Most helpful customer reviews
95 of 96 people found the following review helpful.
Nice alternative to teflon
By A. Raven
I've decided to replace my teflon pans with cast iron and this is one of the first ones I bought. So far it has been excellent. The large size is fantastic, though it's definitely heavy. My arm muscles are getting a workout! I'm glad I got it pre-seasoned, since that was one less thing to hassle with. I have found that cooking with cast iron makes food taste better. Kind of surprsing. I'm not sure why this has been the case, but my husband and I have both noticed it. I have to say though, it is very different than cooking with a regular teflon pan. At first I kept burning everything. Cast iron gets very hot and maintains a steady hot temperature. I'm finding that I'm basically cooking everything in this pan on med-low heat, where I would have used medium heat. Overall, I'm happy with my purchase though and plan on getting a couple more cast iron pans
50 of 52 people found the following review helpful.
15 inch, not 15 1/4
By J.C.
Too often, a 12" skillet is just not quite big enough. This one is perfect for cooking for a family. It makes a good griddle, is non-stick and holds a lot of food. No more ever-so-careful stirring to avoid spilling over the edge. It does heat up a bit hotter directly above the heat source, so the heat distribution is not perfect. But that is the nature of cast iron. Overall it is a must-have pan and the one I always reach for first.
Kitchen Collection (website and store often found in outlet malls) makes a lid called the "Extra Large Multi Cover" that fits this pan perfectly and makes the pan even more versatile.
The skillet is rather heavy, but with the helper handle, it has not been a problem moving the thing around even when full of food. It is impossible to pick it up and pour anything out of, but then, there are no pour spout indentations.
As some reviewers have noted, the bottom appears pebbly, but that is a complete non-issue. The pre-seasoning is a start, but I just lightly washed it and then reseasoned it first thing. It has been entirely non-stick for everything from eggs, to green beans to meats since.
The pan's actual measurements are 15" across the top and 12" across the interior bottom. Despite the written description and the pan's label (and Amazon's title when I bought it) that state the pan to be 15 1/4", it is and is supposed to be 15". I even contacted Lodge about the discrepency and was told 15" is the proper measurement. I took away a star for the mislabeling.
46 of 50 people found the following review helpful.
The Best Cast-Iron Skillet
By Duane Marcotte
If you want the best cast-iron skillet, buy the Lodge. I have four other skillets of theirs and one skillet is a least 40 years old, and still in top condition. The only complaint that I have with this 15-1/4 inch skillet, is that the inside bottom is not smooth; but it was still easy to clean after making chicken milk gravy.
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