Is a Le Creuset Dutch Oven Really Worth $300? Here's What Chefs Say - CNET

Our gifting experts are obsessively searching for holiday gifts that are unique, thoughtful and suitable for any budget. Our expert, award-winning staff selects the products we cover and rigorously researches and tests our top picks. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. The iconic French pot doesn't come cheap, but that doesn't stop home cooks from buying them up. Here's what $300 worth of Le Creuset gets you and what pro chefs think about splurging. Is a Le Creuset all about the name or are these pricey pots really superior? Here’s what I found. Le Creuset is to Dutch ovens what KitchenAid is to stand mixers — the name most people picture first. For much of the brand’s 100-year history, that reputation has been well-earned. The pots are colorful, sturdy and classically elegant, and owning one is something of a culinary status symbol, whether you cook with it daily or just let it sit on the stovetop looking impressive. Few kitchen objects say “serious cook” quite so loudly — and it helps that the brand is French. At $270 and up, the value question is unavoidable: Is a Le Creuset really worth all that dough? That’s real appliance money, enough to buy tools that do