Aldi Has A Le Creuset Copycat Dish For A Fraction Of The Price

Le Creuset has earned a reputation for high-quality cookware of any type one could possibly want, all available in a range of stunning colors. But this prestigious product costs a pretty penny: Even one Le Creuset piece can cost over $500. Given that competitor brands can look and cook just as well at a fraction of the price, sometimes a deal on the duplicate is too good to pass up.

Aldi is one of the best budget grocery stores, including its cookware options. The Crofton 3.7 quart cast iron braiser, in either white or green, is once again available for just $24.99 — a mere 7% of the price of a similar Le Creuset braiser. Crofton is Aldi's in-house brand of premium cookware and has been selling pieces for over twenty years.

The Crofton braiser is not an exact replica of Le Creuset's but, according to people who have bought it before, it is a well-performing and visually attractive replica. And for 93% less money, it makes a strong play against the real deal.

At such a tiny fraction of Le Creuset's cost, you might think that Aldi's cast iron braiser just can't do as much as the expensive French pan, or do it as well. But the Crofton braiser seems to hold its own in every way. It is even slightly bigger than the midsize Le Creuset braiser — 3.7 quarts versus 3.5 quarts.

Both pans are made of sturdy cast iron, glazed with enamel to prevent stains and food stickiness. Aldi (not to be confused with Lidl) claims the Crofton pan is oven safe up to 482 degrees Fahrenheit, slightly lower than but functionally identical to Le Creuset's 500 degree temperature ceiling. The Crofton pan is also half an inch wider on the inside than Le Creuset, which means it has  a slightly larger overall capacity.

Other than those minor items and some stylistic differences to avoid copyright infringement, they are essentially the same pan, down to both being dishwasher safe. Aldi's braiser may not have the Le Creuset name (or Le Creuset's impressive array of colors available), but for $340 less those may be sacrifices worth making.