Cast iron cookware can be a costly investment, but once you've spent the cash you'll have a kitchen essential that will last you for years. Dutch ovens from both Le Creuset and ProCook are especially versatile, as they can retain heat for a long time and are oven-safe as well as hob-ready.
Both of these brands sit in our guide to the best cast iron cookware, but while Le Creuset is at the top end of the price range, Pro Cook is more affordable, providing alternatives if you can't quite reach Le Creuset prices.
Aside from price, I wanted to dive into exactly what makes Le Creuset and ProCook distinguishable from one another.
Still crafted in France, these pans are the height of luxury, but also unbelievably practical. In this one pan you can master so many different meals – I know because I use mine everyday.
If you haven't heard of ProCook, then you're about to discover a new go-to destination for cooking essentials. I've tried their cast iron range as well as their knife sets, both of which are excellent. This is a good budget alternative if you're still saving to eventually pick up a Le Creuset.
Le Creuset vs ProCook: Price
Let's start with the most important factor: price. It's here where Procook wins as the most affordable option.
Le Creuset prices are intimidating, Le Creuset's 26cm Signature Round Cast Iron Casserole pot will set you back £285.00 at full price.
The RRP of the ProCook version (which is a little smaller at 24cm in diameter) is £159.00. Right now you can buy it for just £79.00 from the ProCook website.
If you'd prefer a shallow casserole dish, then Le Creuset's 26cm version has an RRP of £249.00. There isn't an exact comparable size from ProCook, but the brand's slightly larger 28cm shallow dish is £179.00.
However, I can't help but feel like a large majority of people would splash out on Le Creuset cookware if they could. Not only is it iconic and loved by celebrity chefs, but it's still made at the brand's original foundry in France. Now that's impressive.
As you might expect, Le Creuset is of the opinion that this is the one pan you need, even if it takes you a little longer to save up for it. For the price, they also offer a ten-year guarantee if anything should happen to your pan under their policy.
Le Creuset vs Procook: Practicality
In general cooking ability, there isn't a huge amount of difference between the two pans on the surface. They're both made from cast iron which offers great strength and heat distribution. Le Creuset has opted for a light enamel interior to make cleaning easier on most of its casserole dishes, ProCook has also opted for this same finish in its blue and green colourway. However, the red colourway at ProCook for some reason has opted for a black enamel interior which many of the Ideal Home preferred cooking with as it took a lot more wear and tear than the lighter finish.
However, at a recent cooking event, I learnt that if you know how to use your Le Creuset pot properly, one shallow casserole dish can be a multi-tasking dream. In one evening, Le Creuset cooked up a Christmas dinner and a range of desserts in the brand's cast iron pots, and had a genius hack of using the lids of them (which the handles screwed off) and using them as a cake tin or a serving dish.
While we haven't attempted this multi-tasking feat with the ProCook dishes, based on the much flatter lids we're not sure you'd be able to achieve the same impressive versatility.
ProCook v Le Creuset: Looks
Like with most things appearance is really what sets these two brands apart. If you're looking for a green, red or blue cast iron dish and you're not worried about the guarantee then the ProCook really does hold its own against the Le Creuset alternatives.
However, Le Creuset has around 16 colourways AND it keeps adding other special edition colours. The most recent addition to the lineup was nectar which really is a thing of beauty in a vibrant and gradient-rich yellow. Plus if you want a pink cast-iron dish we've looked and Le Creuset has cornered the market. If you're after a colourful investment buy you have to go to Le Creuset.
The Final Verdict
If you're on a tight budget you won't be disappointed by a set of ProCook cast iron dishes. They're Le Creuset-level quality at a great price. But, and this is a big but, overall the winner will always be Le Creuset. While I have loved and used my ProCook cast iron dish for a year, a tiny chip has developed in the paint while the Le Creuset casserole pan my Mum has used for over 20 years still looks perfect.
ProCook does offer a 25-year guarantee, which is long in terms of kitchenware. However, it can't match up to Le Creuset's lifetime guarantee which means the cost per use should work out as pennies. Plus can you blame us for being just a little bit obsessed with the Nectar colourway?
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