STAUB 1102687 Round Cocotte, 5.5 qt, Grenadine

Best tool in my kitchen! Absolutely love it!

Cooked two very delicious meals in it already, yum. I's lovely to look at and a joy to use. The color is a dark red which I think is beautiful and looks good on my stove. I use lodge cast iron cookware but for enamel ware I wanted French ware and this oven did not disappoint. Even though it's just two of us I bought the 5qt size and am glad that I did , I considered the 4qt but after looking at the size of the of a 4qt pot I have I knew the 5qt would be the right size for us. When I'm cooking I like to have the right utensils for the job at hand, I don't mind improvising the ingredients because its fun to experiment with recipes but give me the right utensils every time.

I've been using this "dutch" oven for about 3 weeks now and have found it to be perfect for me! It is very close to having a non-stick interior, without the chemical coating. It is heavy when full, so caution is needed when lifting, but I expected that. The color "Grenadine" is beautiful. There are very, very tiny "chips" on the lip of the pot, but nothing outrageous. I would definitely recommend for those who make lots of soups and stews. Easy to clean, kind of large to store though, so I keep in on the cooktop...but I use it almost every day so I kind of like to look at it.

The obvious competitor for the Staub line or premium enamelware is Le Cruset, and so far the Staub measures up. The fit and finish are excellent, and the interior surface appears more rugged than other lines - time will tell. I've had experience with less-expensive "made in China" imitators (broken handles, interior and exterior enamel that chips, cracks and crazes) and this appears to be a situation where you truly get what you pay for. My kids may be handing this down to my grandkids.

Beautiful product, perfect size, nothing is plastic so it can go in the oven, extremely well made. It’s French, of course!!