Reviews of Staub 4.25-Quart Oval Cocotte

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I own the predecessor of this Staub pot, the same model but with a domed lid. I received it as a gift a couple of years ago. I am a serious cook-have taken some culinary classes and enjoy cooking immensely. This pot is quite simply the best roasting pot I have ever owned. It is a very heavy cast iron pot which has been double coated with enamel. The lid and pot fit together perfectly. The craftsmanship is excellent. There are dots protruding from the inside of the lid that essentially channel condensed moisture (steam) back down as liquid onto whatever you're cooking-sort of creating your own little rainforest in the oven. (You can also use the pot without the lid if you prefer dry heat.)

The design of the lid ensures moist cooking, which tenderizes meats. Cooking a whole chicken (and this pot easily accommodates a very large roaster) with spices and vegetables results in fall-off-the-bone moist, flavorful meat. Cooking a roast of beef or pork? Ditto-the meat is tender, and the spices are roasted in. Vegetables more your style? This baby makes perfect stews, either on a stovetop or baked.

Best of all, if you season your pot correctly before you use it (instructions are provided), cleanup is a breeze. Just fill the pot with warm soapy water for 15-30 minutes and then wash with a nonabrasive utensil (so as not to scratch the enamel). Even the worst baked on sauces come off easily. Love it.

One word of caution: cutting anything with a sharp knife in your pot may ruin the enamel coating. It's okay to slice into something to test it as long as the knife tip doesn't hit the bottom or sides of the pot. To me, this slight trade-off of convenience is well worth it, given how well the pot works.

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Last weekend, I wanted to give the famous No-Knead bread recipe a try. For those who don't know what I am talking about, the New York times created a sensation about 4 years ago by publish articles and videos from a famous Hell's Kitchen baker, showing how to make the best and easiest bread you've ever made or tasted.

The recipe does include the use of a Dutch oven, French oven, or Cocotte. Call it what you like, the three pieces are nearly identical. You can use naked iron if you like, but the video tutorial clearly shows the master baker using porcelain-enamel cast iron. He liked the non-stick surface.

The only problem with trying this recipe was my clear lack of such a cast iron piece. Off I went looking for my item. I began with the notion of buying either Le Creuset or Lodge. Instead, I bought Staub. Why?

Both Le Creuset and Lodge shared a common problem: Plastic knobs. The no-knead recipe calls for 500-515F baking temperatures. Both plastic knobs melt-down past 400 degrees. Le Creuset offers a 18-10 stainless-steel replacement knob, and this knob will fit Lodge also. However, I could not fathom why a $300 piece should have anything made of plastic on it. They *_should_* make the 18-10 stainless knob the one-and-only knob. Being expected pony up $300 and $10 more was irksome.

Further, there was a better alternative. I could buy this lovely Staub with a nickel knob that was already safe for +500F temperatures. Further, I could have it cheaper than Le Creuset, and I could have a pair of nice little Cocottes tossed in for free. Now can you beat that? I love rustic cast-iron look, with the easy-to-clean nature of enamel.

I've already done two no-knead loafs in this Cocotte, and a Mac-n-Cheese. This thing is a fantastic performer. Everything has come out just fine so far. I've had exceptionally good luck with it so far.

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It arrived a few days ago and I'm using it to prepare every evening meal. I've never seen a cooking pot of such quality: everything about it displays superior craftsmanship and intelligent design. As a post on a web forum put it:Le Creuset is for the masses;Staub is for those in the know.

No, I didn't know--in fact I never had heard of Staub--but a bit of research convinced me to give it a try. I'll never look back. There is no Dutch oven better than this. Bonzer, Mate!

Oh Yes, one other point: Its great to open a box and NOT see those three horrible words: Made in China!

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My husband gave this to me for Christmas and I've already used it a few times. It was a breeze to season and I can tell it heats extremely evenly. I really like the brass knob as opposed to the plastic one on Le Creuset. The seal holds great and I know it will last a lifetime!

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Each brand may have its own adherents, and I use both, but I have found that in those instances where there is product overlap between Le Creuset and Staub, Staub is the better choice. Staub's signature item is its cocottes. The basic difference between Staub and Le Creuset is the interior enamel: Le Creuset's being shiny (when new) and beige while Staub's is a matte black. With years of use (and both brands will definitely last years) Le Creuset's enamel loses its shine and some of its anti-stick properties, and has a propensity to stain. Staub's, on the other hand, does not stain and its anti-stick tendencies (which start out very well to begin with) seem to improve, almost like a cast iron pan that is being seasoned with each use. Staub really specializes in the cocottes--it does not make saucepans, gratins, roasting pans, or some of the other items Le Creuset does. Another detail: the metal knobs on the Staub lids are more heat resistant than Le Creuset's composite knobs. I can't say that one brand cooks food better than the other but my experience leads me to conclude that when it comes to dutch ovens Staub has an edge in terms of convenience and appearance. I am agnostic about the little dimples on the underneath part of the Staub lids: I can't say whether they do or don't make a difference.