Crock-Pot Crock Pot Artisan Enameled Cast Iron Braiser W/Lid, 5 Quart, Sapphire Blue

I am in my late 60's, and I just learned about the ease of cooking with enameled cast iron in maybe the last 10 years. I have a skillet from this same manufacturer that has become my go-to for everything. I also have an enameled 5 quart Dutch Oven, but I needed something in-between those two sizes. As much as I love just plain old cast iron, I needed something that I can cook tomato-based products in because I make a lot of sauces. This was the one. It is the perfect-size for everything from Italian foods to fried chicken. Nothing sticks to it, and it doesn't rust. I am in the process now of retiring all of my old so-called 'non-stick' pans that I no longer need.

The first one we received had an enamel defect near one of the handles, but the replacement was perfect and arrived the next day. The braiser is the perfect size for a family of 3 - 4. All the fancy name brands cost at least 4x the price for the same size. My wife has Le Creuset cast iron products and we can't tell the difference between them. This Crock Pot is a great value -- just be sure to check it for defects when it arrives!

This pot looks super high-quality, similar to a Le Creuset but without the massive price tag. We've used this several times and love how easy it is to clean afterward. It’s easy to use and looks so nice in person.

I dont know alot about cookware, but heres what i do know; she loves it. The way it cooks, how versatile it is, very easy cleanup. Theres only 1 area of what might be a negative for some people; it is heavy. Like heavy heavy. So if you are used to new-fangled cookware that is lightweight amd easy to move around, this isnt going to be for you. The best way i can describe it is imagine an old fashioned cast iron piece the same size as this, but add extra weight with the enamel exterior.

Who needs that expensive fancy brand? This worked great and the color is lovely! So much room, I cooked 2 chicken breasts and 4 thighs.

This 5 quart enamel coated braised is deeper than my 4 quart braised from another brand. It is same diameter throughout the pan, unlike my smaller one that is flared at top and smaller at bottom. The slate grey is SO beautiful! I returned the first pan, sellers are quick & efficient, to replace due to a chip on lid enamel when I received it. The replacement came quickly and is in perfect condition. I only gave 4 stars because of “possible” chipping and other reviews @ this issue BUT I want to use it a few times to see how it holds up and if it does then I want to order the same pans for my daughters as gifts. I’ll come back and change this to 5 stars if all goes as I’m hoping!

I will be honest I am not a brand snob, and I am always most loyal to the brand that offers the best bang for the buck. When it comes to enameled cast iron or cast iron in general, I almost always choose Lodge.I step out of my Lodge comfort zone when they do not offer a specific Pan or Pot thats fits my needs, and in this case their brasier pots are only 3.6 Qts. I wanted a large,wide,deep walled 5 Qt pot in brasier format, that I could cook anything from large roasts to steaks to casseroles/pasta dishes in.In this case I feel Lodge has shot themselves in the foot by not offering a 5qt size. So while searching I came across these Crock-Pot Brand Braisers. I saw these and my Jaw dropped. Because the comparable Le Creuset Pot is 414.00 these are only $53( at the time of purchase). I saw the reviews, and I know Crock-Pot isn't going to release anything with their name on it thats going to ruin their company reputation. I clicked BUY. 2 of them to be exact.Mine arrived in flawless condition, thanks to my Delivery Driver for that btw! Amazon Packaged them well enough, but also of note was Crock-Pots own packaging which was quite sturdy, double walled card board and every piece was individually wrapped in card board or plastic protection. I think they may have noticed alot of complaints with the packaging and improved their packaging substantially since, because mine came without a scratch.On to initial impressions: These are beautiful if you are a lover of Red, Cast Iron shiny glossy things... These fit the bill. The fit and finish were great and I would say easily on par with Lodge, cast Iron Enamel. I have Included my 8 year old Lodge Cast Iron Enameled 7.5 qt pot in the middle of the two in the picture for size and color comparison, which present themselves as a matching set if you dont look at the handles, the color is that similar.The Iron is ever so slightly thinner on the walls of the 5 qt pots compared to the 7.5 Qt, but thats explained because they are meant for different purposes, and the walls dont need to be as thick on Brasiers. This also helps with the weight reduction. However there is more weight to the lids of the 5 qts braisers because they are wider and have substantially more material to cover such a large opening.All in, I got 2 of these for 106.00 with free prime Delivery and based on all the things you can cook, bake, broil, saute, roast, fry and DEEP FRY (deep walls), Stir-Fry... yes these make great huge Enameled WOK's for fried rice nights, I'd say this is easily some of the best money I've ever spent in my kitchen.These are such good quality out of the box that I am now considering their other Enameled Cast Iron products. You can't go wrong here.NOTE: Please know what you are buying here, these are not teflon non-stick pots/pans. You have to use good cooking techniques to get the most out of cast iron, and proper temperatures to avoid burning and sticking etc, like with any pot. Learn the Techniques and watch some videos and how-to's and you are set.

Amazing pot. Heats well and not too heavy. Gorgeous color.