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!

Ive been wanting a le creuset dutch oven forever, but was considering a staub since some of the colors as $150-$200 cheaper. Are they similar or is it worth it to get the le creuset?

I'm new here, so I apologize if this topic has been covered before. I am looking to move away from my cheap 12 piece nonstick set that was less than $100 and sort of make my own set. Some cast iron, some stainless, and some high quality nonstick. As far as cast iron goes, the lady at my local kitchen store couldn't say enough good things about Le Crusset and warned me against brands that also have enameled cast iron as they are knockoffs. However, I have seen that Staub is a really good brand as well. Does anyone have experience with either, neither, or both. Maybe they're both overpriced garbage and a nice Lodge will do just as well for 1/10 of the cost.