Le Creuset is a staple in the Delish test kitchen, where the French brand's colorful, sturdy pots and pans appear in many of our videos. But we're not the only fans: The iconic cookware is celebrated the world over, and for good reason. Here's a look at what makes Le Creuset products so special, and some fun facts about the company.
Their signature color harkens back to the beginning.
The brand's casting specialist, Armand Desaegher, and enameling specialist, Octave Aubecq, settled on a bright orange color for their first enameled oven in 1925, naming the hue "Flame." They were inspired by the bright glow of molten cast-iron. Even the factory in Fresnoy-le-Grand, France, is painted the classic orange hue.
Marilyn Monroe was a huge fan.
The blonde bombshell was an avid cook and owned a 12-piece set of Le Creuset cookware in Elysees Yellow, a color that's since been discontinued. It was auctioned for a whopping $25,330 in New York in 1999.
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No two pieces are exactly the same.
Each piece of cookware is cast from a fresh sand mold that's broken back down into sand after its use. The cast pieces are then smoothed by hand and enameled. And that's just the simplified version: The process can take at least 10 hours and actually entails 12 different steps.
The knobs are more than just accessories.
You've probably seen Le Creuset lids topped with knobs of various colors, like black, stainless steel, gold, and iridescent. But these knobs are more than just a fashion statement. Older dutch ovens came with the classic black knob that could withstand temperatures up to 390°F. They've since expanded their selection to include sturdier resin-based knobs, metal knobs in a variety of hues, and even flower and heart-shaped ones! You can easily swap them out and change the appearance of your cookware whenever you want.
TikTok is currently obsessed.
The app is beloved by the youth, but it turns out the youth loved this nearly century-old company, with #lecreuset earning more than 60 million views as of this writing. Users post videos gushing over everything from the quality to the pots to their very chic colors, showing off their collections to the envy of others.
Le Creuset has a strict no-flaw policy.
Each pot is inspected by 15 different people before it's deemed suitable for sale, and around 30 percent of the company's goods are rejected because of imperfections. Often, the products are melted back down and the iron is recycled to create new (flawless) products.
You can get the best deals at Le Creuset outlet stores.
There are more than 70 outlet stores across the country that sell first-quality productions—that is, items in colors or shapes that may now be discontinued—and second-quality items. The latter have minor imperfections that don't affect how they cook food, but require them to be sold at a lower price.
Enameled cast-iron cookware isn't the only thing the company can make.
The ovens may be the most popular, but Le Creuset of course does more than that: Consider their offerings of charming tea kettles, sauce pans, pie dishes, mixing bowls, cutlery, and so much more.
Popular colors vary by country.
Le Creuset currently offers about 100 colors, but the favorites are different depending on where you live. Americans opt for primary hues, Germans love Mediterranean blues, and Japanese chefs pick pastels. French cooks go crazy for—what else?—the iconic Flame color, which is called "Volcanique" in Le Creuset's home country.
Le Creuset's factory workers stay busy.
The company turned 95 in 2020, and by that year, they'd created more than 300 million products for customers in over 60 different countries.
The company is known for its whimsical limited editions.
They've produced heart and flower-shaped pots in the past, and cherry blossom-covered cookware in Japan. Le Creuset made Disney fans' wildest dreams come true with a blue soup pot painted with red roses to celebrate the release of the live-action Beauty and the Beast movie. And in 2021, they released a whole Harry Potter line.
Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven 8-Qt. French Grey
Le Creuset Signature Enameled Cast Iron Oval Dutch Oven 8-Qt. French Grey
Sarah Weinberg is the deputy editor at Delish and has covered food, travel, home, and lifestyle for a number of publications, including Food Network Magazine and Country Living. She's originally from the Bay Area, has an unhealthy affinity for the Real Housewives of Anywhere, and harbors strong feelings about fruit salad.
