Emile Henry Cookware Users - I Need Advice, Please

[wintersummer]

I own about 4 pieces of Emile Henry baking ware. Last year, my 8 X 8 dish developed little "cracks" all over the bottom. The company took it back and sent me a new one, but very reluctantly.

I just pulled my larger roasting type dish out of the oven. As I was removing from oven, I heard a large "crack" noise. I set it on counter (not directly, but on hot pan holders) and a series of "cracks" followed. Food (roasting pototoes, chicken sausages, brussel sprouts) was in the dish. There are 2 very obvious cracks on the opposite sides of the bakeware, appearing like they go through the entire side (in other words, from the exterior of the dish to the interior). No cracks are obvious in the bottom. Cracks are about 2 inches long, from top edge down toward bottom of dish.

Have any of you had comparable issues with this cookware? I thought I liked it, but after having two pieces fail, I wondering what's happening. Any thoughts/help would be appreciated.

[gardenmom]

I have had a 13" x 9" crack after 2-3 yrs, called the company, and I got nowhere. You had a great success with getting one replaced! They are slippery and seemingly unconcerned with these failures (I made it about a 2 month project to try and get mine replace, absolute futility.)

I still love their dishes. I just bought more with the realization that I would be repurchasing at some point again. (GRrrrrr.....I think this proves my neurosis).

I think there must be failures on some pieces with imperfections (holes within the body of the clay, improperly formed, maybe with microbubbles, from my novice pottery making days) . I used mine at the higher end of the heat range for roasted root veggies, and feel that is what made mine fail. I don't use emile henry stuff higher than 400 degrees now, and I won't freeze them, no way.

Who knows. How can I love such a flawed product?, it's crazy, but I do. (They sure clean up like a dream, and they are very pretty. :(

[wintersummer]

Gardenmom - Thanks for your opinion. The company was not extremely helpful with the first dish that developed cracks. They expressed some interest in the problem and asked me to send it back to see if their "scientists" could determine what caused the problem. I had the name of a number of people at the company and must have called about 20 times to see what they found out. I was very, very interested in knowing what they found. If I was doing something wrong, I wanted to know. I wrote one followup letter and never heard back. But, one day, the new dish just showed up, probably just to get rid of me.

Like you, I really like this cookware. I was willing to take one piece breaking, but now with this second (and much more expensive) piece broken, I'll most likely start looking at different brands.

[matt]

They have some very nice bake ware. Especially if you go to Marshalls or TJ maxx. The prices are not that bad. I know it is not cermanic, however, personally I love my baking pieces. Something to think about.
Matt

[santacruzin]

I have had two Emile Henry pans crack. As much as I love how evenly they cook, and how easy they are to clean up, I am not buying another one!