Cast Iron Brands?

[aleph_zahir]

I know we regularly get questions about cast iron, but I have a few more!

I am looking to buy a cast iron skillet. Does anyone have brand recommendations? I have a gift card to Williams-Sonoma so I am considering a Lodge Skillet or a Le Creuset frypan. The Le Creuset has more visual appeal, but I'm not sure about "enameled cast iron," the fact

Comments

[kitchenalchemy]

Le Creuset is indeed fine cookware. I'd go with the lodge skillet myself. In fact, If I were you I'd save the gift card and go buy a cheap Cast Iron skillet. Over time the cooking and use is what will give the skillet the qualities you want, and even a cheap one will do that.

[aleph_zahir]

Excellent tip - I'll keep that in mind.

[melsky]

I agree with this, I got cheap ones and they work great!

I have a page on cast iron pans.

[fdaapproved]

I actually own both. The Le Crueset is basically a normal frypan minus the teflon coating you find on most these days. It's got a smooth surface due to the enamel so you don't usually need much fat to keep things mobile. The Lodge pan is a traditional cast iron skillet with a much less smooth surface that must be seasoned and so on. Both are virtually indestructible (my Le Crueset pan is about 25 years old) and can pretty much do the same jobs and I treat them pretty much the same.

[aleph_zahir]

Thanks, that really helps! Just out of curiosity, could you cook something like a curry in the Le Creuset, or would it be too small?

[fdaapproved]

Mine is a 12", which is plenty big enough for a curry (My Lodge pan is 7").

[aleph_zahir]

One last question: do you use dish soap when you wash the Le Creuset, or do you clean it as you would any other cast iron pan?

[gfrancie]

While I love Le Creuset (and I do mean LURVE) I would be inclined to go for the Lodge skillet. My Mother has some lodge cast iron skillets she has been using for 35 years. They are from her first marriage.
Two marriages, several kids later and so on, they are still working well.

[gfrancie]

I would also say don't go cheap with a cast iron skillet. Lodge is one of the rare cases where buying American is best.

[aleph_zahir]

Those look nice (and hella cheap!). Decisions, decisions...

[browse]

Do you mind a "none of the above" answer?
I like the "raw" cast iron surface, so I steer clear of Le Creuset. But I'm not a big fan of Lodge either; the interior surface of their pans is far too pebbly.

I would encourage you to haunt some estate sales or thrift stores. Find someone's grandmother's ancient cast iron for mere pennies. Look for a piece that's rather heavy, with a thick bottom, and that seems to have a nice smooth surface inside the pan. Don't worry about rust or baked on grime; that can all be addressed without major trauma.

[neumeindil]

Iawtc. The bottoms of our off brand (Martha Stewart I think? They were a gift.) cast iron skillets seem thin, and even with using the 9" daily since Christma, the interior is just now smoothing out. The sides are also thicker than the bottom of the pan, so it heats up incredibly fast for cast iron. Ultimately I hope I inherit someones old set in the future.

[aleph_zahir]

No, those are just the two brands that Williams-Sonoma seems to carry; I wouldn't mind going somewhere else. Thanks for your suggestions!