# Lodge cast iron sucks **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2022, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898 "2022-01-16T18:46:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 17, 2022, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/21 "2022-01-17T18:59:14Z")
Lodge is okay. For a long time they were the ones available. There are ones which are more expensively made but give fairly similar results. Even in Canada, big ones with good names were selling as cheaply as twenty Canadollars before Christmas, though this is a big discount. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/22 "2022-01-19T17:12:56Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > But, unlike a factory-added no-stick surface, the seasoning is easy to patch at home. Basically, every time you heat the pain with oil in it, you add to the seasoning a bit. The magic part is that, when you use as directed, you build the non stick surface every time you use the pan, rather than wear out the non stick surface, as with Teflon. A heavily used 20 year old Teflon pan is almost certainly trash, while a heavily used 100 year old cast iron pan is treasure. ---
**Author:** ![Briny\_Deep](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/briny_deep/32/17188_2.png) [@Briny\_Deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Briny_Deep)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/23 "2022-01-19T17:28:01Z")
Agreed that Lodge sucks. Why on earth do they use that terrible pebbled finish? Is it just cheaper to leave it like that? I’m blessed to have 2 non-branded antiques from my grandmother, and I’m reasonably confident she got them from _her_ grandmother. They are smooth as silk. By the way, [SeriousEats.com](http://SeriousEats.com) rates Lodge as the best cast-iron pan, and they have done so for some time. I love Serious Eats, but feel this should invalidate every other recommendation they make. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/24 "2022-01-19T18:01:52Z")
> [@Briny\_Deep](#): > > Is it just cheaper to leave it like that? Yes. Saves the extra step of milling. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/25 "2022-01-19T18:06:55Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Well, there’s always [Finex](https://finexusa.com/) cast iron That’s just unabashed kitchen porn. I want. WAAAH ! My Lodge CI skillet has been my go-to for years. I never sand blasted it or otherwise smoothed the bottom, but I did do a serious seasoning on day one – the kind where you do a micron-thin flax coating top and bottom, and then put it in the oven at 500\*, bake it for an hour or so, let it cool, and then repeat. IIRC, I did that three times. Since then, it’s been great, but I still give it a wipe with flaxseed oil after each use and ‘cleaning.’ But you get what you pay for, and I like the value mine has given me. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 19, 2022, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/26 "2022-01-19T20:26:21Z")
Last year I bought a Lodge cast iron pan; it was on sale, I’d been thinking about getting a cast iron pan for a while, and a cursory check showed good online reviews. I checked their website for care instructions and followed them, and have been satisfied with its performance. I’ve been considering buying some of their other cast iron products, once I finish with some kitchen reorganizing and have room to store them. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/27 "2022-01-20T00:40:50Z")
I concur. I actually got mine because I had a store credit at REI. I went into the store without anything in mind to buy, didn’t really need any camping gear or anything like that, but then I saw they carried Lodge cast iron cookware. I’d been thinking about getting a cast iron pan for a while, and a 9" one sold for almost exactly the amount my credit was for (I think I paid around $2 in actual money after sales tax). I’m perfectly satisfied with it. I don’t really think the pebbly finish is as big a deal as others are making it out to be. It doesn’t seem to affect the non-stick performance of the pan at all. ---
**Author:** ![LurkMeister](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/3da27b/32.png) [@LurkMeister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LurkMeister)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/28 "2022-01-20T02:24:24Z")
The non-stick performance was actually one of the main features that made me want a cast iron pan. I was tired of food sticking to my other pan and having to scrub them out. This hasn’t happened yet with my cast iron pan - including the time I got distracted and left something in too long without flipping it. ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2022, 9:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/29 "2022-01-20T09:39:52Z")
> [@Chingon](#): > > You likely had preseasoned ones. No, I live in the 3rd world.We don’t get nice things here. I do oil my pots regularly but only before baking, really, because it helps to get the bread out, and sets a certain sheen to the sides of the bread. ---
**Author:** ![Retzbu\_Tox](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/retzbu_tox/32/11829_2.png) [@Retzbu\_Tox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Retzbu_Tox)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/30 "2022-01-23T14:49:31Z")
I bought a heavy cast iron skillet a little over 30 years ago, and it had a pebbled cooking surface. I have no idea what brand it is. I should look at the bottom and see what it says. I mistreated it for years, washing it in the sink with soap and water \ and a scratchy scouring pad \. It was always getting rusty and needing to be scrubbed again before I used it. _ **However** _, my years of abuse wore the surface smooth and I no longer let soap and water near it. If it is dirty, I heat it up and wipe it out with a bit of oil, salt, and a paper towel, because that’s what a voice from the heavens told me to do. (OK, it was really Alton Brown on TV.) It makes me wonder how many of those heirloom skillets started out just as crappy as mine, and also owe their current fine surface simply to being used. > **[How to Care for Cast Iron Hardware at Home - Alton Brown](https://altonbrown.com/how-to-care-for-cast-iron/)** > > From curing to cleaning, Alton Brown's cast iron care guide covers everything you need to know about caring for this hearty kitchen hardware. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/31 "2022-01-23T20:14:02Z")
Just a fine point on finishing the pan. From the Finex link it is apparent the pans were cut on a lathe, not by milling. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 23, 2022, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/32 "2022-01-23T20:18:05Z")
I’m not sure I agree with that. From the **[Finex site](https://finexusa.com/learn-more-cast-iron-skillets/)**: > CNC machined smooth right up to the curved edge, our cooking surfaces are smooth to the touch for near non-stick cooking and easy clean up. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/33 "2022-01-26T14:51:58Z")
The seasoning is not so much to protect the pan but to give a nonstick surface. You would probably appreciate the difference more using a skillet for satueeing than using pots for wet dishes and bread. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/34 "2022-01-26T16:49:23Z")
The weight is the whole point of cast iron. Cast iron doesn’t really conduct heat terribly well, but it does absorb a LOT of heat and retains it better than most other cookware materials. Nor does it really heat all that evenly either. So a heavy cast iron pan can absorb a bunch of heat, and when you slap a steak into that hot pan, the thermal mass and relatively high specific heat means that it doesn’t immediately get cold like an aluminum or thinner stainless steel pan would, giving you a better sear because the metal stays hotter longer. The tradeoff is that if you’re cooking and need quick temperature changes, cast iron isn’t the right material for the job- you’re far better off in that situation with an aluminum or clad pan. Cast iron is brittle in general, not necessarily old cast iron. You have to be a bit careful with it as a result. I imagine that someone could make cast iron cookware that is thicker on the bottom and lighter on the sides without an issue, and make it somewhat lighter than an old-school Lodge pan or dutch oven. My Lodge is fine; if the sand-cast surface bothers you, do what I did and take a power sander to the inside bottom and smooth it out some. Takes a while, but it’s cheap and effective. Alton Brown is wrong on one count; there’s nothing wrong with using dish soap to wash your cast iron. The seasoning is _polymerized_ oil, not just oil. Soap/detergent isn’t going to affect it one bit chemically. Treat it like it was a non-stick pan, and don’t soak it for long periods in soapy water, which can mess up the seasoning over time. But just washing it with Dawn or whatever? Not a problem. [The Truth About Cast Iron Pans: 7 Myths That Need To Go Away (seriouseats.com)](https://www.seriouseats.com/the-truth-about-cast-iron) ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/35 "2022-01-26T17:02:23Z")
> [@bump](#): > > if the sand-cast surface bothers you, do what I did and take a power sander to the inside bottom and smooth it out some. Takes a while, but it’s cheap and effective. Just a quick Public Service Announcement: do this _outside_ and while wearing eye protection and a decent respirator. [good summary, **bump**] ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/36 "2022-01-26T17:47:01Z")
Interesting stuff, thank you for taking the time to share. I take your point about the heft of the pan, but still wish the bottom of the Lodge Dutch oven wasn’t so heavy that I can’t pick it up and pour out the contents with one hand. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2022, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/37 "2022-01-26T19:27:15Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Alton Brown is wrong on one count; there’s nothing wrong with using dish soap to wash your cast iron. Alton even recently tweeted that it’s fine to wash your cast iron with soap: > ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/38 "2022-01-28T02:39:19Z")
This thread prompted me to take inventory of the cast iron in the kitchen. 1 chicken fryer 1 large skillet 1 small skillet 1 rectangular griddle 1 round griddle 1 square grill pan 1 enameled dutch oven 1 pizza pan I bought the last two. The rest were either presents or scavenged. None are Lodge. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/39 "2022-01-28T06:01:28Z")
Nice, silenus! We have… 1 rectangular griddle 2 deep fat fryers (both 10 inch), one with cast iron lid 2 regular 10 inch pans 1 8 inch pan 1 6 inch pan 1 enameled (Lodge) dutch oven ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2022, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898/40 "2022-01-28T08:14:11Z")
I don’t know what brand my cast iron skillet is. I bought it at the grocery store for $15 around 2015 or so. It came pre-seasoned, but I gave it an additional seasoning myself and it’s maintained its seasoning and non-stick-ness since then. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lodge-cast-iron-sucks/957898.md?page=3)