Le Creuset is a French cookware manufacturer. It was founded by a casting specialist, Armand Desaegher, and an enameling expert, Octave Aubecq.
Since 1925, Le Creuset has been renowned as the colorful French companion in Kitchen across the globe.
Let’s find out where the Le Creuset products are made.
Le Creuset enameled cast iron is made in northern France. More specifically, it is made in Fresnoy-Le-Grand, northern France.
Before entering your kitchen, all Le Creuset products have to undergo an incredible journey. Your Le Creuset cast-iron cookware is handmade at the original foundry in Northern France.
Within a short time, Le Creuset became a favorite kitchen accessory for its amazing color combination. Le Creuset is the cookware of color.
Le Creuset comes with three truths: First, Finest, & Favorite.
Is Le Creuset made in China?
All Le Creuset accessories except cast iron come from China.
Le Creuset manufactures all cast iron products at the original foundry in Northern France. But, they import all accessories related to their products from China.
China is traditionally famous for ceramic ware and porcelain. You will find Le Creuset’s porcelain sublimation ceramic mug that comes with a “made in china” tag.
Is Le Creuset made in China safe?
Le Creuset imports all its accessories from China, except cast iron. This includes ceramic or porcelain mugs, colorful dishes, dinnerware sets, and so on.
Porcelain is nontoxic. But it may contain toxic lead or cadmium if the glaze is used.
Since 1970, the FDA has started testing dinnerware for safety issues. China and other colorful dishware made before 1970 may contain toxic materials like lead, and cadmium. Hence, “made in China” Le Creuset products are safe if they are made after 1970.
Related Read: Where is Pfaltzgraff Made
How to Spot Fake Le Creuset?
Le Creuset items prices a lot. At the same time, you will find a lot of fake Le Creuset products in the market.
Considering certain things, you may distinguish between fake and real Le Creuset. You must consider the below criteria before purchasing a Le Creuset product —
At first,
Look into the rim of the Le Creuset pot. If you find underlying cast iron showing through, the item is fake.
Secondly,
Check the brand name as well as size-identifying letters. Le Creuset stumps its brand name, numbers on the bottom of its products, and the size identifying letters.
Sometimes, Le Creuset raises the sunken lettering in the ceramic.
Thirdly,
Check the color. The color of the real Le Creuset pot will reflect shiny vibes. Le Creuset real Dutch oven has a genuine vivid color that the fake Dutch oven won’t have.
Finally,
Don’t assume the fake Le Creuset items will always cost less. The Scammers may have asked the same price as real Le Creuset.
Try to look at the quality of the products rather than pricing.
Related Read: Where is Viking Cookware Made
Does Le Creuset Enamel Contain Lead?
No, Le Creuset enamel doesn’t contain lead or any toxic materials.
Lead is very harmful to human bodies. It may contaminate the cast iron enameled cookware.
Le Creuset has ensured that there is no use of below toxic materials in their products —
- Lead
- PFAS
- PFOA
- Cadmium
Thus, you can use Le Creuset products safely.
Is Le Creuset on Amazon Real?
Yes, Le Creuset on Amazon is real.
On Amazon, Le Creuset products have an average customer rating of 4.6 out of 5. It looks pretty.
Besides, Amazon checks these products thoroughly to ensure the real ones. You will find all Le Creuset products with their labeled stump.
Thus, you can consider Le Creuset on Amazon a real one.
Who Owns Le Creuset?
Paul van Zuydam is the owner of Le Creuset. In 1988, Zuydam bought this cookware manufacturing company.
Cliden B.V. is the parent company of Le Creuset. Apart from Le Creuset, there are 179 companies in the Cliden B.V. corporate family.
Cliden B.V. currently makes $177,914 in sales revenue per year. However, Le Creuset’s headquarter is located at Fresnoy-Le-Grand, France.
Is Le Creuset Cheaper in Paris?
No, Le Creuset is more expensive in Paris than the outlet stores in California.
As Le Creuset manufactures its products in France, one may presume that Le Creuset products are cheap in Paris, France.
The reality is that Le Creuset products cost more in Paris, France. If you asked, “Why?” — The nearest answer will be the difference in VAT.
Why is Le Creuset So Expensive?
Le Creuset cookware is the most expensive cookware on the market. The question is — “Why?”.
Here’re the key factors that have made Le Creuset so expensive:
- Use of High-Quality materials
- Design of durability, reliability, and safety
- Brand Reputation
- Meaningful colors
- Lifetime Guarantee
In terms of materials, Le Creuset uses high-quality cast iron instead of other materials like stainless steel, aluminum, and so on.
The enameled cast iron makes Le Creuset a durable one. Using high-quality materials, they have reduced cooking time by up to 30%.
The cooking surface retains the heat evenly. The integrated handles are safe to 500°F. They look gorgeous as well.
You will find the use of a vitreous layer of porcelain on the cookware surface. It protects cast iron from cracking and makes it durable.
Le Creuset is unique in the market for its classic look. Flame (Volcano) is Le Creuset’s favorite color.
Considering the aforementioned criteria, we can conclude that Le Creuset is worth the high price.
Sources
- https://theculturetrip.com/asia/china/articles/a-brief-history-of-the-origins-of-chinese-pottery-an-ancient-art/#:~:text=Famed%20for%20its%20delicacy%20and,the%20development%20of%20Chinese%20culture — A Brief History of the Origins of Chinese Pottery.
- https://ceramics.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/9780470320204#page=80 — A research paper on the non-toxicity of Porcelain.
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969799001667 — A research paper on “Acid extraction of lead and cadmium from newly-purchased ceramic and melamine dinnerware”.
- https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.cliden_bv.a84dd2890fd737eb2420d1ef11d75f29.html — Company overview of Cliden B.V.
