Yes, Staub is of good quality. In fact, it's considered one of the leading brands for enameled cast iron cookware, renowned for its heirloom-level durability, exceptional cooking performance, and timeless French craftsmanship. It's a high-end investment, but its ability to last for generations makes it worth the price for serious home cooks.
Staub's products are designed to be workhorses in the kitchen, offering superior heat retention and distribution that justifies their premium cost. Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you get for your money.
How Is Staub's Quality?
Staub's quality is excellent, rooted in traditional French manufacturing techniques and first-rate materials. The brand is known for meticulous attention to detail and strict quality control. Here’s a closer look:
- Construction & Craftsmanship: Each piece is made from a dense cast iron core with a multi-layered enamel exterior. Lids are heavy and tight-fitting, engineered with unique self-basting "spikes" on the underside that continuously return moisture to the food, preventing it from drying out.
- Materials: Staub uses a specialized black matte enamel on its interiors, which is slightly porous to promote exceptional browning and resists scratches and stains better than many competitors' lighter-colored interiors. The vitrified glaze on the exterior is incredibly durable and resistant to chipping.
- Durability & Longevity: With proper care, Staub cookware is designed to last for decades and is often passed down as family heirlooms. Long-term owners consistently report that their pieces perform as well after years of daily use as they did on day one.
- Common Issues: The most significant vulnerability is the enamel, which can chip if dropped or subjected to extreme thermal shock (e.g., placing a hot pot in cold water). This is typical for all enameled cast iron and can be avoided with proper handling.
Is Staub Good Value for the Price?
Staub offers excellent long-term value. While the upfront cost is high, its performance and longevity mean you won't need to replace it, making it cheaper over a lifetime than buying multiple lower-quality pots.
Price Positioning
Staub sits firmly in the premium cookware market. A 3.5-quart cocotte (Dutch oven) typically costs $200-$250, while a larger 7-quart model can run $350-$450. This pricing is very similar to its main competitor, Le Creuset, but often slightly less expensive for comparable pieces. Compared to budget-friendly cast iron like Lodge, Staub is significantly more expensive but offers superior enamel quality, an easier-to-maintain interior, and a more refined finish.
What You're Paying For
The premium price tag covers manufacturing in France, exceptional materials, and superior design features. You're paying for cookware that provides incredibly even heat distribution, retains heat for hours, and has self-basting lids that produce more flavorful, moist dishes. The aesthetic quality also allows pieces to go directly from oven to table for serving.
Where You Get Good Value
- Cocottes (Dutch Ovens): Staub's signature product offers the best value. Its versatility for soups, stews, braises, and even bread-baking makes it a kitchen workhorse that justifies the investment.
- Anything for Slow Cooking: Any piece designed for braising or slow-cooking, like their braisers or cast iron pans, leverages the brand’s core strengths of heat retention and moisture-locking lids.
Where You Don't Get Good Value
- Casual Cooks: If you only cook occasionally or don't need the precise performance for slow-cooking and braising, Staub's high price may not be a practical use of money.
- Those Who Prefer Lightweight Cookware: A 7-quart cocotte can weigh over 12 pounds. If the weight will deter you from using it, it's not good value for your kitchen routines, no matter the quality.
Staub Quality by Category
Staub’s quality is incredibly consistent, as most products are variations of their core enameled cast iron. However, performance varies slightly by shape and intended use.
Enameled Cast Iron Cocottes (Dutch Ovens)
This is Staub's flagship category. Construction is flawless, with heavy bodies for unmatched heat retention and tight-fitting, self-basting lids. The matte-black enameled interior is excellent for searing meats before braising. Priced from $150 to over $500 depending on size, these are a worthwhile lifetime investment for anyone serious about cooking. Verdict: Worth it.
Grill Pans & Skillets
Made from the same durable enameled cast iron, Staub skillets offer superior searing and browning without the hassle of seasoning raw cast iron. The even heat is perfect for steaks, burgers, and vegetables. While heavier than stainless steel pans, their performance justifies the weight and cost for those who want a perfect sear. Verdict: Worth it for high-heat cooking enthusiasts.
Baking & Gratin Dishes
Staub's bakers and gratin dishes provide excellent, uniform heat for casseroles, roasted vegetables, and desserts. The cast iron construction holds heat exceptionally well, keeping food warm at the table. They are beautiful enough for serving, but cheaper stoneware can perform similarly for baking, making these a luxury purchase. Verdict: A high-quality luxury, but not a necessity.
Our Verdict: Is Staub Worth It?
Absolutely. For cooks looking for reliable, high-performance cookware that will last a lifetime, Staub is one of the best investments you can make for your kitchen. Its superior cooking capabilities, heirloom quality, and timeless design make it worth the premium price.
Quality Grade: A
Staub earns an 'A' for its masterful French craftsmanship, high-grade materials, and thoughtful design features like the self-basting lid. The construction is nearly flawless, resulting in exceptional heat retention and durability. While the enamel is susceptible to chipping with improper care - a common issue for all such cookware - the overall build quality is in the top tier of the market.
Value Grade: B+
The price is steep, keeping it from a perfect score, but the value is undeniable. A Staub piece can replace multiple cheaper pots and pans over its lifetime, and its performance can elevate your cooking. It offers features and quality that are on par with or even slightly better than its direct competitors at a similar price point, making it a very fair deal for heirloom cookware.
More Quality Brands Like Staub
If you appreciate Staub's focus on quality craftsmanship and long-lasting materials, here are a few other brands that share a similar philosophy:
Le Creuset
The most direct competitor to Staub, Le Creuset also offers a wide array of premium French-made enameled cast iron. Le Creuset is known for its broader range of bright colors and its smooth, sand-colored interior enamel, while Staub is praised for its self-basting lids and durable matte black interior.
Shop now at lecreuset.com
Made In
A direct-to-consumer brand offering premium French-made kitchen products, including enameled cast iron Dutch ovens that are highly competitive with Staub. Made In's Dutch oven features a similar shape and enamel quality for even cooking at a slightly more accessible price point.
Shop now at madein.com
Demeyere
Owned by the same parent company as Staub (Zwilling), Belgian brand Demeyere specializes in state-of-the-art stainless steel cookware. They are for the cook who applies the same 'buy-it-for-life' philosophy to stainless steel, offering unrivaled construction and cooking technology like 7-ply construction and proprietary surface treatments.
Shop now at demeyere-online.com
Lodge
For a more budget-friendly option, Lodge's enameled cast iron is a solid performer made in China. While it doesn't have the same flawless finish, thick enamel, or heirloom feel as Staub, it provides about 80% of the performance for about 25% of the cost, making it the best value pick for casual cooks.
Shop now at lodgecastiron.com
Smithey Ironware
For those who love cast iron but prefer a traditional American skillet, Smithey makes artisan-crafted raw cast iron cookware in the USA. Their pieces feature hand-polished smooth interiors that develop a naturally non-stick patina when seasoned, appealing to cast iron purists.
Shop now at smithey.com
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Staub better than Le Creuset?
Neither is definitively "better", a lot comes down to preference. Staub's self-basting lids retain more moisture in dishes like braises, and its dark interior excels at browning and hiding stains. Le Creuset offers more colors and has a light-colored interior that makes it easier to monitor fond development (the browned bits at the bottom of the pan).
Why is Staub so expensive?
You're paying for three main things: where it's made (France), the quality of the materials (dense cast iron and multi-layer enamel), and the meticulous manufacturing process. Each piece is made from a unique sand mold that is broken after casting, meaning no two pieces are ever exactly identical.
Can Staub cookware go in the dishwasher?
While Staub advertises its cookware as dishwasher-safe, hand washing is strongly recommended. Over time, harsh dishwasher detergents and high heat can dull the enamel's finish, and there's a risk of the heavy pot knocking into other dishes and chipping. Gentle hand washing will preserve its appearance and integrity for decades.
Does Staub's black interior need to be seasoned?
No. Unlike raw cast iron (like Lodge's classic skillets), Staub's matte black interior is enamel. It does not require seasoning. Staub notes that with use, fats and oils will polymerize on the slightly porous surface, creating a finish that improves browning and food release over time without formal seasoning.
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