ALDI's New $16.99 Kitchen Tool Is So Good I’m Using It on Repeat During the Holidays

ALDI is selling a Le Creuset copycat at a fraction of the cost. It has the same easy-to-clean enamel surface and great heat retention, plus it’s also large enough to cook for a crowd.

Image of the Aldi sign on the front of a store — Simply Recipes / Adobe Stock

With Thanksgiving on the horizon and a trip planned to see family down South, I’ve been anticipating the holidays in a big way. Besides needing an excuse to get out of my current city for a bit, I’m mostly excited to spend time with family laughing, cooking, and enjoying each other's company. And one of my favorite ways to bond with family during the holidays is over our collective love for food.

This year, I’ve been on the lookout for a number of cookware pieces to pick up for myself, as well as housewarming gifts for my parents' new place. If I know my mom, I know she loves a meal that comes together quickly, especially one that doesn’t create a ton of dirty dishes, so after I snagged one of ALDI’s new cast iron roasters, I knew immediately that I had found the perfect gift for mom.

Image of a green colored cast iron roaster pan from Aldi on a white background — Simply Recipes / Aldi

Why I Love ALDI’s Crofton Cast Iron Roaster

The Crofton Cast Iron Roaster is a five-quart workhorse that, up until now, I had no clue I was missing from my kitchen. ALDI prices each roaster at just $16.99 with two stylish colors to choose from: green gradient and white. I personally picked the green and instantly found myself impressed with its eye-catching glossy finish and exceptionally large design.

The icing on the cake? Compared to brands like Le Creuset, shopping at ALDI will save you upwards of $200 on a similar product. When Crofton’s product offers nearly all the same features as its higher-priced counterparts, it makes the decision a no-brainer.

The 9x13-inch roaster is capable of handling all of your biggest dishes, including oven-roasted veggies, honey-roasted chicken thighs, braised corned beef, pork tenderloin and so much more. The first meal I made was a simple medley of roasted broccoli, carrots, peppers, and onions. Right away I could tell that the roaster does a great job at retaining heat and dispersing it evenly. My veggies came out of the oven evenly cooked and cleanup was an absolute breeze thanks to its enamel-coated surface.

One thing I’m excited to use this piece for is my grandma's famous broccoli and cheese casserole. This behemoth of a roaster will allow me to create a nice big batch that will have no problem feeding a large table of empty stomachs. And like my mom, I value a limited number of dirty dishes, so something like roasted chicken and veggies is ideal when you’ve got a cast iron baking dish such as this one.

Those who follow suit and pick one up for themselves can also take advantage of a convenient 2-year warranty to combine with the long-lasting porcelain enamel design. Keep in mind that it is only oven-safe up to 482°F, though that is plenty of heat for the majority of recipes. Take my advice and gift one to yourself or a loved one this season and benefit instantly from the fruits of your labor.