I'm swapping out my cast iron for this lighter alternative - and it's just as good as Le Creuset

I have been a long-standing advocate for cast iron pans, but there comes a time when the weight of your full pot is just too much to carry. If you've got strained wrists or joint issues that puts cast iron firmly off-limits, I have just discovered the solution for you.

The Tefal Air Cast Aluminium Stewpot looks like a classic cast iron casserole dish. However, as you'll have seen in the name, it uses aluminium instead of iron, which is three times lighter, quicker to heat up, and lower maintenance than all of the best cast iron skillets, pots, and pans.

When I first saw these credentials, I was sold. If you've ever wondered whether Le Creuset is worth the money and whether you need cast iron pans, the Tefal Air could be a good compromise. Here's everything you need to know about what it could bring to your kitchen.

Specifications

Tefal Air Cast Aluminium Stewpot

£69 at Amazon

The Air is available at a range of reliable retailers. My go-tos would be Tefal themselves, Amazon, and Robert Dyas.

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Who would it suit?

As you might have guessed, the lightweight properties of the Tefal Air are it's main USP. If you want cast-iron style cooking without the same struggle and strain being put on your wrists, this is the place to look. Even when I filled this with water and potatoes, it was still easy to hold.

For those who are health conscious and a little concerned about non-sticks, the Tefal Air offers the best of both worlds. They use a ceramic coating that's durable and easy to clean, but it doesn't come with all the chemicals of other non-sticks. Another reason it's a keen competitor for cast iron pots.

There are lots of other special features, including the condensation lock lid (stopping juices from escaping) and the handle, which you can stand the lid upside down on, if you don't want to put your lid flat on a surface, which you shouldn't be doing anyway.

Tefal has a range of chic, classic designs at affordable price points, so anyone from a kitchen newbie to a cultivated chef will enjoy cooking with this, especially because it can go on any hob and in the oven (up to 250°C) too.

Unboxing

I don't often take pictures part of the way through unboxing a product, but I felt that the Tefal Air really deserved it. The box was bright, colourful and friednly. It comes with a QR code that'll give you access to ten free recipes (if you need some inspiration) and gives some clear instructions on the casserole dish that you've bought and what you need to do to use it.

As if that wasn't enough, this also comes with cardboard packaging, so everything is recyclable. It's got a big tick from both a space and environmental perspective.

I tested the Tefal Air in red, so as soon as it was out of the box, I was admiring the colour. The contrast of the cream enamel inside and bright red outside made me feel like a better cook. It's so French and classy. That's without mentioning the weight of it. I lifted this as if it was going to be a cast iron pot and it flew up off the surface. This is like a dream come true.

What is it like to use?

I've already given you some spoilers on what this is like to use, when I mentioned the condensation lock head, super lightweight body, and the lid that can stand independently. Beyond that, you'll see that my tests were targeted at checking that the thick, aluminium base really could deliver on its promise to quickly and evenly transfer heat. Let's get into the details.

Test 1: making soup

A classic test for any pan like this is making soup. I do everything from scratch, so I filled the Tefal Air with three litres of water, stuck the lid on, cranked up the heat to full, and waited for the water to boil. I'd expect this to take about 5-8 minutes on an induction hob and, with the lid on, this was almost spot on the five minute mark for when the water was really boiling and ready to go.

I added in some frozen peas, cooked those in five more minutes, and then left them to drain. Whilst that was happening (and the pan was still hot), I sauteed some chopped garlic and onion, then added my peas back with some vegetable stock and mint leaves (can you get what flavour soup I'm making). These all mixed together nicely, ready for me to use a stick blender to get a nice, smooth soup. At every stage, the Tefal Air delivered. The non-stick was great for my garlic and onions, the aluminium was quick to heat up, and it was robust enough for me to use my stick blender (although I steered clear of the base and edges, just in case).

The next day, I heated up the soup in the Tefal Air again and it was a very tidy, smooth, and speedy experience. I have no issues here.

Test 2: stewing

Given that 'stew' is actually in the full name of the Tefal Air, I wanted to give stewing some vegetables a go. As with my soup, I chopped and sauteed the onions and garlic together with some oil. Once these were soft, I added some spices and toasted them with the onion and garlic for one minute. At this point, nothing had stuck or stained the Tefal Air, which is a result.

After that, I added chopped vegetables, a little stock, some wine, tomato paste and set the heat to a low simmer. With the lid on and a timer running, I let the Tefal Air slow cook and soften all these vegetables. After 45 minutes, everything was beautifully soft. The lid had kept all the moisture in the stew, letting all the richness develop.

I've had nightmares with burning food to the base of my cast iron pots, but the ceramic did its job as an effective non-stick. The casserole simply slid out of the pan. That's the stuff of dreams.

Test 3: oven roasting

Given that the Tefal Air is safe to use in ovens up to 250°C, I wanted to test out two different recipes. The first is my classic: roasted gnocci with vegetables. It's a simple recipe that only requires me to chop sage, mushrooms, and butternut squash. I put all this directly into the Tefal Air with the gnocci, some olive oil, and salt and pepper. Then, I gave everything a good mix and popped the stewpot in the oven for thirty minutes at 190°C. The gnocci came out wonderfully crispy and all my vegetables had a nice golden hue.

Sometimes, they can stick and burn to the base of pans and dishes, but the non-stick worked wonders again, meaning that I could enjoy every last crispy gnocci pillow.

Test 4: baking bread

My second oven test is baking bread. I put the oven up to 230°C and sat the stewpot (without the lid) in the oven for five minutes. Then, I put my bread dough (in true, 'here's one I made earlier' style) into the stewpot. Of course, I pre-shaped it to be a lovely, round loaf, because the stewpot can only keep the bread hot.

After 25 minutes, my loaf had risen into the perfect dome. I popped the lid on and gave it another ten minutes before brining the stewpot out. I let it sit and cool down for an hour before I took the bread out, because the stewpot is quite deep, making it tricky to lift the bread out if you don't have one of those nifty mesh bread papers.

Once that time was over, I tipped the bread out. It fell out evenly, revealing a - get ready for some modesty - perfect load of bread. You can see that it has a nice crust, great rise, and the taste was as good as it looks. This really is a versatile stewpot.

Cleaning

Tefal says that this is technically dishwasher safe. If that's your preferred method of cleaning, they recommend opting for a natural or gentle dishwasher tablet or liquid, so that your pan remains in good condition for as long as possible (it comes with a 2-year guarantee).

Given that Tefal seems reluctant about dishwashing, I'd recommend washing this by hand. The non-stick makes this a very easy job. It'll just need some warm water and a gentle washing-up liquid, such as one from Ecover or Method, and you'll have yours sparkling in no time.

If you need some advice, you can follow our guide for cleaning a cast iron skillet. All the same rules apply with the Tefal Air.

How does it compare?

There are some other, cheaper cast aluminium stewpots on the market. Lakeland's Cast Aluminium Casserole and Dunelm's Cast Aluminium Casserole are probably the only two worth looking at.

Of the three, the Tefal Air is the most expensive. It's best suited for cooks who need versatility and capacity with minimal maintenance. It wins in terms of the heat that it can withstand in an oven and the condensation lid is a really special feature that neither of the other two offers.

The Lakeland Cast Aluminium is hald the price and almost half the size, so it's better suited for smaller homes who are looking for a good price point. This can still withstand high temperatures in the oven (180°C, which is only 70°C less than the Tefal) and the non-stick will come in handy, especially since it's a double layer. The only downside of this is that the non-stick isn't quite the healthy ceramic offered by Tefal. Whilst it's BPA and PFOA-free, it's still chemical based, which isn't ideal.

And finally, if you're on a budget and you need a choice for your daily dishes, the Dunelm Cast Aluminium is a great choice. It's also lightweight and can withstand heat as high as 200°C, which is 50°C less than Tefal. Both the Lakeland and Dunelm, would have been fine with all my recipes in the oven except for the bread, which would need a little more heat.

It's compatible with all hobs and comes with an extra 3-years of guarantee compared to the Tefal. Given that it's a third of the price too, that's pretty good.

I love the sleek exterior of the Dunelm as much as I loved the French Tefal Air's style, but my main concerns are that you lose 10cm of diameter, which means that it's better for simple dishes and smaller homes. You'll also be working with a non-stick coating that it's explained in detail. It's difficult to know whether this is free from some of the chemicals that I would generally recommend steering clear from.

Should you buy it?

If you're after a stewpot that's lighter than cast iron, but with the same impressive performance, look no further than the Tefal. Even though it's slightly more expensive than other models on the market, it's bigger, can withstand higher temperatures, and you're investing in a ceramic non-stick, which is better for your health.