Are cast iron Le Creuset casserole dishes worth the money?

VJsmum

puddy wrote: »

i used to have a griddle pan of theirs. i had to dump it. it was so heavy, god knows how heavy a casserole dish full of food would be.

Quite heavy

I received a batch of saucepans as a wedding present and, as others have said, they are very heavy for straining / draining liquids and the handles do char.

However, I bought myself a large casserole in France many years ago to match the pans. Whilst the pans are long gone, the casserole has been fab. You can pretty much do anything to it and it comes up clean. You can brown stuff on the hob and transfer straight to the oven and because you are just lifting it into and out of the oven (rather than draining liquids) the weight isn't so bad.

The frying pan was really rubbish!

Gingerjar

Hi

I bought my first Le Creuset pan, a little saucepan when I was 18. I'm now 46 and it's still in fantastic condition. As a wedding present I then got the omelette pan, griddle and frying pan which I love. Over the years I have bought the full set of saucepans (half-price at Debenhams sale) and a couple of casseroles. THey are heavy but not hellishly so. The wooden handles can be oiled to keep them in good condition. Other cheaper pans and casseroles have come and gone and been a false economy!

becs

I love them as casserole dishes but I wouldn't have the saucepans or frying pans for the same reason everyone has said - they're too heavy! But I'll never part with my casserole dishes.

redlady_1

I have the skillet which is a total pain...also the frying pan. Well, I did until I had finally had enough of everything sticking to it so threw it in the bin! I have been thinking about the saucepans but have a cracking set of stainless steel with copper bottoms. As I am getting older I am thinking that perhaps something I struggle with would not be good.

That said, I luuuurrrrrvve my Le C casserole dishes. They are truely brilliant and nothing sticks to them. I have a round one from Ikea and hate it so that too will be replaced with Le C.

Long and the short of it I would say the casseroles (and anything non stick) are good but saucepans too heavy and non stick, well, it is the stickiest I have ever come across!

lilac_lady

No. Too heavy and overpriced.

DundeeDoll

Yes, specially if you have induction. We bought a small frying pan a while back-marvellous. Then i got a casserole for OH last valentines in RT offer. Left some chicken stock on oops came home totally burnt yet cleaned as new. Bought tesco cheaper version-stains everytime we cook toms in it, lid chipped, so we saved our pennies and bought more last month

monnagran

Casseroles .....Yes.
Pans...NOOOOOOOOO!

Hermia

I have the frying pan and love it as it truly is non-stick and everything cooks really evenly. I wouldn't buy anything else though because of the weight. My friend has the complete set of casserole dishes and I can only lift the small one when it's full. The rest are so heavy I know I would drop them. She has to get her husband to take them out of the oven for her!

iris

puddy wrote: »

my mum swears by circulon, but its very expensive.

I agree. Circulon is brilliant.

I have some LeC pans, which I have to say were brilliant when I used a Rayburn range, but now I have an electric cooker and ceramic hob they don't get used.

I too find them very heavy and as I have arthritis in my right arm I don't use them now.

HelenYorkshire

I don't have LC but love cast iron.
Cheapy Tesco casserole - cheap n cheerful, bottom is stained and lumpy but doesn't bother me.
Two un-enamelled pans- one griddle, one skillet. Both from TK Maxx for under a tenner, both need to be used for the "right" food. They become non-stick with my use of animal fat. As a veggie, I don't think you'd be keen on this! Vegetable oils did NOT have this effect.

Try a car boot and see how you go