Anyone?

I really fancy their lovely looking heavy pans, but I’m tight, anything 80% as good at 20% of the price?

Look for their end of line colours or a second with dodgy enamelling.

They are crap.

I dare someone to cook scrambled egg or porridge in one.

At least you spend the rest of the lock down getting the bloody things clean.

Never had a problem with ours, they can be dishwashered as well.

Ikea does some reasonable stuff, perhaps not quite as classically pretty as the Le Creuset stuff but a lot cheaper!

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/senior-casserole-with-lid-white-off-white-90232840/

Sainsbury’s do own brand ones and kuhn rikon is often for sale in tk maxx. Neither as good but have the main advantages.

kuhn rikon is often for sale in tk maxx

As is Le Crusset – but TK Maxx are closed for the forseeable

Is it the style of pot or specifically being cast iron that you’re interested in?

I got some induction-friendly pans by Nea  from amazon which are cast aluminium (so aren’t as heavy as Le Cruset) with an iron base and very good non stick. Pay close attention to sizes though – one of the ones we bought was big enough to take a bath in 🙂

Tried the outlet store in Bridgend?

Cannot be many places that can make enameled ware like this, so if it looks like le creuset, it could well have been made in their own factory for the likes of own brand supermarkets stuff

Yep, was going to mention Sainsbo’s as well.

Sainsbo’s.

I dare someone to cook scrambled egg or porridge in one.

Wouldn’t they blow up the microwave?

Honestly though, those are two things I started nuking and never looked back from. Bad enough cleaning them off of stainless, I dread to think what cast would be like.

Got a Le Creuset butterdish and tea pot which are very nice. The pans would break my wrist and wallet.

Pro Cook do some online

Is it the style of pot or specifically being cast iron that you’re interested in?

The colour mostly. I like that orange colour which seems to be their standard offering, but I won’t buy them just to hang on the wall so they need to be usable.

I’ve got one the Sainsbury’s enamel casserole pot things. It’s OK, but it has chipped a bit. Certainly functional but doesn’t seem as nice the Crusset ones.

They are crap.

I dare someone to cook scrambled egg or porridge in one.

At least you spend the rest of the lock down getting the bloody things clean.

I fear you’re getting mixed up, their non stick pans are indeed shite, their casserole stuff is bombproof.

Think Lidl and Aldi have had cast iron pans in their specials a few times. Though don’t know when they will be getting any more.

New £24.99 Lidl cast iron dishes to rival Le Creuset – in striking rainbow shades

We have one of these, given to us as a wedding present in 1988. It’s still fine, even though we use it a lot. Looked at like that, they aren’t expensive.

Hang on the wall above the range to show how middle class you are

Le Creuset pans are unbreakable. But they will break whatever they land on. My mum cracked the top of a glass induction hob. 🙄

Nearly did that over the weekend with the lid from our 24cm pot. Luckily my hand got between it and the hob!

We have two from Lakeland that have seen many years service and were fairly cheap. They do clear outs from time to time and they get even cheaper.

I had a Le Creuset dish that cracked in half, shop I bought it from swapped it without question.

CraigW
Member
Le Creuset pans are unbreakable. But they will break whatever they land on. My mum cracked the top of a glass induction hob. 🙄

Dropped ours onto the knobs of our hob and obliterated one of them, denting the alloy hob surround in the process. Expensive lesson.

We have some from Lidl.

Have some genuine stuff from TK MXXX as well, but the bargain kit from Lidl is great.

And flipping heavy!

Well cast iron is cast iron and le crust cast iron is the same cast iron as any other so no reason why other cheaper alternatives will be as good, assuming they’re made as sturdily with thick walls etc.

Le cruset prices seemed to ramp up significantly about 10 years ago. My wife started collecting it when we got married and though towards the higher end of the price range back then it wasn’t too bad. But now its significantly more expensive than it used to be her collection hasn’t increased for a good 10 years or so.

I dare someone to cook scrambled egg or porridge in one.

We always use one of ours for porridge. Soak it in cold water afterwards, no problem cleaning.

Sainsbury’s versions here. Yeah they’ve chipped a bit but I use them more or less daily.

Why would anyone scramble eggs in one? Well-seasoned cast iron skillets are the tits. 20 quid for three off amazon.

Yep, Sainsbury’s have been fantastic.

I have a Le Creuset Butter Dish, small frying pan and large griddle, all are fine.

Use the small frying pan most weekends to make american pancakes and wifey does scrambled eggs in them no problem.

Being one piece you generally need a oven glove or tea towel to handle them once up to temp as they do conduct heat bloody well.

Cleaning isnt a problem, leave them to cool then leave them to soak with soapy water and stuff falls off them.

Personally I find enamel easier to clean than teflon pans, have swapped all our baking trays to enamel ones for this reason too.

We always use one of ours for porridge. Soak it in cold water afterwards, no problem cleaning.

I shall try that tomorrow but I sure as hell wouldn’t experiment with eggs.

I had a lovely LeC roasting dish. Used it pretty heavily and always cam up gleaming was brilliant. MrsS took it out of the oven and straight into a sink of cold water. snapped in half instantly. So don’t do that!