Cast iron pot price comparisons

I recently bought an enameled casserole pot and did a lot of looking around to see what was worth the coin. I figured someone here might find my ADHD fueled brain rot useful.

TL;DR - Le Creuset is nice but Kmart is a goddamned steal!

One constant in reviews is that Staub is just as good as Le Creuset but cheaper and Chasseur is a step down but half the price.

Unfortunately, NZ price gouging amirite?

I went with Le Creuset in the end, $400 on clearance but anyway here's wonderwall my rough comparison of the options. Current sale prices are in brackets.

Le Creuset / 26cm / 5.3L / $660

Staub / 26cm / 5.2L / $649 ($549)

Lodge / 28.5cm / 5.6L / $650

Lodge / 26cm / 4.25L / $575 ($384)

Chasseur / 26cm / 5L / $499 ($349)

Stanley Rogers / 28cm / not provided / $369

Simon Gault / 26cm / 4.8L / $299

Capital Kitchen / 28cm / 6L / $249

Baccarat / 25cm / 3.9L / $200

KitCo / 32.5cm / 4L / $195 ($156)

Pyrolux / 26cm / 5L / $179

Kmart / 26cm / 4L / $29

Based on reviews the Stanley Rogers, Simon Gault and KitCo are not worth it. They chip extremely easily and the enamel is rough, leading to food that sticks and burns.

Pyrolux, Baccarat and Kmart seem to be pretty decent - reviews say they will start to chip after a few years and the enamel will get rougher but people seem satisfied overall.

Lodge USA and Chasseur are a step below LC and Staub in quality but are pretty much the same price here. Reviews are solid, noting again that they chip after a few years and the surface isn't as smooth as the top tier. Important: Lodge USA has a lifetime warranty that includes user error, making it a great option for that person who is REALLY rough with their pans.

LC and Staub - expensive AF even on sale, look great, cook great, last forever if taken care of.

I went LC cos I'm boujie and tbh wanted something nice after a shitty 2024 but TBH if it got stolen tomorrow I'd be on my way to Kmart cos wtf is that price to quality ratio? Insane.

If you made it this far, thanks for your time and remember never to pay full price for anything you won't die without.