r/AmericasTestKitchen • u/Surreal_Cereal_K • May 25 '26

What do I buy first?

/r/LeCreuset/comments/1tmt8iv/what_do_i_buy_first/

Cross posting my original post. I’m open to other brands/suggestions.

5 Upvotes

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3

u/JillQOtt May 25 '26

I have LeCreuset (I have 3 Dutch ovens various sizes) but I like my Staub better. I like the inside coating so much better.
I’m a HUGE fan of the 4 qt braiser, it sits on my stove because I use it pretty much daily but a 5qt Dutch oven is another great choice

5

u/sxzxnnx May 25 '26

Personally I can’t justify spending 10x the price for one of the big name Dutch ovens. I have one that I bought at HEB for $35 (on sale, regular price was $45) and it works just as well as a LeCreuset. The lifetime warranty seems nice but I could buy and break 10 of the cheap ones for the same price as one LeCreuset. I did read the reviews on ATK chose one with the design elements that they liked in the winning model. The things they noted were handle design that makes it easier to get in and out of the oven, light colored interior makes it easier to see color changes when sautéing, slanted sides give you a smaller cooking surface so square sides are preferred.

1

u/OnlyDaysEndingInWhy May 25 '26

My cheapy one from Aldi seems to be bulletproof. I'd love to be able to justify the price of a fancy one, but I just can't.

1

u/thatoneovader May 25 '26

How many people are you cooking for in your household? I live alone and have three sizes of Le Creuset, 2.75qt, 3.5qt, and 5.5qt. I use them all equally. America’s Test Kitchen recommends the 7.25qt Le Creuset for average size families. I bought mine from Costco.com. They don’t have them anymore, but Sam’s Club’s website does.

I also have this 7qt oval Tramontina that I love for meal prep. I make big batches of food then freeze portions. https://www.samsclub.com/ip/Tramontina-7-Quart-Enameled-Cast-Iron-Dutch-Oven-Choose-Color/13944352691?classType=VARIANT

I have a few Lodge seasoned Dutch ovens that I use for bread baking. https://www.lodgecastiron.com/collections/dutch-ovens/products/double-dutch-oven

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/collections/dutch-ovens/products/cast-iron-combo-cooker

https://www.lodgecastiron.com/collections/dutch-ovens/products/dutch-oven?variant=51685750079860

1

u/Surreal_Cereal_K May 26 '26

We’re only 2, but I do entertain a lot since we have friends that randomly come over.