Few Pieces of Cookware Are As Essential (Or as Coveted) As Top-Quality Enameled Cast Iron.
From the kitchen staple, do-it-all Dutch Oven to the powerhouse, big-bottomed skillet that can handle any cut of meat… enameled cast iron is any cook’s secret weapon (from Michelin-starred restaurants to humble New York City shoebox apartment kitchens).
For years and years, Le Creuset has been the household name when it comes to enameled cast iron—adored for its iconic colors, durability, and handcrafted quality. Their Dutch Ovens have earned an almost legendary status. Unfortunately, you can tell from the price tag. Made In, on the other hand, represents the new guard of cookware—already grabbing the attention of 100+ Michelin-starred restaurants for their devotion to quality at a reasonable price.
If you’re in the market for enameled cast iron, which brand should you go with? We decided to break it down into four categories to help you decide whether you prefer the old-school staple or the new-school upstart. (Hint: it turns out you can get top-tier quality without the heritage price tag.)
First, a Brief Background on These Two Powerhouse Brands
Founded in France in 1925, Le Creuset has developed a hardcore devoted fanbase over the years. They’re largely credited with making the world’s first colorful cookware, pioneering the now-indispensable enameled cast iron used worldwide. You’ll generally see Le Creuset on a wedding registry instead of a casual weekend shopping cart because of the sky-high prices. If you’re lucky, maybe you can just inherit your grandparents’ set.
Founded in 2017, Made In has rapidly distinguished itself in the cookware industry by delivering professional-grade products at a reasonable price. Made In builds upon a family legacy in kitchen supply dating back to 1929, infusing nearly a century of expertise into its modern operations.
And the results show. Made In has already racked up love from the likes of Forbes, GQ, and Architectural Digest, received awards from Good Housekeeping and New York Magazine, and found its way into 2,000+ restaurants. They’ve also garnered 125,000+ reviews from everyday home cooks for 4.9 out of 5 stars, proving the highest-quality cookware can (and should) be accessible to all.
We’ll break it down by price, performance, design, and durability to see which option for enameled cast iron comes out on top.
Price: Made In
Le Creuset’s 5.5-quart signature Dutch Oven comes in at a whopping $420. Made In’s 5.5-quart Dutch Oven, on the other hand, costs $249—nearly half the price. Similarly, Le Creuset’s 5-piece enameled cast iron cookware set costs $820, while Made In’s nearly identical set only costs $529. Le Creuset is a mainstay on registries for a reason—probably because no one actually wants to pay that much themselves.
While other enameled cast iron options on the market are around a similar price point to Made In, no one is touching the level of craftsmanship and quality of these two brands. And we’re still a bit astonished at how Made In can make hand-enameled cast iron in France this professional-grade and this accessible to home cooks.
5 out of 5 stars here for Made In which strongly stands out as the winner in terms of price.
Performance: A Dead Tie
Both Made In and Le Creuset deliver exceptional heat retention and distribution, essential for the slow cooking, searing, and baking that Dutch Ovens and other enameled cast iron cookware pieces are famous for. Le Creuset’s products have been fine-tuned for decades, and they consistently deliver.
Made In’s enameled cast iron, however, considerably holds its own. Designed with the same obsessive attention to detail when it comes to heat retention and distribution, Made In performed just as reliably as Le Creuset in our kitchen tests, allowing for perfect searing, browning, and braising.
Le Creuset is well known for its performance, but Made In offers a best-in-class performance without the premium price. Kudos to both brands, but Made In continues to impress.
Design: Made In
Le Creuset may be known for its array of colorful Dutch Ovens and enameled cast iron, but Made In just brings that minimalist elegance to the table that feels both timeless and fresh. It feels a bit sacrilegious to dethrone the originators of colorful cookware here, but Made In is one of the most sought-after brands on the planet right now for a reason.
Available in sleek, timeless shades Harbour Blue, Made In Red, Antique White, and Blood Orange, Made In’s enameled cast iron fits seamlessly into any kitchen and blends aesthetics with functionality. Looking at the no-BS style on Made In, we’d think they were the ones that have been around for nearly 100 years.
Made In’s award-winning Dutch Oven even features a unique Cloud Cover Lid with pea-sized dimples to trap steam and return moisture to your food. It’s detail like this that gives Made In the edge in this category.
Durability: Made In
Enameled cast iron giants like Le Creuset and Made In are referred to as “family heirloom cookware” for a reason. Both come with a lifetime warranty and are built to last generations. The enameled finish is thick and resistant to chipping on both Le Creuset and Made In.
Ultimately, we decided to give this category to the newcomers because of heft. We weighed the 5.5-quart Dutch Oven from each brand and found that Made In’s weighed 13.4 lbs, while Le Creuset came in at 11.5 lbs. With slightly thicker walls (coincidentally, better for heat retention), Made In’s Dutch Oven and their other enameled cast iron offerings will get the nod here.
At the end of the day, you’re getting the utmost durability on either of these brands and investing in a piece of cookware that should last you a lifetime. The cost of that investment, as we’ve seen, can vary a great deal.
When It Comes to Enameled Cast Iron, We Know What We’ll Be Choosing…
Le Creuset is a household name for a reason. When you buy their cookware, you’re buying a piece of culinary history. But the allure of gold-standard-quality at nearly half the price is too enticing: Made In has consistently impressed at every turn.
If you’re looking for best-in-class, visually stunning, award-winning, Michelin-star chef-favorite enameled cast iron… we strongly recommend taking a look at Made In. It’s worth mentioning that Made In offers free shipping on orders over $49 and accepts returns or exchanges for up to 45 days, so it can’t hurt to try it out if you’re on the fence.
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