Kitchen Reviews

I read the reviews and was puzzled as to "why" cast iron should behave in the manner described. When I got mine last week, cooked my first omelet in it, looked up the specific heat and density figures for both aluminum and iron and weighed both the Le Creuset and a nearly identical (in diameter, thickness and non-stick coating) aluminum pan I think I finally understand "why."

The Le Creuset pan at a given temperature has 60% more heat in it than the aluminum pan. This means that the Le Creuset holds the cooking temperature better when the egg mixture is poured into the pan. I have normally cooked eggs at MEDIUM HIGH in the aluminum pan and have always been irritated that at first the mixture would sizzle and then for a couple of minutes just sit there before starting to cook again something I often compensated for with a few warm-up minutes on HIGH. Now I know "why." The egg mixture cooled the pan to below the cooking temperature. Once the Le Creuset was heated through thoroughly at MEDIUM (which did take a while from a cold start) there was no noticeable change in the way the egg mixture cooked from start to finish which I conclude means (near) constant temperature. The surprising conclusion: Medium heat generates a high enough temperature - I had no idea. And - No more fiddling with the setting, just pick the one I want to use, wait for the pan to reach cooking temperature and go.

Factor in the non-stick coating and the enamel finish and you have a fine piece of low maintenance cookware.

The precautions about subjecting the pan to sudden changes in temperature suggest that doing so repeatedly will eventually cause the non-stick surface and the enamel coating to separate from the cast iron so follow the recommendations. So be patient and don't rush either heating up or cooling down the pan. Probably a good idea with any pan but who cares with a ... pan from the grocery store ;-)

have worn out 2 of these pans over the years (1st one didn't even have a Teflon coating) Wonderful addition to any cooks need to gently saute mushrooms, or quickly grill a perfect chop.

This is easily my favorite pan for making a frittata that goes from the stovetop to the oven. It is the perfect size for a frittata for two, and also great for grilling a sandwich for a snack.

I LOVE this whisk. I've only had mine a week and I've used it several times already. Before making this purchase I used a plastic whisk. It was gentle on my le creuset and nonstick cookware, but it was so thick that it didn't do an effective job. This whisk is just like a metal one, but safer. I think it's well worth the price.

I too bought this wisk since I had read in a review that it was all silicone. But I have been really happy with the quality and also the design. The shape of the handel makes it a dream to use. Also I was tired of scratching my Le Creuset pans so it has been a god send.

I have some nice nonstick cookware that I needed whisks for, so I got these. My main reasons for choosing them were the brand, and the fact that someone in a review for another product said that these were all silicone, rather than silicone coated steel. Unfortunately that is NOT the case. This is silicone coating metal. This is acceptable though, because the 5-year guarantee will cover the whisk should the silicone decide to peel off, and 5 years of cookware-safe whisking for this price is worth it to me! The whisk is wonderful, and I'd recommend it to anyone. Just don't believe the reviews telling people to get this for the reason stated above.

The look and feel of these adorable yet useful little covered dishes is unsurpassed. If quality and workmanship is what you're looking for, Le Creuset will fill the bill. I find they serve multiple functions in my kitchen and are something I am proud to serve company with as well. Although I have never met a piece of Le Creuset Pottery I did not like! We now have a two person household. I came to the realization that I was cooking to much food. I down sized the portions to better fit what could be eaten by us in one meal, but found all my small portions were lost in my current serving as well as baking dishes. I began a pursuit for smaller sizes of both items and found most of what I needed here at Amazon. It's amazing how hard it is to find smaller serving and baking dishes, especially ones with covers. These little gems are great for more than just soup. They are perfect for serving small portion side dishes. I can even cook the dishes in them which is great for reducing the amount of clean up required after a meal. They clean up effortlessly in the dishwasher. I do serve hearty stews or soups in them, but find they are just as handy to bake up a tiny pot of baked beans in the oven, or microwave the perfect amount of Brussel sprouts, etc... When we have company, I use them to serve sautéed mushrooms, one pot on each end of the table. I am so glad that they only come in a set of two. If they had come single, I might have only bought one and missed out on a much more useful set of two! I am even considering a second set, although I don't really need it. I suppose someone might consider them to pricy, I know I did, until I bought and used them for the last 7 months. They are worth every penny I paid for them, and maybe a tad more.

These bowls are great. After getting one set of two as a free bonus, I went back and purchased another set of two, I was so pleased with them.

This Le Creuset soup pot is colorful and adorable. They add color to your kitchen items. It's a beautiful pair of items to add to any collection. I made cream chicken soup the other day, and served with this soup pot, I kept full pots in the oven till other food was rady to serve. The pots kept the soup deliciously warm through the entire meal. My friend loved the pot, she said pretty enough to display on the table by itself.

The clean up was easy and simple.

Yes, the Le Creuset spatulas are wonderful. They look great and are very, very useful. Throw away your old rubber ones which melt and buy one of these. You will never regret it!

As a person who has always loved using wooden spoons for cooking, I was really surprised at how useful this tool is. Besides having a high heat tolerance, the best feature is its ability to reach effortlessly into the corners of saucepans. With wooden tools, I've always had to make a special effort to get into the edges to make sure things aren't sticking. With this spatula/spoon, that problem is gone completely.

I received the Spoon Spatula as a gift and must say that after going through several spatulas a year from melting and staining, I still have my first Le Creuset. In the past years that I have used this tool, it has slowly become a part of every meal preparation. The high heat tolerance allows me to wipe soups and sauces off the sides of my pans while they're still on the stove, or right out of the oven. The spoon shape is great for sampling liquids and scraping bowls clean. I even use it for cooking tomato sauces, which always stained my old white and clear spatulas. I would recommend this to anyone, and when picking one out, make sure it's a color you like, because you'll be seeing it for several years.

Fabulous glasses that do the job. I believe they are nicer and better than mugs. Dishwasher safe, and you can just about get 2 12oz. cans in one glass. If you like beer and prefer to drink or serve besides out of a can or bottle, get this set. Thank you Amazon.

Very sturdy, functional and fine looking. Well priced and well enjoyed...

Just by looking at it, I say it is a very nice piece of glassware. But the problem is, it is not available for international shipment so to own such a set would only be wishful thinking.

I'm a 47 year old bachelor, a pretty darned good cook & entertainer, and I just cannot believe that it took me until about a year ago to discover the joy of cooking in a properly seasoned cast iron skillet; something that my Great-Grandmother knew 100 years ago. I decided to buy one just to try it out on a great looking Pan Seared Rib-Eye Steak recipe that Alton Brown of the TV Food Network featured on one of his programs (you should still be able to get the recipe on the foodtv.com website). His technique for the steaks just didn't work right in aluninum or stainless steel. After getting the skillet and seasoning it, I again tried cooking up the steaks. Incredible. After cleaning up the pan with a little hot water and a scotch-brite pad, then heating it up again until thoroughly dry and applying a thin coat of oil with a paper towell, I left it out on the stovetop to cool of overnight. The next morning I tried it on a couple slices of bacon and fried eggs... the eggs didn't stick to the pan! I was amazed. Good-bye to "disposable" non-stick pans. Since then I've purchased a few other sizes and find myself using cast iron skillets for almost everything, with good old-fashioned sharp metal utensils, the cast iron is virtually indestructable (cast iron cookware is not recommended for highly acidic foods). Now, don't get me wrong, I'm not about to give up my favorite copper Evasée, or non-stick omlette pan, or clad stainless steel sauté pans & stockpots, or heavy anodized aluminium pots. But my Lodge cast iron skillets have become an integral part of my cookware, and the 10-inch skillet is the perfect all-around size, in fact I now consider it indespensible. And... if you ever do "hurt" the skillet, just scrub it up good with steel wool or a scotch-brite pad and plenty of scouring powder, then put in through the "self-cleaning" cycle of your oven (or bury it in the coals of a campfire overnight) and it will come out looking just like new (be sure to re-season). Enjoy!!!

I use this pan all the time. Every good thing you've heard about cast iron cookware is true. I prefer uncoated pans like this to others like Le Crueset because they impart extra flavor; and, let's face it, once seasoned, they look so damn cool. It heats evenly and quickly. Properly seasoned nothing sticks to it.

This pan is the second most used in my kitchen, after the cast iron dutch oven also by lodge. I've used it for pancakes, eggs, browning meat, stir fry and probably a great many things I've forgotten. It is easy to clean and essential for my kitchen.

This pan is fabulous! A whole chicken will fit inside to fry up at once and it will be the best tasting you have ever had. It has multiple uses because of the size and it can be used on stove top, in the oven or on a grill or over a campfire. I primary bought it for fried chicken, but I find myself reaching for it more and more for other items. Cleanup is easy & it will llast forever. The price is great & you won't be sorry you bought it. You might even wonder how you survived without it before!

Can't say enough good things about this item. It was easy to season and is very versatile. Seems to get better the more I use it.

I recently bought a 12" lodge skillet, a 5-quart dutch oven, and this item (5-quart "Chicken Fryer"). I use this item more than the other two combined. If I had known how much I would love it, then I would not have bought the Dutch Oven. I use the 12" skillet for sears but I use this item for sears that then require adding lots of other stuff to it (like a pasta dish). Think of this as a really deep 12" skillet. In fact, it comes with a lid that fits the 12" skillet. A perfect complement to the 12" skillet. I highly recommend this if you are in the market for cast iron. Don't worry about it being unseasoned. It is really easy to season these and they come with instructions (or you can do a search on the internet for other seasoning instructions). Also, I found the 5-quart Dutch Oven a little small on the base (especially for searing a pot roast). This puppy has plenty of area on the base and is still large enough to hold an entire meal. The only downside: with the lid it weighs 16 pounds. For some this might be heavy. Don't worry about the handle getting in the way in the oven -- it is not very long.

i waited a year to buy this pot, well after waisting money on less "worthy" pots, i finally broke down and got this. it is Perfecto! i love it, the lid/fry pan is great , i use it to make my version of the low carb pizza , using a tortilla for the crust , the pot, is so versatile. i use it to bake, stir-fry, brown, whatever i need to do this will work. i love that it is deep. it is now my favorite and stays on the stove. i reccommend that you go for the preseasoned lodge, it's great. as for being heavy well just consider it exercise! and use 2 oven mitts. i just picked up the melting pot, can't beat the price and the shipping. one more thing, where i live i have seen lodge for big bucks . Amazon is definitely the way 2 go thanks!

One thing to note, if you already have the 3 qt. chicken fryer, this pan is almost identical in size, so unless you will use the lid as a griddle, you may not want both. That said, just like the fryer, this can be used for anything from chicken to cake. Everything cooks and tastes good in this pan. It would be great for camping becuase of the lid. It makes a great fryer, sauce pan or even stir-fryer because of the deep sides. The pre-seasoning is wonderful, clean-up is easy and the pan is indestructible!

Well, not quite like mom's. Hers is probably 60 years old and is BEAUTIFULLY seasoned. This pan here is well worth the effort to season correctly. We always cooked popcorn in it as well as french fries, chili, spagetti sauce, curried chicken...you name it. I bought mine a few years ago and am thrilled with it! You can use the lid as a fry pan and eggs just taste sooo much better cooked on cast iron!

I bought these metal measuring spoons to replace a plastic set that got melted in the dishwasher. I won't have that problem with these. These are handy to use and can be clipped together or separated.

I really bought these measuring spoons to match the Michael Graves measuring cups that I was planning to buy, and I am sure glad that I did. The are the easiest to use measuring spoons that I have ever used. The unique handles seem just right. You can use them equally well with either hand. It seemed with the dipper type spoons that I previously used I was always changing hands, and the spoon was always in th wrong hand. With these you can forget that. You can tell the size of each of them just by looking at them, but I wish that they would have embossed the sizes all a little larger and painted them white. Black on black is hard to see, especially when the numbers are so small.

These are just nice. Nice quality, great design, decent price. They are easy to clean, easy to use, easy to hang - easy to like. Get them along with a set of the Michael Graves cups, and while your cooking may still suck, you'll at least be doing it in style.