Can M&S’s £42 cast iron casserole dish rival Le Creuset’s £355 pot? I found out

A brightly coloured, enamelled cast-iron Le Creuset casserole pot is perhaps one of the more unexpected items to wield status power in recent decades. Who would’ve thought a humble cooking dish would become an aspirational item that owners proudly display on top of their cookers, instead of hiding away in overflowing kitchen cupboards?

This year, Le Creuset celebrated its centenary. No small feat for any company, especially one that still uses the same original forgery in Fresnoy-le-Grand, France, which has obviously grown exponentially. Though these dishes come with a lifetime guarantee, which imitations can't offer, Le Creuset pots do come with a hefty price tag, starting at more than £200 for the smallest size at 18cm diameter.