# Le Creuset Owners - you don't really put them in the dishwasher, do you?



## YinYang

So I splurged and bought a few cast iron / enamel pots and pans.







:
Yay, I'll never have to pan shop again!

I was surprised to see the care manual saying that these could go in the dishwasher and that while the enamel might dull, performance wouldn't be impacted.

Right now, as they cost me an arm and a leg, I'm treating them very gingerly and washing/drying by hand.

Just curious if people really do put them in the dishwasher.... ??? Do you???

I'm loving them but hoping I can get over it and start treating them like the hardy things I know they are.


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## lifeguard

The enamelled ones - yes, sometimes, but as it takes up so much room in the dishwasher it often gets handwashed.


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## ChristyMarie

Yes for the enamelled ones. When they get really yucky some barkeepers friend and a dobie pad work wonders!


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## thriftyqueen

I never put my enamel cookware or my stainless steel in the dishwasher. I just prefer to hand wash them. It is a pain, but I would rather keep them nice.


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## jrpbrown1

Quote:


Originally Posted by *thriftyqueen* 
I never put my enamel cookware or my stainless steel in the dishwasher. I just prefer to hand wash them. It is a pain, but I would rather keep them nice.

Same here.


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## BetsyS

Mine never go in the dishwasher, either. None of my pots and pans do.


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## homefrontgirl

I don't put mine in the dishwasher, but it's mostly because they take up too much room.


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## Helen_A

Noooooooooo

Leaflets on mine (bought in France about, um, 15 years ago though) say not to put in the dishwasher at all..... Whether enamelled or not, I wouldn't personally put cast iron in the D/W anyway.


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## miss_sonja

Oh yeah! That's one of many reasons I lvoe my Le Creuset. It goes on the top rack just fine and cleans up nicely. No problems at all with the finish.


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## Tangled Hill

Sometimes I hand wash, and sometimes I put them in the dishwasher. Hubby works for Le Creuset (that's the only way we were able to afford them), and he'll often stick them in the dishwasher, too.


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## lucyem

Some of my Le Creuset is over 10 years old and I see no effects from the dishwasher.


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## apple_juice

With how much it costs I would never want to chance it. I would worry about scouring or pitting.


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## laura-belle

It would never have occurred to me to put my Le Creuset stuff in the dishwasher. It probably won't hurt it in the short term, but in the long term essentially doubling the number of heat up/cool down cycles on the stuff will probably shorten the lifespan.


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## Sailor

I have two of them - both enameled. I put both in the dishwasher with no ill effects.

I have cast iron pans, and would NEVER put those in the dishwasher.

But, the Le Creuset, enameled ones .... eh, I don't bother being overly careful with those. I figure the enamel is there for a reason. My dishwasher hasn't ever ruined them.


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## Oonah

I never thought NOT to put them in the dishwasher actually.


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## ledzepplon

For sure I put them in the dishwasher. It's enameled cast iron--what could possibly be damaging about the dishwasher?







Mine are fine after 6+ years of doing so.

FWIW I don't put the big dutch ovens in because they take up a lot of space, but my smaller saucepans go in all the time--I don't notice any difference in the wear.


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## Eben'sMama

I've had mine for 10+ years and put them in from time to time. No problems whatsoever. We usually handwash them, but there are those nights when we're beat and there happens to be room in the dishwasher, so in they go.


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## vm9799

nope, i hand wash them.

actually i hand wash everything because i don't *have* a dishwasher! lol!


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## layne

I have had mine for years and do put it in the dishwasher. I would not put unenamelled iron in there but that's the great thing about enamel - it protects the iron. I wash and dry by hand too, but like to have it rinsed hotter than I can do by hand so I use the machine pretty regulary and it has never hurt the finish at all. I do the same with stainless and if it is good quality stainless steel, it should not hurt the finish.


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## Amys1st

you asked:

*Le Creuset Owners - you don't really put them in the dishwasher, do you?*

NO


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## Amys1st

Quote:


Originally Posted by *vm9799* 
nope, i hand wash them.

actually i hand wash everything because i don't *have* a dishwasher! lol!









LOL too, because I didnt have a DW for the first 10 plus years of our marriage. Now, two years later I still only use the DW for plates, glasses, tupperware tops, and utensils. I hand wash each and every pot. I have All clad pots and pans. My 4 pieces of LeCreuset have never been in the DW and they are all over 10 years old. We bought our largest piece a dutchoven like piece in Paris the last time we were there. Back when the Euro was a bit weaker than now! FWIW, we love love love our LC stuff.


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## milosmomma

I've never put mine in the DW (it actually never occurred to me). Although, I feel like the things I use my Le Creuset for are messy and cooked on and the dishwasher would never get them completely clean anyway.


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## tbone

Nope, I always hand wash them. I didn't even know they could go in the dishwasher. I'd be too afraid of ruining them.


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## The Hidden Life

Sure I do. No problems with the enamel. I've had them for eight years or so.


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## Jane

You bet! It all goes in, baby.


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## Ironica

Yep, we put our giant 8-quart french oven in the dishwasher. Even though it takes up half the rack. (I'm not in charge of doing dishes... I'd probably do it by hand just because of the space issue.)


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## BetsyS

This is eye opening! I had no idea that you could put _any_ pots and pans in the dishwasher!! My mom always handwashed all the pots and pans, so I always have to. I'll have to rethink.


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## freestylemama

I don't but I might try it now.


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## fruitfulmomma

I don't know the brand of my pans, but I put stainless steel and enameled cast iron in the dish washer and have for several years. The only problem is when stuff is stuck on it tends not to get washed well and for that reason dh prefers that we hand wash them.


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## Jane

I've found that if I buy the fancier soap, ie cascade complete, not regular, it all comes clean. I splurged on a new dishwasher that has room for all my plates on the top rack, so the bottom rack is exclusively for my pots and pans. It's awesome!


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## Eben'sMama

Quote:


Originally Posted by *BetsyS* 
This is eye opening! I had no idea that you could put _any_ pots and pans in the dishwasher!! My mom always handwashed all the pots and pans, so I always have to. I'll have to rethink.









Most newer dishwasher actually have a "pots and pans" cycle, so there you go...


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## LisainCalifornia

I do all the time and have never had a problem. I love it, because it really cleans them perfectly and also sterilizes them. I am in to really clean cooking pans and utensils.

If you can boil water in them and cook on them on my big gas industrial range with the heavy duty flames, then a dishwasher is not going to hurt them.


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## MCsMom

yep, the smaller ones all the time, the bigger ones not so much just because of the space issues mentioned.


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## HeatherB

We have one big dutch oven (really, DH is the chef around here, and it's his!), and my DH is VERY protective of all of his pots and pans. The only things that go in the dishwasher are the oldest pots and pans that he really doesn't like.







His All-Clad, Le Creuset (enameled), good knives, etc., are all hand-wash only.

So, I'm with the, "it never occurred to me you could!" camp. DH will be shocked.


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## cloudswinger

Quote:


Originally Posted by *LisainCalifornia* 
I do all the time and have never had a problem. I love it, because it really cleans them perfectly and also sterilizes them. I am in to really clean cooking pans and utensils.

If you can boil water in them and cook on them on my big gas industrial range with the heavy duty flames, then a dishwasher is not going to hurt them.

Does your dishwasher wash with boiling water? If not, it's not sterilizing anything. But don't worry, the heat from your range will sterilize the pots.


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