Lodge Cast Iron Rosie the Riveter Skillet, 10.25 Inches

I know there's a gazillion reviews already, but having used Lodge cast iron cookware a gazillion times, I can't resist weighing in. If you're newly getting into cast iron, read a bunch of the negative reviews first ... and discover people who are truly (often innocently) clueless about the preparation, care and usage of timeless cast iron cookware. I have a bunch of Lodge skillets, a griddle, two Dutch ovens and a pot with a self-basting lid which happens to also fit one of my skillets as well as my new chef's skillet. I really wanted a skillet with rounded sides, mostly for an egg and omelette pan. At $15, the LCS3 is a steal, considering I can neither find nor afford vintage Griswold. Like all Lodge, it comes pre-seasoned, which simply means it has a coating of oil that prevents oxidation. This seasoning is not what makes it non-stick. How you cook with it does. Out of the box, I enjoyed the cathartic ritual of baking four more coats of oil onto the seasoning which turned it a lovely, shiny black. Then, I pressed it into service as a non-stick wonder. Some people complain about the "pebbly" texture of the pan, some even testifying that this is the reason food sticks ... wrong. Proper temperature and proper amounts of fats are the keys to cooking non-stick. The "pebbly" texture means nothing. Besides, with continued use, the "pebbly" texture will turn into a smooth-as-silk surface. All my Lodge has been used enough to reach this point (except, of course, this brand new piece.) There are a lot of great videos on Youtube that can teach you how to cook with and care for your cast iron, but I can sum it up in a jiffy. Always preheat your cast iron over medium / low heat first, until it lightly smokes. Lower the heat slightly. Add butter, oil or other fats that are room temperature or cold. Coat the bottom and sides. Add your food and watch it slide around. When finished, rinse with hot water; if you have fond in the pan, scrape with a nylon scraper and rinse away. Dry the cast iron on the stove top burner and then wipe down with a very light coating of oil. You're ready for the next use. (This coating will lightly smoke when it reaches proper temperature, indicating when to add your cooking fats.) Other than the initial wash-down out of the box, I personally do not use soap on my cast iron. Some people do. Avoid cooking with acidic foods and liquids like tomatoes or vinegars or you'll surely be re-seasoning your pan before you know it. Good luck, and good cooking. And remember the chef's maxim: "Hot pan, cold fat."

I have a few stainless steel and cast iron pans because I don’t use any nonstick coated pans at all. This size is great for heating up leftovers or side dishes. I have read so many negative reviews on cast-iron pans, especially while I was looking at the collector series of Lodge pans. I think a lot of people don’t realize that the seasoning and nonstick abilities don’t happen overnight it’s something you have to build up and work on, that’s why so many people pay a lot of money for old cast-iron pans that are perfectly seasoned, they’re like glass. I recently started to use this one and have had zero problems also I don’t think people are oiling them after they clean them WITHOUT soap. They sell great little stainless steel chain cleaning pads for cast-iron just run it under hot water and scrub it with that, stuff comes right off and then once you’ve dried it, which you have to do with cast-iron you have to dry it completely, (it’s metal you need to dry it completely off or it will rust), then you have to oil it also to prevent it from rusting, this is how cast-iron works. The more you use it, scrub and oil it, the better the non stick seasoning of the pan becomes. I’ve had really rough pans that took about a year of continuous use to achieve this level of nonstick. I think if more people would pay attention to how they’re caring for theirs they wouldn’t be leaving negative reviews because they don’t understand the cleaning and preservation process. I do have to say I was less than thrilled about how this came packaged just a cardboard over the actual pan part shoved in a packing envelope that wasn’t even padded so if peoples reviews that have been broken I can understand why, because there’s absolutely no care taken in packaging this for shipment. Amazon needs to do better in this aspect. Below are comparison photo of this pan vs one I’ve had a couple years and an antique one Notice the smooth appearance of the older ones…not to fear this one will be just as smooth by next year.

I've been married for almost six years now and have been doing the majority of cooking for about four years. I've owned a few cheap non-stick pans when we were super-poor, bought some decent non-stick pans when times were looking up, some stainless pans that were hand-me downs, and I've replaced them all with a couple Lodge cast iron pans. I managed to destroy a couple non-stick pans by overheating them or scratching them or looking at them funny. I had never used a cast-iron pan but after a little research I realized how nice they can be for not much money. Seriously, this pan cost half the price of some of the "better" pans I had bought. It comes pre-seasoned but I realize that it will take some work and time to get it really well seasoned and truly non stick. The fist couple uses I did nothing but cook bacon, caramelize onions or crisp up tortillas. Nothing too fancy just to get used to it and help break it in. Bacon wanted to stick initially but moving the strips around as I set in helped lubricate it and once the fat started to render out there as no problem with sticking whatsoever. After about 10 or so uses it's much more non-stick than it was and I'm sure it will just get better. What I wasn't prepared for though was how much heat retention this pan has. Once it gets hot it stays hot and for a long time. Food cooks faster because of that. I'm used to putting food in a hot pan and immediately losing a bunch of heat. This thing stays hot and cooks food FAST. I've had to adjust my cooking temperatures and times a little bit to re-adjust. Overall though, with a little bit of re-learning I wouldn't think about cooking with anything else now. I'll probably pick up a second one because it's so cheap and indestructible.

Solid, high quality cast iron pan. Being that cast iron pans can last more than a lifetime (literally! I have a Sidney Wagnerware pan from the 1920s that I also use often & I'm a 31 year old male). When I was shopping for a new cast iron I wanted something special. That's why I chose the Rosie the riveter 2020 design. Not only does it signify something very important, but (hopefully) in 100 years when a future family member is cooking with this pan, it will be very easy to tell just how long ago this pan was made. Now on to the pan itself. This is a classic lodge product, high quality, attention to detail and one of the few cast iron cookware that are not made horribly in china, or cost an arm and a leg from Europe. Finishing is smooth for todays cast iron, although not as smooth as the stuff from yesteryear. I gave 2 stars for heat distribution and 3 for "easy to clean" only because this is cast iron- cast iron does not distribute heat, it holds heat, choosing the right sized heating element is a must for even heat distribution with cast iron. Cleanup is easy, but ONLY if you know how to care for cast iron (and it is well seasoned). Mostly I just wipe mine out after use, using the lodge plastic scraper for more stubborn residue (such as scrambled eggs- fried eggs require just a wipe with a paper towel). Properly seasoned cast iron is incredibly non stick. If you are new to cast iron, don't be discouraged, but do keep your mind open to learn. Once you get to know cast iron, you will NEVER go back to horrible non stick pans. I LOVE my cast iron and won't touch a nasty aluminum pan ever again (most Teflon, etc pans are cheap aluminum pans coated with a non stick coating, even those "blue diamond" or ceramic pans!) One more thing, I highly recommend adding a few additional coats of seasoning once you receive the pan- my go to is flax seed oil (I use the 365 brand from Whole Foods). Wipe the pan down liberally with the oil, then wipe the residue with a paper towel. Bake upside down @ 500f / 260c for 1 hour so the oil smokes and hardens. Let the pan cool & repeat (or if you use heat proof mits you can take it out and do it while its hot and go straight back in the hot oven)

I finally got serious about cooking my steaks and bought this Lodge cast-iron. As you may already know cast-iron pans require seasoning before use where oil is heated on the iron at such a high temperature that it eventually adheres to the iron itself, providing a non-stick surface that won't peel off like the teflon in non-stick pans. Like you, I read most of the highly rated reviews before buying it, including the one by "joe bob" from Florida. He noted that he cleaned it with a bit of soap before using it and the egg he tested with it stuck. I was worried that the pre-seasoning wouldn't be substantial enough after reading his review and that I'd have to re-season it myself. This wasn't the case. I used a good bit of vegetable oil and cooked an egg on it just fine without sticking. So don't worry! The seasoning on the pan is more than adequate. However, I still use a small non-stick pan for my eggs and the lodge for pretty much everything else because I find it easier to flip my eggs and don't want to use such a big heavy pan for one egg. Since getting the pan I've cooked steaks with a crust that I though I could only get on my grill. I've taken the pan camping where I tossed it on the fire to cook bacon, sausage, chili etc. and I've grown to love how tough this thing is and how well it cooks. One drawback however, is that there is a bit more work in cleaning the pan than I'd like. I usually put a bit of sea salt and water in the pan and scrub with a plastic brush then dry with paper towels before rubbing a bit of oil on it to store. The only other drawback is that I had to buy the lodge silicone handle for $6-7 so I could pick up this guy while its hot.

Bought this after moving into a new place because my old roommate owned all of the cast iron in our kitchen. So this review has as its point of reference a very old, very well seasoned cast iron skillet of the same size (brand unknown). Pros: -Great price -no apparent durability issues -The second handle opposite the main one is a big plus -Good non-stick properties after just 2 seasoning cycles. Cons: -The sides are rounded- more so than apparent from the picture. Not a deal breaker for me, but it could be an important factor for someone who regularly bakes in a skillet (pizzas, biscuits, cornbread, etc.) - can't quite compare to a skillet with 20 years of seasoning under its belt Full Review: In some ways, there is not much to distinguish cast iron skillets from one another, but certain subtle features can have an effect on the cooking performance and usability. For example, aficionados will tell you that what you really want is an old, used cast iron skillet. Older skillets were available with a machined cooking surface which would give you a much, much smoother starting surface on which to build your seasoning than a skillet that has just been cast. However, in order to get your hands on one of these today, you have to hit up thrift stores, yard sales, ebay, etc. to find the right used skillet. I have even seen a kickstarter campaign for a new machined cast iron skillet (with a few other nice features), but with a $195 retail price tag and a long lead time ahead, I decided that I would purchase an un-machined skillet and be diligent in my seasoning. Physical Features: The skillet is nice and heavy as you would expect. It includes a second handle opposite the main one, which is a very useful feature- a full skillet can be quite heavy and when it is full of piping hot food a little added stability is much appreciated. One issue that took me by surprise was how rounded the sides of the skillet are. A quick glance at the picture led me to believe that it would have straight sides like most other cast iron skillets. Whether or not this is a problem depends on how you plan on using your skillet I suppose. It's no problem for me, but for those who bake pizzas, cornbread, cakes etc. in cast iron it could be problematic. Non-stick properties: My biggest concern with getting a new skillet was how long it would take to build up a useful layer of seasoning. I did some searching and settled on the following seasoning method: I washed the brand new skillet with dish soap and hot water to remove any residual oils from manufacturing. This would be the last time that soap every touched the skillet. Next I coated the skillet with lard and baked it in a 200F oven for 3 hours, allowed it to cool slowly, wiping off some of the excess lard as it cooled. I repeated this cycle one more time. Since then I have only used hot water to clean it off. I dry it immediately on a stove burner, followed by a quick wipe with a paper towel soaked in vegetable oil. After just 2 seasoning cycles, the pan has a fairly nice non-stick property. I can easily sear steaks, chops, fish without any sticking and it handles scrambled eggs easily. I haven't given it the ultimate test of a cheese omelette cooked on high heat (and I'm not totally convinced it would pass), but it is more than sufficient for my purposes. Overall impression: This is a very inexpensive alternative to a nice, heirloom machined skillet. After $1.00 worth of lard and a few hours in the oven it is nicely non-stick. It will also last forever and, unlike nonstick skillets, will get better with age.

This pan never leaves the stove. I use it at least once a day, it is so versatile. A little history: for years I had a 10 1/2" antique cast iron skillet, but with six people to feed, it was too cramped. Plus, the tall sides made it difficult to do some cooking, like sautéing. So I gave it to a friend from church and bought a 12" Lodge skillet and an All-Clad sauté pan. I loved the big cast iron pan when cooking for the whole gang, but I could never get used to the stainless steel sauté pan. It doesn't radiate as much heat as cast iron does, and I was always burning stuff with it. So I threw that one into the cupboard with all the other stuff I own but don't use. I'm sure I'll give it away someday. This Lodge Chef's Skillet was what I was looking for. The sloped sides let me sauté just like with the stainless steel pan, plus I can judge whether it's too hot just by putting my hand near it. What can't I cook with this thing? I sauté veggies, make grilled cheese sandwiches, fry eggs, reheat tortillas, make omelets, sear steaks, and make sausage gravy to go over biscuits. This is a real workhorse of my kitchen. You can see why it never leaves my stovetop. It's big enough to handle most jobs, but not so heavy that my kids can't use it. (Can't say that for the 12" one.) I reseasoned it a bunch of times with flax oil in a 500-degree oven. The factory seasoning is nice, but it's not bulletproof like I want. I've found that we use this skillet, the 12" skillet, a 6-quart enameled dutch oven, a 2-quart saucepan and a half-sheet pan for almost all of the cooking we do in our kitchen. The other stuff knocking around our cupboards (like the stockpot or the roasting pan or the big griddle that covers two burners or the muffin pan or the pizza stone) only gets pulled out for special occasions. I could give away half of it and probably never notice. I hope this helps you make a good decision about what skillet to buy. IMHO, go with cast iron; you'll never regret it.

Lodge cast iron is great, and I would highly recommend it for anyone shopping for cookware. That said, it requires some work to keep it working at the highest level. Lodge's cast iron is great at holding heat, and has good heat distribution. It is also one of the few pans that I feel comfortable using on any heat source: from gas, to induction, to a cast iron stove, or even a camp fire. If you remember the cast iron pans from your parents days, though, this is not the same. Old cast iron was machined smooth, so maintaining the glossy, non-stick surface was easier. The new (past 20+ years) Lodge stuff comes fresh out of the casting with bumps on the cooking surface. These bumps require use to smooth out, although a solid seasoning will make a huge difference too. Lodge advertises these as coming pre-seasoned, and they aren't wrong, but it isn't a strong seasoning like one that builds up over time. You can speed up the seasoning process at home though, using flaxseed oil and your oven or barbecue. If you have a gas barbecue and infrared thermometer I'd highly recommend that route, as a proper seasoning gets really smokey, and the smoke will fill up your kitchen if you don't have outdoor venting for your oven. The best material I have found for seasoning is flaxseed oil. It is available in large quantities for a good price on Amazon, Nature's Way Flax Oil Super Lignan, 24 Ounce . The trick is to wet a cloth or paper towel with flaxseed oil, and then rub it over the pan to create a thin, glossy coating. After you have a thin (doesn't run) glossy coating, toss the pan in the oven or barbecue and let it heat up to about 500f, leave it for an hour, then let it cool for two hours. Repeat this process 3-6 times depending on what thickness of coating you want, and you will have a cast iron pan that is as slippery as teflon. This process is expected to smoke a lot. For day to day maintenance, never ever soak your cast iron, and don't dishwasher it. Use a green kitchen scrub pad if required and a light rubbing. You don't want to wear off that seasoning you worked so hard to put on! Before you put your cast iron away, I would recommend heating it pretty warm to evaporate off any water left from cleaning so it won't rust. Many people recommend putting a light coating of oil on it before you put it away, but personally I do not do that. Once you have your well seasoned pan, you'll love cast iron and likely never go back to teflon for daily tasks! Grilled cheese on a cast iron frying pan is something else!

Ich habe die Pfanne im Angebot zu einem wirklich guten Preis erworben. (Insbesondere auf die möglicherweise hohen Versandkosten aus den USA sollte man bei der Bestellung achten!) Innerhalb kürzester Zeit ist sie zu meiner absoluten Lieblingspfanne geworden. Tolle Bratergebnisse und äußerst robust. Ich würde sie wieder kaufen.

I love this pan! I've had it for 3 years and, after re-seasoning it with every use, it's functionally a non-stick pan. It's a little heavy, but well within expectations for a cast iron pan. I love that it can go from the hob straight into the oven. I got some stainless steel chainmail to scrub it after cooking, and it can also tolerate a little bit of soap without stripping the seasoning (no harsh chemicals, but fairy liquid is ok). I hang my cast iron on the wall for storage, and I particularly like the design on this one. It makes it a statement piece on the wall. In the life of cast iron, 3 years is no time at all. It could easily last another 100 years. Hope my grandkids like cooking.

The frying pan presented some rust from the first use which is very strange. it is made with not treated iron. Not healthy and useful at all. In addition it came without its silicone heat protector.

Never seen such a perfect multi utility cast iron kitchenware! It has curved sides which makes it perfect for Indian style cooking.

very satisfied with the product