Le Creuset makes some of the finest cookware in the world. Any chef loves using Le Creuset in their kitchens. This cookware will last you decades and will be a joy to use every time you pull it out of the cupboard.
Le Creuset cookware is so good that it is one of the only pieces of cookware that does some good numbers on the second-hand market.
It is also one of the most copied styles of cookware in the world. So, can you spot a fake Le Creuset? Well, we’re glad you asked; that’s what this cookware article is all about.
How to Spot a Fake Le Creuset
A fake piece of Le Creuset is pretty easy to spot if you know what to look for. If you are buying some Le Creuset cookware, it is a good idea to go on their website and familiarise yourself with how the cookware looks and the tell-tale features.
What are these tell-tale features, you may ask?
1. The brand name
Sounds simple right? But many cookware copy-cats have sold thousands of Le Cruset cookware in the past. You may not have even notice that the ‘E’ was missing from Le Creuset in the sentence above.
It is that easy to buy a fake Le Creuset. So, make sure the name is spelt correctly. It is usually on the lid of the pan and on the base; check both of them.
2. Sizing marks
The bottom of the pan is a very crucial place for identifying if a Le Creuset is real or not. There are sizing marks on the bottom of all Le Creuset pans, which identify the inside diameter of the pan. You can measure the pan and see whether everything matches up. If it doesn’t, it isn’t a Le Creuset.
3. Where it was made
Le Creuset is a French company and used to make all of its cookware in France. Le Creuset is a massive company nowadays, and its products are made all over the world.
However, Le Creuset makes all of its stainless-steel cookware in Portugal. Its stoneware collections are made in Thailand, and its kitchen accessories are made in China.
The enamelled cast iron Le Creuset, though, is still made in the foundry in France to this day.
So, if you’re looking for stainless steel Le Creuset cookware, make sure it says Portugal on the bottom. For the cast-iron stuff, it has to say France.
4. The price
If it is cheap, it probably isn’t Le Creuset. Let’s face it, Le Creuset has such a good reputation for making some of the finest cookware in the world that they can pretty much charge what they like.
This is why many of us home chefs desire and crave Le Creuset cookware. So, if you see Le Creuset cookware at an absolute bargain price, it is probably fake.
5. The diamond
On the classic and beautiful cast iron Dutch oven, you can find a small diamond underneath the handle. This is a very clear sign that it is Le Creuset as not many people know the diamond is there.
The Le Creuset diamond basically represents the origin of the Dutch oven. Still, it is a clear indicator that the cookware is real as well.
6. Exposed cast iron
Le Creuset would not let a piece of their cookware leave their factory with any exposed cast iron. Most fakes are easy to spot because the rim of the pot and lid has exposed cast iron because they think Le Creuset cookware does.
In reality, though, Le Creuset seals all of their cookware in a finishing glaze before it leaves the factory. So, it looks exposed, but there is a glossy texture to the cast iron that you can see at certain angles.
Avoiding Fake Le Creuset Cookware
The best way to avoid buying fake cookware is to shop at reputable dealers. Many people in the UK buy their Le Creuset from John Lewis, for example, as they have worked with Le Creuset for many years.
You can find real Le Creuset in many small kitchen shops in the UK too, as well as on Amazon. However, do your research, know your stuff and make sure what you are buying is the real deal.
We hope this look at spotting fake Le Creuset cookware has been helpful.
We love Le Creuset; their incredible cookware has featured on our site many times. Buy the genuine article, and you will fall in love with cooking all over again.
For more info on Le Creuset and our favourites, please explore Chef’s Pick further. We have some of the best cookware in the UK right here and none of the fake stuff!
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.
