Both Staub and Le Creuset are famous for their Dutch oven. Some people refer to them as French oven while others may call them cocotte. Historically, the Dutch oven is made of cast iron and it was derived from a Dutch manufacturing process in the 17th century. Hence, the name Dutch oven. The French took the cast iron pots and glazed them with enamel which then gave rise to French ovens. Nowadays, the difference between a Dutch oven and French oven or cocotte is minimal and the terms are used interchangeably. As for the 2 famous brand names, which is a better buy? Let’s check out the Staub vs Le Creuset debate below.
Enameled Cast Iron Reviews
Staub Cocotte Review
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The Staub cocotte is made in France and you can find it in various sizes and colors. The smallest round cocotte has a diameter of 18 cm with a capacity of about 1.8 quart. The largest go all the way to 34 cm in diameter to fit a volume of 13.25 quart. Apart from round, there is also an oval-shaped Staub cocotte.
Constructed using enameled cast iron, these pots have great heat retention and distribution properties. They are suitable for all heat sources including induction. The interior features a matt black enamel layer which is durable and ideal for searing and stewing. It helps to enhance the natural flavor of the food as the heat is released slowly and evenly for your food to cook gently. This also helps to protect against burning which means a Staub Dutch oven would be highly suitable for a beginner cook.
To go with the pot is a flat lid with spikes on the bottom. As the food is heated up, the moisture from the condensation falls back onto the food in a continuous rainfall cycle. The manufacturer has found this spiked lid to be a more efficient basting system than a traditional lid as it retains 10% more moisture during the cooking process compared to its competitors’ pots. The knob on the lid is nickel-plated or made of brass and can withstand heat up to 500°F. Without the lid, the pot is oven-safe up to 900°F.
Good And Bad Of The Staub Cocotte
There are 2 things that users like most about the Staub Dutch oven. The first is the lid. Because of the spikes, the lid has a self-basting system which keeps your food from drying out. Many users find this to be a great advantage over other brands. The second selling point is the black enameled interior. It prevents sticking and there are no stains to worry about.
Other minor details also contribute to the positives such as a metal knob for the lid which means a higher temperature threshold, the high quality of the pot and the beautiful colors which naturally draws attention on the dinner table.
The downsides are the high price and the weight. Just a single mid-size Staub Dutch oven will cost about the same price as a 10-piece Anolon Nouvelle Copper cookware set while a Lodge Dutch oven will only cost a fraction of the price of the Staub. Being of cast iron construction, the pot is also very heavy. A 7-quart Staub Dutch oven will weigh more than 15 lbs. Imagine how much heavier it can get once filled with food. To reduce the weight, you can take away lid when you need to move it from one spot to another. But even then, it is still much heavier than typical stainless steel or nonstick cookware.
The other minor complaint is the clean-up of the lid. You have to clean around the base of the spikes and while it is not particularly hard to do so, it is also definitely easier to clean a traditional lid than the Staub spiked lid.
Le Creuset French Oven Review
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The Le Creuset French oven that we are talking about here is the Signature line. The Signature is an upgrade from the Classic. In terms of the Le Creuset Signature vs Classic, the main differences lie in the knob, handles, and lid. The Signature has a thicker knob that can withstand a higher temperature of 500°F. A thicker knob makes it easier to grab hold off. The handles have also been re-designed to make it 45% bigger. A bigger loop means it is easier to get a more secure grip especially when you are wearing an oven mitt.
The lid has a tighter fit for the Le Creuset Signature compared to the Classic. The details on the lid are also more deeply set with a clearer brand name logo. The enamel interior is sand-colored and is supposed to be more resistant to wear and tear while the exterior is designed to resist chipping and cracking.
The Le Creuset Dutch oven is induction compatible and dishwasher-safe. Being an enameled cast iron pot, it retains heat very well and distributes heat evenly. It also locks in an optimal amount of moisture with its heavy and tight-fitting lid. Like the Staub, the Le Creuset Dutch ovens come in various sizes ranging from 2-quart to 13.25-quart and a variety of colors.
Pros And Cons Of The Le Creuset Dutch Oven
The Le Creuset Dutch oven cooks very well and you can slowly simmer your food to get the flavor out with the even heating. Many users also find the light colored interior easier to cook with and cleaning up is easy with little stickiness.
The big looped handles is a plus and users also like the wide range of bright and vibrant colors for them to choose from. If you are going to pay a good amount of money for a pot, you might as well choose a color that fits your kitchen decor or other cookware pieces.
The cons are the cost and knob. Like the Staub cocotte, the Le Creuset is expensive cookware. Both sell at about the same price range which is comparable to an All Clad D5 although prices do fluctuate from time to time. Different colors may also attract a different price at different times. So, it is best to check out the prices for both brands before you buy.
You also don’t have a metal knob for the Le Creuset lid. While it has been improved to withstand a higher temperature, there is also a stainless steel knob that you can buy separately if you want a higher temperature threshold. For the price that you are paying for the Dutch oven, the company could have included it as part of the package rather than requiring you to make an additional purchase.
Staub vs Le Creuset Dutch Oven
There are a few differences that we have observed for the Staub vs Le Creuset debate:
- Colors – Le Creuset Dutch ovens have more colors to choose from compared to Staub. The colors are also more vibrant for the former compared to the darker shades for the latter. Some Le Creuset Dutch ovens also spot an obvious gradient color with a darker shade at the bottom and a lighter one towards the top of the pot.
- Lid – The lid for the Staub is flat and spiked on the inside while the Le Creuset’s lid is dome-shaped and smooth. You should get slightly more moisture for your food if you cook using the Staub cocotte but cleaning may not be as easy as the Le Creuset.
- Cooking surface – Le Creuset has a smooth and sand-colored interior compared to the rougher black color of the Staub. What this means is that it is easier to check the status of your food with the Le Creuset Dutch oven. The light interior makes it easy to see how much your food has browned compared to a dark colored surface. For instance, if you add butter to both the Dutch ovens, the Le Creuset will enable you to easily see when it has turned color compared to the Staub. On the flip side, the Le Creuset light interior will result in more obvious wear and tear. Stains and scratches will be more noticeable compared to the darker Staub. It also tends to be a little stickier because of its smooth surface.
- Weight – The Staub Dutch oven is heavier. In fact, the Le Creuset has the lightest weight per quart of any premium cast iron cookware. A 7-quart Staub Dutch oven would weigh about 2 to 3 lbs more than the Le Creuset of comparable size.
Should You Buy Staub Or Le Creuset?
A cocotte casserole dish like the Staub and Le Creuset is perfect for braising, stewing, searing, and slow-cooking. In fact, many would agree that they are two of the best enameled cast iron Dutch ovens on the market. But if you can only afford one, should you buy the Staub or Le Creuset?
If you are worried about the weight, then Le Creuset would be the safer bet. There is no point having a pot of the right color and interior if it is too heavy for daily use. But if you have strong arms and weight is not an important consideration, then the interior might be the deciding factor. In this case, if you care a lot about appearance but hate the cleaning-up, then give the Le Creuset a miss and get the Staub.
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There are pros and cons to both brands and the differences lie in the details rather than their cooking performance in the Staub vs Le Creuset dilemma. Color, weight, lid, handles, and cooking surface are all a matter of personal preference. Finally, the price too would be a big determining factor during purchase and this does fluctuate from time to time. If there is a discount offered for one of them at the time of purchase, that might well be the better value buy.
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This was an excellent review of the Le Creuset vs. the Staub Dutch Oven. I typically don’t invest this much in my cookware, but for this item it seems well worth it. Thank you for the pros and cons of each. Well done!
I have had many sets of Le Creuset while living in Europe and USA. I never moved them with me but gave them to family and friends. The motivating factor were the stains my mother’s browning of meat left behind and the awful colors of Le Creuset. That 70’s orange gets really old and I was glad to get rid of it. I have a new collection of Staub, mostly flat black and of great functional design.