Ultimately, I paid the price of the pot ($120) +$41. I’ve purchased many le creuset items for the peace of mind of a warranty, but if the warranty replacement process is going to cost money out of pocket then investing in the stockpots are waste of money. I’ll sell my replacement, and buy cheaper pots and replace those more often. I’d love a better option, I saw some mention going with all-clad as a better BIFL option.

I am not including other le creuset items in this logic, I’m speaking specifically to the stockpots.

That’s good to know! Maybe it is. And maybe they want to inspect this piece to see why it’s messed up and/or recycle. There seems to be a seam on the interior handle that’s coming apart and the hole is the worst part of it. The rest of the pot is perfect. I had another one of these that lasted 11 years. The handles chipped a few times before it finally chipped on the interior. I loved that pot and expected this one to hold up the same.

Mine was made in Thailand. I didn’t realize they were manufactured in so many different locations.

That’s the direction I’m headed next. Good thinking.

It’s dripping rust water everywhere.

6 months for a stock pot life is unacceptable. Yes though, BIFL shouldn’t be literal, that’s a pretty unreasonable expectation. Maybe BIFL is closer to a decade of use? What’s the consensus on that one? Two decades?

I have Dutch ovens that are 10+ years old and are chipping and not looking great around the rim. And while there is a limited 5 year warranty on products, there are no free returns. So you are on the hook for sending the item in. Shipping in a heavy pot is expensive and this transaction ultimately cost me the cost of the pot plus $41. Buyer beware of the enamel stock pots.