Le Creuset - get it here or in Europe
 

I noticed it is much cheaper in Europe. However, the pots are so heavy. Is it worth it to bring one over from France or even Spain? Or is it just silly? Should I just splurge and eat the cost of buying it here in the States?

By the way, I have the same question about buying Mephisto or Arche shoes.

Will you end up exceeding your duty free allowance? probably not.

You do know the stuff is discounted in some places in the US, right?

I can't imagine Le Creuset is cheaper in France - I have several pieces and most were slightly to very discounted (not all though) The shipping charges would be enormous - and if you carry it home you will go over weight and that costs a fortune.

I imagine the shipping charge would outweigh the savings. a pair of shoes might be worth buying, especially if you have room for them in your luggage.

Check your local Marshall's, TJ Maxx, or similar type stores. You can sometimes find great deals on Le Creuset there.

If you are looking for a cast iron pot, its going to be heavy. And you will probably end up paying for an extra bag or overweight, Unless the price is substantially cheaper I would not want to have to lug that to and from and airport. there are outlet shops in the usa for this, as well as sales and tj maxx and home goods depending on what piece you want.

Mephisto shoes were cheaper years ago I don't know about now.. but unless you are in Europe in July when the sales are on, they may not be a bargain.. the price will include VAT and you need to determine the exchange rate and hopefully you will use a credit card that does not charge you an exchange fee.. but shoes are much easier to carry home

What does the exchange rate plus shipping equal?

That's what you need to know.

Also, who will have a sale when you get there?

I'd look for a good sale at home and forget the hassle of lugging it home.

OTOH, you'll have a pot you'll always remember buying, for better or worse.

Lug Le Creuset home from France? Nuts. And no, it's not a lot cheaper over there, at least where I shop, and they have it at the local Intermarché in Le Bugue, for example, which isn't exactly a high-end store. The best deals on Le Creuset are at TJ MAxx, Marshalls, etc. - WAY cheaper than in France. WAY!

Just the weight alone would keep me from buying it in France. And yes, you can find pieces at home that are less expensive.

The weight is a killer. My wife bought me the 5 qt. (or so) and we can barely lift it.

I, stupidly, bought the ridged grilling pain.

They both are leaving our house soon.

There is an outlet store in Orlando and they ship The prices are much cheaper than you get in France even with shipping fees

I have only worn Mephisto shoes since 1994.

I bought all but the first pair in Paris. I find that the shoes I buy are about $100 a pair cheaper after VAT refund than the same shoes in the US, though the VAT refund is shrinking in France.

My wife does better on price because she wears a common size and finds shoes on sale. I wear a US 14 and have trouble finding shoes at all.

I am interested in the weight issue for Le Creuset. My vast 26 inch suitcase has never weighed more than 32 pounds outbound. That would allow for 18 pounds of Le Creuset on the homeward journey. That would not be a set, but it is certainly a couple of pieces and stays within a fifty pound limit.

My mom warned me 30+ years ago that my Le Creuset 5 qt would be much heavier as I got older. She was right although I still love it and use it often.

Le Creuset is not much cheaper here in France but there are some cute pieces which may or may not be avaiable in the U.S. ( individual cast iron casseroles with lids).

I bought a gratin dish recently, a similar but much less expensive brand at LeClerc, just looked at it to check the brand but it's unmarked. It is as heavy-duty as Le Creuset, cast iron with blue enamel exterior.

>>My mom warned me 30+ years ago that my Le Creuset 5 qt would be much heavier as I got older. She was right although I still love it and use it often.<<

:). Me too. My large Dutch oven stays per entry on the stove on a back burner. I ain't moving/lifting that sucker any more!

Those little casseroles are now available in the States

I still have the Le Creuset pieces we got as wedding presents quite a while ago!! Like Coach bags, they go on forever. And yet the oval dutch oven seems heavier.... :)

As others have said, I would purchase over here at discount; the only added value is the memory of buying it in France.

Shoes are another matter and have value relative to weight; I would check Zappos and see if the styles are available and at what price before purchasing overseas.

Is this post for real? I own and use regularly several pieces from Le Creuset. No matter what the savings, it would never occur to me to purchase such a heavy item while traveling abroad. Unless your free luggage is empty, how can you possibly benefit financially? The 7.25 quart French Oven weighs 13 lbs, and that's far from the heaviest item. Oh my, the questions some tourists ask...

I saw nice Le Creuset pieces at Marshall's the other day. A nice Dutch oven for about $159! They had some pieces marked "seconds", also.

Recently, I purchased two pieces on-line, not seconds, and saved about $100 apiece over retail. I think the oval 5 qt Dutch oven was $240.

I also bought a new one on a wedding registry, which was discounted at Crate and Barrel, but still came to $330.

Definitely don't try to travel with one.

And check Zappos.com for the shoes.

I recently got a 10 inch Le Creuset frying pan at their discount store in Foxtown (a designer discount mall near Lugano in Switzerland). The price (without lid) was about 100 francs -- how does that compare to what you'd pay at home?

As for Dutch ovens, we prefer Staub to Le Creuset for two reasons -- the steel topper on the lid and, more importantly, the dimpled underside of the lid which does a great job of basting roasts. We used to have a Le Creuset Dutch oven but roasts come out better with Staub. But I'd never try to carry either one home in a suitcase -- way too heavy and cumbersome for that.

We have a Le Creuset square grill pan that can be used either on the stovetop or in the oven (it has short handles on two sides rather than a regular long pan handle). We often use that to grill meat or fish in winter when we don't feel like turning on the gas grill. Does a good job.

<i><font color=#555555>"We used to have a Le Creuset Dutch oven but roasts come out better with Staub."</font></i>

To say such a thing on the internet doesn't make it necessarily so. Unless you're offering Fodorites a taste test, do you have scientific evidence to support this claim? I didn't think so. Call me silly, but I find it hard to believe that the same recipe (the exact same piece of meat) cooked in two high quality enameled cast-iron ovens will produce noticeably different results. Sorry, I'm just not that gullible, or maybe I've been cooking for too many years.

Do a mind experiment. One: How much money will you save? Let's say you get a fantastic deal and save $100. The piece weighs XX pounds if packed to prevent chipping the enamel. You get it home and love it, but had to find a place to buy it, go there while on a limited time vacatiojn, carry it from place of purchase to hotel to airport, carry it through customs and from airport to home. Two: I pay you $100 to go to a particular store in Europe, then have you take the same route carrying XX pounds of rocks home. You later buy the pot at list price at home. One and two get you the same result. Three: You buy the pot at home and save the lugging and luggage, at the cost of $100. You could also pay to have it shipped from Europe to your home and pay duties, but there goes the $100. There is a reason tourists bring home only small things.

As for shoes, my wife once got 3 pairs od Arche shoes in Paris on sale with discounts and rebates for the price of one pair in the US. Shoes are a lot lighter than cast iron.