The homogeneity of 1500 mm diam ESR steel ingots and the influence of remelting rate were investigated on longitudinal cross sections. Freckles and equiaxed crystals were observed in the top portion of an ingot melted at a rate of 2000 kg/hr. The defects were reduced by decreasing the melting rate. It is suggested that the formation of freckles may be related to distance between solidus and liquidus lines. The high quality of ESR steels was confirmed on turbine blade parts of ESR vs vacuum remelted Cr-Mo-V and Cr-Ni-Mo-V-N steels.