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A quality Dutch oven is a highly versatile piece to add to your cookware collection, whether you like making sourdough bread, soups and stews or easy one-pot dinners. And two top-performing brands in this category for decades now are Staub and Le Creuset. Staub has been in operation since 1974 in Alsace, France, while Le Creuset got its start in 1925 in Fresnoy-le-Grand in Aisne, France. These heritage brands produce a variety of cookware from braisers and skillets to casserole dishes and, of course, Dutch ovens. But how do their Dutch ovens compare? Well, we put them to the test to find out.
Staub vs. Le Creuset
Pros
- Dark interior hides stains better than Le Creuset's light interior
- Produced a rich and flavorful broth in our tests
- Self-basting lid for nicely reduced broths
Cons
- Dark interior does not brown as well as Staub claims it should
- Lid is heavy, 2 ounces heavier than Le Creuset
| Capacity | 5.5 qt |
|---|---|
| Weight | 12.6 lbs |
| Dimensions | 11.81" x 11.02" x 5.31" |
| Oven-safe temperature | Up to 500˚F |
Pros
- Light interior helps you assess the level of browning
- Over 26 colorways, about 10 colors more than Staub
- Easy-to-grasp handles and knob on lid
Cons
- Tighter lid than Staub, resulted in a less reduction of liquids
- Light interior does require extra elbow grease for burnt-on stains
| Capacity | 5.5 qt |
|---|---|
| Weight | 12.9 lbs |
| Dimensions | 10.8" x 10.8" x 6.8" |
| Oven-safe temperature | Up to 500˚F |
Design
Both Staub and Le Creuset Dutch ovens are made from highly durable (and heavy) enameled cast iron, but while Staub's interior is textured black matte enamel, Le Creuset's cooking surface is a light-colored smooth enamel. According to both brand's marketing claims, Staub's interior is intended to help with browning, while Le Creuset's makes it easier to monitor your cooking progress.
They also have different styles of lids. Staub has a self-basting lid, thanks to small spikes on the inside of the lid, which made for nicely reduced broths. Meanwhile Le Creuset has a smooth lid which is tighter-fitting than Staub and resulted in less reduction of liquids. Staub's lid is also 2 ounces heavier than Le Creuset's.
Their knobs and handles are different as well. One consumer tester said, "I don't love the (Staub's) knobs. They're smaller than Le Creuset's and a little hard to use."
Colorways
Both brands launch new shades regularly, whether it's geared to a season or a new color on trend. Le Creuset offers over 26 colors, while Staub comes in about 16. We love that they can bring a fun pop of color to your stovetop, by way of a Le Creuset pumpkin cocotte or a Staub Dutch oven in citron. You can collect all cookware pieces in one colorway or mix and match for a variety of different colors.
Cleanability
Staub and Le Creuset state that you can put their Dutch ovens in the dishwasher, but that hand-washing is recommended — cleaning by hand is encouraged by our experts also. During Lab testing, we noticed that the dark interior of a Staub Dutch oven is a bit harder to clean and determine that it is, in fact, clean. One tester noted, "I don't love how the (Staub's) inside cleans. It feels a little hard to clean and stays a little greasy." Though our Lab analyst stated that Le Creuset's "enamel coating is very easy to clean," the light interior shows every stain — that means if there's a burnt-on stain, it may require some elbow grease to remove.
Cost and warranty
Both Staub and Le Creuset Dutch ovens have a very similar price point. Le Creuset is slightly more expensive, but only by about $20 for the model that we tested. The Staub that we tested retails for $400, while the Le Creuset is $420.
When you're spending hundreds of dollars on a piece of cookware, you want it to last. Conveniently, both Staub and Le Creuset have warranties for their Dutch ovens. Le Creuset offers a lifetime limited warranty and Staub offers a limited warranty. Both warranties add some peace of mind when making an investment like this.
How we tested Staub and Le Creuset
In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, we've tested more than 25 Dutch ovens over the years. We evaluate each Dutch oven based on how evenly it heats, cooks and cleans up. Multiple tests are performed, including how well it cooks up a beef stew, then we assess factors like heat distribution, cleaning, ease of use and more. We also put them to use in our home kitchens and survey consumer testers as well.
When it came to testing Staub and Le Creuset, our testing protocols were no different, except that we also made a white bean and escarole soup in each to compare how their Dutch ovens cooked soaked dried beans and churned out a soup.
The beef stew test: Stew meat was browned in three batches inside of each Dutch oven, then beef stew was made inside of each Dutch oven and finally braised in the oven for 90 minutes. According to our Lab testing, Le Creuset browned better and faster — by one minute — than the Staub Dutch oven. There was a lot of dark fond visible on the interior of the Le Creuset Dutch oven, which was helpful in the cooking process and easily deglazed. However, the fond was nearly impossible to see inside the Staub. When it came to the Staub Dutch oven, the meat in the stew was drier and chewier than the Le Creuset. But the broth was richer and more flavorful than in the Le Creuset.
Sarah Gregory Wharton Beef stew inside of Staub dutch oven
Sarah Gregory Wharton Beef stew inside of Le Creuset dutch oven
The white bean and escarole soup test: Soaked white beans were cooked inside of each Dutch oven and then a white bean and escarole soup was cooked for the same amount of time. Although the broth made in the Staub was richer and more flavorful, the white beans became very tender, with many breaking apart. The vegetables were very soft, but kept their shape. The broth made in the Le Creuset was more watery and less rich than that of the Staub, but the tender white beans maintained their shape much better than the Staub and the veggies still had a nice bite to them.
Final verdict: Staub or Le Creuset?
Across our tests, the resulting scores were extremely close: Staub and Le Creuset both make high-quality, high-performance Dutch ovens. We would happily enjoy a stew or soup made in either Dutch oven.
We've selected Le Creuset as our best overall Dutch oven for its superior ease of use and stellar, versatile performance, but Staub also produces a fantastic model that turns out soups and stews with rich, flavorful broths with a depth of flavor that you would usually achieve from cooking for longer. In the end, either route you choose, you won't make a bad decision with a Staub or Le Creuset Dutch oven.
Why trust Good Housekeeping?
Eva Bleyer has professionally tested all kinds of kitchen equipment, from oven ranges and juicers to kitchen scales and blenders. As the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab Reviews Analyst, she has tested dozens of different cookware pieces, including many from Staub and Le Creuset. She graduated from NYU with a Bachelor of Science in Food Studies, Nutrition and Public Health and is a trained cook through the Natural Gourmet Institute.
Sarah Gregory Wharton has tested Dutch ovens for the Good Housekeeping Institute, and she has been using Dutch ovens for more than 20 years, including as a recipe developer. She conducted the side-by-side testing of Staub and Le Creuset for this story and has also tested a hybrid cookware set and carbon steel pans for Good Housekeeping.
Eva (she/her) is a reviews analyst in the Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab, where she tests kitchen gear, home appliances and culinary innovations. She graduated from NYU with a bachelor of science in food studies, nutrition and public health and is a trained chef through the Natural Gourmet Institute. Eva has more than 10 years of experience in the food industry, working as a food stylist, personal chef and marketing manager.
Sarah (she/her) is a deputy editor in the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she tests products and covers the best picks across kitchen, tech, health and food. She has been cooking professionally since 2017 and has tested kitchen appliances and gear for Family Circle as well as developed recipes and food content for Simply Recipes, Martha Stewart Omnimedia, Oxo and Food52. She holds a certificate in professional culinary arts from the International Culinary Center (now the Institute of Culinary Education).
