Le Creuset Stainless Steel

Le Creuset is heading full speed into destroying the reputation they took 80 years to build. I have no experience with their stainless steel clad pansets but some of the other stuff coming out is clearly playing off their name. Every week there are stainless (pure, no cladding) stainless Le Creuset pots at TJ-Maxx that are made in asia. The heat properties of pure steal is horrible. I can't imagine how they cook. Most of their products are built just for export now.

Just for the record though I think their enameled cast iron is still the best. Although the difference between the $200 best and the $50 second best is virtually zero so neither of the last two enameled cast iron dutch ovens I purchased were Le Creuset.

Another note for anyone wanting cheap(er) Le Creuset dutch ovens the ones at TJ-Maxx/Marshals are seconds and if you look closely the lids never seal.

Grant

I am sick of my saute pans warping and wearing out within a year...any suggestions on what to buy that isn't too pricey and will withstand the abuse I give it?

I've been watching a trend lately. I've mentioned Le Creuset putting their name on cheap pans made in asia. It seems that JA Henkles, Wustoff and Al Clad aren't far behind. You really need to do your research when dealing with cookware these days. In a knife comparison test at Americas Test Kitchen two sets of JA Henkles knifes fell under the not recommended category. I bet tons of people are buying them just because of the name. I bought an Al Clad stock pot and even though it says Al Clad all over the box the pan itself says Emeril on it. Seems Al Clad had some extra production capacity so they manufactured it but that doesn't mean it cooks worth beans. I just heat water in it. REAL Al Clad is good, REAL JA Henkles is good, REAL Le Crueset is good but it's just getting harder to discern the difference. Chances are if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Grant

emeril ware

All Clad has done a special deal with Emeril and released a line of cookware with his name on it. It is asian made and does not have the full copper clad core, just the try ply on the bottom. I have used the skillet and pot and found nothing wrong with the quality, it just lacks the full copper cladding an d handles that all clad carries. This is not part of a plot to fool the consumer, its a well advertised fact that emerilware is made by all clad but not USA all clad.

I bought an Emerilware set a few years ago and was aware when I bought it that it had been manufactured in Korea. Still, it's fine for most everyday uses. I hate the 8 quart stock pot though, because the no-stick surface is delaminating.....

I bought the double boiler by Emeril but made by Al-Clad and it's worked pretty good but how good does it have to be to boil water? :lips:

It seems to be built ok but I don't really do anything complex in it. I have another larger double boiler made by someone else (who knows?) and it's just as good at boiling water! I got both at TJ-Maxx for about $30ea.

marshalls scored!

I luckily stumbled across two all clad copper core pieces at marshalls this weekend, a nice 10 inch skillet for $79 and a 2 1/2qt pot and pan for $149. They were imperfects, the rivets on the handle were set just a tad off angle. Does that affect the quality? None that I can tell , but then again I am not a gourmet chef , just a home cook but i love these, they really do cook evenly and heat up quickly.

I'm not sure I would have paid that much for the second one. I'm aware of what they sell for new but still $150 but still I think that's a lot for a flawed pan. To be honest I think that's what they should go for new!

I have two problems with all-clad, the handles are ridiculous and there's not really any way of getting a deal with them because they're American.

With the European brands you'd pay a fortune here because the cookware goes through 3 different companies before it gets here and everyone takes a cut. But if you can sidestep them (you can) then you can get them much cheaper. Problem is now the dollar is so weak that even then they're not as cheap as they used to be. A 3.5 qt pure copper Mauviel straight from Paris would cost you barely more than that brand new even considering the horrible exchange rate and shipping.

I think you got a decent deal on the frypan though.

In Costco today, I saw a 12" SS chef's pan, with 3-1/2" sides, and a very heavy lid. The whole thing weighed a ton. It has an aluminum base sandwich, riveted handles, and costs... thirty bucks. It's made in Brazil, for a change.

Anybody have any experience with this thing?

Mike

Purchased Le Creuset Stainless

I happened to be in Bloomingdale's and I had seen the Le Creuset 8pc stainless set on clearance. They had a sale for an additional 20% off and the lady who was helping me was an All Clad specialist. She said that it was equivalent to All Clad and at $240 for the set it was a steal. Pardon the pun. I currently own some All Clad so I will be putting it to the test.

My first post! I had to respond to this one. I've been using Le Creuset Tri-Ply stainless cookware for months. My collection is a bit small, but it is growing. Personally, I find it to be wonderfully suited to my needs, but then again, you should have seen the stuff I was using. Really scary.

At any rate, I did a great deal of homework before investing in any sort of high-end cookware. I looked at All-Clad and was impressed, but the price points were a bit prohibitive. I also looked at Calphalon and Faberware. Nothing I found really caught my eye. Then my wife and I came across a Le Creuset Store while Christmas shopping last year. The small saucepan I bought to test was heavy, beautifully crafted, and seemed to have all the features of the comparable All-Clad piece at a price point slightly lower.

I've been a Le Creuset stainless fan ever since. My wife and I are on the South Beach diet, which calls for a great deal of cooking, and my LC stainless is definitely up to the task.

Warranty is the same as All-Clad, recommendations for care and use are the same, and I would think that performance is the same (I plan to test an All-Clad piece just for comparison's sake).

So the question bears asking: How could Le Creuset's stainless cookware damage the company's 80-year reputation if the products I have been using are as good as they seem? If one is searching for Le Creuset Tri-Ply stainless cookware, TJ-Maxx is probably NOT the place where one should look.

I'm really anxious to give one of Le Creuset's new hard-anodized aluminum fry pans a try (one with a lid!).

Mark C.

saw about 10 different pieces of Le Creuset stainless there this morning actually (and one nice dutch oven that was missing the handle knob on top for a dance!). well it was Marshalls not TJ-Maxx but I believe they are one in the same.

I wonder if it's first-quality stuff? The new hard-anodized cookware is available only through high-end specialty retailers and select on-line sources.

MC

it depends, some can be "seconds" or "damaged" but many, are just store buyouts from stores that are closing down....some even have the Williams Sonoma stickers still on them.

As someone mentioned above, it may be a factory second too, just have to look. All my calphalon tri-ply that I bought from there was perfect, and most of my all-clad, with the exception of a small saucepan that has a ding in it.

I have come across many chipped le crueset cast irons though....or a lid or two that didn't fit on right. but every once in a while i find a deal too hard to pass up.

It is now 2010 and I cannot find a review of Le Creuset Tri-Ply Stainless Steel pots and pans. My daughter just baught me a set for a very reasonable amount and I am not sure whether I want to keep it. I was considering All Clad, but I found the handles rather ackward and uncomfortable. Have you been happy with your set? I hope this gets to you. I need help.

Hi NewCook! I sell LeCreuset for a living and ran across your post. I encourage you to give our stainless a try. I think you will love it! We were rated against All-Clad last year along with several other brands and found to have fewer hotspots (a common issue in stainless), more features and a better price point than our competitors. You may not realize it but those are LeCreuset stainless frypans in your Avatar! Le Creuset also has a steller lifetime warranty on the stainless pieces and the non-stick coated pieces are carcegen free and have a 10 year warranty! ...unheard of in the cooking world! Our triple ply goes goes all the way up the sides to help conduct even heating in your pots. If you will notice, the outside is brushed for easier cleanup, the rim of each vessel is curved slighty outward to help you pour away from the edge, the lids on the casseroles and saucepans are made to fit on the handles to save space in your kitchen and they also have measurements inside the pots. I suggest that you start on medium heat or even lower if you use gas. With better quality cookware, starting temps are always lower. We have a fantastic customer support staff in our home office which can be found @ www.LeCreuset.com. If you have any questions, feel free to call on of our stores as well. We all love what we sell! Good Luck and Happy Cooking!

Hey Shel... please scroll around and take a look at my reply to NewCook! Thanks!

Hey Grant... I encourage you to get on line and do a little more research about LeCreuset. You seem a bit misinformed. We have stores nationwide which you can find at www.LeCreuset.com. if you would like to speak to someone personally for more information. I don't know where you are, but call us or even better, come see us! "Seconds" in LeCreuset means only cosmetic flaws. Each of our pots is handmade and finished and because of the handmade factor, there will be seconds from time to time. They are still better than a lot of "firsts" out there from our competitors. The cooking experience is the same!  It's awesome! On seconds, you get the same lifetime warranty just like on the firsts and it's the same on closeouts. I suggest you do a little more research on the stainless and stockpots as well. Have you actually used them? Couldn't tell from your posts.For the record, ALL LeCreuset is real! We have our own factories, our own quality control people and design departments, etc. My Mom and sis use the stainless and love it! Keep it real and enjoy your cooking! Thanks!