apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

That happened to my Le Creuset a month ago and I was/am horrified. If it's a Le Creuset, there is a lifetime warranty though.

Home Depot sells this enamel chip repair stuff in the paint department. There's a chip filler and then a "paint." I know its okay for sinks/tubs/etc. Not sure if its "cookware-approved." Might be worth checking out though.

This is the problem with "cheap" enameled cast iron -- the enamel doesn't hold up. I had been through 3 $50 Dutch ovens, each of which the enamel crazed or chipped in under 6 months and needed to be replaced. I finally broke down and bought a factory second at Le Creuset and it's going strong several years later. If I had just bought the Le Creuset to begin with, I would have saved myself $150. Also, Le Crueset comes with a 99 yr warranty so if it does crack my investment is protected.

Back to your questions... I've been told the reason not to use it once it chips or crazes is because the chemicals they use to bond the enamel to the cast iron is nasty, and you don't want that getting in your food. I don't know if it's true or not, so take it with a grain of salt.

Do **NOT** use the chip filler or paint marketed for tubs, sinks, etc. It's basically an acrylic/epoxy that is not food or heat safe.

The enamel on your Dutch oven is glass and is baked on in a very hot kiln. Any kind of "enamel" you find won't be the real deal. It will basically be a super hard epoxy or plastic. Unless it says on the package that it's food safe, I wouldn't use it. The bottom of your pan gets to 400 degrees F, much higher than most (all?) plastics can withstand. (There's a reason the space shuttle is made of ceramic and not plastic)

If it's within your budget, I would just buy a new pan - a Le Creuset if you can swing it and you'll never have to replace it again.

I have actually seen ads for places that will re-enamel cast iron cookware. (I imagine it's not that different than refinishing a cast iron tub) Look around, there may be someone local who does this.

It will make a great planter!....It is not safe to use chipped or rusted enameled cookware

If you have a Le Creuset outlet near you (there's one in every outlet mall I've ever seen) they're selling the French Blue line at 50% off and they have good deals on factory seconds.

Thanks for all the advice so far, everyone! Ilovebutter, you make a great point about just investing in the expensive pot rather than replacing the cheaper one every few years - that's kind of where my thinking has been headed.

Susrith - great suggestion on using the pot as a planter! One of my biggest gripes in this is that I can't stomach just throwing a pot away and want to figure out something else to do with it. Using it as a planter is a good idea.

I have a brand new Tefal Jamie Oliver stewpot that's got a nick in the handle. We've only had it for a couple of months and I noticed the chip in the handle the other day, but I don't know if it has always been like that or if it's new.

It was a gift so I don't have receipts - can you still get a warranty if it was a gift?

@ ilovebutter, this is not just a problem with "cheap" enameled cast iron. I've chipped Le Cruset pieces.

on a similar topic, I wonder if anyone knows how to remove scale from enamel? I have a le creuset enamel-on-steel stockpot; probably because stuff was left standing in it (contrary to use instructions) it now looks and feels as though a layer of enamel is being eaten away from the bottom. the le creuset website suggests that it's buildup of scale rather than erosion of surface, but doesn't give any hints on how to remove it -- assuming removal is even possible ... scrubbing it does no good and I've tried the standard vinegar, lemon juice, etc.

Le Creuset has a life-time guarantee. You can get a replacement.

For scale, use citric acid, ie Tang.

Bring it to a La Creuset store or send it to the company. They will replace it.

Use it as a really classy bread box, or cookie jar.

Store your onions & garlic in it... sorry, it's just a bad idea to keep using that w/a chip on the food surface.