if i could afford Le Creuset, believe me, I would. Unfortunately, I dont have that much money and Lodge usually costs about 1/8th what the equivalent Le Creuset piece would cost here. But the Lodge is no compromise by any means. Lodge cast iron skillets are ugly and cook so very well. I would be lost without mine. I use it to fry, to bake, and even roast in the oven. The Cast Iron provides very constant heating. I even use it to bring the oven up to heat quickly. I toss the lodge over the gas burner and then put the hot skillet in my oven to help it heat up faster. hahahah