Side by Side Comparison of: Lodge

I got the 4 quart P10D3 for Christmas and liked it so well I decided to get the 2 quart L2SP3. I didn't have any way of knowing how big or small the 2 Qt would be because Amazon's specs and the specs in the Lodge catalog were different. The 2 Qt was the perfect size for what I wanted. Great stuff!I took a few photos to show the size difference. I hope it helps.

I'm having to replace all of my cookware and I'm choosing Lodge cast iron pans one by one because they have proven themselves to be the very best quality product for the money on the market. This two-quart Dutch oven works particularly well for cooking perfect rice, and steaming vegetables. The temperature is just perfect to create the right amount of steam for perfect rice every time. The same is true for vegetables. If you're cooking for 1 or 2, it also works well for soup. Soy oil works great for seasoning the pans. I read the instructions and follow them to the letter.

This little gem is EXACTLY what I was looking for. I read a comment that it's smaller than it looks, but I was counting on that! I was looking for exactly this size to bake smaller loaves of Artisan bread. It produces a perfect little loaf for two people or gifts to neighbors. I've already ordered a second one. Cutest little Dutch oven ever.. LOL The bread recipe that fits this DO perfectly is one with a 3 cu. flour measurement. I added the photo with the dollar bill showing so you can get an idea of it's actual size.

Just recently, I ordered and received my 2-quart Dutch oven. I bought mine for cooking rice. However, I broke it in by cooking cheesy scallop potatoes, and they tasted AWESOME! Whether it is psychological or not, I found the Dutch oven style of cooking this recipe very rich in flavor! I usually cook this recipe in a 2-quart glass-covered casserole dish but not anymore! From now on, this Dutch oven will be cooking a variety of potato and rice dishes!I was rather shocked to see how easy it was to clean up. Because I oiled the inside of the Dutch oven, as well as its lid, with olive oil, everything washed off easily after soaking both in soupy water for a few minutes. This 2-quart oven is really a very good investment!!!

This beautiful little cast iron pot is perfect for making 7 inch artesian 'no kneed loaves of bread.' The bread is so crusty and bread so chewy. I make a full 3 cups of flour recipe and divide the dough after first proofing in half and make two small loaves using parchment paper in the cast iron pot. I like have two small loafs rather than one loaf. More crust with two small loafs. I have given these small loaves of artesian bread to neighbors (with the browned parchment paper on and it looks perfect). Using parchment paper I really never need to wash the cast iron Dutch oven. However, if I do need to wash it.. I wash with soap and water and immediately dry it.. then immediately put a bit of canola oil on it to create just a 'hint of shine' covering to protect it from moisture. Amazon's price is less than Old Time Pottery charges. I'll post a picture a bit later. I wish Lodge made a long shape with lid.. so I could make a long loaf shape.

What a great dutch oven! I just don't know how lodge stays in business, when all their cast iron will last several generations! If you're in doubt which size to get, go bigger than you think you need. You'll probably use it!

This pan is great, I think its a nice size and you can cook a lot of things with it, its really good for induction tops, but if you got a glass top I recommend parchment paper to go underneath it to prevent scratching. Great for searing meats and things.I think many of the reviews that involve rusting and what not are because people did not take care of their cast iron properly.Rule of thumb: You shouldn't wash your cast iron with soap and water, just give it a nice rinse and scrub it with a hard side of a sponge, immediately dry it, and slather some oil around it to preserve the seasoning. If you just take care of your cast iron, it will do you a great benefit.Cast Iron is really good for you in general, as you can cook using high heat and it won't release chemical fumes unlike using a teflon coated pan. You can also use metal utensils on cast iron when cooking, I would limit the use, but again no teflon chemical poisoning. It also cooks very evenly and distributes heat nicely, while aluminum pans may also do this, there is a lot going around about aluminum leaching into food while cooking, you should stick to anodize aluminum instead.Just do your research before you buy the cast iron, it's wonderful, and even better if you use induction cooktops.

At 58 years old I grew up using iron cookware and prefer to cook with it whenever possible. I have spent as much as $150 on a top name brand "non-stick" skillet only to be donated a year later to the thrift store! ~Never again.I needed a new skillet and decided to go with another iron skillet and purchase this one from Amazon. It arrived in a couple of days and in perfect condition. As with all my cast iron I treated it the same way out of the box. I scrubbed it with hot water and coarse kosher salt, rinsed, then set on a burner and turned the burner on low, then gradually increased the heat until fully dry. While the pan is hot, I take a little bit of Crisco Shortening (about a tablespoon) and drop it in the pan, using a pasty brush I spread the melted shortening over the full interior surface, then I take a paper towel and wipe out any excess (but not too dry you want it to have a slight sheen to it), then I rub the outside of the pan, including the handle, sides and bottom. *note* Do this every time you've used your cast iron cookware, and you will never be disappointed in its performance.NEVER - Use soap or detergent on your iron cookware you'll ruin the seasoning with soap. If you do have a sticking when the pan has cooled add hot water only, allow to soak for about 15 minutes or so and clean as usual. Properly cared for your cookware should last your lifetime, be virtually non-stick and extremely low maintenance.NEVER - Allow your cookware to air dry. This will cause rust and you will most likely need to scrub with steel wool, rinse, dry and re-season and you may to repeat this process many times to return it to a desirable condition.Iron cookware can crack if exposed to extreme temperature changes / hot to cold. Food should never be stored in iron, it is for cooking and serving from within a short time period only.I hope my long winded review/comment has helped in some way. I love my iron skillets. I'll be back for more pieces.

I really love this cast iron 10 inch skillet from Lodge! I debated for a long time whether or not purchase one, For me, a purchase like this is about an investment, and I want my investment to last a long time.. I also really like the fact that this is made in the USA. American made products are just not easy to find anymore. But really, the proof in the quality of this cast iron was obvious when i made sweet potato corn bread and baked it in the oven in this skillet. It came out so nice and brown and moist. I'm enclosing pictures, so you can see the nice way it cooked the corn bread on both the top and bottom of the bread. Sorry, the pan in the first picture is a bit oily looking....I had cooked in the pan and then washed and oiled it. If you like this review, please click the helpful button under the review. It helps me to know if my reviews help people.

Perfect for egg muffin sandwiches, it's the right size and height after cooking compared to the "Mc" brand. It is the best I have found after many years of trying. If you have ever wanted to make your own egg muffin at home, this pan is the one to use.

The 12" Lodge skillet is the bomb! I've acquired a lot of Lodge stuff (it's cheap, after all), but this is the one I use constantly. I live alone and cook mostly for myself, so it's a bit large for some of my cooking; and if I cooked for a family of four, it might be too small; but this is the one that lives on my stovetop.If you're going to get only one piece of Lodge cast iron, get this one (and the GC12 glass lid too -- you'll need it).How to make your Lodge ironware (almost) non-stick:A) Season your cast iron:1) Scrub the cooking surface thoroughly with Brillo or S.O.S, and hot water. If the finish is damaged, sand it with coarse sandpaper, then use Brillo. Scrub the non-cooking surfaces with soap and hot water. Dry completely, and never use soap again.2) Rub the inside of pan with a light coating of solid vegetable shortening (Crisco). Remove excess.3) Put upside-down on the top rack of a cold oven. Put foil on the bottom rack to catch any drippings.4) Turn on oven to 500°. When oven reaches temperature, set timer for 90 minutes. If it smells funny, don’t worry, turn on a fan.5) When time is up, turn oven off, and let pan cool completely in the oven.6) Repeat steps 2 - 5 three more times, for a total of 4 treatments. Yes, it’ll take two days, but believe me – it’s worth it!8) When you’re all done (if it’s a new pan, it’ll be a beautiful glossy black), rub in a little vegetable oil, and you’re good to go.B) Using your cast iron:1) Always preheat the pan. On the stovetop, start with low heat, and turn it up gradually. Don’t put your food in until the pan is good and hot – a drop of water should dance around. There’s something about putting food in a cold or lukewarm pan that makes it stick. If you’re using butter, set the heat a little lower – butter can scorch and leave a residue.2) Cook with a little olive oil – it’s good for you. A newly seasoned pan needs a little extra oil the first few times. Use a flexible metal spatula with a thin straight edge, and scrape the pan as you turn the food.3) Clean while still warm – use running hot water, and a stiff nylon or fiber brush. A nylon scratchy pad or a chain-mail scrubber work OK, but the brush gets most everything (I got mine for a buck at Kmart, and it has a useful scraper edge). For hardcore dried-on stuff, put water in the pan and boil it for 10 minutes or so before scrubbing. If you’ve done all of the above, however, this will almost never happen -- the only time I have to do it is when I forget to clean the pan before it cools. I read that adding salt to the boiling water helps. If you have a fiber brush, scrub while it's boiling, but don't try it with a nylon brush! Dry thoroughly, rub in just a little oil, wipe clean with a paper towel, and you’re ready for next time.Backstory: I wrecked the finish on both pieces of my Lodge combo-cooker (LCC3) – I thought I could make a smooth hard surface by seasoning them with the pan right-side-up in the oven, with extra shortening. WRONG! What I got resembled the surface of Mars, and it was sticky, so I had to sand. I have several Lodge pieces, and I have sanded only the two damaged combo pans. Brillo works fine on everything else. It may not even be necessary to season it four times, but it’s what I do.I fry up potatoes, onions and garlic with half a tablespoon of oil, and when they’re cooked I throw on eggs and shredded cheese – no sticking. Same deal with eggs-over-easy – a little dab of butter for flavor (or none at all), no sticking. Cornbread in the small frypan, chili or rice & beans in the Dutch oven, chicken or steak on the grill pan – doesn’t matter, very little sticks to the pan, and nothing that doesn’t come off with hot water and a quick scrub. Tomato-based stuff (chili) will degrade the finish, so you may have to re-season that pot from time to time.I love my Lodge cast iron, and I use it for practically everything. About the only time I use my stainless these days is to cook pasta or rice, or to heat up soup or sauce. My favorite veggies are the ones I sauté on the cast iron – fresh spinach with a little olive oil and some lemon pepper, yeah baby! Cook up a complete summer meal in 15 minutes in one pan: cubed red potato for 5 or 6 minutes; then add onion, garlic, and red bell pepper for about 3 minutes; then thin-sliced summer squash; then a handful of raw cashews and some mushrooms. When everything’s cooked, stir in fresh diced tomatoes. Add shredded cheese if you want. Whoa.I’m a cast-iron cook and proud of it. Food tastes better, and it looks better, too – every time I cook something, I want to take a picture. I leave the 12" on my stove (I use it almost every time I cook), and everyone who comes in my kitchen asks about it. I’ve even made a convert or two –Teflon kills parrots, after all (Google it), so how can it be anything but bad for us?Rock on, Lodge, and thank you. My grandchildren are going to squabble over who gets Pop-pop’s cast iron!

I was nervous about cooking in cast iron. What is all this talk about a seasoned pan? It is going to be too heavy?I first bought the 12" cast iron and returned to buy the 8", too. I love these pans. To season the pan (yes, it is pre-seasoned, but...if you want the BEST non-stick pan...) just coat the pan with a light coating of cooking oil and put it in the oven (upside down) at 450 for 20 minutes. Then, turn the oven off and let the pan cool off. That's it! If you want to get really fancy, repeat this process 2-3 times. You'll have to chase a fried egg around the pan! Slippery!!I have owned the pans for several months and these are the only pans I cook in now. They really hold the heat, and they really are non-stick...especially if you season them.Yes, the pans are heavy, but you'll get used to it. I use these pans on the stove top and in the oven. The best part is when a recipe requires cooking in a pan and then transferring the contents into bakeware, so it can be placed in the oven. Nope! I just slide my cast iron pan into the oven and bake away!

A lot of trouble to take care of, but it cooked a very nice pot roast with veggies. I'm glad I bought this, but I won't be using it every day. It's very heavy, especially when its full of food. And I will take the trouble to oil it as instructed to avoid rust.

I recently purchased this dutch oven since it's the perfect size for baking bread and roasting chickens. I'm a big fan of Lodge, and have a 9" and 12" skillet, both have been going like champs for many years. This pot and lid are Lodge solid, but I'm not a big fan of this "pre-seasoned" treatment. On my 3rd use with this pot (2nd time roasting a chicken, and baked some bread) the coating started coming off the bottom of the inside in flakes. I'm now attempting to get the rest of the coating off the interior so that it will be just "regular seasoned" like my skillets. I prefer not to have weird coating flakes in my food, thankyouverymuch.Other than that, it's peachy.

Wish it was a bit bigger. I would have loved to have the 5 quart, but when it's full of stuff, I can't lift it. This one is OK, but will not do for many things. Wish they made a 3 or 3-1/2 quart. Think I could handle that one. Love Lodge and cast Iron cookware. Have 1 large, deep skillet I've had for 57 years. It's still in great shape (of course I take care of my cookware of any kind).

What can you say about a Lodge? Cast iron is great. Minimal clean up, more even cooking, crisps fried items so mutter better, and improves taste. I also use it to help add more iron into my diet since I'm low on it. Lodge lasts forever as long as you care for it properly(never use a dishwasher or soap, always heat to dry any moisture and apply a thin coat of oil on it after cleaning). Lodge is a staple in cast iron. They know what they are doing. I fully expect to pass this down some day. The "pot" part is deep enough for frying items without splashing or popping. The lid is perfect for cornbread. I also love the stovetop to oven part. Less cookware to clean.

the only reason I don't go 5 stars is the thing is bloody heavy! not that it could be anything but, given that it's a big chunk of cast iron...however, I've had to change over from finishing stews in the oven to leaving them on the stove-top because this thing causes my oven rack to bow dangerously under the weight. In it's favor is the fact that performs admirably on the stove top, maintaining the heat without any worry of burning the contents while on the lowest setting. Cleanup was pretty easy as well. I wonder if anyone makes a thick cast-aluminum dutch oven that would perform as well without weighing so much...well, until they do this will be my go-to vessel for stews, curries, and chili.

It arrived today and I made my favorite south indian tamarind soup in it. I am actually happy with the size and I dont think its very small decent size to cook for 2 or 3 people. I only gave it 4 stars because i saw some black stuff peeling off of the lid. I was thinking of returning however i wiped it off and decided to keep it because the pot was good enough with no problems. I dont have vegetable oil and would like to know if it can be seasoned with any other oil.I read about the benefits of cooking in iron containers. My mom and aunt used to have iron woks to infuse some iron content into the food. I thought i should do that too for my family. best choice nice sized pot absolutely cute.

For the price of this, I don't know what I thought I would get but it is a really great pan! It's very heavy, sturdy and well constructed. For me, it's a little deep and not wide enough for what I intended it for, but that's my own fault for not studying the dimensions as well as I should have.I've been using it a ton to cook sauces in, which is perfect because of the depth and the even heat distribution. Yum!This is a true kitchen staple, please don't hesitate to add one ​of these to your household.

I'm new to cast iron and I like cooking with it but stuff still sticks for me. That might be user error. This pan said it was already seasoned so I didn't season again and I only clean with a scraper and hot water and the chain mail for cast iron. It's not a big enough problem for me to stop using it.

This seems like a really great pan, although I feel like I ruined it after the second use. Maybe it's because these are "high-maintenance" but I tried to cook a steak on this by pan searing it and pretending it was a grill... One of my friends told me you can do this by putting it in the oven at 500 degrees, and I did that, but it didn't stay hot for long enough to continue cooking it. So the next time I put it at a high temp on the stove top and slammed down those steaks, and not long after that the fire alarm was going off and we had to air out the house. I DO know how to cook in general, but maybe not with a cast iron skillet. My boyfriend cleaned it without soap, but I noticed it looked weird, and possibly hadn't gotten cleaned completely. It seemed like there was still burnt crust on it still. So I took a brillo pad and very gently rubbed it around on it. Blackness ensued. Then I took oil and rubbed it around with paper towels, and it came off black, the blackness wouldn't stop. I finally used coarse salt to scrub at it, but it was still black. So I feel like I've already ruined it by taking off it's top layer. I'm now afraid to use it again.

So I have used this immediately when I received it in the mail. It's much smaller than I thought but it got the job done just the way I like it. I fried some chicken wings and they were crispy and really good. I had some the next day and my chicken wasn't soggy and tasted just like the day before. Nothing like when i fry chicken with the bogus skillet that I have now. It comes with instructions on how to get your first cooking started and how to maintain the seasoning (which you probably won't need). You can also put this skillet in the oven, use it outside, and very versatile. I will probably ordering the 12" cast iron skillet so I can fry more at one time. I am totally satisfied with this product so far.

I cannot give a very thorough review because I gave this as a gift to my single son so I am giving an extra star above "it's ok" hoping it cooks a small amount well. It is a LOT smaller than I expected. The 8 inches must be the outside diameter of the top of the pan counting the lips and then some. It looks to me like the bottom cooking surface is about 5" on this one, large enough to cook an egg, but not a pan of cornbread. I confess that I didn't measure it, but I wonder if I might have been accidently sent a 6" one. There were not tags. I sure wish I had gotten a larger one. It is nice and heavy and seems smooth. I printed out instructions for seasoning it for him and hope he will enjoy it and learn cast iron. If he likes it I will order him a larger one. My (what I thought was a) 10 inch cast iron skillet looks HUGE compared to this one.

I was looking for a replacement skillet for my old non stick skillet that was all scratched up...I didn't want another toxic non stick and since I grew up with iron skillets I knew that's what I finally wanted...I received this one which wasn't as sanded smooth as the 12"one I purchased...so I was very apprehensive about the capabilities of this, especially since I specifically wanted this to cook eggs (our family loves eggs)...well I just cooked some eggs this morning in the skillet and they turned out so well! I'm very happy!So although it's preseasoned, I washed before the initial use, then using tips I read about, I completely dried it with bamboo cloth then used another bamboo cloth to spread coconut oil all over it...I baked it in the oven at 350° for about 40 minutes or so, turned the heat off and let it stay in the oven until cooled...the next day, I used my oiled cloth to wipe a thin layer of oil again...a great tip I read was to let the skillet get hot before putting the eggs in, which is what I did...I spread butter along the bottom and heat it on low-medium before adding the eggs...I've included a pic of the skillet after we finished the eggs...It's a really nice skillet, just wish it was more smooth like my bigger one...OK, so I can't write a separate review for the 12",so I'll try to make it short...from my experience in the past few days, it pays to go to a store and hand pick your skillet...I read a negative review about how lodge doesn't smooth sand their skillets anymore,which I experienced from the one I ordered from amazon...so I went to a store and they had the 12" there ...I was debating between this one and calphalon's 12"...the latter had a far better handle, easier to lift with one hand, but lodge's skillet was much more smooth, beautifully smooth...after many minutes of debating and my children growing weary of my taking so much time handling skillets, I decided a smoother surface meant more to me than a handle...the skillet is beautiful and performs well, no complaints on this...I seasoned it just like I mentioned above...Only complaint is the crazy handle...like after all these years lodge needs to drastically improve their handle...take a note from calphalon's book because their handle is ergonomically perfect for one handed lifting of such a heavy skillet...

Is a great product if you know how to use and properly treat cast iron.Lodge I feel is one of the better brands.Thing is I bought this on the warehouse deals and on the lid it had more damage then I expected.IT is still very functional but I feel I will have more rust issues because of that.

The lid rusted the first time we used it. It dissipates heat evenly and the actual pot is a good size for a family of 4 but the lid was kind of off-putting as it dripped rusty crap into our soup. I re-seasoned with bacon fat and its working OK now, light rusting but not terrible.

The bottom of the pot is quite coarse, making it difficult to clean. It needs to be ground smooth and it's disappointing that they left this nasty time consuming job up to the end user. Of course you have to season the pot afterwards, so the pre-seasoning is worthless. After you do all of that you do have a nice dutch oven however.

we use it almost daily and it is just too much trouble and too stinky to keep re-seasoning it each time you use it. so, I bought a lovely Calphanon dutch oven to use on my induction cooktop and a second Emile Henry dutch oven for my husband's no-knead breads.plus, it is just too heavy and too harsh for our glass top induction cooktop. Once I put something in it I have to call my husband to pick it up to move it or to wash it. that is just not my idea of fun.it has been relegated to the storage room until the next time I have a pile of things to give to charity.

Even though I am returning this item, I'm giving it 3 stars because there is nothing truly defective about it. However, the preseasoning is awful. I have had Lodge products for years but this is the first "preseasoned" Dutch oven and I HATE the chemical they used. Gummy, brown, nasty, almost impossible to remove. Basically, their preseasoning is baked on vegetable oil, something you could do yourself if you really wanted to. I don't recommend it. When I got a new CI skillet in the past, I also bought several pounds of bacon. I would do the seasoning in the oven technique and I would then fry all that bacon in the pan, which killed three birds with one stone. 1) I save the bacon grease in the freezer for later use, 2) save 9/10 of the bacon crumbled in the freezer in a Ziploc also for later recipes, AND 3) get to eat the rest of the bacon! The bacon frying helped it tremendously to prevent foods from sticking. Then I'd scrub the whole thing out with water and coarse sea salt, DRY THOROUGHLY, put into the oven, turn oven to 325'. When it reaches temp, turn oven off and let cool completely. Then coat it with olive oil and ONLY olive oil and put it away. This Dutch oven is sticky and tacky to the touch. I've scrubbed with sea salt until my fingers were pruned and then baked it in the oven, which sent some nasty fumes in the house - hubby was threatening divorce! Make your life easier and save your marriage - buy a plain old Lodge.

I wish I could give this pan a better review however, the one I received did not come properly "Pre-Seasoned." I can detect rust underneath which was not cleaned off prior to factory seasoning. Some of the rust is alredy surfacing. I will have to remove the old seasoning and rust and then properly season before actually using it. I have noticed that Lodge is not pre-seasoning their products as well as they used to. The last three items I purchased via AMAZON have the same problem. AMAZON should contact Lodge regarding this continuing trend. I suggest anyone interested in purchasing any of the Lodge line of products to consider the aforementioned first. One reason Lodge pre-seasoned products are higher is becasue they are supposed to be pre-seasoned and ready for immediate use.

I used an angle grinder and orbital sander to smooth the bottom of this skillet followed by the popular flax seed oil seasoning method, repeated 5X. The argument made that the 'as-it-comes' rough finish is somehow preferable to a smooth finish is ridiculous.From the recipient/user of the pan after a first time frying an egg: Perfect.I have a drawer-full of cast iron skillets and I use at least one of them every day. I am familiar with what makes them work...and what doesn't.This pan is fine...after it's finished to be what it should have been to start with.

This has already developed "dull" spots where the seasoning won't take hold. I've stripped the seasoning and re-seasoned (7 rounds) and the dull spots are still there. Food still sticks to the dull spots, even when I'm using extra butter, oil or lard.But, I can't be too upset because this was a stupidly cheap skillet. So three stars. It's still cast iron and cleans easily enough, but it doesn't take on a great seasoning even after a few months of cooking.

With all the hype of cast iron skillets, I was excited to get one. I was disappointed with how much work it is. It was supposed to be preseasoned, but it didn't seem to help that much with food sticking. So I thought I just need to season it properly. I bought the seasoning oil from the same brand and put it in the oven for 2 hours and repeated the process 3 more times, was suggested. Still made the food stick to the pan. I gave up. I haven't used it again.

I'm not sure what the pre-seasoning is but as soon as I received this, I washed it with warm water (no soap) and tested it's "seasoning" by frying an egg. The egg stuck to the pan as much as it could with any cast-iron skillet that has NOT been seasoned. I tried seasoning it myself after a disappointing trial run but the pan seems resistant to additional seasoning. Perhaps time, using oil when cooking and more seasoning will solve the issue. I have another very well seasoned cast iron pan that I am using it the meantime. I have had this pan for decades so it holds the seasoning and I can actually fry eggs without any sticking.

This skillet is okay. It's heavy cast iron, but the cooking surface inside is rough. I understand that Lodge gave up grinding down the surface decades ago but it's a real shame. The rough surface is hard to season and cook on properly.I've had this skillet for almost a week now. I cooked half a pound of bacon then used the bacon grease to season the pan. Then I cooked burgers, chicken francaise and scrambled eggs. It worked all right. But after a bit of research I took 20 minutes with my orbital sander and ground down the cooking surface with 80 then 120 grit and re-seasoned. This makes a WORLD of difference. Nothing sticks so much that it can't be scraped off with a flick of the spatula, even melted cheese and scrambled eggs.If you're willing to put in half an hour or so of extra work, this skillet ends up quite nice. It's a shame that the user has to finish the production of an item like this.Any Lodge reps who might see this, please bring back grinding/sanding down your skillets. The minimal effort I took can't possibly impact production and price enough to outweigh the value.

> The pan held heat well on an electric eye, but so much oil had to be used that my food was no good. The sand molds used for the actual casting of the molten iron are very porous within the cooking area, thus resulting in a texture similar to roof shingles, with a very high-friction surface. Interestingly enough, the company logo centered on the bottom of the pan and the pour spouts are absolutely perfect! If the Lodge Company would use the finer grain sand within the cooking area, too... this would indeed be the way to go for generations---not regeneration back to the scrap pile.* Sure, sure... "seasoning" is a word that used to mean something, but burnt-in grease should not have to compensate for high-to-low spikes and pits in the casting that measure a millimeter in difference, meaning the spikes average half a mm above the regular surface. I spent some time sanding and polishing the inner surface, and got a better look at the mold lines, and was not too thrilled. The pre-seasoning conveniently hides flaws.* Overall, this specific pan may not please everyone. The constant need to tend the pan is not too good, in today's market. I replaced it with a Wonderful pan-- Anolon Advanced Nonstick Fry Pan, for $24.99 on Amazon.Anolon Advanced Hard Anodized Nonstick 8-Inch Skillet* By upgrading, cooking is fun again! No more hassles. Dab of butter, and I cook for pleasure!* For folks who really want cast iron, main advice on the Web is to look around for the original cookware, at yard sales, thrift shops, etc. Anything pre-1950 is worth looking into.

Had to return it. The iron smell was so strong, and it leached into my food and I could taste the metallic taste. Couldn't get past the smell, so I returned it.

This is a well made pot, however the metal taste prevails in all dishes we've made no matter what we do and how much we've followed manufacturer instructions and on-line suggestions ... very unfortunate since this is otherwise "for-life" cookware ...

When I opened the box, the rusty smell came to my face. I detected the rust on the handle so I decided to return it.

Was not impressed with the workmanship, I returned this item.

Sorry I didn't immediately open and inspect this item! It arrived in the lodge box and since I own other Lodge products which I love and use often I had no reason to think the Dutch oven would be any different. A few days ago I opened the box removed it and was about to wash it when I noticed several swirl like markings inside the bottom. Then I saw two small rust stains. It's too late to return the item so I'm stuck with it. I'm hoping I will be able to re-season the pan and remove the rust. if you properly care for cast iron items they will continue to look as good as new and last for years. However, I think in this case it may have been previously used and returned. My rating is based on my particular experience, although I do accept my blame in not immediately inspecting upon receipt.

False advertising. The following complaints re pre-season are absolutely true. Don't be fooled.Amazon, I depend on you and this time I wish I had read the reviews. I don't know what to do now--- how does one remove the false seasoning (which has and oder when heated) and reseason it. I have used cast iron pans for 20 years and this is a new and annoying problem.

I wish I could love this skillet like most reviewers and perhaps I just don't know how to use cast iron. I tried it this morning first time with breakfast sausages and eggs. I lightly rubbed the skillet with veg oil and put in on med-low heat on a glass top range. Sausages cooked well but did stick to the skillet a bit. I then wiped down the skillet with a paper towel and moved to the eggs which were a disaster...stuck like gum to the skillet. I'd be pleased to adjust my rating if someone could enlighten me on what I'm doing wrong...I don't expect Teflon performance but I don't want to throw out my food either. This is probably a great skillet for campfires and oven use but I'm not convinced for stove-top.

I've tried to season it twice and still everything sticks. Wished I bought the 13 inch it's too big and heavy to use and the food sticks. Going to try one more time to season it. I have 4 cast iron skillets and they are like teflon nothing sticks to them. Very disappointed in this pan it's super rough on the inside would not buy another one.

I have tried every possible pan to fry eggs sunny side up. This was my last resort. I oiled and heated up the new pan and fried the eggs.They stuck solid to the pan. I'll try again with frying meat.UPDATE:After reading many more reviews I see the problem with my pan. The cooking surface is very rough, not at all smooth. That will never work for eggs. I may return it.

Suppose to be pre-seasoned but when I scrambled eggs they didn't come out of the pan as I expected from a pre-seasoned pan. My regular frying pan works much better with no soaking or scrubbing (not that I scrubbed this "pre-seasoned" fry pan) but it was a job getting the stuck on egg out without using a brillo pad or scrubbing sponge. Is it suppose to be re-seasoned after every use? NOT a happy camper.

After buying the same pan in the 12 inch size. I thought this would be a perfect next size down. For some reason the finish is much rougher than the 12inch version I received last week. I have cooked with cast iron for years and have never seen one so rough. The workmanship is sub par on this size. I hate to return things bought online. But I may in this case. Buyer beware.. This is not the cast iron we all remember..

I have done everything; followed all directions and this pan just sticks no matter what I cook in it. Not worth the money or the pain to clean it since it is so heavy. I read the reviews and thought I would try it. Very disappointing.

Became rusty without any use at all!

It shows rust when you use and have stuff in it have to scrub alot

l got my delivery today and l'm so disappointed! lt has lots of scratches inside and some parts are already rusted, pitted and bubbled.This item definitely defective! Return!

I am very dissatisfied with this product. It continually has rust in it. I have never had this problem with my cast iron skillet that I have had for years. I regret this purchase because I can not enjoy using it when I have to scrub rust out of it all the time. I do not leave it wet, so there is not apparent reason for this to happen. I guess I should have been clued in when it arrived with rust.

The box was in good condition but the pot was cracked.

Transshipment to China and i find a lot of damage

Rough as 40 grit sandpaper. Maybe some work with a grinder will make it usable. On the plus side not expensive enough to bother with a return.

I was excited to dip my toe into using cast iron with this skillet that isn’t much money compared to most pans. I was disappointed immediately upon using it because the heat really doesn’t disperse around the pan. The center was very hot and the sides are barely cooking things through, even after being on for 30-45 mins (see pancakes photo attached). I think I’ll keep searching for the right thing, as this isn’t it.

Turned out to always be rusty.

The center of the skillet protrudes. It's higher than the sides. The oil runs down to the sides while the center is dry. As a result the center gets less hotter, which means uneven cooking. It's junk.

I should have sent this back as soon as I got it. The cooking surface was rough and had a pebbly texture, not the smooth as glass texture of the cast iron skillet I already have. It has never cooked like my other one, food sticks to the pebbly surface. I think my only option to make it right is to follow the directions to strip with oven cleaner and season it properly. Since this is advertised as pre-seasoned, I shouldn't have to do that!!! I've been very disappointed.

I received this skillet today and it had rust in several places. I bought it as a gift. I am extremely dissatisfied with this product.