My review of Le Creuset's stainless steel range

Le Creuset has always had us in love with its use of cast iron and its fabulous cocottes, with such a distinctive, high-quality design. Well then, with these two qualities it has won us over again, but this time with stainless steel: it launched the Le Creuset Inox range, which is spreading everywhere thanks to its high performance and beautiful design (and that shine like no other!).

Luisa Morón, author of the blog Cocinando con mi Carmela, has had some pieces from the collection since it launched, and today gives us her opinion on it, which you will surely find interesting.

We have long known the brand Le Creuset and its famous cast-iron cocottes, but a few months ago they launched the new stainless steel range. Since I saw it announced I didn’t hesitate, I had to get some of the pieces. I’m an unconditional fan of the brand, in love with the cocottes, and knowing the quality they work with I was sure these new steel pots wouldn’t disappoint me, and they haven’t.

First of all, when buying a kitchen piece as important and frequently used as a pot, frying pan, or Shallow Casserole, I pay a lot of attention to its design. In this case, I think the aesthetics more than pass the test: Le Creuset has drawn on its traditional, beautiful, and successful casseroles to design the lids of this collection. Because we’re so used to their design, this collection definitely stands out: you have to look at it once or twice to realize it’s not the traditional iron casserole, but a stainless steel pot.

But its aesthetics don’t end with a pretty lid; what makes it very special is the quality of its enamel: it has an iridescent shine that you only find on these pieces, and because of its quality they guarantee that this characteristic will be maintained for years (in fact, Le Creuset provides a lifetime warranty!).

From what I’ve read, each piece is made with three-layer stainless steel (stainless steel, aluminum, and stainless steel), so heat will spread evenly and reach the top of the rims (the whole piece has this structure, not only the base). I can assure you that you will get excellent cooking results.

Another thing I look for in stainless steel pots is that once you wash them they don’t stay stained, and so far it’s the only one that has achieved that and it’s thanks to the titanium it contains, resisting discoloration and stains. In addition, the mirror effect of the finish I mentioned earlier makes it a good option to present on your table.

You can use it on any type of hob, including induction hobs, and you can even put it in the oven to finish a stew.

It’s perfect for everyday kitchen use, for traditional stews. A low heat, to cook pasta or vegetables...

The Inox Le Creuset range

The Le Creuset Inox collection is made up of pots, casseroles, pans and saucepans. All of them, except the frying pan, have this lid that makes the range so characteristic of Le Creuset.

One of the standout items is the Sauté Pan, a truly versatile and practical product, not easy to find: it is a combination between a frying pan and a Shallow Casserole (some describe it as a frying pan with high sides). Its size makes it suitable for many things: sautéing vegetables, making sofritos, braising, stewing, frying, roasting…

In the photo, Le Creuset stainless sauté pan

Features

Here are the slightly more technical features that all the stainless steel items in the Le Creuset range meet; you will find them interesting:

- Undoubtedly a standout feature are its ergonomic handles and knobs: they have excellent grip, which also provides greater safety; and they also have a hollow interior to reduce heat transfer.

- Lid with an opening that controls the flow of steam to prevent boil-overs. Its fit keeps the lid firmly in place.

- Resistant up to 260 °C.

- Shiny exterior / matte interior.

- Capacity marker inside the cookware.

- As a feature but also as a curiosity, you should know that the rims are designed to prevent splashing, and they can be used by left- or right-handed people.

- Reinforced with titanium to prevent discoloration.

- Knob suitable for temperatures up to 260 °C.

- Compatible with all heat sources, including induction hobs, and dishwasher safe.

If you want to discover more about this collection, you can see the post that was made when this collection was launched to the market (here)

Tips and how to use

The entire collection is made of stainless steel, with all that implies:

When cooking with the pot, saucepan or sauté pan, we usually have to keep in mind that when cooking you should use the correct temperature, at medium and low heat. This will give excellent performance and also allow us to clean it properly and residues will come off easily.

For the pan, where we'll usually griddle, fry, or make omelets, you'll want to get the pan very hot to prevent sticking. In this case, use high heat to preheat it, then lower it when you add the food.

Cooking with stainless steel cookware is ideal for a healthy diet, and we can use little oil when cooking, and the vitamins and nutrients of the food will be preserved.

Finally, and something I value highly, the way it distributes heat is so good that the cookware heats up much faster, so you save time in cooking and save energy.

When handling the cookware you should use an oven glove or kitchen cloth when they are hot, and when handling food always use wooden or silicone spatulas to avoid damaging the surface.

Get inspired with some recipes

Now all that’s left is to see some of our recipes to fall completely in love. I encourage you to see:

- Tagliatelle with saffron milk cap mushrooms, prepared in the beautiful sauté pan,

- or some sautéed peas, which you can see on my blog.

I hope all this information helps you get some of the utensils from this collection, since it’s a product for life. A great collection for your kitchen, one you’ll even want to keep on display to show off!