Both brands, Le Creuset and Lodge, have been the front-runners in cast iron cookware since 1925for Le Creuset, and 1896 for Lodge! With founding dates as far back as these, both Lodge and Le Creuset have reputations for superior cooking quality, functionality, and admirable looks that are pleasing to any home cook. The question is why would you choose one over the other if both come from such great manufacturers? Let’s dig a little deeper into both amazing companies!

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Why Invest In Cast Iron Cookware?

The main reason we love Lodge and le Creuset is their proprietary technology in creating exceptional cast iron cookware. The production methods are long, arduous, and costly to maintain year after year. But, somehow both companies manage to bring us the best in cast iron cookware with every new release! Due to the production methods necessary to bring these beautiful pots, pans, cocottes, and more to the market requires that the price point will be higher than a pan sold on a late night television ad. But the price is worth it - your Le Creuset or Lodge product will last decades, not months!

Types Of Cast Iron

Since 1925, the question has been which cast iron is better for cooking: Bare or enameled? In the struggle for dominance, enamel-covered cast iron, and unadorned cast iron are long-time opponents. Certain folks insist on their “naked” cast iron, thinking it has a nicer flavor, is more appropriate to cooking alfresco, and is stronger in general. Many agree that enameled cast iron is simpler to scrub, more comfy to roast with, and overall, just more accessible for kitchen uses. When a bare cast iron skillet has been used for decades, been properly maintained, and the seasoning is at its utmost, there is no better pan for steaks! And Duck à l'Orange will never be better than when prepared in an 13.9L Blueberry Goose Pot!

Build Quality

Foremost, both companies produce enameled and non-enameled (bare or naked) cast iron cookware. And no matter which you choose, the quality is there for you and your family for generations when properly maintained. Below is how and why each company builds their quality cookware:

Lodge:

Making cast iron cookware for Lodge is really pure fun for this group! They dispense a mixture of molten iron and steel into sand frames to produce robust, sturdy, and diverse sets of cookware that will go on for years and years. Now, Lodge runs a full five Disamatic molding systems, each one efficient at creating 350-400 molds per hour!

Le Creuset:

Le Creuset has not been left out of the fun when making their cast iron as well! They employ an original five-step process that is purely second to none. Using raw materials such as pig iron, steel, and iron, Le Creuset places these materials into their large cauldron that reaches insurmountably high temps to melt, mold, and form these gorgeous pieces of cast iron cookware. Then, after many skilled craftsmen finish “fettling” the product, it is on to the two-step process for enameling. The piece is air dried prior to being vitrified to create an extremely resilient, sanitary, and shock impervious exterior and interior.

Are you looking to purchase cast iron cookware of the highest quality? Check out the broad selection at Williams Food Equipment.

Appearance

If looks are important for your home, then we highly recommend Le Creuset or Lodge to adorn your kitchen! Both companies have outstanding colours that can brighten any hob. Plus, the traditional black cast iron skillet has always been a timeless classic! Le Creuset currently presents its creations in more than 100 colours! And to stay with the times, Lodge launched three new colours themselves just last year! Lodge comes in a multitude of colours as well as their traditional black. So too, does Le Creuset carry the original non-enameled black cast iron cookware we have all loved for over a century.

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Design

Lodge and Le Creuset reflect upon their beginnings to produce the best aspects of classic cast iron cookware merging with the modern, machinery-pressed cooking façades. The exclusive oils used to pre-season and then the extensive polishing thereafter creates a design of class and elegance that only these two companies can bring to your table. Collectively, their cast iron cookware mixes vital aspects of expressive cooking to give you the best in class and design throughout the culinary realm.

Cooking Performance

So, here’s the deal with cast iron in general: People think it sticks. Once you realize what a multi-tasker cast iron brings to your life, you will never want to perform cooking again without it! That leads us to which one performs better, Le Creuset or Lodge? This will depend on what you are making and where you are making it. The good thing about the performance ability of Lodge and Le Creuset is they can be placed in almost any fire, coal, or heat source imaginable!

Fry eggs and bacon, sear pork chops, bake a gooey skillet cookie, grill steaks, and sauté veggies all in a cast iron skillet that has been seasoned or enameled. What other skillet can withstand all those cooking techniques?! Especially over the coals, outside, during a chilly evening.

Those cocottes as they are famously named are an enameled joy when it comes to fine dining, French-styled recipes. Coc au Vin is superb in an enameled cocotte! Plus, the clean-up is so simple, and they can be washed in the dishwasher safely!

Either Lodge or Le Creuset brings the cooking performance to your stove, oven, grill, fire, or coals. That’s the ultimate in cooking performance: Cast Iron!

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Who Handles The Heat For The Price Best?

The conclusion is quite simple, just make sure to have cast iron in your kitchen cookware collection. A beautiful Lodge Skillet aside a gorgeous Le Creuset Cocotte will show all your guests that you are an avid home cook whether inside or out! Seasoning is a fun and simple part of cast iron. Purchasing a non-seasoned cast iron pan is a great start to learning all about your new Lodge or Le Creuset cast iron. Most of our Lodge and Le Creuset cookware comes either pre-seasoned or with an enamel glaze, so if trying seasoning out for yourself was a concern, fear not!

Always check out the huge sales we frequently have with our Lodge and Le Creuset cookware. We have been partnering with these two incredible companies for years, and love to bring the value and qualityto you, our dear friends and customers!

Are you ready to up your game by cooking with some of the world’s best cookware? We’re Canada’s largest kitchen store. Check out Williams Food Equipment to see our selection.