Review (5/5): Happy I made the plunge
Decided to make the plunge into enameled cast iron dutch ovens last year after my roommate (who had a 13 qt Le Creuset) moved on, and I haven't regretted it. This is the first one I got. I particularly wanted this size b/c the bolognese sauce I make is a little over 5 qt and I also like having a little extra room in the pot to stir (and crush the tomatoes by hand...they tend to squirt). I was kind of concerned that tomato based sauces would eventually discolor the beige interior of a le creuset so I opted for the black matte interior of a staub (although LC does have a "satin" black interior as well...at least for some things). Anyways, I think if you are willing to invest into either Staub or Le Creuset, then you can't go wrong with either and what you end up buying is really driven by aesthetics (although, Staub does tend to be about 12% cheaper than Le Creuset for the same size, while LC may be a little lighter in weight). I do have a 5.5 LC as well, also a couple of sauce pans, and quite frankly I love them all. Although, to me, this particular color by Staub is by far my favorite out of my bunch. Shame that I think the color is discontinued (although that's good for clearance sales :). The one distinct advantage the LC does have over Staub is the phenolic knobs (especially the newer models that can go into the over at higher temps).