Le Creuset

My parents gave us a gorgeous set of Le Creuset about 7 or so years ago. They've been great but the last few months I've noticed that the enamel on the interior of the frying pan appears to be flaking off and it's now just cast iron beneath. Everything sticks to it, now. It's such a hassle to wash.

So my question is, do you think it'd be best to just iron wool the rest of the enamel off and then try to season it? Or is it all a lost cause and I should just give up on it? I can't really afford to replace it right now. At the moment we're just using a cheapy frying pan from Wilkos which is actually quite good for what we paid for it.

So my question is, do you think it'd be best to just iron wool the rest of the enamel off and then try to season it?

That's probably what I would do, if I could summon the energy. 

I haven't really ever been convinced about Le Creuset because I always reckoned that enamel is going to come off sooner or later, compared to the plain cast iron I have here that is 50+ years old.  I'd just as soon cut to the chase & get plain cast iron, although I accept it's not as pretty.

Hoping someone has other better or different suggestions for you though! 

Our Le Creuset cast iron pieces came with a lifetime warranty.  Unless the pan you are having trouble with came with a non-stick coating it should be covered also.

Here's some info that may be helpful: http://www.lecreuset.co.uk/Care--Use/Cast-Iron/

I'm pretty sure this will fall under "normal wear and tear". The warranty is against manufacturer errors. Ashley could try, but I'm pretty sure the answer would be somewhere between laughter and "I'm sorry, this isn't covered" - depending on whether she talked to a retailer or Le Creuset directly.

I don't know if I could claim under that. I can't honestly say the pan is in the state its in because it's faulty. I sort of treat my cookware hard. Plus non-stick coated cookware isn't covered in the warranty.

x-posted with noirem

I sort of treat my cookware hard.

Oh man are you & J at it again?! 

Oh man are you & J at it again?! 

I have no idea what you're implying, madam, but my dirty mind has all sorts of ideas now.

I haven't really ever been convinced about Le Creuset because I always reckoned that enamel is going to come off sooner or later, compared to the plain cast iron I have here that is 50+ years old. 

My Le Creuset is well over 50 years old and the enamel has never come off!

Sorry, no advice here Ashley. It does sound as if you might have to turn it into cast iron. 

Yeah, I think so too, H. I'm not too bothered about that, though. It'll be a bit of work but at least we'll still have a nice frying pan.

Le Creuset Customer service in the US would likely replace your pot if the enamel is coming off.  A friend dropped a lid and it cracked, called them and asked to purchase a lid only, and they sent her a free one.  Not sure about the UK office, though...

This is a different enamel than what they put on their pots. The pots are totally fine. The frying pan has this satin black enamel which I believe is non-stick. If the enamel came off on the pots then I'd totally send them back because they are covered by the warranty.