Le Creuset Enameled Cast-Iron 5-1/2-Quart Round French Oven Review

This 5.5 quart version is sized to fit typical casserole, soup, and stew recipes, and big enough for a large chicken or pot roast. It will fit on an average-height refrigerator shelf (you may need to replace the lid with a dinner plate), and will heat evenly on a standard sized burner (though, given the heat distribution of the cast iron, it would heat evenly on a birthday candle). This is the size the cooking shows use - if you've ever watched over Emeril's shoulder as he arranged stuff in the pot, you know that this is just the right size and shape.

My only complaint is that le Creuset recently stopped smoothing and under-glazing the rims of their pots, and is now leaving them rough and "rust-proofing" them instead. For my older (heirloom) pots, I invert the lids for stacking and storage. I haven't been able to bring myself to do this with my newest pot, however, because if I do the rough unglazed rim will scratch up the lid. (ecoutez-vous le Creuset?!)

My first test run was a batch of minestrone. My recipe takes three days as I make a double beef boullion to start, then finish off with the strained stock and added vegetables. The results were great.

This is a heavy pot and the enamel can chip if you drop the top (not to mention ding your floor.) So be careful.

As some other reviewers have noted, the pots will break if dropped. This is particualarly true if you have a tile or concrete floor in your kitchen. I've dropped pots onto linoleum and wood with no problems (except for a dent in the linoleum). Some pots are also more prone to breakage than others - the oval french ovens will crack through if dropped on the "long" side, rendering them unusable. The rounded soup pots, however, seem to be almost indestructable.

The enamel will scratch and chip, even by such seemingly innocuous things as a dishwasher prong that has the rubber coating worn off (I totally trashed the inside bottom of a small soup pot this way). Banging a metal spoon on the rim of the pot to clean it off is a no-no (though wood is fine). You also can't deep fry in the white-enamel-lined le Creuset, though you can in the black-lined pieces, and the older grey (glissimal) ones.

Nevertheless, as a proud owner of naked Wagner cast iron, All-Clad, Kitchenaid, and le Creuset, my choice for stews, soups, spaghetti sauce and rice is still le Creuset.

My husband and I received this pot as a gift (from out Amazon wish list, as a matter of fact) about 1 year ago. It's been great for cooking pot roasts, stews, and soups. I don't know what Le Creuset has done in terms of the enamel coating, but nothing seems to stick to it. It's very easy to clean.

The one bad thing that happened was that the handle broke off. But here's the amazing thing - I contacted Le Creuset's customer service and received a new handle within days!! I've never experienced such prompt and helpful customer service before.

I highly recommend this product as well as any of the other dutch ovens by Le Creuset.