I chose the 6¾ qt. Oval French Oven as my first piece of LC -- that was back in 2000. It has served me well. Roasts, soups, stews, etc. all turn out just fine...

Why did I choose the oval oven as my first piece? Because if you happen to be braising a longer piece of meat (legs, shanks, etc.) it'll fit easier in the oval versus the round oven.

To date, I haven't purchased any other Le Creuset enameled cookware because I haven't felt the need -- I think I have the perfect size oven!

Another advantage to an oval oven is that a whole bird fits in it a little more snugly. For some techniques you might want to minimize wasted space.

Don't know the size of my (non-LeCreuset) oval pot, but it's just a little bigger than a 4 pound chicken. Looks to be around 4 quarts. How many are you cooking for?

I'm not the OP, but I was wondering where to start with starting a collection of LC (or similar), too. We have a large family (10), so I'm thinking I need to start with at least a 5 qt. My other question is this: Does anyone know how an oval pot would work on induction (round) burners?

I also think a 6 qu oven is "necessary"...but I love my oval baker...and I have a 2 quart covered sauce pan I can't do without...and then there's the frypan...Oh yes and the big fry pan....
Ask for a Dutch oven or an oval one...6 or 8 quarts....
And wait until your birthday!
Linda C

I'm not sure I'd know how to cook brown rice without my 1-1/4 quart LC saucepan. I can control the simmer flame perfectly by watching the amount of steam escaping through the little round hole in the lid.

We have a 5 quart oval oven too, which we use for everything from chili to chuck roasts to whole chickens.

Rhome410, oval shaped pots seem to work fine on induction.

I have a cheapo little Tayama/Homesmart induction hot plate, and my oval dutch oven heats up beautifully on it. In fact, it's so efficient on this unit that it's hard to cut it down to a simmer. Of course, that's more a criticism of the induction unit, not the pot or its shape. The unit would be better if it a larger number of power settings (it only has 5).

If I were cooking for 10 people I'd start a little larger than 5 qt. I grew up in a large family, and a 5 qt pot MIGHT be sufficient for a side dish of rice or potatoes :)

Thanks for the induction info, Arley...I meant that I shouldn't start with (or probably ever need) anything smaller than a 5 qt...We use our 4 qt SS pans a lot for side dishes. Main dishes go in the 15" saute pan or the 8 qt pot! ;-)

Kim,
My favorite and most used is the 15.5 oval, sometimes known as the Goose Pot.

I use this for soup, stew, chili and Tomato based sauces on a regular basis.

I also use it as a roaster.
A 14lb turkey fits just right, as I proved to my bride on Thanksgiving!

This size is also perfect for braising. A whole beef brisket is not a problem.

The Oval shape is very accomodating when it comes to large roasts and legs etc.

My next favorite is the 9qt round. That being said In my opinion get the largest you can afford. But be advised the larger pieces are very heavy.

It is my duty to wash anything sized over 31/2 qt!!

Cheers,
Butch

Kim, if you're going to get just one or two pieces, you want the most practical shape and size. I think joe blowe nailed it with his recommendation in the first reply here.

While it would be handy to have a huge pot for roasting a turkey or whole brisket, that pot would be too large for most everyday recipes, unless you have a a similarly sized family. :-)

I love my dutch oven. I would suggest a 6 qt as a minimum. 9 qt would be optimal for making enough soup, stew, etc. to have some left over for the freezer. My oven is round and it is one of my favorite pans to use.

Lori