Le Creuset L9403-45 Stainless-Steel 2-Inch Replacement Knobgood

I bought my new Le Creuset Dutch Oven (ok, they call it a "French" oven, but whatever) a couple months ago for two reasons: I needed a Dutch oven anyway, and I knew that cast iron would be the best way to go. Plus, I was eager to try out a new simple bread recipe that everyone was talking about in the New York Times: The Bittman no-knead bread. It called for the loaf to be baked in a cast-iron Dutch oven at a very high temperature (450 degrees).

So I plunked down the $230 (a seemingly insane amount of money for a pot, but I figured I was buying quality, and that it would last a lifetime), and when it arrived I started the bread recipe.

But wait. The instruction manual -- while saying that the pot is heat-rated for temperatures in excess of 500 degrees -- stated the maximum temperature for the pot's black phenolic lid knob was only 375 degrees. (I later found out that "phenolic" is just a classy name for PLASTIC.) So -- how were all these people baking... Read more

I've been looking for a replacement knob for my Lodge 6 quart blue enamel covered dutch oven. I wanted to be able to use the pan in the oven to make the famous bread recipe, but the knob that came with my Lodge pan isn't oven safe. I was having no luck, till I accidentally came across this stainless steel Le Creuset 2 inch replacement knob. It was cheap enough, so I decided to take a chance. It FITS, and it fits PERFECTLY....right size knob, right size screw, and right size screw length. If you've been looking for a replacement knob for your Lodge cast iron enameled pot, then GO FOR IT!!! I am one very happy home cook.

Leave it to the French to have too long a screw. The screws for the original knob and the replacement stainless steel knob were identical so I had to make a trip to the hardware store. I picked up 10 shorter screws that worked perfectly. The knob is handsome and functional for the 7 1/4 Qt. Lid.

Le Creuset should hire 'Madge" for quality control as the screw included in the package was at least 1/4" too long. And no one likes floppy knobs.

3 Stars for the oversight and wasted gas. A shorter screw would have pushed it to a 5.