.
9 Final Verdict: Is Le Creuset Worth the Money?
Well, having owned my casserole pots for 21 years, you have probably guessed that I’m a fan of Le Creuset. Without doubt, it’s a premium brand, and with that there is a price to pay for owning this iconic cookware.
The fact that there are many imitators of these classic casserole pots means Le Creuset are market leader, after all, being copied is a form of flattery. Do I recommend buying one? Without question, yes – they are worth every penny. If you look after them, they will last you a lifetime, but please do read the cleaning instructions!
