I had troubles with cast iron - hard to season and maintain, is this one easier to season and lighter than cast iron? thanks
252172
Absolutely! I love my pan. It doesn't begin to have the weight of cast iron. I do, however, even though I have seasoned the pan... use Pam before making crepes. I just wish it was larger.
252173
follow the instructions for seasoning. very easy to maintain and much lighter than typical cast iron
252174
I have a heavy cast-iron skillet as well as this pan. Both have a good seasoned surface on them, the cast-iron after losing it. If you treat the blue steel as recommended and don't boil acidic or salty liquids in it, it keeps a seasoned surface well. It's lightweight and easy to manipulate. The handle sheds heat pretty well. Note that it's a crepe pan, not a high-sided skillet, so is really best kept for pancakes, eggs, toasting nuts or whole spices and other dry/oily cooking work. Wait till it's well coated before doing stickier foods like bacon. I find that regularly using a little butter or other animal fat in it for cooking eggs and pancakes really helps keep the seasoned surface glossy and non-stick.
252175
This much lighter than cast iron and very easy to maintain. Its a wonderful pan. I love it! Just used it yesterday to make flaxmeal tortillas and cream cheese crepes for my low carb diet!
435775
I own several Lodge cast-iron pans, but I don't own the wok. So, I can't compare directly. In general the Lodge pieces take a while to warm up but then hold the heat extremely well. This wok is fairly thin. So, it heats and cools more quickly. That's usually what you want in a wok. The advantage of this one is that it heats like a wok but is naturally non-stick as long as you keep it seasoned.
1710087
I don't believe it's heavy enough to be cast iron. I LOVE this grill!!! It's perfect if you don't need a large grill. It holds a good amount though, I've grilled two kinds of meat at the same time. Grate cleans very easily.
96819
I can't speak for the others. I can only tell you that ours is definitely cast iron. It's very heavy. We have a glass cook top and it takes a few minutes to heat up, but once it is heated it cooks great! I recommend cleaning it with mineral spirits and then scrubbing it with detergent BEFORE you start to season it. We love ours! Great wok for the price!
2084599
it is lighter..you have to cure it and not let it stay wet. Heat pan then place items in pan. The more it is used the darker it gets. I make stir frys , omlettes...I love that it is what a lot resteaunts use. and it is light..not heavy like cast iron. Don't scour it just add salt and recure if it gets a wet place. I rub it with a little peanut oil then leave on my stove
796801
It's all about what you plan to cook. If something will be cooking slow for along time you'll be better off with the cast iron. If you need a tomato sauce or 1/2 lb of spaghetti use the SS. Pro for stainless, cleans really well, much lighter, won't chip(assuming enameled cast iron)
1264041
Yes, it will heat more evenly once you have done a couple of burns with charcoal and wood. A lot easier to control the temperture once seasoned. I did a 22 pound last year at Christmas and it work very well.
2018382
I use cast iron a lot and I find if it has ever been washed and scrubbed with soap it has to be re-seasoned by putting shortening or lard (not 0il) in a very light coating. If you coat it too heavy it will separate in the seasoning and you have to start over. Turn it upside down in your oven with a pan under it so if the grease drips it goes in the pan. Leave it in your oven at 350 for about an hour or two. Wash it out and dry it completely. I keep mine seasoned by sticking them in the oven every once in a while when I 'm cooking something else. I never use oil to season with, although I read where people do. The ideal thing to use is lard, that's what they used many years ago when that's all they cooked with. It works great by the way. Try not using a scrubby, instead use a stiff brush. Each time you use your pan be sure to spread a VERY LIGHT coat of Crisco or some other good shortening inside and if you stack you pans be sure to put a paper towel between them to absorb any moisture that may accumulate or it can rust. Some of my pans are over 100 years old and they are as shiny and slick as the non stick pans that aren't cast iron. After awhile you can cook with them and not need grease or oil. Rather than buy new cast iron try checking ebay and you'll find some really old pans, they made need cleaning but it's well worth the work. I just bought a one quart kettle with a wood handle and i love cooking potatoes in it. It's a wonderful piece of history to own and pass down. I don't care for the pre seasoned stuff, I like the good ole original pans.
1445281
No its not cast iron if you go to the bottm page it will tell you what its made , light and it cooks great
1784946
Faster heating and cooling vs. traditional cast iron, lighter weight/easier to manage slinging pans around the kitchen, and functionality is basically the same as cast iron.
228519
No, Farberware is user friendly. I consider cast iron pots and pans heavy,but not Farberware. I use mine every day! Its all I've ever used in my 42 years of marriage.
293551
I don't use cast iron (too heavy for me), but I can't see why it wouldn't work. It's a pretty good scrubber and I haven't seen any wear on it since I got it.
1861959
You might check Weber's website - otherwise its just like any other cast iron and can be seasoned over time!
801963
hi. i bought the iron to be a "purist." it's too heavy for everyday use, and if you try to lift the skillet with the iron lid on it, you'll need a helper! go for the glass!
617535
I almost exclusively use cast iron and have had no problem. I love my cast iron and they work great on this.
1197689
Yes, the surface for the skillet is rough. I haven't read the reviews to know why this bothers them, it's cast iron, it's rough, that's what you're buying. If you heat it to the proper temp, with enough fat in the pan, you'll get minimal sticking. BUT you will get some stuff stuck in the little divets and craters. If you dump a bunch of course salt into the pan as soon as you're done using it, let it cool a bit, and then with some good elbow grease, scrub the crap out of the pan, it's good as new. This is an old school cast iron skillet. It's heavy as hell, can go into the oven, or cook straight off of coals, a woodfire, you name it, it's durable. If that's what you're looking for, this pan is what you want. IF you want an easy to clean, lightweight, non-stick skillet, look else where because this is none of those. I do want to say that it's hard to maintain. I get a little icky just cleaning with salt. So stupidly, I washed it regularly with water and guess what, it rusted! With steel wool and a lot of effort, I would have been able to get all the rust off and continued to use it but being lazy, I decided that this pan was a little too rustic for me. So I got a sissy, light weight, non stick pan. I wasn't woman enough for this pan.
647814
the difference is clear .. if you want the grill marks from the competition cast iron is the answer, but if you do indirect or l & s can do without! for me is irreplaceable .. andrea