Staub vs Le Creuset: which colourful casserole dish is right for you?

If you're looking for a casserole dish to last you a lifetime, you're probably wondering which is better. In terms of brand reputation, there's a school of thought that believes Le Creuset is for home cooks, while Staub is favoured by chefs. However, in our experience, there's little truth to this and it's not always that simple.

When choosing between Staub and Le Creuset, the choice largely comes down to personal preference and details like aesthetics and colours. There are also other factors at play, such as Staub's larger size range and Le Creuset's higher prices.

Read on for a breakdown of each brands' cast iron offering to help you choose between Staub or Le Creuset for your next casserole dish.

Looking for more inspiration? Check out our guide to the best cookware brands. Hunting for a deal? Read our best Le Creuset deals to save.

Jump to:

• Staub casserole dishes range at a glance
• Le Creuset casserole dishes range at a glance
• Staub vs Le Creuset: casserole dishes compared
• What are the differences between Staub and Le Creuset?
• What makes a good casserole dish

Staub casserole dishes range at a glance

Shapes

Round, oval, special-edition shapes

Sizes

Round cast iron cocottes: 10cm, 12cm, 14cm, 16cm, 18cm, 20cm, 22cm, 24cm, 26cm, 28cm, 30cm, 32cm, 34cm

Oval cast iron cocottes: 15cm, 17cm, 23cm, 27cm, 29cm, 31cm, 33cm, 37cm, 41cm

Special-shaped cast iron cocottes: pumpkin, tomato, artichoke

Colours

Basil green, black, cherry, cherry blossom, cinnamon, citron, dark-blue, eucalyptus, graphite-grey, grenadine-red, la-mer, sage, sesame, white truffle

Heat resistance

Up to 260C

Shop Staub's cast iron cocottes from £94.95

Le Creuset casserole dishes range at a glance

Shapes

Round, oval, shallow, special shapes

Sizes

Round cast iron casserole dishes: 18cm, 20cm, 22cm, 24cm, 26cm, 28cm, 30cm

Oval cast iron casserole dishes: 27cm, 29cm, 31cm, 33cm, 35cm

Shallow cast iron casserole dishes: 22cm, 26cm, 30cm

Special cast iron casserole dishes: petal, heart, pumpkin

Colours

Azure, bamboo green, cerise, chambray, deep teal, flint, garnet, meringue, volcanic, nectar, peche, satin black, sea salt, shell pink, thyme, white

Heat resistance

Up to 260C

Shop Le Creuset's cast iron casserole dishes from £149

Staub vs Le Creuset: casserole dishes compared

When looking at Staub and Le Creuset, there are undoubtedly some similarities. Both brands have French heritage, although Staub is now owned by Zwilling J.A Henckels, itself a 290-year-old brand. Le Creuset is the older brand and is celebrating 100 years since its founding in 1925. Staub was founded nearly 5o years later in 1974.

Both brands are known for their enamel-coated cast iron and ranges of bright colours. Thanks to the enamel coating, these products combine the durability of cast iron with the non-stick qualities of enamel. This means the cast iron doesn't need to be seasoned and is resistant to rust, but still has the heat conductivity of cast iron.

Staub and Le Creuset both have a wide range of casserole dishes – or cocottes, as Staub prefers to call them – in a variety of shapes, sizes and colours. Each brand also has a wide range of cookware, with everything from cast iron skillets and roasting trays, to fondue sets. Le Creuset also has a wide range of stainless steel and non-stick cookware to choose from.

Shop Staub's cast iron cocottes

Shop Le Creuset's cast iron casserole dishes

What are the differences between Staub and Le Creuset?

There are several main differences between Staub and Le Creuset's casserole dishes:

Weight

Cast iron is always going to be weighty, but there's a difference in weight between Staub and Le Creuset, with Staub's cocottes weighing more. The Le Creuset round cast iron casserole (28cm) weighs 6.13kg, while the Staub La Cocotte round cast iron (28cm) weighs a slightly heavier 6.9kg. Both have two handles, which helps you lift them using both hands.

Colours

Staub and Le Creuset both have a wide range of colours on offer. Le Creuset has two classic colours that have been part of the collection since the beginning: volcanic and cerise. Each brand regularly releases new colours, whether that's the colour of the year or limited-edition hues. One thing worth noting is that Staub's colours tend to be a solid hue, while Le Creuset's colours have a gradient. It'll be up to personal preference which you like.

Enamel interior

One of the more major differences between Staub and Le Creuset's casserole dishes is the colour of the interior enamel coating. Staub's cocottes have a matte black enamel, while Le Creuset's favour a glossy cream colour. Both interiors offer a level of non-stick (although it won't offer the same clean release as a traditional or ceramic non-stick coating).

The dark colour of Staub's interiors means any staining is hidden, while Le Creuset's pots tend to show marks more. However, with a Staub, it is a little harder to tell if your ingredients are burning. Both brands offer lots of information on how to take care of the casserole dishes, including cleaning the interiors.

Lids

Another significant different between Staub and Le Creuset's casserole dishes is the design of the lids. First, Staub's cocotte lids come with a rounded chrome knob that can withstand up to 250C in the oven, while Le Creuset's knob are slightly larger and easier to grip while wearing oven, and are heat-resistant up to 260C. For both brands, you can swap these handles for a more customisable option, like Le Creuset's limited-edition 100 year Crucible Gold knob or Staub's wonderfully whimsical animal knobs, which include a snail and a pig.

Le Creuset's casserole dishes have a rounded lid, while Staub's lids are engineered with a flat lid and dimpled structure inside, which the brand claim leads to a more effective distribution of liquid inside the dish (so you may need to use less liquid in your recipes). In actuality, having tested and used both types of casserole dish extensively, we've found that it's hard to see a real difference in the final recipe caused by the different lid shapes.

Cost

There's no getting around the fact that these pieces are an investment. They are high-quality pieces of cookware designed to endure, and both have lifetime warranties/guarantees for domestic use. Trust us, we've tested and used many cheaper cast iron pieces of cookware, and often the enamel will chip on the inside or outside of the pots.

Le Creuset is slightly more expensive than Staub, with each round casserole dish costing about £20 more. For example, Le Creuset's round cast iron casserole (18cm) costs £209, while Staub's round cast iron cocotte (18cm) costs £199. Both brands hold sales at certain times of year and you might be able to save if you're after a particularly bright or limited-edition colour.

Shop Staub's cast iron cocottes

Shop Le Creuset's cast iron casserole dishes

What makes a good casserole dish?

Whether it's Staub, Le Creuset or another brand, there are a few key features that determine a good casserole dish. All good casserole dishes need to be made from cast iron, with a tight-fitting lid to trap steam. They should be able to go into the oven, as well as be usable for a variety of hob tops, whether gas, electric or induction.

Good cast iron casserole dishes shouldn't be so heavy that they're difficult to move between the hob and oven. Cast iron is a good conductor of heat, which is what makes it so good for searing, and a good casserole dish shouldn't have any discernible cool spots.

Casserole dishes tend to be coated in enamel, and for one to be considered good, the enamel coating should be durable to temperature and scratch-resistant – otherwise, it can be easily damaged, leading to the cast iron rusting.

While there are more affordable cast iron casserole dishes on the market than Staub and Le Creuset, these tend to fail when it comes to durability, having cold spots or being too weighty.

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