D.C. Area Nesties
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Le Creuset - worth the price?
I haven't been able to think of ANYTHING I would like for Christmas this year, so I am considering adding a Le Creuset French Oven to my cooking arsenal.
For those who have one (particularly the French Ovens/big pots):
Is it worth the price?
They are super heavy. Is it annoying?
What do you cook in it?
What cookware do you have? (e.g., oval, round, etc.)
And, most importantly, what color? 
I'm considering this in cobalt... to replace a wobbly Teflon pot I've had since college. I think I'd mostly use it for soups, chili, spaghetti sauce, and braising.
Re: Le Creuset - worth the price?
-I would say it's worth it. I've had mine for about 6-7 years and still use it on a regular basis.
-Not annoyed by the weight. That's why it's so awesome! And even though it weighs a ton, it's relatively easy to wash.
-Soups, tomato sauce, pot roast, short ribs. Anything that is braised that will fit in it.
-I have a basic round dutch oven. Not sure of size - kind of mediumish. It's not huge, but fits a decent pot roast with veggies. I also have a huge beast of a roasting pan from LC. Not sure if I would recommend it -it's an odd size with no lid (purchased on clearance from Amazon).
-I have cobalt, but I really love caribbean.
ETA- the one you link to looks kind of shallow for soups, imo, and like it might not cook evenly on one burner on the stove top.
Is it worth the price? Yes, because it lasts FOREVER. There's also an outlet in Leesburg if you want to get some deals.
They are super heavy. Is it annoying?
Not really. I make DH get mine down for me though.What do you cook in it?
Everything! Soups, stews, risotto, meatballs, cuts of meat. It's great because you can brown stuff in it on the stovetop and then stick it in the oven. It's great for meals where you want to deglaze the pan after . . . they're really versatile.What cookware do you have? (e.g., oval, round, etc.)
The Dutch oven gets the most use, but we also have a griddle pan.And, most importantly, what color?
The fire color. I love it.TTC #2: BFP 12/17/11, m/c 1/7/12 and D&C 1/12/12
baby blog/cooking blog
I was actually thinking the same thing. I'm in Tysons and might go to SLT on my lunch break one of these days to see it in person... Thanks for the input!
Scout
Chocolate Blog!
The weight isn't really a problem.
I think ours is this one, except we have it in the cherry color: http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-619965/Le-Creuset-Black-Round-French-Oven. I recommend getting a pretty big one. If you're going to spend that much money, you want to be able to get a lot of use out of it.
We don't have a Le Creuset dutch oven yet, but have many other products by them. I think they are great. But, we live minutes from the outlet and all my pieces have come from there or Rue La La, which is about even with the outlet prices. I would say, since there are so many ways to find it cheaper (TJ Maxx and Home Goods and Marshalls have them often too) that it's not worth paying full price, but they are worth the discounted price, where ever you can find it.
Our dutch oven is heavy, but not terrible. We use it a lot, so the weight has never kept me from making something in it.
Lots of stuff -- bread, soup, braising, roasts in the oven, short ribs, mac and cheese even. My favorite is bread though.
We have a round and I would like an oval (better for roasts, longer pieces of meat). But, I still like my round, it makes perfect bread loaves. So, I guess it depends on what you will mostly cook with it.
I would say that size is too small for what you want to use it for. We have a 5 1/2 quart and I think even it is too small sometimes. My next one will be oval, probably 6.5 quart. At least that's the one I keep my eye on at the outlet. It's easier to make smaller batches of things in a larger pot than to not have enough room in a smaller pot, so I think bigger is better.
Most of our stuff from them is the lime color, I try to keep new purchases in that color, but if it's a great deal I'll buy any color.
My Food Blog
Is it worth the price? Yes, if you're going to cook anything that is more sensitive to even heat or a recipe that goes from stovetop to oven (braises).
They are super heavy. Is it annoying? No. I mean, I don't use it for boiling water for spaghetti because the weight means it takes forever to heat up, but if I'm cooking something for hours, it's not like I carry it around much. I tend to leave it in one place in the cabinet if I don't need to use it.
What do you cook in it? Risotto (the even heat distribution seems to work better for me than my usual pasta pot), braised meats, pot roast, anything that cooks long and slow generally.
What cookware do you have? (e.g., oval, round, etc.) I have a round, either 5.5 or 7.25 qt. I agree that you might want a larger size to give you more flexibility. I can't imagine making a soup or braise in a 3.5 qt. pot. The things I find that tend to cook better in a Le Creuset pan than a lighter weight one tend to take up more volume.
And, most importantly, what color?
Depends on your decor, obviously :P I would love fennel for my kitchen, and carribbean is purty, but I happen to have cobalt and it's a pretty blue even though it doesn't match my kitchen 
For those who have one (particularly the French Ovens/big pots):
Is it worth the price? Absolutely! We love ours!
They are super heavy. Is it annoying? They are heavy but not unbearably so. I don't mind it.
What do you cook in it? Roasts, stews, and risotto it's perfect for rissotto!
What cookware do you have? The larger round dutch oven (6.5qt I think). I'm hoping to get some more when I can justify it!
(And, most importantly, what color?
Another vote for flame. My husband loves orange and since he uses it the most I gave in!
You guys are the best.
I haven't done a lot of research yet, but yes, I'll definitely get a bigger one. I'm sure if I had seen it in person I would have realized that it's way too small!
Maybe my hubz/parents can split the price... he can give me the body, they can give me the lid! I feel guilty asking for a big item when he's asked for... nothing yet. He plays football near Leesburg so hopefully he'll brave the outlets for me to pick it up.
I'm a tad obsessed with purple, but blue has been our "compromise color"... I do like both the cobalt and caribbean though. Hmmm...
Scout
Chocolate Blog!
We had a Lodge enamel cast iron dutch oven for awhile. And then one day the enamel started to chip off & they started hassling us about their warranty.
So, we went to the outlet & bought the Le Creuset b/c of their lifetime warranty which they assured us was much less of a hassle. We got the biggest dutch oven they carried & in white which was being heavily discounted.
We use it for chili, soup, large batches of bolognese, braises, soups, stews, and sometimes I use it for making jams. In the fall/winter we use it weekly.
I don't find the weight to be onerous (actually, it's lighter than the Lodge) b/c the things we cook in it are usually being ladled out, not poured or anything.
I absolutley love mine. DH and I got it as a Christmas gift from best friends of ours. I'm not sure they size but we have a round dutch oven in red
Yes, it's a bit heavy but it's super easy to wash, nothing sticks to the sides and I've just gotten used to it.
I've used it a handful of times for different stews, braising and anything that would need to go from stovetop to oven.
Ours stays on the stove all the time. You'll probably use it more if you do that, since you'll see it and remember to use it. That helps with the heaviness factor, too.
We have a big round one. Blue.
I got mine with gift cards, so obviously worth the free price tag to me. I wouldn't build a collection of them-- probably won't even get another since I don't want to take up two burners. I don't do roasts, so an oval isn't necessary for me.
For those who have one (particularly the French Ovens/big pots):
Is it worth the price? yes, yes, yes, though granted, all of mine has come from the outlet in Leesburg. They discount them pretty heavily throughout the year, usually the discount is bigger the more you buy.
They are super heavy. Is it annoying? No. It is heavy when it's full and I'm transferring it to the oven, but it's not like I'm carrying it around for long and we have a wall oven, so I don't have to bend over to take it in and out, which makes it easier. I've never poured from it, which would be challengin, but I just ladle liquid things out so it's not an issue. I'd never boil water in it (to cook pasta) for that reason.
What do you cook in it? Soup, stew, chili, large casseroles, roasts, brisket, I've baked mac&cheese, roasted vegetables and meat and used the roasting pan as a bain marie
What cookware do you have? (e.g., oval, round, etc.) I have the 7 qt oval, 5.5 qt round, and a large cast iron roasting pan. My wishlist has a shallower saucepan for making risotto and some of the specialty dishes, like the mini french ovens for making individual servings of french onion soup, mac&cheese, pot pie, etc. Because tiny things are cute.
And, most importantly, what color?
Two of the pieces are cobalt and one is cherry, but I love all of the colors, especially the purple.
I also have one of their stoneware casserole dishes and it is perfect. The enamel on all of their cookware is great because it is non-stick and very easy to clean. They are worth it for me over other brands because you can use metal utensils (gently) without marking the finish.
Totally worth it! I got mine last year. I went to the Le Creuset outlet in Leesburg to buy it only to figure out that it was actually cheaper at the Williams Sonoma outlet. Definitely worth checking out both!
I braise stuff in it. Make soups. Risotto. Bread. LOVE it.
I have the medium round one - does that make sense?
Flame! :-)
Get one!
I have several pieces (mostly gifts from my mom who loves it just as much...she's made this a big ticket Christmas item the last couple years).
Is it worth the price? Yes, but definitely a great gift-recepient item. Maximize that
So that way you can buy another piece after Christmas!
They are super heavy. Is it annoying? No - just finding an adequate place to store them. I have a hutch thing right now that works great except it's not toddler proof.
What do you cook in it? Pretty much everything. Soups, stews in my 5.5qt Dutch oven, one dish meals in my braising pan (and meats).
What cookware do you have? (e.g., oval, round, etc.) round 5.5qt dutch, 3qt braising, 5qt stainless stock pot, 12inch frying pan and a bacon press...oh and the "Friends" tea kettle
And, most importantly, what color?
well, we are all over the place...i have Caribbean, the dark green, dijon, and the purple color and red