My husband is gifting me a good dutch oven for Christmas and I am torn between the Staubs and Le Creusets. I am looking at the traditional 6-7 qt. oven. I like to braise, so having the bigger one is nice. They're both similar in cost (Staub is a bit less), but a local store has a lovely Teal Le Creuset 7 qt. for $399 (they are typically $460).

Edit: I have a Lodge already. Have had it for years (10+). The enamel is scratched on the interior (we don't use metal utensils on it). It's my go-to for making bread and frying, but I want something nicer.

Edit 2: I think I'm going to go with a Staub!

I've had a tiny (1qt) Le Creuset Heritage oval gratin for a long time. I'd like to add a larger 2qt size. I was going to stick with Le Creuset but the red had been out of stock for some time so I was about the pull the trigger on a Staub when the LC finally came back in stock.

In the meantime as I was looking for an alternative to LC, I came across this post on Serious Eats where they claimed the LC casserole dish they tested produced the worst results in two different tests. "The Le Creuset produced the wettest, most undercooked potato gratin, as well as the most curdled and overcooked flan." Should I take this article with a grain of salt, or is there some reason to believe it produces inferior results (I can't imagine how or why).

We have neither, but I think I’ve convinced my wife to let me purchase one; likely a Dutch oven. Looking at both I prefer the feel/look of Staub and the black interior. Any advantages/disadvantages re: the white vs black interior would be appreciated! Also, general comparisons of the brands would be great. Thanks!