I picked up the cutest little vintage kitchen find at the thrift store for $11 – the brand sells for hundreds these days
VINTAGE cookware sold for an astonishingly low price has impressed thrifters.
The buyer confessed they needed inspiration about what foods to cook using the item.
They shared two photos of the cookware on Reddit’s LeCreuset forum, which has over 38,000 members.
POT LUCK
The item looked in good condition as they showed how it looked inside and out.
“I picked up the cutest little vintage Le Creuset pot at the thrift store today for $11,” they wrote using the handle FancyWoodPulp.
“I couldn’t pass it up, but I’m not really sure what I should use it for.
“Beyond heating up soup, what would you make in a pot this small?”
A similar red cast iron saucepan costs $225 on the Le Creuset website.
According to the brand, it can make everything from sauces to side dishes.
“Easy” cleaning, durability, and heat retention are among the key features.
Delighted customers have given it a whopping 4.6-star rating out of a possible 5.
MINI MEALS
Many people up-voted the Redditor’s post and were eager to share suggestions about how to use the item.
“It’d be good for rice,” one person said.
“Love the smaller Dutch ovens for rice. I’d also use it for steel-cut oats, roasting whole heads of garlic, serving warm dips or sauces.
“It’s small but definitely worth it for $11!”
“I make stovetop hot chocolate, Vietnamese coffees, etc. It’s a great find!” another wrote.
“I love using my 14cm DOs [Dutch ovens] to make personal-size chicken pot pies. Literally the perfect serving size!” a third chimed in.
Another commenter shared advice for restoring the vintage cookware’s shine.
“For that rusty rim, you can make a paste of baking soda and water, spread it all around there, let it sit for a while,” they said.
Why is Le Creuset so expensive?
Le Creuset cookware is on the wishlists of many home cooks and bakers.
But the French brand’s Dutch ovens can cost between $260 and $750, and even a bread loaf pan will set you back $180.
So what warrants such hefty price tags?
Le Creuset’s Dutch ovens are among its most popular items, and they — along with several other pieces of their cookware — are made with high-quality enameled cast iron.
They’re meant to last a long time and even carry a lifetime warranty “to be free from defects in material and workmanship.”
“It’s like, do you really wanna buy a $50 piece of something over and over again, or do you wanna invest in something and know that you’re gonna have it for a long time?” Nate Collier, Le Creuset’s director of marketing and communications, said to Eater.
According to Cookware Insider, 15 quality control officers inspect each of the brand’s items before they’re sold.
Of course, they’re pretty, too, and quite the status symbol.
“You think of it as a simple piece of cookware, but even the silhouette of our Dutch oven is recognizable,” Collier said.
“You could show someone a line drawing without any color, and most people that are familiar with cookware would be able to tell you that it’s specifically a Le Creuset Dutch oven.”
Celebrity fans include Julia Child, Marilyn Monroe, Jennifer Garner, and Taylor Swift.
“Then use an old toothbrush or throwaway rag or something like that to scrub the rust off.
“Super easy. If you use a rag tho, it will def tear it, just a heads up. Still, totally worth it”
The advice comes after another Redditor used a kitchen cupboard staple to rejuvenate a secondhand Le Creuset kettle.
They bought the item for just $5 at a local thrift store, despite it having originally retailed for $114.
“A boil with vinegar got rid of interior scale buildup & some degreaser & scrubbing cleared away grime built up on the bottom & sides,” they said.