Save Money on Healthy Cookware: How to Find Discount Le Creuset
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This post is a part of Real Food Wednesdays and Kitchen Tip Tuesdays at Tammy’s Recipes. For more stories about real food and kitchen tips, visit Cheeselslave’s Real Food Wednesdays. and Tammy’s Recipes
Enameled cast iron is one of the healthiest varieties of cookware available. And Le Creuset is the creme de la creme of enameled cast iron. Unfortunately, Le Creuset has a price tag that reflects that status.
I’ve been searching for discount Le Creuset for a while — and I’ve found what I believe to be the best price on Le Creuset cookware.
From my research, the best price on Le Creuset is to find a local outlet mall with a Le Creuset store and go there when they have sales. Especially when they have sales on the “seconds”.
Sure, you can get good prices online. Amazon, Ebay, etc. But by far, the best prices I have found are at the outlet malls. Specifically when it comes to the seconds.
Look for the orange sticker (pictured below) that reads second choix (or second choice).
These pieces are defects but I swear, the flaws are so minor and unnoticable, you cannot tell the difference. I got this 6.75 oval Dutch oven, normally $375, for around $170.00 — about $100 less than the cheapest price you can find online.
Call around or search online. And make sure you go when they are having a sale on the seconds.
If there isn’t an outlet mall (also called a “factory store”) near you, there may be one close enough that will ship. Sometimes they waive shipping charges over a certain amount.
If you’ve lusting after Le Creuset as long as I have, this may be your solution.
If you can’t afford the Le Creuset, you might want to consider these more affordable options for healthy cookware:
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07/04/2009 at 8:48 pm Permalink
I love my Le Creuset dutch oven! Of course after buying mine at William Sonoma I found that at Marshalls HomeGoods (if you have them around) they have them at awesome prices!!
07/04/2009 at 8:50 pm Permalink
I now officially love you.
Thanks for the tip!
Marianne’s last blog post..How-To: Creme Fraiche
07/04/2009 at 9:01 pm Permalink
Courtney – yes, I meant to mention that… thank you for commenting!
You can often find the “seconds” at Marshall’s or TJ Maxx.
08/04/2009 at 3:52 am Permalink
I received two Le Creuset pieces of cookware 21 years ago as wedding gifts.
Those two pans are used almost everyday and still look practically brand new.
Well worth the $$ your investing in high quality cookware.
08/04/2009 at 4:27 am Permalink
We were just talking about cast iron this morning. Do you have any thoughts on the enamel coating and what it is made up of? Also, with the enamel coating do you receive the iron in your food as you do with the non-enameled pans?
Thanks for the info!
08/04/2009 at 4:39 am Permalink
The only LaCreuset I’ve got is a fry pan I bought at an outlet when I lived in Orlando. I hate it! But I’d love a dutch oven.
I’ve got TONS of Lodge cast iron cookware. It is made right here in East Tennessee!! I’m not certain if the enameled stuff is made in the U.S. but I did find this link that implies it is:
http://www.castironcookware.com/lodge-cast-iron-cookware.html
Sometimes you can find old brands like Descoware on ebay. I’ve got my mothers old Descoware saucepan and love it.
08/04/2009 at 5:57 am Permalink
I bought some “seconds” of Mecola’s (Made in China) line and have regretted it ever since. The insides of the pans are fine, but the paint on the outside began chipping the first time they were used. I love the way the pans cook, but it breaks my heart that I spent so much money on something that looked crummy after two months.
I will be replacing the set one piece at a time with the good stuff. I’ll bet the seconds of Le Creuset don’t chip and peel! Thanks so much for the tip, I’ll have new cookware in half the time!
Local Nourishment’s last blog post..Weight Loss Encouragement: Think Different
08/04/2009 at 6:19 am Permalink
Hi, Jeanne,
I totally agree with you. It’s worth it to spend some money and invest in good cookware. Not only is the Le Creuset safe and healthy, but it will last forever. You can pass this stuff down to your kids.
Plus I think it’s such a joy to cook with. Easy to use and I love the gorgeous colors. These are my first few pieces and I totally love them! I plan to get them a bunch of Le Creuset in a variety of colors — I’ll just keep adding one piece at a time.
08/04/2009 at 6:21 am Permalink
I got a great deal on a 7 quart creuset ware dutch oven many years ago at an outlet mall. Can you believe I paid 85 dollars for it? I think there is a reason it’s so discounted though. That’s the problem with seconds. The bottom inside of the pan is not doing well. So, I don’t use it as much as I would like to.
08/04/2009 at 6:23 am Permalink
Check out Tuesday Mornings. I have gotten all my Le Cruset there and I see it there frequently. I think you will find the prices even better than the outlets. There are Tuesday MOrnings stores all over the US.
08/04/2009 at 6:30 am Permalink
Shannon, from everything I have read the enamel is safe. But I’m not sure if you would get the benefits of the iron as you do from cast iron.
I do also use Lodge cast iron pans. I have 3 cast iron frying pans and that’s what I use every day for frying eggs, bacon, etc. I always have at least one of them full of bacon grease! I LOVE my cast iron.
I also have a graniteware roaster for roasting duck, chicken, and other meats. I bought a little stainless steel rack that I use with it. It works GREAT and it’s super lightweight. Honestly I may just keep this roaster forever because I love how lightweight it is (much easier when you’re trying to get a big bird out of the oven).
This is the graniteware roaster I have:
Granite Ware Covered Roasters
I couldn’t believe how cheap it was. I ordered on Amazon and got it a few days later. Turned out to be one of my favorite pieces of cookware ever.
In addition to the cast iron and graniteware, I have some aluminum (I think) cookie sheets. I always use Silpats with these when I use them b/c I don’t like food cooking on aluminum. I will upgrade to non-aluminum when I can.
I also have a set of Wolfgang Puck stainless steel pots and pans that my mom bought for me years ago at Costco. It has served me very well. I use the stainless steel for boiling water, steaming veggies, making soup, etc.
I use my Huntington Beach crockpot (lead free) for making stock.
08/04/2009 at 6:33 am Permalink
Julie – what is wrong with the inside of your pan? Is it real Le Creuset?
It’s my understanding that there is nothing structurally different with the seconds — they flaws are only cosmetic (i.e. a small ding).
Perhaps you scrubbed too hard with the wrong kind of scrubber (like steel)? They told me never to use really abrasive scrubbers on the Le Creuset enamel — only sponges or a nylon brush.
08/04/2009 at 6:35 am Permalink
Local Nourishment -
No, the seconds should not chip and peel. As I said above, they are not different from regular Le Creuset — except for very minor cosmetic flaws. I can’t even see any flaws on the seconds! They are not noticable.
08/04/2009 at 8:11 am Permalink
AM – a thought on the aluminum cookie sheets: you can buy plain old steel cookie sheets. I’ve read they can be seasoned just like cast iron. Haven’t tried it myself although I’ve got a couple of steel (not stainless) jelly roll pans I will try to season at some point.
Country of origin would be important…..my husband grew up in Korea when it was still 3rd world….they put some scary stuff in their steel. I’d buy made in U.S.A. or Europe only.
08/04/2009 at 9:34 am Permalink
My favorite soup pot is 3-ply: stainless steel with an aluminum core. Aluminum is a great heat conductor, which is why it is used in pans so much. Plain stainless steel tends to scorch food because it doesn’t conduct heat very well so it works much better if it has an aluminum core and you get aluminum heat conduction with the safety of stainless steel. I also LOVE my Lodge cast iron skillet. I had to learn how to use it before I fell in love with it though. It works much better if I let it preheat before putting in the eggs, or whatever I’m cooking (this might not be necessary with a small skillet, but mine’s huge, and extends much farther than the flames). Otherwise only the middle tends to heat up and the food on the outside of the pan doesn’t cook as fast. And it started working much better when I started coating it with oil after every time I rinsed it. Now it is virtually nonstick without Teflon! I love it!
08/04/2009 at 9:36 am Permalink
A question about Silpat: I haven’t started using it because I’ve been suspicious it might give off chemicals, especially with the high heat. I’m also always suspicious of things that haven’t been around for 50 years or more. Is it safe?
08/04/2009 at 4:28 pm Permalink
Fantastic! Forget Nordstrom Rack or Ann Taylor . . . next time I drive by an outlet mall, I am searching for Le Creuset!
I have a big red Lodge Dutch Oven (a wedding gift), and three pieces of Le Creuset – all picked up for FREE (the Le Creuset) by my grandmother who was given it by an elderly lady friend of hers who said it was too heavy for her. It was dusty, it had been stored out in the shed, it had been used to make blueberry jam once and was lightly stained, but it was LE CREUSET! I almost died.
I have two sauce pans in Orange Flame (from the 70s? 80s?) and one gorgeous turquoise gratin pan. If anyone finds anymore turquoise, please send it my direction.
So, other than the outlet stores, check out garage and estate sales . . . and ask your grandma! You never know what you’ll find.
Best,
Sarah
Sarah’s last blog post..The cutest thing
08/04/2009 at 8:26 pm Permalink
Hi Cheeseslave!
Great post, I’ve been doing some research on different pans myself. By the way, for the person who was asking, the enameled lodge pans are enameled in China, though the base is made here in the US. I have been to an outlet out here, and they did have a great selection of seconds. I will have to look out at Tuesday Morning though!
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09/04/2009 at 2:20 pm Permalink
Thank you for a great tip! I love my white Le Creuset dutch oven, which my hubby bought for me @ a local store. It is the best cookware I’ve ever owned. Everything cooks so tender in it!
I would love to have a Le Creuset grill pan. Unfortunately our outlet (we have just one on the island) does not have a Le Creuset store. I’ll have to do some research when I visit mainland next time.
Coco’s last blog post..Buy Local & In-Season
09/04/2009 at 3:51 pm Permalink
I read on Mercola’s site that he stopped selling his version of porcelain enamel that was China made and now all his stuff is made in the US…ot true? diatplay@hotmail.com BTW – here is my number as requested 805-907-8170, call me! Nice to see you at the F Market. I am off to make BATCHES of beet kvass..I crave it while preggers.
13/04/2009 at 11:44 am Permalink
YOUR SITE NEEDS A BUTTON I CAN PRESS SAYING “send this site to a friend”
14/04/2009 at 5:27 am Permalink
Hi, Mary Ann,
Go to the top of the browser where you see the URL in the location bar. You can copy and paste that into an email to send to your friend.
Ann Marie
18/04/2009 at 12:09 pm Permalink
I LOVE my Le Creuset. Though I got mine sets as a discount (sale, discontinued color and return) I didnt pay as little as you did. I did find two outlet stores (waaay out in the burbs – like 65 miles out; it would make for a good day trip). Thanks for the advice!
Carla’s last blog post..Giveaway: Skinny Skinny Organic Soap and Body Oils
02/07/2009 at 12:12 pm Permalink
Im sooooo late, but I really need to pick me up a couple of these babies. It never hit me until today that my mother and grandmothers been cooking with these roasters for forever!
http://www.amazon.com/Granite-Ware-Inch-Covered-Roaster/dp/B000QRAMMS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1246546501&sr=1-1
05/08/2009 at 6:14 am Permalink
I know this is a little late, but I wanted to mention that Le Creuset has a lifetime warranty – so if you have a pot that is having a problem, the enamel isn’t right anymore, or anything else, you can send it back to them and they will send you a new one. You have to pay return shipping – but that’s it. You don’t have to have a receipt or even know when you got it.
Contact LC through their website (Customer Service, I believe?) and they’ll tell you how to get a new pot. The warranty is one of the biggest perks of LC!