If you’re looking for new cookware and Le Creuset is high up on your list of manufacturers, you may be wondering why this cookware is so expensive. After all, you can seemingly get the same cookware from other, less known, manufacturers for a fraction of the price.
So, is Le Creuset cookware worth the price and why is it some of the most expensive cookware on the market? Well, to find out, we need to learn more about Le Creuset and its legacy in the cookware world. So, let’s do that right now, shall we?
A Brief History of Le Creuset Cookware
In 1925, the founders of Le Creuset met at the Brussels Fair. One of the men was a specialist in enamelling; the other was a specialist in casting. They combined their skills and brought beautifully coloured, incredibly cast cookware to the kitchen.
These two men collaborated to refine the basic production process of enamelled cast iron that is still used today. Fast forward to the 1960s, and Le Creuset released the Elysee Yellow range, a range of enamelled, cast iron cookware that was adored the world over.
In fact, even Marilyn Monroe had a set of this cookware. In 1999, Marilyn Monroe’s collection of Le Creuset was auctioned off at Christie’s for an incredible $25,300!
Still, it wasn’t just Marilyn Monroe that loved Le Creuset. Elizabeth David, a world-renowned chef, specialising in Mediterranean food in the UK, started stocking Le Creuset in her specialist cookware shop in London. This was after Le Creuset released a range of blue cookware inspired by her, her incredible cooking and Mediterranean heritage.
It was this collection and Elizabeth David stocking Le Creuset in her fantastic cookware shop that meant the brand was starting to be associated with good food.
Why Is Le Creuset So Expensive?
You may now be thinking that Le Creuset is so expensive because you are paying for the name itself, rather than the cookware. While this might have a bit of truth to it, Le Creuset cookware has gone unchanged for nearly a century. This means that the technology and design that the two founders created in 1925 are still present in the cookware of today.
Le Creuset cookware lasts a lifetime and beyond. Many people around the world own Le Creuset cookware that has been passed down through their family for years.
There is no denying that Le Creuset is quite expensive. Still, the legacy, quality and reputation that Le Creuset has is built into the pot or pan that you buy. And you’ll be able to pass that pot or pan down to your children, and they will be able to give it to theirs too.
Paying over £200 for a cast-iron casserole pot may seem a bit crazy. But when you are still using that cast-iron casserole pot in 50 years, £200 seems like a bargain.
In a world of throwaway kitchen items, Le Creuset has remained true to their quality and their legacy. They continue to make cookware that will last for decades.
Le Creuset cookware is an investment in your cooking future. You can buy one of their pots in your thirties and enjoy it throughout your life.
Le Creuset is expensive because you only have to buy it once. Sure, this cookware has big names attached to it, Elizabeth David and Marilyn Monroe, for example. And these may have put the price up a bit.
But it is the fact that people are still using Le Creuset cookware from before they were born that is the real reason why this cookware is so expensive. Simply, Le Creuset cookware is so expensive because it is well worth the money.
We hope this look at Le Creuset cookware has been helpful. To find out more about Le Creuset cookware and which Le Creuset cookware to buy first, please explore Chef’s Pick further.
Scott is a writer and a passionate home chef. His passion for cooking began when he was 10 years old. Scott has been writing professionally for over five years now and loves to combine his passion for cooking with his day job.
