How heavy is the cooking surface? Is that heavy duty one or light cheap varnished stuff? Thanks.
2015332
It is very well made. Heavy duty. I think it will last better that the Weber grill that I owned that rotted and fell apart. I was a disappointment. Good luck
2015333
It looks very solid, heavy enough to grill anything I can imagine grilling.
2015334
It's not super heavy duty. But it isn't light cheap crap either. It's a decent quality, unless you plan on doing hardcore super grilling on a daily basis. I have a family of 5 and it's held up great. And we grill about every week, all year long. Including in the snow of Michigan. Hope that helps.
1085377
Gosh I'm sorry. I have no idea. And I don't have the unit anymore. It was ok. And probably fine for low heat cooking. But the finish was kind of cheap and I worry about that, so I chucked it. Sorry....wish I could have more information for you.
465847
The bottom is thicker but it's not heavy. The sides are not thick but it cooks good n I really like it
1993134
Whatever the coating is, it is nice. I use the pot a lot but I do not TRUST the top. I am always expecting my pasta to wind up in the sink.....but I am cautious when pouring out the water and you should be too. Being such a "thin" pot, material wise, it heats up quick and cooks quick. I do like it.
36907
Yes, it definitely is. I wondered too, then I was given a cuisinart cast iron version. The cuisinart brand is heavier (definitely not a good thing since all cast iron is heavy, but add food, and it's really heavy), food Tends to stick more, and the enamel is hopelessly stained. Also, the le creusetIs prettier. Definitely much much better.
837096
I've been very happy with mine. It heats evenly and quickly, has a large cooking surface yet is lightweight.
1197687
It's cast iron so you shouldn't expect a perfectly smooth surface like a coated non-stick skillet. Mine was delivered in excellent condition and I have had no issues with the cooking surface.
350197
It is heavier than non stick. But not as heavy as traditional cast iron. I would say weight is not that much an issue
284034
Hi, Lisa. Interesting question. I just took a look at the unit to see if I could tell. The insert is coated in a dark gray material, so it isn't obvious from looking at it. It's very light, so my guess is that it's made of aluminum.Just for curiosity, do you think the choice of material for the insert would make a difference in how the unit cooks, or is your concern about cleaning? I can't imagine how it could cook any better (we love it and use it every day), and the coating makes the insert very easy to clean regardless of what it's made of (a little presoaking works better than scrubbing). Hope this helps. Hi, Lisa. Interesting question. I just took a look at the unit to see if I could tell. The insert is coated in a dark gray material, so it isn't obvious from looking at it. It's very light, so my guess is that it's made of aluminum.Just for curiosity, do you think the choice of material for the insert would make a difference in how the unit cooks, or is your concern about cleaning? I can't imagine how it could cook any better (we love it and use it every day), and the coating makes the insert very easy to clean regardless of what it's made of (a little presoaking works better... » Read More Hi, Lisa. Interesting question. I just took a look at the unit to see if I could tell. The insert is coated in a dark gray material, so it isn't obvious from looking at it. It's very light, so my guess is that it's made of aluminum.Just for curiosity, do you think the choice of material for the insert would make a difference in how the unit cooks, or is your concern about cleaning? I can't imagine how it could cook any better (we love it and use it every day), and the coating makes the insert very easy to clean regardless of what it's made of (a little presoaking works better than scrubbing). Hope this helps. « Show Less
384187
It is heavy. Not sure how much it weighs but it is heavier than a large iron skillet
639137
It has a very heavy handle and the bottom is thick. I recommend getting a wok ring to stabilize it while cooking though.
1595610
It is not aluminum but not heavy enough to be straight cast iron. It cooks like cast iron. Hope that helps.
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.
1690483
This is only a wild guess, but I imagine it's the labor that goes into the finish. I bought the less expensive for my husband last Christmas (he loves to cook) and have been very satisfied. We use Barkeeper's Friend to polish it up now and then and it looks great. He has a few pieces of the more expensive type, but other than a small difference in weight, I can't tell any difference in the cooking ability. If you are a real gourmet chef, you probably won't be happy with any but the most expensive cookware. However, if you are like most of us, the less expensive will serve you well for many years. :) This is only a wild guess, but I imagine it's the labor that goes into the finish. I bought the less expensive for my husband last Christmas (he loves to cook) and have been very satisfied. We use Barkeeper's Friend to polish it up now and then and it looks great. He has a few pieces of the more expensive type, but other than a small difference in weight, I can't tell any difference in the cooking ability. If you are a real gourmet chef, you probably won't be happy with any but the most expensive cookware. However, if you are like most of us, the less expensive will serve you well for many... » Read More This is only a wild guess, but I imagine it's the labor that goes into the finish. I bought the less expensive for my husband last Christmas (he loves to cook) and have been very satisfied. We use Barkeeper's Friend to polish it up now and then and it looks great. He has a few pieces of the more expensive type, but other than a small difference in weight, I can't tell any difference in the cooking ability. If you are a real gourmet chef, you probably won't be happy with any but the most expensive cookware. However, if you are like most of us, the less expensive will serve you well for many years. :) « Show Less
1760047
It weighed close to 3 pounds. I liked this pan at first, but soon after the coating came off and I had to throw it away. I bought the cuisinart Griddler and I love it. The pans go in the DW and I use it a lot.
249923
Mine is great. I use it all winter on my 1920 Glenwood cookstove to slow cook and braise. Thus far I've had no probs with staining but I don't think it's much to worry about at any rate. I use Bar Keepers friend to clean any stubborn enamel. It works great and does not scratch. It's an old product made from rhubarb.
1791487
It feels to me like steel (could be something coated with chrome) but has not rusted in spite of being immersed in cooking water several times. It sits 3/4" high off the surface that it is placed on. Hope this helps.