I tried Aldi’s new cast iron range – it’s over £900 cheaper than Le Creuset
READY to say ‘Yes Chef!’ to say, eager chefs will be queuing up when Aldi’s Cast Iron Cookware range returns to stores.
Available from Sunday 24 November (a few items are delayed), those looking to cook up a storm or give a culinary Christmas gift can save themselves over £900 compared to leading brands including Le Creuset and Staub.
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Additionally, there are two new shades of green and orange, in addition to the return of the sold-out blue.
And everything in the latest cast iron range is available for a handbag-friendly £25 or less.
Aldi sent me a number of items from their range to try at home…
First impressions
My God, they are beautiful.
Each item from the range comes in luxurious black packaging that screams expensive, and when I open them I feel like I’ve unlocked a magic box with the beautiful orange ombre sparkle before my eyes.
The quality is incredible and I can’t stop caressing the smooth, shiny orange enamel coating. They are almost too beautiful to put in an oven at 250 degrees Celsius, but should instead be displayed in a display case for guests to marvel at.
But for this to be a fair review, I’ll be putting them to the test and baking, roasting and baking an assortment of meals in them.
Cooking a chilli
Chilli con carne was on the menu for dinner and according to Aldi, the Cast Iron range is suitable for an induction hob. But how would it be fair with the ‘sticking test’?
A common problem with cast iron cookware is that meat or other ingredients stick to the bottom.
The key is to heat the oil slowly with the pan, to the right temperature, and the Aldi performed well at browning the mince.
About an hour later, after the chili had cooked, it was time to serve and wash.
All Aldi cookware has an enamel coating, making it easy to clean and free of stubborn stains.
The popular supermarket also recommends washing its range of cast iron pans by hand – soapy water is on hand…
It is clear that the pans are new and the meal was not baked by high temperatures and long hours in the oven, so it was easy to clean and the dish looked brand new.
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Baking bread
My friend likes to use Dutch Oven dishes to bake bread in the oven.
He first heats the dish to no less than 220 degrees Celsius, lowers the dough into it and lets it cook covered for 40 minutes, after which he removes the lid for the last 10 minutes.
The 18cm casserole is a brilliant size if you want to make a small loaf, or the 26cm is perfect for a bumper loaf.
He noted that Aldi’s dish was just as good as other leading brands, and the bread was very tasty too!
Winner, winner, roast dinner
Finally it was time for pot roast: slow-cooked beef that’s started on the stovetop before being transferred to the oven for a long cook.
The 26cm cast iron skillet was the perfect size for this and was in the oven for six hours.
Cleaning up took a little more effort, but the Aldi dish did a great job.
Prices of cast iron cookware from Aldi compared
| ALDI | STAUB | LE CREUSET |
| Aldi cast iron casserole 26cm, £24.99 | Staub round cast iron frying pan of 28 cm, € 199,- | Le Creuset cast iron round casserole, 26cm, £339 |
| Savings: £174.01 (87%) | Savings: £314.01 (93%) | |
| Aldi cast iron shallow casserole 31cm, £24.99 | Staub 26cm round cast iron cocotte£339 | Le Creuset cast iron shallow casserole, 30cm, £305 |
| Savings: £314.01 (93%) | Savings: £280.01 (92%) | |
| Aldi cast iron frying pan, £12.99 | Staub 26cm cast iron frying pan with spout, £159 | Le Creuset cast iron round frying pan, £165 |
| Savings: £146.01 (92%) | Savings: £152.01 (92%) | |
| Aldi Ceramic Casserole, £9.99 | Staub rectangular cast iron baking dish 30x20cm, £139 | Le Creuset cast iron casserole, £229 |
| Savings: £129.01 (93%) | Savings: £219.01 (96%) | |
| Total: £72.96 | Total: £836 | Total: £1,038 |
Pronunciation
While I haven’t had the opportunity to try a cast iron dish from Staub yet, I have used many Le Creuset dishes over the years, and I also own several cast iron dishes from Pro Cook.
Aldi’s new range is just as good as the leading brands, but at a fraction of the price – what’s not to like?
Yes, you won’t get the range of colors you might at Le Creuset, but let’s face it, many of the iconic brand’s shades are limited editions, and who can really afford to spend a big amount of money by purchasing every item at once? ?
Aldi’s range is also much smaller at just eight items – I’m not sure every household needs a crepe pan or small frying pan – so the essential eight will do just fine.
With a three-year warranty on all items in the range, even though Aldi tableware only lasts three years, for less than €25 each, they are ideal.
They would also make wonderful Christmas presents – the only problem is that you have to try to get them first…
*Several items from the Cast Iron Cookware range have delayed delivery to stores – check the Aldi website for updates.
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