What is the best size Le Creuset dutch oven to get, provided I can only buy one?

I have a family of three and I use the next to biggest size oval Le Creuset the most. I think its around 7+ quart size. I have other smaller Le Creusets but they don't get as much use. We like leftovers in our family. What you can do is make a list of the recipes you cook the most, and see which size accommodates your favorite dishes. Whatever size you get, you will love it more than you can imagine.

Yes to the 6-quart oval.

Yes to all the 6-qt recommendations....One night dinner and more for another meal. If you like the looks, go for the oval, which accommodates poulty, roasts with long bones, even beautiful long vegetables.

I was gifted my 3.5 at by my mom when I moved away to college. If I were starting out as a couple, I probably would choose the 6 qt, but really, it also depends what you most often cook. 3.5 qts of many things would be more than enough for two people with lots of leftovers, but if you are more inclined to cook large roasts, 6 qt would probably serve you better. I love having both. I think I only paid around 40 for my large one from Costco and it really does perform as well as my LC.

I would get the 6 qt. oval because fits a bird and pot roast perfectly.

You're welcome! Susan W raves about her 3.5 quart pot, but that seems small to me. I use my 6-quart much more frequently. We are also just two people, but we like leftovers, plus it saves having to cook on another night.

Thanks! There are only 2 of us, but we like cooking for others (or for leftovers). I'll check out the conundrums post now!

See the Hotline questions couple of questions below yours called "cast iron conundrum" for thoughts from some other cooks.

What size is your household? Without knowing how many people you are feeding, I'd say a 6-quart is a good size.