I had heard lots of talk of French Ovens in recipes and online forums. Now that I own one, I can understand why. The initial investment has been worth it. I've cooked roasts and oxtail. There's plenty of room in this French Oven, and the heavy lid does a great job of locking in moisture. It's sturdy and I expect it will last me a long time. Made in France, and free of Polytetrafluoroethylene and other toxic chemicals was the primary reason I was seeking Cast Iron in the first place. I only removed one star for the two factors that accompany any cast iron brand : 1) Very Heavy - Make sure you have a good grip to avoid wrist sprains. 2) A bit hard to clean - Soak overnight followed by some good scrubbing.