Poor man's cast iron casserole dishes....

[Toaster Pilot]

Can't afford Le Creuset and could do with another decent pan to use both in the oven and on my induction hob. Currently have one of these https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/sunday-22nd-... that I bought more than a year ago after dropping the lid from my old Pyrex casserole and shattering it into a billion pieces.

It's holding up well apart from the coating flaking very slightly here and there - given it gets used more often than anything else in my kitchen and gets slung in the dishwasher (don't even know if it's dishwasher safe) I'm happy enough.

Is there anything better out there for a sub-£30 budget? I notice that Aldi has a shallow one the same as that for a few pounds more that might be interesting.

Oh - and it wasn't my choice to fit an induction hob before anyone wonders why I'd fit an expensive hob and then struggle to buy pans that work for it - rental property.

[JayBM]

I bought a couple of the black 6L oval ones below, the intention was almost to use for a 60th birthday celebration and discard. But 3yrs on they're both going strong.

http://www.nisbets.co.uk/4/Kitchen-Cookware-Cast-I...

[Toaster Pilot]

Those look decent - do you put them through a dishwasher? Be interested to know how the finish on them is holding up in comparison to the Aldi pan I currently have.

[HarryFlatters]

You can occasionally pick up LeCreuset stuff quite cheaply in TK Maxx.

[Toaster Pilot]

HarryFlatters said:

You can occasionally pick up LeCreuset stuff quite cheaply in TK Maxx.

not sure where my local store is but I will have a look if I'm near one, thanks!

[Sarkmeister]

Sainsbury's have a range that looks very similar to Le Crueset, and they tend to have 1/3 off most of the time.

We have one and it has been used 2 or 3 times a week for a couple of years and doesnt have a mark on it.

[bigandclever]

House of Fraser, Linea range? Might be more like £40, but they seem to always be on sale.

[tedmus]

We've got the shallow one from Aldi, had it about 12 months or so. It doesn't get used all the time but we have used it a lot and it's still like new.

[JayBM]

Toaster Pilot said:

Those look decent - do you put them through a dishwasher? Be interested to know how the finish on them is holding up in comparison to the Aldi pan I currently have.

We have put them through the dishwasher on occasion, but due to their size and the fact that we have a slim line dish washer they tend to be hand washed. As for the finish, on one it is starting to peel but on the other it is still in very good nick.

[FiF]

Sarkmeister said:

Sainsbury's have a range that looks very similar to Le Crueset, and they tend to have 1/3 off most of the time.

We have one and it has been used 2 or 3 times a week for a couple of years and doesnt have a mark on it.

May have changed supplier. We almost bought one but put it back as it had chipped on the handle whilst it was sitting in the trolley.

We have some proper le Creuset bought in France circa 1985. Still going strong.

[Mr Gearchange]

Toaster Pilot said:

HarryFlatters said:

You can occasionally pick up LeCreuset stuff quite cheaply in TK Maxx.

not sure where my local store is but I will have a look if I'm near one, thanks!

Yes.
Also check out the outlet village places - we got a complete set of Le Creuset stuff for about 1/3rd the price.

[Davey S2]

Analon do a Raymond Blanc range but they are probably 2/3 of the price of Le Crueset.

[croyde]

Sainsburys enamel pan is normally about £30 although I have seen it reduced from time to time. Chefs on a cooking show that I worked on used all Sainsburys cookware but it was sponsored by Sainsburys

[Shaw Tarse]

I can't remember which tv show it was, but a cast iron cooking pot broke with a big bang. (childish, but I found it funny)

[ducgas]

We have one from IKEA which seems to be okay. Worth a look.

[Mobile Chicane]

Get the biggest one you can find.

You don't have to use the full capacity all the time, but it's useful to have if cooking for a multitude.

[SVX]

Another vote for the Sainsbury's knock off Le Creuset, we have several, been well used over the last couple of years, and put through many cycles of a dishwasher. Still in good nick.

[RumpleFugly]

Toaster Pilot said:

HarryFlatters said:

You can occasionally pick up LeCreuset stuff quite cheaply in TK Maxx.

not sure where my local store is but I will have a look if I'm near one, thanks!

Yep! Amongst all the tat, I discovered a whole load of very cheap LeCruset stuff in my local one. Very surprised

[croyde]

RumpleFugly said:

Yep! Amongst all the tat, I discovered a whole load of very cheap LeCruset stuff in my local one. Very surprised

Yeh! but Le Creuset is the real deal and a lot more expensive

[Mobile Chicane]

But you'll have it forever. I'm still using a Le Creuset casserole dish that was given to my parents as a wedding present in 1964.