Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet with Hot Handle Holder (30 cm, Black Silicone) - 12 Inch Cast Iron Frying Pan with Silicone Hot Handle Holder (Black)

We had been using a $10 aluminum Walmart frying pan for YEARS for reasons that totally elude me. It didn't actually do a terrible job, but we decided it was finally time for an upgrade. I had long thought that you could only get the benefits of cast iron with an enameled Le Creuset or something, but when I did my research and found that these cheap Lodge pans are almost as good for a small fraction of the price, I jumped at the chance. These pans are great! There's definitely a bit of a learning curve with them because they do cook differently than a more expensive pan. For searing a steak, for example, you'll get the best results by preheating the pan in the oven at a high temperature before hitting the stove on medium-high. You just do not get the caramelization like that in an aluminum pan. The other thing you have to learn is maintaining the seasoning. No soap, no dishwashers, no soaking this pan. Scrape the food off, rinse, wipe down with a paper towel. If something is stuck on there stubbornly (it won't be), run a little water in there when it's still warm, throw it back on the stove, and everything should come off. Store dry. One last note: I ordered this version of the pan that was supposed to come with a silicon handle. I wound up getting a version with a glass lid instead. Worked out well for me!

If you're looking for a great cast iron skillet, you can not go wrong with this one...we love ours!

"HEAVY DUTY" - literally heavy (3kgs) - looks great, looking forward to years of using it. => Bare metal? is it normal? looks like a manufacturing defect???

This skillet is exactly what I was looking for. It's identical to the one my mom used for decades only larger, AND it has two additional features: a glass lid and a silicone handle grip. It's a bit heavy for my weak wrist, but the extra small handle provides the assist I need.

I use cast iron cookware in my pellet grill to handle serious frying for chicken, etc. This works great. Easy to handle, large enough for a full chicken, and does a fantastic job. For pellet grill owners that want great sirloin burgers and fried chicken the way mom used to make it on Sunday, this is the way. Pellet grills keep the pan uniformly heated, and still enough smoke flavor with the pan to make a fantastic cooking experience. An electric range fluctuates the burner temperature too much to get a good cook.