As a frequent Le creuset customer, I can say this may look alike yet does not perform at the same quality that an on brand cookware would do. The knob is made of cast iron making it very hard to lift the lid due to the intense heat. The heat distribution is very good though. Regarding cleaning, it is much heavier than my Le creuset of the exact same size (5 quart)!!! This made it very difficult and inconvenient to clean.