Lodge Reviews

I've been cooking with cast iron for over 3 decades and now have more than 30 pieces. I ordered this skillet because of the sloped sides, but have come to love the shape of the handle as well. Add in the assist handle and this is an incredible pan. At 8 pounds, it is heavy, but that weight helps it heat evenly. I rarely prepare omlets, but fried eggs with cheese and salsa work well in this pan as does reheating food in the oven. The pre-seasoned finish is great, but clean it according to Lodge's recommendations, or you'll have to re-season it.

I switched to cast iron cookware a few months ago and have been in love with them. Since then I've bought the 12" skillet, 10" griddle and now the 10" skillet.

This particular skillet is divine! The design is so ergonomic. The handle has a much better grip and my favorite is the sloping sides. Makes a perfect omelette or whatever you are cooking in it.

Maintenance is pretty simple too since I am used to the cast iron pans. I just use hot water and the rough side of my sponge and after wiping it dry I just spread a little bit of vegetable oil and its ready for use!

Believe it or not, it really is non-stick and gets better with each use.

Black, nice and heavy, functional, well made, inviting; after cooking I clean it with hot water and a kitchen's brush, as recommended, a film of lard for protection before stow it away. I think it makes a practical present for someone who likes spending time in the kitchen, with a little care it should last forever. Did I say it is also bullet proof?

I own similar cast iron pans by a French manufacturer that charges much more money for their items than I payed for this Lodge pan. My French skillets are not used very much any more. I like the shape and size of this particular one because of the deep sides. I thought of getting a chicken fryer by Lodge and decided on this big skillet instead.....it was a good choice. The generous depth of this pan was all I needed to pan fry chicken. I have sucessfully used it for other cooking too. The clean up is very easy.

After 20 years of Teflon, I went back to the skillet my grandfather used (and I helped! well, sort of -- as much as a 4-year-old can help). The pan is durable (no scraped Teflon), is great for carmelization (I toss my chopped veggies in there, brown them and then put the skillet directly in the oven to finish roasting them). The pan is durable and versatile. The tried-and-true is better than the modern. A classic!

I love it!

This product rocks. I could not be more pleased with my purchase. I live in Sunny Southern California, so there are almost seven or eight days that I cannot grill outdoors, and this product makes those days tolerable.

Despite my long cultivated outdoor grill mastery, there is nothing like the flavor of a cast iron grilled burger or steak, and this 12" Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned Skillet is just the ticket.

It heats evenly, and perfectly, allows good beef to retain its savory and rich flavor, and sear perfectly.

Come on over for some cowboy burgers and steaks and you'll be an immediate convert.

I love this skillet, and plan on adding many more to my collection.

On the downside, the handle is a little short, but I see there is a new collection with a more modern "kitchen-worthy" style.

This product is a great compliment to my Stainless All-Clad cookware, which may be more versatile. Nevertheless, the Lodge cast-iron skillet is a griller's dream.

This is the first grill for the bbq that doesn't require hours of cleaning and scouring! That is is major factor--as other grills I have used (even the pricey ones) are frustratingly difficult to clean. The reason I didn't give this a 5 is because it is heavy--but possibly it has to be in order to be fully functional. A great purchase

My mom and I each bought one of the UNSEASONED griddle/grill items. I still have yet to season mine and I will soon. It took about 5 seasonings & several uses to get my moms up to "seasoned" standards but once it was good-it was FABULOUS! We have several Lodge pieces between us and we are never disappointed. They are hefty, strong pieces that can take scrubbing and heat. I never have problems maintaing heat and cooking is much easier with cast iron. I recently tried to cook dinner for my boyfriend on his electric stove w/ hard anodized pans and I was really frustrated. They over heated fast and cooked unevenly. If you are thinking about cast iron-DON'T-just get it-you won't be disappointed-plus you can get a mini work-out while you cook! :)

This is a great product, and you can get it, along with any other products on Amazon up to $500 Free! Participate in this special promotion and get a free $500 Amazon Gift Card at this web site: stuffnocost.com/amazon

I was shipped the lid, but it arrived after several days and is the wrong size. It plainly says 10 on the lid, even though the lid measures almost 12".

As with all of our Lodge cast iron, the quality of this lid is excellent. There are no rough edges. It is solid and weighty. It fits perfectly on our Lodge 12 inch skillet. Seasoning is extremely simple - wipe on some oil and bake in the oven for awhile - so we have no preference for the pre-seasoning, but some may find it to be a plus.

The underside includes pointed spikes that might have been inspired from a medieval weapon, but I suppose that's where the self-basting comes from -- moisture condensing on the lid will rain evenly back into the pan. While the spikes probably contribute much to the quality of cooking (which is the point after all), they make it somewhat uncomfortable to wash and dry. Still, we're not giving ours back. (As of this writing, the photo of the "Lodge 5-Quart Cast Iron Dutch Oven with Iron Lid" will give you an idea of what the bottom of this lid looks like.)

I purchased my Lodge Logic 12 inch Skillet when my T-fal 10 inch wasn't up to par. NEEDLESS to say, that pan has been sitting next to my oven and has never been used since. From fried chicken cutlets to hamburgers to baked apples in the oven, it does the job. The only thing missing was a lid. When I saw it on Amazon, I jumped at it. Since then, my pan has become the center of my kitchen. From re-heating pizza to stirfry, slapping the lid on make it a pan that can honestly say it heats from ALL directions. It keeps a lot of moisture in, which makes for some delicious, non dry or burned stirfry.

I agree with the other reviewer in that the "self basting" points make it a little tough to dry and re-oil. But I have started using the cloth like rags they sell in the cleaning aisle to clean my cast iron. I use a mixture of kosher salt and oil to safely scrub the surface, and it wash shredding my paper towels, but with these cloths, it's easier, and I know they don't have any soap on them. After the scrub, I wash off with warm water, dry, and then a light application of oil finishes up the deal.

If you have the skillet this goes with, BUY IT. Only then will you see how amazing these pans are.

I have been using cast iron cookware for almost 40 years and have about 30 pieces, most of it Lodge. Lately, I've been purchasing the pre-seasoned and think it's great. This grill pan cooks well, but clean-up has always been a pain. After re-seasoning it several times, that's gotten better, but it's still not the "just wipe clean" of the flat pans. Maybe in another year or so... However, I AM ordering the grid/griddle for use on my grill, so I'm not obviously not giving up on it.

I bought this pan out of concern for teflon flaking on my George Foreman grill. This has been a wonderful pan and I like the results as well or better than the Foreman grill. I wish they had a lid for this pan because with some meats I'd like to turn the heat down and slow cook. Splatters are a problem as with any skillet, but the results are good.

I love this pan. As for cooking: This pan does a great job on steaks, burgers, chicken, whatever. Leaves really nice grill marks. The only thing you will need to do is have a cover or splatter shield for it. I use a 16" round cover from a much bigger pan just to avoid some of the little drops of grease spattering out on my range. This seems to work just find for me.

As for Cleaning: I let it cool a little after cooking and pour some water (no soap!) into the bottom of the pan while it is just hot enough for the water to boil a little, and using a wooden spatula (only use wood in this pan), I scrape all the fond away (burnt tasty bits stuck to the pan) and pour into the sink. I repeat this once or twice and put the pan back on the heat and wipe it down with a paper towel. I then use some supermarket brand canola oil spray and lightly coat the inside while the pan is still warm. Takes about 2 minutes to do this. I store this pan in my oven since it tends to have a light coat of oil on it all the time. This pan is so well worth the hand cleaning to have especially since I live in an apartment and don't have access to a grill.

It does okay. Its a scrubber brush with nylon brsitles. Cleans as well as any other nylon scrubber. I would suggest going to your local supermarket and buying whatever they have there. Any nylon scrubber will wear out over time. Its not a bad product, just not anything special.

After buying this brush, I realized that I could find the same thing without the Lodge label at Walmart for about $1.50. In fact, I've seen the non-branded version of this brush at a lot of places.

This is just a generic brush. There is nothing special about it and Lodge just sourced it from whatever Chinese company makes the thing and put its logo on it.

If you want to get it as a gift to accompany a Lodge cast iron cookware piece (which are great btw), then that's fine. However, I wouldn't buy it if you are just looking for a brush to clean your cast iron pans because there's nothing special about it and it's twice the cost of something equivalent.

BTW, the bristles turn dark with repeated use but this is true for all brushes used to clean cast iron - I think it's something to do with the grease. Therefore, you can't really use the brush for anything else other than cleaning cast iron so keep that in mind.

Love it, Love it, Love it, very easy to use and great on my cast iron Pans. I recommend! =)

When I saw the price,free shipping, and factory pre-seasoning, this dutch oven proved irresistable. The size is great and the black color was attractive.Sadly, the factory pre-seasoning did not meet expectations! I learned to cook using cast iron, and I still own several "original finish" cast iron skillets, griddles and specialty pans (tri-ply stainless steel is wonderful, but some things just cook more evenly with cast iron). While cast iron is not difficult to season,it was just an added bonus to order a dutch oven that I thought would have an even, well applied finish to begin the seasoning process (properly seasoned cast iron pans only get better over the years). When the dutch oven arrived, I was surprised by what seemed to be a discoloration under the finish on the inner surface of the pot lid. I used the dutch oven for the first time to make chili. The steam from the chili caused the "pre-seasoning" on the inner surface of the lid to mottle badly, and the area that had initially appeared discolored was revealed to be covered with rust. A tell-tale metallic smell was also present (usually a sign that your pan might need to be seasoned again). Needless to say, I was disapointed. This pan proved to be MORE effort than the original finish pans since I had to scrub down the lid to remove the remaining mottled pre-seasoning, and to remove the rust. I then just seasoned the lid properly the old-fashion way in my oven. All in all, the Dutch oven is well worth $25 (and the saved $12.66 in shipping charges is also appreciated), but the Lodge Cast Iron Manufacturing Co. has a reputation for quality that this finish did not meet. I contacted the company to express my concerns (ie, did I need to take additional steps to remove all of the factory applied finish) and to ask if this problem was evident in other pans in the pre-seasoned line.The Lodge Co. has not responded to my email. Bottom line, before paying full price plus shipping, for anything in the pre-seasoned line, I would compare the cost to the original finish, or to the beautiful new Lodge enamel cast iron items.

I purchased the Lodge Logic 5 quart Dutch oven along with the 12" skillet and lid, and have found cast iron cooking to be a revelation. These pots and pans are naturally no stick, heat evenly, and cook beautifully every time. With a minimal amount of care they will last a lifetime and beyond. I am a student of traditional regional American cooking, and was always frustrated when rice dishes such as Louisiana Jambalaya and Low Country Pilau didn't turn out as well as expected. The rice often burned on the bottom and was too crunchy on top. Not anymore. With cast iron, you can produce authentic and delicious results every time, due to the even conduction of heat in these pots. They are also fantastic for frying, and work great for slow cooked stews and roasts. They are highly versatile: You can use them on top of the stove or in the oven. These pots have taken over our kitchen: we now use them for most of our cooking needs. I have come to the conclusion that cast iron is the best kept secret in cooking. Why other, often more expensive and less effective kinds of pots have replaced this traditional American cookware is beyond me.

I have used this for just about every kind of cooking imaginable and it has passed with flying colors. I have made soups, pasta sauces, roasts, chicken, done deep frying, you name it. Together with my cast iron skillet this forms the main tools in my cooking toolbox. Highly recommended.

I bought this to roast potatoes in the oven and its been great. If you need a small cast iron frying pan this is perfect. AND its already seasoned.

Another reviewer mentioned roasted potatoes. I agree, this is the perfect little skillet for a single serving size of potatoes. Try this recipe for a late night snack:

1 baking potato
2 or 3 unpeeled garlic cloves, (optional)
1 pat of butter
Shredded cheddar cheese
Olive oil
Salt & pepper to taste

Wash potato and cut in half lengthwise. Cut the pat of butter in half and place in skillet. Put a potato half, cut side down, on top of each piece. Lightly coat the garlic cloves with olive oil. Place cloves in skillet. Place skillet in oven and bake at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes or until tender. The cut portion of the potato will brown and crisp. Remove potato halves and garlic from skillet. Carefully remove garlic skin. Make a slit in the cut portion of the potato halves. Add garlic if using and season to taste with additional butter, salt and pepper. Top with cheddar cheese.

I make this in my 8 inch cast iron skillet a lot. It's the perfect size for single serving meals and snacks. It also makes the best hash browns and since it's not that heavy and already preseasoned, you can flip the hash browns like the pro's!

The 8" and 6" cast iron skillets are also great for tapas. Set them on trivets and serve right at the table.

After struggling with a set of three regular cast iron pans from a different manufacturer, I finally boxed them up for Goodwill. I never mastered the seasoning part of cast iron usage. I ended up with a sticky residue and one pan rusted. After about three attempts of scouring and reseasoning, I gave up and ordered three Lodge Logic Pre-Seasoned skillets.

It is fanstastic. It worked like a charm with the first use -- no problems with sticking at all. I actually smiled while making my burger! My cornbread was also back up to Southern standards thanks to my 10-inch pan.

The 10-inch works well for cornbread and frying. (Actually cast iron is the only way to make good cornbread.) I use the 8 for single burgers. The 6 I bought out of habit, but it also works well for single burgers.

Clean up is relatively easy. Wash with hot water; Lodge does not recommend using soap. Dry thoroughly. I then heat mine on the stove top, turn off the heat, add a tablespoon of oil and use a paper towel to spread the oil on the entire pan inside and out. After the pan cools, I wipe away any excess oil and store the pan.

For anyone who wants a head start on leaving heirloom cast iron pans, I strongly suggest this product.

That it would take a month and a half for this thing to arrive. I haven't used it yet, but it looks like it's in good condition. Just incredibly slow to arrive.

I like the shape and size of this pan. The pre-seasoning is very effective but there is an unseasoned place on the handlethat looks like a chip..I think it is due to they way the seasoning is applied by Lodge.

I noticed a review from April stated they that Amazon.com is the only place they know of that sell these skillets for this low price. A week or so ago I picked one up from a Wal-Mart in Birmingham, Alabama, for, I think $9.86 (plus 9% sales tax).

I previously bought a Lodge Logic 5-quart dutch oven from Amazon (with free shipping, of course) and the lid from the dutch oven fits perfectly on this size skillet. I could have gotten a larger skillet, but the 10.25" one is a nice size that is not too small or too large. Mom has two very old cast iron skillets, one is about six inches (too small for my needs) and one that is 12 inches (too large for my needs, usually), so having used various sizes I am quite happy with this one.

My advice: if you want a medium-size cast iron skillet, this is the one to get, whether you pick it up from Wal-Mart or order it from Amazon.

I got this and the Lodge 2 Piece Hot Handle Holder Set at the same time, and this product is a lot better. It's more substantial, thicker, and because it's thicker (although the same size) it fits the handle more snugly, therefore less slipping around.

It does tend to get warm if you leave the holder on the handle while cooking. I don't think that it will ever get hot enough to burn you, though. You should, at worst, feel a little discomfort, and you can just let go before it gets anywhere close to the burning point. I like to leave it on the iron skillets because it's so easy to just grip the iron handle without thinking about it. I didn't notice any searing of the material of this Mitt.

The problem is that if the holder gets wet, it becomes useless as a heat-resister. It doesn't happen often, but all it takes is a drop of water to burn you.

I would recommend the silicone based holders, like HotHandle� Silicone Cookware Handle Holder that I also got at the same time that I got the Lodge mitt. And no, I'm not a sales rep for them. Even if they get wet, the water doesn't penetrate through the mitt, so you're safe. Actually, I wouldn't recommend this one - It's sold by Target, not Amazon, and it's a little bit too long for most Lodge handles.

these hot handles are a real burnsaver.I need a half a dozen more at least.Excellent!!!!!

I really didn't know what to expect when I bought this product, but when I got it I liked it a lot. I can see where it might burn if left pushed all the way on the handle, but I just simply slide it back towards the end of the handle, leave it there, and when I need to move or lift the pan, just slide it back down all the way on. It works like a good quality pot holder, and is a bit non-skid so it tends to grip pretty good. It fits in the hand well, and works as designed. Convenient to use with cast iron since the heat travels up the handles well, and you always need a pot holder or rag to keep from burning your hands. This is a well made product that works as intended. I'm glad I bought it.