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Martha Stewart Collector’s Enameled Cast Iron Round Casserole Review

April 25, 2014 By: Erin17 Comments

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Martha Stewart Collector’s Enameled Cast Iron Round Casserole $89.99

6 QT

Normally $149.99

Have you been waiting to find a great sale on Le Creuset or Staub to get some of the best cookware into your kitchen for less? We’ll have a more in depth review of the piece further down in the article but I’d like to point out this item is buy worthy and works incredibly well for the money. This sale only lasts until this Sunday. If you want to add a cast iron enamel piece to your kitchen or get a great Mother’s Day gift instead of the usual fluff marketed on the weekend before the holiday, then this price makes it pretty affordable!

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I own a Staub 8 QT oval, a Le Creuset 2.5 QT wide round, and now a Martha Stewart Collector’s Enameled Cast Iron Round Casserole 6 QT. In initial quality I’d rate them all very similar. The Le Creuset and the Martha Stewart both brown delicate foods better than the Staub because they also have enameled interior. The Staub is just raw cast iron inside. The Staub needs to be re-seasoned often despite saying otherwise in their warranty. All of these pots are susceptible to scorching if turned up too high because of how well they conduct heat.  You can sear and cook food at lower temperatures than you would with non-stick cookware. They preform best in the oven and the Martha Stewart Collector’s Enameled Cast Iron Round Casserole can go up to 500 F because of it’s stainless steel handles. I’ve seen plenty of budget pieces that won’t go as high as the nicer brands which is one reason the Martha Stewart is a real competitor. You must also take care in cleaning them because the finish is delicate and areas that aren’t enameled can rust, like the edges of the lids and pot. The packaging on the pot is great so if you can’t get to Macy’s to buy one in person, don’t worry about shipping it. I got the green apple shade because I thought it would look nice in my new kitchen and I’ve already got a purple and blue piece in my collection. I appreciate that the line comes in fun pop colors but also has classics like dark blue, white, and black for people who like to keep it classic! The piece also comes with a lifetime warranty.IMG_0138

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You can see the raw edges. These can rust if they remain wet and sit.

The Martha Stewart Collector’s Enameled Cast Iron Round Casserole cooks as well as the top dollar brands. I find this particular size is best for one pot pastas, casseroles, and soups! This makes soups taste super flavorful in a very short amount of time because you can brown your meat and veggies in the same pot! For braising, I think I’ll still use my Staub because of it’s shape which has more bottom surface area so you can fit more items in it before it crowds. The Martha Stewart piece is also great for making small batches of stock. You can roast in and transfer it to the stove top for the liquid portion without wasting any of the good browned bits.

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As for the lasting quality of the piece, I can’t say how it might hold up against my other brands. I use it two to three times a week. I store in it, serve in it, and cook in it. I’ve only had it for a month and it’s looking great! Since all 3 brands are close in seeming initial quality, I’ll assume it will hold up well. The Le Creuset has a proprietary process for the enamel coating, so in total quality I think the finish on it might be more lasting than this one. The Staub is much thicker walled and heavy compared to this one, so it probably retains heat a bit better than this one. They all offer a lifetime warranty! Sure, Martha doesn’t have the same cachet as the European brands but it does offer a similar cooking experience for a much lower price point. Even at the non-sale price it’s still a bargain compared to the price of the other two for this size. I’d certainly recommend this to anyone especially those with small kitchens because it can fill multiple roles and still look good if it’s out on a counter or stays on the stove top like mine does! Overall, I give this piece an A-!

Do you have a Martha Stewart Collector’s Enameled Cast Iron Round Casserole? Do you have something to add to the review? If so feel free to leave your feedback in the comments below!

Comments

  1. 1

    Karen @ unpack the box says

    April 25, 2014 at 6:42 pm

    I don’t own a single enameled cast iron, but I have oodles of seasoned cast iron in heavy rotation (just Lodge, nothing fancy). Keeping it seasoned and maintained is sometimes a challenge, but I really like it. At the lower price point, I would be tempted to add an enameled Martha Stewart to my kitchen just to see how it compares and works out.

    Reply
    • 2

      Erin says

      April 25, 2014 at 8:46 pm

      If you can catch the sale all the pieces are vastly reduced in all colors!

      Reply
  2. 3

    Kate says

    April 26, 2014 at 12:00 am

    This would make a great Mother’s Day gift! I love the idea of being able to do everything in the one pot and I love your choice of color. I would choose the green apple shade too!

    http://www.taffetaandtulips.com

    Reply
    • 4

      Erin says

      April 26, 2014 at 5:07 am

      Yes, get your kids and hubby on board!

      Reply
  3. 5

    Kiss & Make-up says

    April 26, 2014 at 11:33 am

    I love how retro this looks 🙂 I don’t think I own a casserole this fancy.

    Reply
    • 6

      Erin says

      April 27, 2014 at 5:15 pm

      It’s more then just a casserole, I don’t even know why they call it that!

      Reply
  4. 7

    faithful follower says

    April 27, 2014 at 4:34 pm

    Yes, it would make a lovely Mother’s Day gift! I thought that the Staub has an enameled interior…did I screw up?

    Reply
    • 8

      Erin says

      April 27, 2014 at 5:16 pm

      It has a powder coated cast iron interior not enamel 🙁

      Reply
    • 9

      Erin says

      April 27, 2014 at 5:58 pm

      Oh is this your way of telling me you want one?

      Reply
  5. 10

    Sylirael says

    May 1, 2014 at 10:58 am

    I have been totally spoiled by the little Le Creuset that my parents gave us for Christmas on year. It’s fantastic! I want more, but can’t quite swallow the price here, LOL! I never really thought much of enamelled cast iron cookware, but now I’m hooked. Is there anything they can’t do?

    Reply
  6. 11

    Kristine says

    January 22, 2016 at 4:08 pm

    I do! Purchased one in white on a Christmas sale at Macys. I’ve used it often already and love it… for the most part.

    Has anyone else noticed a chemical like odor coming from the pot while cooking?

    I have made about 5 dishes in it – various soups, mostly – and each time there is a smell like a chemical is leaching from the cookware.

    Reply
    • 12

      Erin says

      January 22, 2016 at 7:28 pm

      Kristine, I didn’t notice this but if I recall this has a limit to how high of heat you can use with the pot. Do you still have the documentation? Maybe it’s getting too hot? I’ve also noticed that you really have to rinse these well or you might have soap residue on them.

      Reply
      • 13

        drexel says

        September 1, 2016 at 11:58 pm

        has anyone noticed that the rim of the lid rust. I’m afraid to use the lid due to steam from the lid will contaminate my food – RUST from the rim of the lid.

        Reply
        • 14

          Erin says

          September 8, 2016 at 10:09 pm

          Yes I have noticed, I used a little CLR on a q-tip to clean it off and then washed as normal.

          Reply
  7. 15

    judith Zimbalist says

    February 12, 2016 at 4:41 pm

    Can you use the Martha Stewart Round Casserole as an all in one pot. For example, can you boil chicken in it….can you use it to make (boil) pasta…or is it just for stews etc..

    Reply
    • 16

      Erin says

      February 12, 2016 at 7:14 pm

      I’ve never boiled a chicken. I roasted one in here. I’ve made all in one pasta dishes in this pan.

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Cost Plus World Market Haul & Mini-Reviews says:
    June 16, 2014 at 5:20 pm

    […] make the bare house feel a little more homey. I’ve already reviewed the only pot we purchased here. One of my first stops for budget friendly comforts was Cost Plus World Market. I’ve loved […]

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