Le Creuset vs Emile Henry

[Produce Addict]

So Le Creuset is enameled cast iron while emile henry is porclain - right? What's the difference in how they are used? Which do hounds prefer and why?

[Candy]

I'd have real reservations about putting the EH porcelain directly on my cook top to brown something it before braising. The LC can of course be in contact with a direct flame.

[troutpoint]

Emile Henry has a new line out that says that you can put it directly on the stove, but I haven't tried one yet. I LOVE my Le Creust dutch oven...I'd have 5 if they weren't so expensive. I also love me EH covered casserole dishes, but it's not a pot that I would use on the stove, I use it for baking. (I've broken more than one by accidently putting it on a hot burner. )

[brokergal]

My EH busted apart when I (stupidly) but it directly on the stove. However for some reason I do seem to prefer it for oven cooking.

[Sam Harmon]

You're right that the traditional Emile Henry bakeware is not stovetop safe. I, however, do love it for a variety of roasting and baking tasks. I also own ramekins and soup bowls from EH and consider them to be of very high quality.

Recently, EH introduced a line of flametop cookware (made out of fired Burgundian clay) that's can be used in the same manner that one would use enameled cast iron. I've seen the stuff in the store, but don't own any. Two advantages that seem readily apparent are much ligther weight and the fact that it's freezer and microwave safe for leftovers. These factors, of course, would be meaningless if it didn't handle the basic French Oven tasks as well as LC or Staub. Also, it appears to be priced at a level similar to Staub and LC, so it better perfrom like they do.

[Walters]

Produce Addict, Mario Batali has come out with a line of enameled cast iron that is priced well below LC. At first glance it looks to be very well made. (He also has a cast iron, coated pizza pan that's on my short list to acquire. A gorgeous piece.)

[ducky]

Le Creuset (and Staub noted below) will do the best job of retaining heat on your cooktop. It's available in lots of colors and sizes and willl last for many lots years. But it's very heavy and will set you back some $$. You may also get some minor staining on the white enamel.

Emile Henry's flametop wear usually comes only in a rusty red or a black color (unlike their bakeware). It's 30% lighter, and does a respectable job on the stovetop. If you boil milk or rice in water in it the 1st time it won't craze.

The Mario Batali pots look good, but they tend to chip and stain.

Finally, if you like the look of Le Creuset, consider Staub. It's another brand of french enameled cookware. Made, I think, in the same town as Le Creuset and for about as long. It's beautiful, has a black matte inside finish (no staining). But then again, it's heavy and expensive also.

If you really want good solid heat retention, and don't plan on using tomatoes or other acids, and want to get the best for your money, consider plain old cast iron like our grandmothers had.

[dsarah3]

I have a new Emile Henry Dutch Oven and it is in a color called Figue - a beautiful brownish purple! This pot is AWESOME! I had a Lodge Enamel Dutch Oven which went back to the manufacturer because the enamel did all kinds of weird stuff. I haven't had a LC yet, and am debating, which is how I found this thread:) The Emile Henry, by the way, recently boiled over on the stove and the uncooked grains CAUGHT ON FIRE engulfing the pot over a foot high! When the flames went out, I thought for sure the pot would be ruined - but it was perfectly fine! I continued to cook what was in the pot - it didn't burn at all - and then washed the carbon off of the pot from the fire. The pot looks absolutely new after all of that, if you can believe it. This pot is lighter than cast iron, beautifully made, naturally non-stick - everything slides right out of it - and it cooks beautifully. Since I purchased it about a month ago I use it nearly every day. This is why I am debating about a LC or another Emile Henry for a 7 quart dutch oven.

[Paulustrious]

My Le Creuset pots are 30 years old, and if I have a problem with them they are going straight back to the manufacturer.

A full large pot is seriously heavy. They hold a lot of heat so you need a good pair of oven gloves. Prepare your set-down place before you take it out of the oven. They will crack/break if dropped unless you drop it on your foot.

[Soop]

Oh yeah, that's a good thing about the cast iron LC; Lifetime guarantee.

[MakingSense]

Emile Henry is ceramic, not porcelain.
Some EH pieces can be used on your cooktop but there are others that can't be.
Le Creuset makes enamel coated cast iron but they also make oven-safe ceramic ware.

What do I personally prefer? Pillivuyt for oven-safe pieces. They are top of the line French porcelain from a company that's been in business for almost 200 years. They are durable enough that you can use them for everyday but elegant enough to put on the most formal table. Yeah, they're expensive but you'll have them for a lifetime. Worth every penny. Or get the inexpensive Chinese knockoffs. Either is more versatile than EH.