I was dead wrong about cast iron pans for 6 years

I always thought cast iron was overhyped and too heavy for daily use. My mom had one she never touched, so I figured it was a gimmick. Then a buddy lent me his 10-inch Lodge for a month last fall. I cooked eggs, steak, and cornbread in it and nothing stuck after the first seasoning layer. It replaced my $80 nonstick pan that started peeling after 9 months. Does anyone else have a product they hated at first but now swear by?

2 comments

2 Comments

jamie7123d agoRising Star

Same boat here actually. Hated cast iron for years because my grandma's old pan was rusted and I assumed they were all like that. Then a friend who cooks professionally showed me how to properly season one and it was a game changer. The thing that got me was how long they last. That $80 nonstick pan you mentioned? Bought three of those before I gave up. My Lodge cost me $25 and it's been through seven years of daily cooking without a single scratch. Only downside is the weight but the trade off is worth it.

ward.fiona1d ago

Wait you paid $80 for one nonstick pan? Three of them? Thats insane. I thought I was wasting money when I bought a $50 one and it started peeling after six months. I guess I never thought about it that way but you probably spent more on those three pans than I did on my entire cast iron collection. And my Lodge is still going strong after ten years now. The weight is a pain sometimes especially when I have to wash it but I'd rather deal with that than buy new pans every year. Honestly your story just convinced me I made the right choice sticking with cast iron.