Are you sure you're not confusing the matte black with the satin black? Does your saucepan have the stainless knob on top? As I understand it the matte black is a rougher finish that can be seasoned. The same finish as on the woks and skillets. It does season nicely and becomes smoother, shiny and almost nonstick. The newer satin black has a black interior that is smoother, and just a little more matte than the sand shiny enamel interiors. It's not supposed to be rough at all.

well i was looking at the knob and its black and it sounds like metal rather then plastic, the top has 3 rings and a steam hole, the handle is black and has a chrome ring for hanging the pan, the pan is a litte flared on the sides, with a lip on both sides and the lip is rolled, and has a half moon helper handle and it says Le creuset. On the outside bottom its a smooth enamel, the inside of the top says france, and 2 1/2 us followed by some mark. there is also a 20, on the website is says black satin finish and supposed to be the same inside, the inside botton is not smooth like my LC 7.25 qt dutch oven, that enamel is real smooth. according to my research, the Satin black is not supposed to be real smooth, its more like my Bodum wok that has the enamel and that is not real smooth either. also the frypans and the grill pans have this enamel, and their not smooth either. I saw the 2 3/4 soup pot with the same finish and color, Satin black.

Your saucepan is the older color called Matte Black, and not the new Satin Black that replaced it. The SB color ONLY has the shiny silver knobs. The inside is rougher on the MB, which is why they came out with the SB which is more like their sand enamel but with a slightly less shiny black interior. Your saucepan will develop a seasoned patina like real cast iron. It will not come totally clean like their regular shiny sand enamel interior surfaces.

blondelle, thanks, well i am not sure if thats good nrws, a sauce pan usally cooks at lower temps then a grill ar fry pan, sounds like this pan would be better off used only for deep frying or just taken back to get another type pan, with the steam hole in the lid, it wont even be a good stove top soup pot, for making the small slow cooked soups, whats your opinion of this? thanks JerryMB

If you want a small soup pot I would get the rounded bottom 2 5/8 qt one. It's a much more versatile pot. It has two loop handles. If you want the black then get the Satin Black one. $69 at Amazon with free shipping. Great also for small stews, sauces (shaped like a saucier) curries and braising. It can also hold a small chicken for roasting.

blondelle, I have seen that matte black finish on that soup pot, I was planning on getting the newer satin finish soup pot. but what about this sauce pan, would you just use it for deep frying or what?

I really don't think you need both pieces as they are the same size. You can deep fry in the soup pot too. The saucepan would be much easier to pour from though. If you can swing both go for it, but I would rather have the soup pot if I had to choose just one.

Hi blondelle, well i could take back the sauce pan and order the soup pot, I got the the sauce pan for $50. and i can get the matching matte black soup pot for another $50
It dosnt sound like either of these pieces are worth the $50 with $69 getting the new one

Just curious! Where are you finding these pieces for only $50?

what state you live in lol, "TJMax" , do you think i should hold onto this Matte black sauce pan? is there any enamel on the interior or is it a pre oiled pan and thats why it matches the exterior, i could use it just as a deep fryer, any other ideas? thanks JerryMB

That's a great price for the saucepan. Amazon has it for $130 I think. The interior of the matte black is fully enameled, just that high temp surface. It's fine for anything you would use their regular saucepan for. Whether you keep it depends on the type of cooking you do. You can always ebay it ;-). The 1 1/4 qt. ones in matte black went for about $62, and your's is a larger, more useful size!

blondelle, "just that high temp surface" are you saying that only the interior surface is enameled, and that its good for high temp. I would think that the soup pot would be a different story in that the newer version is only twenty dollars more the the matte black soup pot, seems smarter to go that way, dont you think?

All sufaces of the Matte Black are enameled. Yes, the inside is the same surface as the wok, and skillet which can take a higher temperature. The Satin Black soup pot though isn't $69.99 any more at Amazon. They just raised it to $119.99, although it can come down again. Keep watching it if you want it. The soup pot is a more versatile pan. Depends on your cooking needs though.

blondelle, guess what? i got the soup pot for $36, i was going to pay $50 but they lowered the price, what a break, i will hold onto both now, JerryMB

Jerry, that's a great deal! I just saw the Satin Black in Bloomies, and it's just as rough as the Matte Black inside. Le Creuset told me otherwise. Thought they knew their own products, but I guess not...lol!

Hi Blondelle, well I took back the Sauce pan, I just couldnt find that good enough of a reason to keep it, It has a hole in the lid, this is not good for most of the things that you would use it for so i traded it for a Calphalon one grill pan, ( not the non stick), we will see how that works out. I figure i would stick with the soup pot and get the newer model down the road,that should be a good combination