I bought this specific Staub essential oven for my daughter's future apartment in 3 different sizes. It is just the right size and weight for a young adult like her. This function the same as round cocotte except lid has extra touch and detal to it. It does make a difference in food taste wise, efficiency-saves gas and you can serve your delicious dish straight to your table without the need to use another dish. I also bought a staub cast iron trivet to protect my table from direct heat.