- The Le Creuset X Pokémon crossover launched earlier this month.
- South Africans have spotted the products locally and they can be bought online.
- Prices range from R1 299 to R7 499.
In the beginning of July it was revealed that the latest branded Le Creuset cookware was to feature Pokémon as the pair of companies rolled out a new line of expensive crossover items. South Africa doesn’t always get these crossover products, especially such expensive ones, so imagine our surprise when reports came in of local customers spotting the branded items in stores.
While you can visit Le Creuset physical stores around the country to view these items in person, the online store for the company has been updated with these new items.
As expected with Le Creuset the prices are very high with even the cheapest option breaking the R1 000 barrier. The online store has free delivery on any order over R350, which is an easy bar to clear for this brand.
As such find below the list of Le Creuset Pokémon products available on the South African online store, ordered from cheapest to most expensive. Tap on the name of the item to be taken to the store page.
- Pokémon Tableware Set Poké Ball | R1 299
- Pokémon Tableware Set Master Ball | R1 299
- Pokémon Set of 5 11cm Sphere Rice Bowls | R1 899
- Pokémon Whistling Teakettle | R2 399
- Pokémon Set of 5 17cm Sphere Plates | R2 499
- Pokémon Set of 5 Stacking Mugs | R2 499
- Pokémon 18cm Cocotte | R5 799
- Pokémon Classic Soup Pot | R7 499
Looking more closely at these offerings and the prices become even more hard to swallow. The cheapest Tableware Sets, for example, contain only three items: a 25 centimetre plate, a small circular dish and a tiny sauce / garnish bowl. Despite being a “set”, that’s only enough for a single person. Anyone hoping for an entire table to be Pokémon themed will need to shell out thousands upon thousands of Rands.
Going to the other end of the scale is the R7 499 Classic Soup Pot. From a distance it’s just another black piece of cookware, but look a bit closer and it has more going on.
“The Shiny Black pot is a solid colour with no gradient. The lid is decorated with line art of 23 Pokémon and 4 different balls, and the knobs are iridescent knobs in rainbow colours. The rounded shape makes it easy to mix ingredients, making this pot ideal for stews, risottos, and other dishes. The inside has a ‘black matte enamel’ finish that prevents food from burning, and is also useful for roast dishes made by browning meat and vegetables thoroughly. Taking advantage of its earthenware-like form, it is also recommended for dishes such as takikomi-gohan, stews, and pot-au-feu, which you want to share at the table while still hot,” reads the item description.
We know for sure that there are many Le Creuset fans who stand by these products and their high prices, but we’re not sure how big the overlap is with Pokémon fans.
We also can’t help but think back to Japan where Pokémon-branded cookware, plates and other food items are relatively common and, most importantly, affordable. While more difficult to get outside of Japan we’re willing to bet that privately importing items would still be cheaper than buying from Le Creuset directly in South Africa.
For other countries with physical and online Pokémon Center stores, similar items can also be found for less. The American Pokémon Center online store, for example, has a fun collection of four 10 inch (25.4 centimetre) plates for only $22.99. At the time of writing that’s around R423 for four plates which is still a lot of money, but nowhere near the R1 299 that Le Creuset is asking for in exchange for a single plate and some smaller accessories.
But we will end this article with some product shots of the Le Creuset X Pokémon offering so you can see more of what it has in stock:
