I don't know if it's the best example. As I understand the iPhone production in china is mainly assembly and is being done by pretty much untrained staff hired straight from the Chinese countryside (see the recent riot). You are placing high quality components together, but it seems like a much different skillset to producing something more bespoke like a high end cast iron pot.

The le cruset made in France is identical to the ones made in China and Taiwan period. As long as they are the same model and specs. Period. It is an Engineering fact.

You guys are crazy suggesting Whites or Redwings for masonry work (and $150 budget). I’m hesitant to even suggest a Thorogoods. I love mine and they take a beating, but masonry is another level.

So you are literally admitting they make shitty steel. On purpose. So what exactly are you arguing? That they could do better if they wanted too?

Le creuset isn’t supposed to be cheap it’s supposed to be the best.

China is not where you get pots and pans manufactured,and you know that.
Any self respecting manufacturing company with a modicum of self respect and product identity would know that as well and not tolerate the quality drop.

This exactly, there is zero reason to buy anything le creuset that isn't enameled cast iron.

Well I have more than 3 brain cells, so I don’t associate locations with quality. I look at the product itself and if it’s shit, I know it’s because it was specified to be that way.

Like I said, don’t care whose ‘fault’ it is. We can blame the Queen of Sheba if you like.

The fact is that ‘made in China’ = ‘crap’ far more often than ‘Made in Germany’ or ‘made in Japan’. That fact doesn’t go away because you try to apportion ‘blame’ for the problem.

Because of the company…

They make it that way because it’s affordable. Not because they suck. People buy shitty steel, because it’s cheap. Not everyone needs world class steel. Price points. It’s not that they can’t, they spec it that way on purpose. You know that! You also know not every product is going to be perfect, maybe china isn’t the industry leader on steel. But the US isn’t the industry leader on enameled cast iron.

Redwings or wolverines. They will have to be replaced often most likely. Whatever you get.

I don’t care whose ‘fault’ it is. I’m not attaching a moral judgement to the concept. My point is that you are far more likely to end up with crap if it’s made in China.

Yes there are exceptions, yes the reasons are complex, but it is what it is.

To be generous, you were suckered by marketing.

To be less charitable, it was partly your fault for having blind faith in branding.

If you want a stockpot just get a good stainless one from a manufacturer that makes good stainless.

Something that is widespread in consumer space is a company that has a deservedly strong brand in particular space deciding they can cash in on that brand in another space. As an example, Ridgid make great pipe cutters but there is no way I am buying their random power tools.

As a consumer, you may wish to educate yourself on this effect and be more critical going forwards.

This item from Le Creuset is transparently them cashing in on their name and style for enameled cast iron and trying to extend it to other random crap.

If Le Creuset came out with a vibrating butt plug next week, would you buy it? I suspect not. But you just did. This is roughly as related to their reputation for enameled cast iron as vibrating butt plugs are.

So why the fuck would you buy a pot made of thin sheet metal dressed up to look liked enameled cast iron but clearly a bunch of crap?

The power of marketing and branding.

You can make first class products anywhere in the world, China chooses to do a shitty Job.

You want good steel go to Germany or France.

I just got a Lodge Dutch oven instead of Le Creuset. Obviously it's still new so I can't speak to its long term durability, but so far the quality has been really good. I also bought it under the assumption that I may have to replace it within 5 years. But it was also a fraction of the price, so I could legit buy like 3 or 4 of the Lodge one for the price of the big brand name.

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I too am an engineer. Like I said in another comment. I focus on materials, processes, and products. I know all too well that they CAN do it the same. If they don’t it is the fault of the company that specs the product and processes.

Oh boy got em /s

I like how subtle the branding is!

White's Boots are one of the best brands available. My father has been wearing his for over half a century, if memory serves me.

I agree with what you’re saying but you don’t realize you’re agreeing with me. China CAN do it, but often times companies loosen their specs on Chinese goods. That’s not chinas fault, that’s the company. The machines and processes used are often identical. As I’m sure you know, you sound smart.

Say whatever you want I’m metallurgical engineer, any projects where we source Chinese pipe or stainless components you get significantly higher “off batches” that are out of spec compared to basically any other source but India.

But whatever you’ve probably got tons of experience with the subject.

All-Clad is definitely the better option from a durability standpoint. Enameled cast iron is great, but there's not much point in enameled stainless steel, and going LC in this case is mostly about aesthetics. Adding enamel to a stockpot will always inevitably make it less durable than simple stainless steel.

China can make to the same standards - but very often does not. Not all Western companies bother to be, or are capable of being as stringent as Apple.

Purchasing from a respected manufacturing location still gives you a much higher chance of getting better quality.

As a general rule, a quality brand that still manufactures at ‘home’ only makes their budget range products offshore. Canon cameras are an example. The top shelf stuff made in Japan, the ‘throw it out when it gets a lens fault code at 4 years old’ stuff is made elsewhere in Asia.

Chinese steel is also absolute crap (soft, and rusts if you look sideways at it) and that impacts anything made of that material.

Yes, China can make world class goods, but they are surrounded by a mountain of crap.

Buying something made in Europe, Japan, Australia or the States (most things) is a good place to start for getting long lasting products.

As you type on your foreign made device. I hate the uneducated radicals…

They will repair it and if that's not possible then they replace it. Manufacturer defects happen and hopefully Le Creuset still honors that long standing warranty