A Definitive Ranking of the 11 Best Le Creuset Colors, According to Food & Wine Editors

Whether you’re an amateur home cook or a restaurant pro, it’s hard to deny the beauty of Le Creuset’s cookware. Families pass single pieces down through generations, while passionate collectors hoard dozens or even hundreds. Le Creuset’s allure goes beyond the excellence and high quality of its Dutch ovens, cast iron skillets, and pasta bowls — its pieces are also visually stunning. 

In honor of Le Creuset’s 100th birthday, I asked my fellow Food & Wine writers and editors, a group intimately familiar with the brand’s offerings, to share their favorite Le Creuset colors. Read on for our definitive power ranking. 

1. Cerise

Cerise inspired the most love from our team. “Why do they even make any other colors?” asked Senior Update Writer Jason Horn. It’s a good question — there is arguably no Le Creuset color more iconic than cerise, a deep red that simply calls out for delicious food. Executive Features Editor Kat Kinsman said she and her husband received cerise cast iron cookware and tableware for their wedding and use the lidded cocottes as salt dishes on their table. “I also use the cerise salt crock every single day and a little cerise stoneware apple for bacon grease.” Testing Editor Jennifer Zyman added that her entire Le Creuset collection is red.  

2. Flame

Flame came in at a very close second. “I love the classic flame,” said Karen Shimizu, executive editor, with others chiming in to agree. My favorite Le Creuset pieces I own are the flame espresso mugs, while Kinsman enjoys the color for cookware, tea gear, and tableware. Flame was also Update Writer Nick DeSimone’s favorite for years, until it was dethroned by olive.

3. Agave

“I know it’s not an original color, but I’ll be forever in love with the agave collection,” said Editorial Director Megan Passaro. “It’s the first time Le Creuset used two color families for one hue.” Indeed, agave is a stunning intersection of green and blue, with designers applying layers of each color to create a dazzling blend. 

4. Nuit

Nuit (“night” in French) captures the splendor of twilight. “I absolutely love nuit, which is a beautiful blend of black and blue, like the night sky it’s named after,” said Director Katie Macdonald. “It reminds me of the groundbreaking agave collection, but in a hue that’s more my taste. It feels incredibly rich and dramatic, but not so much that it’d overwhelm your kitchen aesthetic.” This is the culinary equivalent of hanging a Van Gogh print on your wall.

5. Oyster

I love the oyster color. I have the kitchen utensil crock in this color, and seeing it on my counter brings me great pleasure every day. The oyster hue feels coastal and complex, capturing the vibe of great seafood restaurants. 

6. Sea Salt

There’s something deeply alluring about Le Creuset’s sea salt color. It’s calming, which can be a fun contrast to a flavorful dish or rich coffee. “I am a sucker for sea salt, which feels like a millennial muted-pastel version of caribbean,” said Passaro. “They knew what they were doing with that one.”

7. Caribbean 

This color captures the look and feel of a beach day without a cloud in the sky. Kinsman loves the stoneware cookware and tableware in this hue.

8. Thyme

Thyme is festive, and this collection could fit in with nearly any type of cuisine. “Green seems to go with everything else in my kitchen, and it hides most of the stains on the outside, since the braiser and Dutch oven are my absolute workhorses,” said Senior Editor Breana Killeen. 

9. Persimmon

Since persimmon is only available on pumpkin-shaped dishes, it’s known to sell out every autumn. If you love the deep, spiced orange color we typically associate with Halloween (or just “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown”), these pieces are a must-have. “The first time I saw the persimmon color of the pumpkin Dutch oven in person, I audibly gasped because it was so bright and had such a smooth, shadowy gradient,” said Update Writer Dillon Evans.

10. Olive

You may have to love olives to embrace this hue — and there are many of us who do. “That shade is my favorite color, and my jaw was on the floor the first time I saw the olive enameled stockpot,” said DeSimone. “I bought a set of baking dishes in this color for my best friend and got them hooked, too.”

11. Shallot

The shallot hue is an attractive pastel purple. “I’m a big fan of neutrals, so I like that the pale purple fits in nicely with my decor, unlike some of the bolder Le Creuset colors,” said Senior Editor Phoebe Sklansky.