About this Review: This review is my honest opinion of the dutch oven, which I purchased with my own money in October of 2020.

My take

My Le Creuset 6.75 qt Round Dutch Oven is my “go-to” pot for everything. It can do it all. I received my first piece of Le Creuset cookware 20 years ago as a very generous wedding gift from a professional chef. He knew the value of the right cookware and how it would elevate my cooking game. Since then, I have collected many more Le Creuset pieces and use them for everything from slow cooking soups and stews, roasting chicken, making sauces, and even baking bread.

About the dutch oven

• Model: 6.75 qt. Le Creuset Dutch Oven (Color: Ink)
• Product Type: Dutch Oven
• Type of Cooking Surface Enameled Cast Iron
• Handle Material: Enameled Cast Iron
• Oven-Proof Handle: Yes

About me

• Experience: I have been cooking with Le Creuset pots/pans for 20 years

Test conditions

• When I bought it: October 2020
• Days tested: 50
• What I’ve used it for: Stew, soups, sauces, slow roasting, bread baking
• Foods I’ve found it best for: Meats, vegetables, breads
• Cooktops I’ve used it on: Natural gas and electric
• Cleaning routine: Hand wash with nonabrasive materials

How it performs

What I was looking for

I wanted to add to my collection with a larger vessel because I was finding that my five quart Dutch oven was not big enough for some of the meals I love to make like French onion soup, roasted chicken, French cider braised pork stew. This gave me more room to work with and my food more space to cook well.

Why I chose this Cookware

I trust the Le Creuset brand. I love to cook with it and I know what I am getting when I order it: high-quality, colorful cookware that will make me look and feel like a professional chef in my home. I loved its size, shape, and color.

What I love about it

• Durability: Le Creuset cookware is made with high standards and built to last a lifetime. The enamel coating is chip- and scratch-resistant. As long as no metal utensils or cleaning tools are used on it, the surface should stay beautiful for a long time.
• Versatility: This is the most versatile piece of cookware I own. Cast iron is a wonderful material for all kinds of cooking, including braising, frying, slow roasting, and baking. It is stove top and oven safe up to 500°F/ 250°C and can even go in the freezer.
• Features: I love that I can purchase different lid knobs. They have black, gold, silver, and brass available.
• Look: This pot is as beautiful as it is useful. I love to display this deep blue pot in my kitchen, and it looks great on the table to serve my family and friends a meal that I am really proud of. Le Creuset leads the market in colorful cookware. One can get almost any color of the rainbow. I love to fill my home with color, and that’s one of the many reasons I love to collect Le Creuset.
• Performance on Cooking Surfaces: I have used this pot on gas and electric cooktops. It performs great on both. I use a medium to low heat for everything. The cast iron retains heat really well and is induction-safe.
• Ease of Cleaning: I suggest cleaning this cookware while one is cooking… what?? I know it sounds strange, but what I always do is add liquid and scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the pan before the slow cook commences. It adds a ton of flavor and it saves me from having a big clean up job after I’ve enjoyed my Le Creuset-cooked meal. In most cases, dish soap and a non-abrasive sponge or cloth is all I need to get this pot cleaned. I recommend having Bar Keepers Friend cleaner on hand for more stubborn stuck-on bits.
• Applications: I use my 6.75 quart Dutch Oven for so many things. Bolognese sauce, French apple-cider-braised pork stew, carnitas, roasted whole chicken with garlic, lemon, and thyme, French onion soup, mushroom risotto, and homemade bread, just to name my favorites. The versatility allows for all of these types of meals to be made in the same pot. It’s pretty awesome.
• Handling: I always have a towel of oven-safe mitts within arms’ reach when I am cooking with my Le Creuset cookware. The handles are made of the same cast iron, so they get very hot while the pot is on the stove. I love that they are molded into the pot, there are no gromets to have to clean around and it just gives the pot a much more sturdy look and feel.
• Quality of Materials: This pot is extremely well-made. Le Creuset uses high-quality cast iron and food-safe enamel. They have been making this type of cookware in France for almost 100 years.
• Warranty: Le Creuset offers a limited lifetime warranty on their enameled cast iron for manufacturing defects.

Issues I’ve encountered

• Weight and Size: Le Creuset gets a bad rap for its weight. I think people often pick up the pots and think they would not like to handle them regularly because they are so heavy. What helped me is to learn how to grip the pot safely. I put my thumbs below the handles and my four fingers grip the top of the handles. When I need to pour out the contents of the pot, I am using my larger muscles this way and my wrists are protected.

Favorite moment with this cookware

Just recently I used this pot to make a mushroom risotto. It was Chantarelle season, so I had to. I kept my heat on low and stayed patient. I was so happy with the result. It turned out better than the risotto at my favorite restaurant.

Value for the money vs. other options

Le Creuset is the original maker of this type of cookware and they are an investment. There are other, more economical options in enameled cast iron cookware. However, I think a good option that comes in at less than $100 is the Lodge 6 qt enameled cast iron Dutch Oven. Just like Le Creuset, Lodge makes these in many lovely colors and the inside cooking surface enamel color is a cream color. Though Le Creuset is one of the rare companies that hasn’t decided to drop their quality to create better margins for themselves. These pots are an investment in one’s cooking journey. So if one treats them right, they will be in their grandchildren’s cooking journey too.

Final verdict

I could not produce the high-quality, healthy meals I am proud to serve my family and friends without my Le Creuset cookware. The 6.75 quart is the perfect size to feed a crowd. It’s the pot that stays on the stove throughout the fall and winter, but it goes with me to summer BBQs as well to serve cold dishes or my favorite baked beans.