Owning cast iron skillets is like owning dogs. They can be mutts or pure breeds, they can be smart or dumb, they can be strong and fast or weak and slow. But in the end, they are always loyal friends.
I really appreciate your honest and unbiased review of this pan. A lot of people can not afford the "nice" cast iron. I will say the $20 pre-seasoned cast iron pans at walmart are just as "nice" as the expensive vintage or expensive"nice/good" cast iron. I can't tell any difference at all. Truly enjoyed watching this video!! Subbed!
I should have watched your video before using the pan. I purchased the 11.5 inches from BigLots. The first food did stick to the pan. I stopped the cooking and checked UA-cam for instructions. Very informative, thank you!
It's refreshing to see that cast iron cook ware is coming back. I've been cooking on cast iron pans for most of my life. I always watch your videos because they are always very helpful, because I can never learn enough about caring about my aging cast iron cook ware to make sure that it lasts another 100 plus years. Thanks, Dale. 🎅🤶🎄
Great job. This shows you don't need to spend $80-$100 for a star gazer or finet(how ever you spell it). Camping is a great place to use this type. I have a Grizwald, some Wagner, new and old Lodge and some with no marking. Use all of them and have sanded out some of the rougher ones to make a little better. Cast iron is cast iron, use em and abuse em, clean em and reseason em, good to go.
It just proves that along with care and proper use the knockoffs are a valuable item. No different than having a pedigree dog or a mutt. Take proper care and show it love and it will be loyal to you for many years to come. Thanks for your unbiased review which is very hard to get from a cast iron user.
Excellent review. I have been one of those "snobs" that wouldn't buy a new cast iron skillet but watching this has changed my mind. I have enjoyed your videos over the years and appreciate your channel!!
I have a 12" lodge, a 10" ozark trail, a vintage lodge corn stick pan, an outdoor gourmet pizza pan, and an old mountain round cornbread pan. Room for all! Multidenominational! 😆
Great review. I think point is; cast iron is what makes cast iron superior. I have a few Walmart mainstays pans that are maid in China and they have been used and seasoned to the point that they have a perfectly smooth surface. Lodge has the same “problem” but they end up the same; smooth as glass and the perfect kitchen utensil.
I just bought a 15 inch cast iron skillet from Walmart for $16.00 and something. I scrubbed it with soap and a steel scrubby to remove any "Seasoning" from the factory, and I haven't even sanded it yet but it's cooking like a charm and I couldn't be happier. Vintage Cast Iron is amazing, if you can find it, and if you can afford it. I am not a collector, I am an Industrial Strength User. I will use them when and wherever I want to like my Dad did. In the middle of a roaring camp fire while the rain comes down in a Texas thunderstorm with a large flat rock as a lid to keep the rain off the food and the fire. I use them like I would a good knife, and brand names mean nothing to me. If I strike it and it rings like a bell and doesn't feel like it is too thin, then we are good. Don't let people tell you that cheap or Asian means worthless. Make sure it rings like a bell so you know there are no cracks. Good Cooking Everyone. and Cast Iron Chaos, keep up the great work. I see quality, information, and passion in everyone of your videos. Kudos.
I bought a Mainstays at Walmart and 3 vintage pans from flea market. During initial seasoning process the Mainstays cracked. Also noticed one on shelf at Walmart that was cracked.
Thanks for the great review. You made some very valid points as to why this pan may be the best you can get at the time. You also, perfectly, demonstrated how utilitarian this pans is.
Very nice review. I just found some lodge on sale that I was barely able to afford, but even the two side handle pans are a bit heavy for me. I like the idea of a lighter cast iron for everyday use. I know, I know, the heavier cast iron actually cooks a bit better, but the thinner is better than no cast iron. When you are 69 and dealing with a lifting limitation due to surgeries, you take what you can get and are grateful!
@@tesss6767 If you don't mind shopping online they should be easy to find: www.amazon.com/Lodge-CRS10-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-10-inch/dp/B005U93RYC/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1545343041&sr=1-4&keywords=carbon+steel+skillet Some retail stores that carry Lodge also have them too, they don't work too well with electric coil stove though just so you are aware.
My Grandmother had really bad carpal tunnel issues in both hands. She developed a technique of wrapping a hot pad in a dish towel leaving a long tail so she should slide the pan off the stove onto the towel and then drag it around the counter by the towel. She wouldn't give up her cast iron even though she could no longer lift it. The old high quality pans are often actually lighter than modern ones. Best of luck to you.
I have a couple no name CI frying pans that my husband sanded down eliminating the bumpy surface. They're well seasoned, smooth as my great grandmother's pan, and work great!
I recently purchased a Walmart brand Mainstay cast iron which is also made in China. Sanded that baby down and wallah its a nonstick wonder. Paid a grand total of $7.50 for this pan and I'm super pleased with it. Always fun to get a bargain. I think I'm gonna start a collection of cheap cast iron pans to adorn my kitchen :-)
Thank you for doing this review. I was given this exact pan for Christmas. So far it is a great pan that I am enjoying learning how to cook on cast iron
I bought a set of 3 made in China cast iron skillets from Macy's for only $10. It came with a 5", 7", and 10" skillet. That was maybe about 15 to 20 years ago. I still use them to this day. Just baked a pizza in the 10" skillet. I don't care if they're not heirloom quality. They're better than any non-stick pan and are the best things I've ever bought for my kitchen.
very good review! i am such a guy that cant spend a lot of money on a pan. i own a€ 12,-/$ 13,66 Vogue asian made skillet and grill pan. the skillet now after almost a just 2 years daily use is getting very smooth inside. never will i buy "non stick" pans again.
I have quite a nice collection of cast iron cookware which I purchased this year and love them and my steel wok. They are used to cook about all that I eat and is easy to clean too. Most of my cast iron cookware is made by Lodge, but I also have the Stargazer skillet, and an old skillet which belonged to my grandmother who raised us when we was kids, and our mother was away working and trying to send enough to take care of us.I don't know who made the old skillet, but it is nice and I am fairly sure it was American made.
Bought my first cast iron skillet which was a lodge brand from amazon US (cheaper than buying one locally here in Australia) and love it and the seasoning is getting better every time I cook on it Bought a cheap $12.00 on from Kmart here in Australia so I can use two at the same time and that one not bad and a lot better than the non stick frypan I bought from Aldi's
Very cool niche review. I like collector pans as much as the next, but good users are cool too. As usual, another interesting video from you, I watched the whole thing.
I have a Wagner CI pan and a Lodge CI pan that I use all the time. I season them outside on a portable electric inductive burner. They fry great burgers, eggs, bacon and I even make homemade english muffins on my cast iron pans. A few years ago I bought a Lodge CI wok. I love making chicken fried rice in it. It works well but I think a carbon steel wok would be better.
Iron pans are finicky and high maintenance, especially in the beginning. But after time your dedication pays off. I've spent numerous weekends on my grill and went through many propane tanks seasoning pans. Many have called me crazy. But you get out of life what you put into it.
@@noahkraft6453 By the same token they heat faster than cast iron and take less room. Heat retention is less important when you have a constant heat source available.
I have been a cast iron guy since a child thanks to my parents, my kids gifted me an un seasond bengiman and mess in 8 in , I thought ugh, but now it's my favorite go to pan for omelets and Browning stuff I love it and I do have some Taiwan pot and pans cast of course that are just fine and I love so use whatever you have even the ruff stuff is slick as can be once. It's seasond enough to fill in the ruff cast, enjoy.
Great video and subject to cover. I just purchased along with my older brother some cast iron cookware for our father. They were all Lodge brand, but for an extra pan or two, those cheap ones from BigLots! would be a practical low cost option. You demonstrate that the constant re-coating with Crisco is so easy to do that it's a minor thing. I bet that process of cleaning and coating will keep the pan rust free and in good shape for years.
Just bought one of these today, christened with a grilled cheese sandwich. Came out great with a nice crispy crust. Nothing is better than cast iron! 12 bucks at Big Lots!
Take some sandpaper to the cooking surface before seasoning it. Every pass of the sandpaper simulates days of use in the real world. Because of this my new Lodge 10" pan is as smooth as my old 12" 10 year old one.
That's exactly what I have done to every one of my pans and their performance has increased ten fold. Even my kids reach for the cast iron and not the non stick.
Azhaar Laghari, if you want a pan that has the same qualities as cast iron but it's lighter, go with carbon steel (you will lose the heat retention properties of cast iron tho).
I've sanded several of my new lodge pans and reseasoned them it takes time but I think it's worth the effort. I would rather spend $20 on a lodge and and a few dollars on sand paper for my random orbit sander then spend $120 - $250 on a field or stargazer.. Plus those manufacturers only produce a couple types of pans usually just 10-12" skillets. with Lodge you can get the 14" cast iron wok, or the aebleskiver pan, or 15" and 17" skillets, dutch ovens the cast iron 14" Pizza pan. and they are american made...
Awesomely Sarcastic I cook just about everything in my Lodge cast-iron cookware and over the years it has developed a lot of carbon I don’t even worry about a smooth floor in my pans/skillets I flip eggs effortlessly,,, with alot of carbon your good to go....
I use a piece of old red brick with a little water in the pan and just go around and around and around for about 20 minutes or until the cooking surface is like I want it.
Thank you so much for the extremely informative video. After I stumbled upon your channel I have learned so much. my family and friends swear my cooking has improved tremendously but little do they know it was help from you and good old cast iron 😀
@James_wingthwong_ Banks It's amazing how many paranoid and worthless scare stories you put in your little rant there. I'm impressed. :) In the midst of trying to think of every scary fairy tale you know of about the EVIL dangers of Crisco, did you ever consider including a reference to actual proof and evidence to back it up? All I can say is: CITATION NEEDED. Prove it. Those worthless memes about vegetable oil being "one molecule away from plastic" are seen on the Internet every day. But strangely, our emergency rooms aren't flooded with cases people being poisoned by vegetable oil and Crisco. Provide some proof, dude, or GTFO. sciencebasedmedicine.org/fake-news-about-margarine/
@James_wingthwong_ Banks Out of all the people that use vegetable oil or shortening everyday, not once have I heard of anyone being poisoned by these fats. It must be tough to worry about everything. I hope you don't smoke or use drugs.
@@castironchaos Amen....I've been using Crisco on my cast iron for 30+ years, not changing what works, learned from the best, my grandparents which lived well into there 90's!
Cast iron cooking is all in the cook & not in the pan. I dont see why people want to grind down a lodge skillet with an angle grinder either, this morning i made bacon eggs & pancakes in a new 12 in. lodge with no sticking.thanks chaos!
@@tonygaines15 Not only thinner, they are made from the crappiest quality iron on earth. Carbon content, built in melted down rust, paint and other trash. They are the last thing you should be cooking with.
I recently bought a TINY Asian cast for a special application... It was HORRIFIC... Rough interior, casting flaws and even casting tags on the handle that hadn't been ground off!... I set up my detail sanders (Palm wouldn't fit) grabbed a beer, and got ready for a bit of nasty work... Before using "Power" I folded a piece of sandpaper and made a few light passes by hand... WOW! What a mess!... Black dust was filling the pan and covering my hands after only about a minute. (Note: If you are married, do this outside!) After dumping the dust out, I observed that the grainy bottom had a silver sheen and was already "softening" from an aggregate to more of an orange peel type texture... Cast sands like pine! The point is, it's a no-brainer and WAY easier than you would think... 35 minutes by HAND and the inside of the skillet was like GLASS!... Even before seasoning (No patience), I sprayed it with a little oil and fried an egg in it... I never touched the egg after cracking it. When it was fully cooked, a flick of the wrist sent the egg sliding against the side of the little pan just like my 100+ year old Griswold! I'm not easily impressed, but I was home alone and actually laughed a bit in amazement. After a full seasoning, this thing is crazy awesome. The arguments of Asian cast iron aside; you can do this to any new (or less than perfect, seasoned) cast pan and will find yourself not even noticing the difference between these and your vintage. I'm doing more of these to use with tomato-based foods that I won't subject the seasoning of my great grandfather's pans to. This isn't rocket science and uses no special tools...The perfect (Cheap) solution!
I've watched dozens to hundreds of various videos about pots and pans and ($10 or not on a cheap Chinese made skillet) this one actually tells more than all the others combined in re cast iron skillets. All the other videos are nonsense for anyone simply looking to find something to cook with at a reasonable price. Cheap makes so much sense when it comes to cast iron. My advise to anyone looking to buy is to get the cheapest and when you need to use to clean it using water, make sure that you quickly dry it, and maybe put a super light coating of lard or Crisco.
Great idea using the foreign pans for camping. I've been using my cheaper lodge, but would still be heartbroken if they were stolen or lost. Thanks for sharing!
When I first started collecting cast iron I became a cast iron snob. That has changed big time. I have found, as you demonstrated, that cheap cast iron cooks just as good as the expensive stuff. Does that mean I am giving up my granny's Griswold, Lodge, or Wagner?? Not a fat chance. :-) It's just that I learned to love the art of restoring cast iron back to life. I did find a Emeril Lagasse 10 inch at Goodwill for 15 bucks that was rusted and had so much crud that you could not even see that his name was stamped on the bottom. Brought it home. Cleaned it several times with oven cleaner for the crud and vinegar for the rust. Seasoned it and looks brand new. I use it as my daily cooker. I use my other pans/skillets as I rotate them out to keep the seasoning fresh. Next on my bucket list is an old #14 Griswold, but that's also a fantasy. LOL!!! Nice review!!
Don't give up on the big Griswold. The same fantasy turned into reality for me last summer. I picked up a #8 WagnerWare and a #8 three notch Lodge at a yard sale for $3 each. When I went to pay for them the lady hosting the sale said "I have another frying pan for sale inside if you're interested. It's too heavy for me to carry out here." I followed her into her kitchen and the pan was hanging on the wall with a $10 price tag. It was a #14 Griswold. Keep looking. Someday you will tell a similar story.
@@YukonHawk1 That was the start of a crazy day in the hunt for old cookware. There was an identical #8 Wagner at the next sale with $75 price tag. I walked way from that one. Later I found a #12 three notch Lodge for $20. Now I need a new stove with a big enough burner to properly heat those two big pans.
@@zone4garlicfarm Hopefully one day that will happen to me. I once stopped at an antique shop and found a National #8 pan dates back to the mid 1920s I believe. Paid only5. I have the same problem with my stove. I have a huge 15" + Lodge from the early 90s that I salvaged from a barn sale. Paid 20 for it. Not too bad for a pan that size. But you hit pay dirt for. My day will come😁😁
In recent days I have seen some Lodge pans on sale at really low prices. I agree that once you get the pan seasoned properly they will work just fine, no matter who made it. Collecting is still fun though. Thanks for the review.
Thank you for this review! I have found that cast iron cookware usage, compares with wine. Sure, we'd take a Joseph Phelps Insignia any day over a $10 bottle of Robert Mondavi. But having a cheaper wine with a steak is better than soda. I have a HUGE 17" CI skillet I bought from Harbor Frieght Tool about 10 years ago for the huge price of $10. It makes for an EXCELLENT chicken fryer. Sure, I'd prefer to cook in my Wagner/Griwold/BSR skillets for other everyday meals. But for frying chicken, my $10 Harbor Freight monster will far out-perform any of my #6 vintage skillets.
I got one from family dollar as my first ever cast iron just to get to learn how to cook with one and i have to say that it did not stick as much as i thought and i will.use this way more than my other nonstick pans
Great video, sir. I have a dozen cast iron pieces and recently repaired three others for a friend. Aside from some surface imperfections from the casting process, the cheap Asian pans, properly seasoned, work just as well as any Lodge, BSR, or Griswold I've used.
I bought a 8” square cast iron grilling pan at dollar general. Nothing sticks to it and it’s my second favorite pan, made in China. I also have a Smithey Foundry and Lodge. I also have an AFC US on the way. Just treat it well and love it! That’s what makes your cookware.
Sanding that rascal smooth will go a long way to making it even more usable. The thinner material of the new cast iron skillets can heat up a lot quicker, but you have the danger of them warping or cracking if cooled too quickly.
Gotta love this guy. All the other enthusiast youtube chanels push high end products for sponsor shipps and pretending to know more. Rough cast iron has better cooking properties than smooth. Hwavy pans hold more heat. Thin pans are more portable. Theres a use for all of them.
Thank you for an honest 'non-snobbery' review. Many reviews I've seen feel to be thinly disguised bragging about their collections or affiliate commercials. I'd like to see more of this style of objective evaluation of all varieties out there for all budgets.
I found that a sanding disc attachment @ 40 grit works well for smoothing out cast iron. Theoretically, it also leaves enough of a rough surface for seasoning to stick to.
Thank you for saying all this! My family has always been the people who did not have the money for expensive cookware. Of course we'd always keep our eyes peeled for cast iron second hand but if we bought it new you better believe it'd be as cheap as possible at a store like Walmart. My go to pieces of cast iron that I bought when I moved out of the house as a young adult are a camp chef skillet I got at big 5, a large stansport deep rectangular pan and lid/griddle, and a Dutch oven I found at Walmart. All 3 of these items were cheap cheap cheap! The stansport pan set I got for $4!!! And the camp chef after the sale and my employee discount was around maybe $10 and the Dutch oven is the same story, they were cleaning out stock at Walmart and I snagged it for under $10! They may not be heirloom pieces or something that others will be jealous of but I use em all the time, I'm not afraid to take em on camping trips and I'll be darned if these pieces don't last me a lifetime. Who knows maybe when I die my children and grandchildren will keep using these pans and not care that they came from Walmart. They will be nicely seasoned by then after all.
@@castironchaos thanks! Haha I always try to keep my eyes peeled! Someday, maybe I'll get some fancy cast iron pans but these will definitely be staying in my collection 😉
Thanks for telling the truth. I have a few pces of cast iron, nothing fancy, i am not a collector but i love cooking with cast and my pces get used all the time and they work great.
these "cheap" cast iron pans are also a great starter pan to get used to how to season/maintain a pan...if you mess it up there is not tragedy of ruining an expensive or vintage one
I have skillets made by Lodge, and Stargazer and love all of their products. I also have two dutch ovens from Lodge and love them also and can cook indoors or outside with them. Since I do go camping I needed good cast iron products to cook in and for also emergency cooking outside the home if the power stays off for any long term.
Rough or smooth surface is a personal preference. Mine is a smooth surface. It doesn’t hurt the pan or take too much time to sand or grind it smooth. If all you can afford is $10 for cast iron, it’s better than aluminum or “no-stick” clad pans. Buy the $10 pan, use it while saving for an American made Lodge. You won’t regret it.
I’m going to Big Lots to try one of these $10 pans. Sometimes my large Lodge is not big enough for my family of 5, this $10 should be a good supplement and a fine cooking essential when camping as you pointed out. Thank you for an informative review.
I probably will never buy one of these Chinese cast iron pans and for good reason: I already have enough cast iron to last several lifetimes. If for some reason I would have to start over I certainly would buy whatever I can afford. Chinese or not.
Cast iron is cast iron, mostly. I have an ozark trail 12 inch skillet that I used right off the shelf for about 4 months and then the factory seasoning started to flake off. It was a rough surface also. I sanded the dickens out of the cooking surface before I reseasoned it. It's not glass smooth but it doesn't tear up a paper towel when you wipe across it anymore. I think taking a few days to sand down a pan and do a proper reseasoning is worth the time and effort before use. I did four seasonings in the oven with Crisco before I started reusing the pan. The only complaint I have about my cheap pan is thatthe bottom is a little too thin. It will bow up in the middle if it gets too hot. Other than that Asian cadt iron is perfectly fine and does the job just as good and will last a lifetime if not abused.
I use mostly modern asian cast iron, but mine seem to have a better finish then that one and don't produce that irritating scraping sound. I am glad to see you do this review though, it shows people they don't have to be rich to enjoy better cookware.
Michael Zuniga He’s always getting grief for overcooking his eggs, but it really is just one of those personal preference things. He likes his eggs well done, and others don’t. There’s s no right or wrong here, just differing opinions on how to cook eggs.
One of my favorite pans is a cheap Chinese pan that I don't even know where it came from, thanks to the fact that every time one of my roommates destroys the seasoning, soaks it in soapy water, or otherwise abuses it I can just tell them to re-season it. This means I don't have to stress about my well seasoned vintage pan and they can learn about how to treat cast iron.
I personally only buy Lodge cast iron, but a relative bought me a commemorative 12" deep Asian made pot (just as you suggested would be how we might get Asian cast iron.) Considering who it was that was giving it and what it was commemorating, I graciously accepted it but let it sit around for a few years - always leery of Asian iron. But there came a time when I was headed to camp and needed one more pot than usual and so had to throw that one in as well. My fears were needless - it worked fine. I used it just like all the others, charcoal and right in the fire. No problems at all. I'll stick with Lodge because I know you have to think about warping and fit with Asian iron, but if I need that pot again I'll use it. BTW, my wife makes the best cornbread ever in a 12" cast iron frying pan. Love that stuff.
These pans are excellent pans to "test" various finishes on cast iron. Making cast iron totally smooth makes it rather difficult for the seasoning to stick, fortunately I figured this out on $8 walmart cast iron pan. My favorite finish that I have found is either from a light sanding of 60 grit sandpaper or from a 60 grit flap wheel on an angle grinder. Now that I have my lightly sanded Lodge, I have the ultimate daily driver pan, with the ozark trail being used as a camping pan.
Actually if you look at the new companies that were mentioned in this video, they are producing pans that are as smooth as glass. I have many vintage pans that I have restored and re-seasoned with absolutely not one pan flaking. If the seasoning is done right it will be almost as durable as the pan itself. I actually did what you did. As an experiment I sanded down a Lodge that was as rough as roads we drive on. Sanded it as smooth as glass. Seasoned it several times and man..... eggs slide around like a hockey puck on ice. :-) Good for you for experimenting. :-)
It is fun to play with these variables isn't it? Some family members have asked me in the past why I sanded my pans, that it really wasn't worth the time. My response was "I spend 1/2 an hour modifying a $15 usa made object so that it performs to my liking, that I can pass down to my kids, is a good use of my time." There really aren't to many consumer products made today, this affordably, that can truly be passed down.
@@JohnDoe-fg9rp totally agree. My son is 12 and he sort of gets it. But he always asks to use a cast iron skillet to make a grilled cheese.😁😁😁 I told him my collection will be his some day.
Once again this video proved that a cast iron skillet/pan doesn't has to be mirror smooth to be non-stick. I have 8 pieces of Lodge skillets and dutch oven and a BareBone reversible grill/griddle and they are all in their original factory "rough" finish and yet none of them stick, of course I seasoned them well.
Hats off to you Modemac, for keeping it real yet another time! My first dutch oven was a christmas present from a cousin who likes to do breakfest in d.o.'s because they don't splat as much oil. After I got into collecting, I ventured to turn it over for a look and what do ya know? Made in Taiwan! the bottom as smooth as any vintage, tite fitting lid and auto basting dimples like a bsr. pure quality! on the other hand, the worst pan I have ever seen is a bsr #8, purchased in the early 80's as part of a set of 3. The bottom is the deformed result of a very bad casting and I have never been able to straighten it out. It's like old cowboy Kent says, look before you buy. I look forward to your presentations each week and I wish Jeffery Rodgers would, again, start doing more.
I buy cast iron pans at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores for a few dollars each. Most are no-name, but sometimes Lodge, Wagner and Birmingham Stove show up. No Griswalds, but I am fine with that. You and I season pans the same way
It's okay if you don't have much money and try skillets like this. However, if you can afford it I would say buy a decend 40-50 dollar skillet. I'm a believer in the old term "you get what you pay for". I would rather pay the extra money for a skillet that will last for 100+ years as long as its taken care of.
Nice job. This is excellent information. I have modern and vintage cast iron. I still much prefer the surface of a modern lodge over the Asian made equivalents but they will work.
$10 is a good introduction for someone who has heard of cast iron but never used it. Hopefully they get the bug as I did and start searching tag sales, goodwill,savers discount stores for old cast iron.
I have purchased some American made skillets that are as close to rough cast as can be found. Enjoyed the video very much and have no problems with purchasing a cast iron skillet like you have and using it. The more it is used the better it performs. Thanks.
Put the pain in your cold oven, heated up to 200°, then maybe for another few minutes after that. It’s just to get the pan hot enough to melt the seasoning.
I was given a couple of cast iron dutch ovens by a customer a couple years ago that was hauling them to a resale shop, I just let them sit. Then I bought a $10 square 10 1/4", turns out to be an unmarked Wagner at a resale shop, let it sit. A couple months ago I got interested, watched some vids and restored the square unmarked Wagner. The first thing I cooked was a pound of bacon, then eggs, it was so good. Then I found out I have castironitus, an incurable disease. You can live with it, but most people don't understand it. Now I have invested in 6 Wagner Sidney 'O' pans and have a total of $110 in all of them, found a couple at a time for Steal-of-a-deals, a #5,#6, 2-#10's and my prize for now is the #12. I bought a new 10" Lodge before I found the Wagner 10's, its rough, but nothing has stuck yet. Threw away all coated pans, didn't even want the chickens eating out of them!
Man I showed up for some $10 cast iron hate..am I ever disappointed! But seriously, I always laugh when people start being snobby about cheap cast iron. It works every bit as good as high end or vintage stuff. Sure I love my vintage pieces and Sure I want a stargazer because who wouldn't? Yet one of my most commonly used pieces is some random asian pan I found all rusted at a flea market for $2. It is the most used because I'm not worried about anything happening to it and it cooks every bit as good as my older pieces. That said, my preferred seasoning oil is Avocado. It is very close to flax seed in the finish it produces, cheap like vegetable oil and also doesn't go rancid. I also (and this is the main reason) usually have it on hand as It is a great neutral high temp oil. Where crisco or something like that I rarely use and generally would have to go out of my way for. Great video!
I call them “oil sniffers”. Collectors that maybe have too much time on their hands. Traditionally, lard, bacon fat, and a bit later, Crisco have all been used with quite excellent results. I have used all of the above oils (and others) to great effect. Some folks say that flaxseed oil tends to flake over time. Others swear by it, but most also recommend quite a few separate coats to start with. 5-6 seasonings with any oil should make for a very well seasoned pan. Much like with guitar gear, you have players, collectors, and a range in between. Many players just play, and don’t worry about the gear they use that much, if at all. On the other end of the spectrum you have some wealthy collectors with museum quality pieces that don’t get used, because they “only” collect, and don’t even know how to play! Most CI fans (like guitar players) fall in the middle somewhere. We use it, and collect it, but don’t necessarily get into the more “esoteric” aspects, like “special” oils, just as most guitar players aren’t “tube sniffers” seeking some mostly imperceptible improvement from trying different “gourmet” tubes. Much like with guitar, where the best way to improve your sound is by playing more, not by buying ever more expensive gear. The best way to improve your CI, and your ability to cook on it, is simply to use it a lot. A good cook could use a CI manhole cover as a griddle with no problems.
Nice review, I've only been into castiron a couple years and have always heard to leave the overseas stuff on the shelf. Now ya got me thinking twice.👍👍
My secretary gave me my first cast iron, just like you said! I don’t know the brand, but it’s an old super well seasoned 10”. Started using it, and I love it. Bought some more lodge and it’s all I use now! Great review! Sand, season, and it will be fine!
I moved out. Had to start over with kitchen stuff. Bought two cast iron skillets from Big Lots. One was just too big, did not use it. The other one, well, I did sand it some and re-seasoned it. It did a great job for several years. I do prefer vintage, and now have some, but the cheap cast iron pan worked very well for several years. I think I gave it away. Will have to look.
Good beater. Like you said, good for camping and not being scared something will happen to it out there. Just imagine this skillet becomes collectible in 20 years for some weird reason. 10 dollar pan worth 100. Just like the ones made in the early days sold for cents, now worth alot more.
You never know what happens in the strange world of collectors' markets. Perhaps some celebrity will be caught in a leaked video using a cast iron pan exactly like this...to...umm...okay, I don't think I'll pursue this train of thought.
The year 1928 = The day My Grandmother bought her Cast Iron Frying Pan. It was passed down to my Mother... Then to me! I just used it yesterday Dec, 12th 2018..... 90 years old! :) P.S. - True cornbread is always made in a cast iron pan... Nice job, Home Skillet :)
5argeTech /\ I was lucky enough to get ahold of two of my great grandmother’s cast iron skillets. I saved them from my mom’s attic where they were beginning to try and rust away. I enjoy the feeling of family connection every time I use them.
20 min with the right sanding tools, put a couple of layers of seasoning down, I got more than 20 years ago. I told a friend that that gift was not working out, so he had me come over and he did some smoothing then told me to come back in a week. He put several layers of seasoning on it and told me what I would need to do from time to time. It's little things, like preheating the skillet, I found that I was cooking with the heat to high most of the time for the things I was cooking. They are heavy and require a little more care before and after use. but other than that, no kitchen is complete without a couple. I have an 8" one that has been my favorite now for a very long time, being single I can just about do all my meals in it. Just keep the burner on the low side of the middle!
On the other hand, I was given a Lodge chef skillet as a present by a very popular cast iron enthusiast (name withheld), who spent a long time sanding it down and seasoning it. That was a year ago. The seasoning is already coming off the cooking surface, and my attempts to re-season it also have only been partially successful.
I occasionally do it if I plan on using it a bunch at first. It saves a lot of time building up enough layers to smooth it out. Plus it lets me have my preferred base coating which is flaxseed over soy. My favorite 12" was sanded smooth and my favorite 8" was time. One took 2 days to get completely smooth, the other took 2 years to reach the same level using it at least 4x/week. It's not needed but it speeds the aging process.
Wish that I could find a Griswold at a thrift store but to no avail. I had to settle for a Lodge, still seasoning it but not highly impressed. Glad that I bought the small one.
Depending on where you live you should be able to find some vintage Griswold eventually. I found two Griswold skillets last week at a yard sale, and only paid $10 each for them. It took some time to clean and re-season them of course, but now they are excellent, very usable pans. One is a 1950s small logo pan, and the other is actually a late 1800s “unmarked” Griswold second series ‘ERIE’ pan! In my experience flea markets, estate sales, and garage sales are even better places to check than thrift stores, though I did find a great, very early Griswold muffin pan (in excellent condition) at a thrift shop once for $5. I had to clean off many decades of crud before I actually knew what it was a Griswold though. I have a couple of lodge pieces (new and vintage) and I am not a huge fan of them. The older Lodge pans were smoother and cook well, but are heavier than griswold or wagner pans of the same age. Lodge would be what I might use when camping and cooking over an open fire, or for very high heat. It is my “easily replaceable” cast iron. Keep looking, and the chances are good that you will find something. The really affordable Griswold pans will likely be found “in the rough” and might have some pitting if you aren’t careful.
Thank you so much for doing this review everybody tells me Asian made cast iron‘s no good I’ve got news for him I own expensive cast-iron and I went out and bought Asian cast-iron everything cooks great thank you keep up the good reviews we will keep watching
The performance of this skillet would improve 100% if you used a palm sander on the cooking surface and along the crease where the side meets the bottom. When smooth to the touch apply 3 seasoning cycles. No more scraping sound and bacon and eggs will slide around as if on ice.
Owning cast iron skillets is like owning dogs. They can be mutts or pure breeds, they can be smart or dumb, they can be strong and fast or weak and slow. But in the end, they are always loyal friends.
I have a few of these for camping etc. I sanded the cooking surface down and it made all the difference in the world.
I really appreciate your honest and unbiased review of this pan. A lot of people can not afford the "nice" cast iron. I will say the $20 pre-seasoned cast iron pans at walmart are just as "nice" as the expensive vintage or expensive"nice/good" cast iron. I can't tell any difference at all. Truly enjoyed watching this video!! Subbed!
I should have watched your video before using the pan. I purchased the 11.5 inches from BigLots. The first food did stick to the pan. I stopped the cooking and checked UA-cam for instructions. Very informative, thank you!
Over 1,000 views in only six hours. Apparently these videos about cast iron seem to be especially popular.
Can you sand it until its smooth and do a side by side comparison with a vintage skillet after its been reasoned?
Well yeah, the video has an all star cast. lol
@@smiley32142 I don't have a grinder, and frankly I'm not interested in sanding it. It works just fine as it is.
It's refreshing to see that cast iron cook ware is coming back.
I've been cooking on cast iron pans for most of my life.
I always watch your videos because they are always very helpful, because I can never learn enough about caring about my aging cast iron cook ware to make sure that it lasts another 100 plus years.
Thanks, Dale. 🎅🤶🎄
I subscribed, you have a new viewer.
Great job. This shows you don't need to spend $80-$100 for a star gazer or finet(how ever you spell it). Camping is a great place to use this type. I have a Grizwald, some Wagner, new and old Lodge and some with no marking. Use all of them and have sanded out some of the rougher ones to make a little better. Cast iron is cast iron, use em and abuse em, clean em and reseason em, good to go.
It just proves that along with care and proper use the knockoffs are a valuable item. No different than having a pedigree dog or a mutt. Take proper care and show it love and it will be loyal to you for many years to come. Thanks for your unbiased review which is very hard to get from a cast iron user.
As a show dog person I must object to the comparison. But I do grasp your point. :)
Excellent review. I have been one of those "snobs" that wouldn't buy a new cast iron skillet but watching this has changed my mind. I have enjoyed your videos over the years and appreciate your channel!!
I have a 12" lodge, a 10" ozark trail, a vintage lodge corn stick pan, an outdoor gourmet pizza pan, and an old mountain round cornbread pan. Room for all! Multidenominational! 😆
Great review. I think point is; cast iron is what makes cast iron superior. I have a few Walmart mainstays pans that are maid in China and they have been used and seasoned to the point that they have a perfectly smooth surface. Lodge has the same “problem” but they end up the same; smooth as glass and the perfect kitchen utensil.
I just bought a 15 inch cast iron skillet from Walmart for $16.00 and something. I scrubbed it with soap and a steel scrubby to remove any "Seasoning" from the factory, and I haven't even sanded it yet but it's cooking like a charm and I couldn't be happier. Vintage Cast Iron is amazing, if you can find it, and if you can afford it. I am not a collector, I am an Industrial Strength User. I will use them when and wherever I want to like my Dad did. In the middle of a roaring camp fire while the rain comes down in a Texas thunderstorm with a large flat rock as a lid to keep the rain off the food and the fire. I use them like I would a good knife, and brand names mean nothing to me. If I strike it and it rings like a bell and doesn't feel like it is too thin, then we are good. Don't let people tell you that cheap or Asian means worthless. Make sure it rings like a bell so you know there are no cracks. Good Cooking Everyone. and Cast Iron Chaos, keep up the great work. I see quality, information, and passion in everyone of your videos. Kudos.
Kaalinashi I don’t even scrub off the factory seasoning. Give it some time and it will become smooth.
I bought a Mainstays at Walmart and 3 vintage pans from flea market. During initial seasoning process the Mainstays cracked. Also noticed one on shelf at Walmart that was cracked.
Bobby Quaid I have a 10 inch mainstays and it’s fine for me. I use it daily.
Impurities in the Chinese iron make hesitant
Thanks for the great review. You made some very valid points as to why this pan may be the best you can get at the time. You also, perfectly, demonstrated how utilitarian this pans is.
Very nice review. I just found some lodge on sale that I was barely able to afford, but even the two side handle pans are a bit heavy for me. I like the idea of a lighter cast iron for everyday use. I know, I know, the heavier cast iron actually cooks a bit better, but the thinner is better than no cast iron. When you are 69 and dealing with a lifting limitation due to surgeries, you take what you can get and are grateful!
Try carbon steel pans. They are lighter weight yet have the same qualities as cast iron.
@@nopaho55 .... where can you get carbon steel pans?
@@tesss6767 Lodge makes them, so try where they are sold.
@@tesss6767 If you don't mind shopping online they should be easy to find:
www.amazon.com/Lodge-CRS10-Skillet-Pre-Seasoned-10-inch/dp/B005U93RYC/ref=sr_1_4?s=kitchen&ie=UTF8&qid=1545343041&sr=1-4&keywords=carbon+steel+skillet
Some retail stores that carry Lodge also have them too, they don't work too well with electric coil stove though just so you are aware.
My Grandmother had really bad carpal tunnel issues in both hands. She developed a technique of wrapping a hot pad in a dish towel leaving a long tail so she should slide the pan off the stove onto the towel and then drag it around the counter by the towel. She wouldn't give up her cast iron even though she could no longer lift it. The old high quality pans are often actually lighter than modern ones. Best of luck to you.
I have a couple no name CI frying pans that my husband sanded down eliminating the bumpy surface. They're well seasoned, smooth as my great grandmother's pan, and work great!
They'll get plenty smooth if you use them
I have felt the surface of those pans and said no way. You just demonstrated yes way. thanks!
I recently purchased a Walmart brand Mainstay cast iron which is also made in China. Sanded that baby down and wallah its a nonstick wonder. Paid a grand total of $7.50 for this pan and I'm super pleased with it. Always fun to get a bargain. I think I'm gonna start a collection of cheap cast iron pans to adorn my kitchen :-)
Pour spouts look better than most of my vintage stuff.
I got one pan like this one year ago and has been working really good 👍
Thank you for doing this review. I was given this exact pan for Christmas. So far it is a great pan that I am enjoying learning how to cook on cast iron
I bought a set of 3 made in China cast iron skillets from Macy's for only $10. It came with a 5", 7", and 10" skillet. That was maybe about 15 to 20 years ago. I still use them to this day. Just baked a pizza in the 10" skillet. I don't care if they're not heirloom quality. They're better than any non-stick pan and are the best things I've ever bought for my kitchen.
Anything that lasts until the next generation is heirloom quality to me.
very good review! i am such a guy that cant spend a lot of money on a pan. i own a€ 12,-/$ 13,66 Vogue asian made skillet and grill pan. the skillet now after almost a just 2 years daily use is getting very smooth inside. never will i buy "non stick" pans again.
I have quite a nice collection of cast iron cookware which I purchased this year and love them and my steel wok. They are used to cook about all that I eat and is easy to clean too. Most of my cast iron cookware is made by Lodge, but I also have the Stargazer skillet, and an old skillet which belonged to my grandmother who raised us when we was kids, and our mother was away working and trying to send enough to take care of us.I don't know who made the old skillet, but it is nice and I am fairly sure it was American made.
Bought my first cast iron skillet which was a lodge brand from amazon US (cheaper than buying one locally here in Australia) and love it and the seasoning is getting better every time I cook on it
Bought a cheap $12.00 on from Kmart here in Australia so I can use two at the same time and that one not bad and a lot better than the non stick frypan I bought from Aldi's
Way to be open minded & a way to adapt, to what one has. Very well said, thanks for sharing! :) Stay safe & be well.
Very cool niche review. I like collector pans as much as the next, but good users are cool too.
As usual, another interesting video from you, I watched the whole thing.
I have a Wagner CI pan and a Lodge CI pan that I use all the time. I season them outside on a portable electric inductive burner. They fry great burgers, eggs, bacon and I even make homemade english muffins on my cast iron pans. A few years ago I bought a Lodge CI wok. I love making chicken fried rice in it. It works well but I think a carbon steel wok would be better.
Good Video.The Trick to Cast Iron is, YOU HAVE TO USE IT!!!
Iron pans are finicky and high maintenance, especially in the beginning. But after time your dedication pays off. I've spent numerous weekends on my grill and went through many propane tanks seasoning pans. Many have called me crazy. But you get out of life what you put into it.
@@lancekoller5284 I have used cast iron pans for 50 years now and recently got a couple high carbon steel pans and love'em.
@@brianbassett4379 carbon steel pans are great they just dont hold heat as long as a cast iron.
@@noahkraft6453 By the same token they heat faster than cast iron and take less room. Heat retention is less important when you have a constant heat source available.
I have been a cast iron guy since a child thanks to my parents, my kids gifted me an un seasond bengiman and mess in 8 in , I thought ugh, but now it's my favorite go to pan for omelets and Browning stuff I love it and I do have some Taiwan pot and pans cast of course that are just fine and I love so use whatever you have even the ruff stuff is slick as can be once. It's seasond enough to fill in the ruff cast, enjoy.
A fun and informative review! Thank you for taking the time to do this.
I see value even in this. After all it`s cast iron and will last forever
Great video and subject to cover. I just purchased along with my older brother some cast iron cookware for our father. They were all Lodge brand, but for an extra pan or two, those cheap ones from BigLots! would be a practical low cost option. You demonstrate that the constant re-coating with Crisco is so easy to do that it's a minor thing. I bet that process of cleaning and coating will keep the pan rust free and in good shape for years.
Just bought one of these today, christened with a grilled cheese sandwich. Came out great with a nice crispy crust. Nothing is better than cast iron! 12 bucks at Big Lots!
Take some sandpaper to the cooking surface before seasoning it. Every pass of the sandpaper simulates days of use in the real world. Because of this my new Lodge 10" pan is as smooth as my old 12" 10 year old one.
That's exactly what I have done to every one of my pans and their performance has increased ten fold. Even my kids reach for the cast iron and not the non stick.
Azhaar Laghari, if you want a pan that has the same qualities as cast iron but it's lighter, go with carbon steel (you will lose the heat retention properties of cast iron tho).
I've sanded several of my new lodge pans and reseasoned them it takes time but I think it's worth the effort. I would rather spend $20 on a lodge and and a few dollars on sand paper for my random orbit sander then spend $120 - $250 on a field or stargazer.. Plus those manufacturers only produce a couple types of pans usually just 10-12" skillets. with Lodge you can get the 14" cast iron wok, or the aebleskiver pan, or 15" and 17" skillets, dutch ovens the cast iron 14" Pizza pan. and they are american made...
Awesomely Sarcastic I cook just about everything in my Lodge cast-iron cookware and over the years it has developed a lot of carbon I don’t even worry about a smooth floor in my pans/skillets I flip eggs effortlessly,,, with alot of carbon your good to go....
I use a piece of old red brick with a little water in the pan and just go around and around and around for about 20 minutes or until the cooking surface is like I want it.
Thank you so much for the extremely informative video. After I stumbled upon your channel I have learned so much. my family and friends swear my cooking has improved tremendously but little do they know it was help from you and good old cast iron 😀
You did great service for this review. Thank you
The scraping sound on this Chinese made skillet or the modern lodge disappears after you season it a few times
Thanks Eric. Great video. Its nice to a review outside of some of the more expensive cast iron, which anyone can enjoy for years on end!
Nice to see that you season your pan at 400 degrees which is below the smoke point of Crisco. Bravo!
It's based on the method used by our friend The Culinary Fanatic. :)
@James_wingthwong_ Banks It's amazing how many paranoid and worthless scare stories you put in your little rant there. I'm impressed. :) In the midst of trying to think of every scary fairy tale you know of about the EVIL dangers of Crisco, did you ever consider including a reference to actual proof and evidence to back it up? All I can say is: CITATION NEEDED. Prove it. Those worthless memes about vegetable oil being "one molecule away from plastic" are seen on the Internet every day. But strangely, our emergency rooms aren't flooded with cases people being poisoned by vegetable oil and Crisco. Provide some proof, dude, or GTFO. sciencebasedmedicine.org/fake-news-about-margarine/
@James_wingthwong_ Banks the big mistake was you commenting. Troll on.
@James_wingthwong_ Banks Out of all the people that use vegetable oil or shortening everyday, not once have I heard of anyone being poisoned by these fats. It must be tough to worry about everything. I hope you don't smoke or use drugs.
@@castironchaos Amen....I've been using Crisco on my cast iron for 30+ years, not changing what works, learned from the best, my grandparents which lived well into there 90's!
Cast iron cooking is all in the cook & not in the pan. I dont see why people want to grind down a lodge skillet with an angle grinder either, this morning i made bacon eggs & pancakes in a new 12 in. lodge with no sticking.thanks chaos!
Lodge can, but i wont. No need to.
Well except that those chinese pans are made from old rusty cars and rebar. Junk.
@@MaliciousSRT
This is so true. Some also seem to be thinner that say Lodge....less metal obviously retains less heat.
@@tonygaines15 Not only thinner, they are made from the crappiest quality iron on earth. Carbon content, built in melted down rust, paint and other trash. They are the last thing you should be cooking with.
@@MaliciousSRT
You're absolutely right💯
Why would someone pay $10 for that when a Lodge is $20?
China's using old engine blocks etc👎👎👎
I recently bought a TINY Asian cast for a special application... It was HORRIFIC... Rough interior, casting flaws and even casting tags on the handle that hadn't been ground off!... I set up my detail sanders (Palm wouldn't fit) grabbed a beer, and got ready for a bit of nasty work...
Before using "Power" I folded a piece of sandpaper and made a few light passes by hand... WOW! What a mess!... Black dust was filling the pan and covering my hands after only about a minute. (Note: If you are married, do this outside!) After dumping the dust out, I observed that the grainy bottom had a silver sheen and was already "softening" from an aggregate to more of an orange peel type texture... Cast sands like pine!
The point is, it's a no-brainer and WAY easier than you would think... 35 minutes by HAND and the inside of the skillet was like GLASS!... Even before seasoning (No patience), I sprayed it with a little oil and fried an egg in it...
I never touched the egg after cracking it. When it was fully cooked, a flick of the wrist sent the egg sliding against the side of the little pan just like my 100+ year old Griswold! I'm not easily impressed, but I was home alone and actually laughed a bit in amazement.
After a full seasoning, this thing is crazy awesome.
The arguments of Asian cast iron aside; you can do this to any new (or less than perfect, seasoned) cast pan and will find yourself not even noticing the difference between these and your vintage. I'm doing more of these to use with tomato-based foods that I won't subject the seasoning of my great grandfather's pans to. This isn't rocket science and uses no special tools...The perfect (Cheap) solution!
I've watched dozens to hundreds of various videos about pots and pans and ($10 or not on a cheap Chinese made skillet) this one actually tells more than all the others combined in re cast iron skillets. All the other videos are nonsense for anyone simply looking to find something to cook with at a reasonable price. Cheap makes so much sense when it comes to cast iron. My advise to anyone looking to buy is to get the cheapest and when you need to use to clean it using water, make sure that you quickly dry it, and maybe put a super light coating of lard or Crisco.
Great idea using the foreign pans for camping. I've been using my cheaper lodge, but would still be heartbroken if they were stolen or lost. Thanks for sharing!
When I first started collecting cast iron I became a cast iron snob. That has changed big time. I have found, as you demonstrated, that cheap cast iron cooks just as good as the expensive stuff. Does that mean I am giving up my granny's Griswold, Lodge, or Wagner?? Not a fat chance. :-) It's just that I learned to love the art of restoring cast iron back to life. I did find a Emeril Lagasse 10 inch at Goodwill for 15 bucks that was rusted and had so much crud that you could not even see that his name was stamped on the bottom. Brought it home. Cleaned it several times with oven cleaner for the crud and vinegar for the rust. Seasoned it and looks brand new. I use it as my daily cooker. I use my other pans/skillets as I rotate them out to keep the seasoning fresh. Next on my bucket list is an old #14 Griswold, but that's also a fantasy. LOL!!! Nice review!!
Don't give up on the big Griswold. The same fantasy turned into reality for me last summer. I picked up a #8 WagnerWare and a #8 three notch Lodge at a yard sale for $3 each. When I went to pay for them the lady hosting the sale said "I have another frying pan for sale inside if you're interested. It's too heavy for me to carry out here." I followed her into her kitchen and the pan was hanging on the wall with a $10 price tag. It was a #14 Griswold. Keep looking. Someday you will tell a similar story.
@@zone4garlicfarm That's awesome. Talk about a stroke of luck. Good for you. Hope it brings many great years of cooking.😁😁
@@YukonHawk1 That was the start of a crazy day in the hunt for old cookware. There was an identical #8 Wagner at the next sale with $75 price tag. I walked way from that one. Later I found a #12 three notch Lodge for $20. Now I need a new stove with a big enough burner to properly heat those two big pans.
@@zone4garlicfarm Hopefully one day that will happen to me. I once stopped at an antique shop and found a National #8 pan dates back to the mid 1920s I believe. Paid only5.
I have the same problem with my stove. I have a huge 15" + Lodge from the early 90s that I salvaged from a barn sale. Paid 20 for it. Not too bad for a pan that size. But you hit pay dirt for. My day will come😁😁
I'm with you man
In recent days I have seen some Lodge pans on sale at really low prices. I agree that once you get the pan seasoned properly they will work just fine, no matter who made it. Collecting is still fun though. Thanks for the review.
Great video! I have an 8 dollar pan I use all the time.
Thank you for this review! I have found that cast iron cookware usage, compares with wine. Sure, we'd take a Joseph Phelps Insignia any day over a $10 bottle of Robert Mondavi. But having a cheaper wine with a steak is better than soda. I have a HUGE 17" CI skillet I bought from Harbor Frieght Tool about 10 years ago for the huge price of $10. It makes for an EXCELLENT chicken fryer. Sure, I'd prefer to cook in my Wagner/Griwold/BSR skillets for other everyday meals. But for frying chicken, my $10 Harbor Freight monster will far out-perform any of my #6 vintage skillets.
I got one from family dollar as my first ever cast iron just to get to learn how to cook with one and i have to say that it did not stick as much as i thought and i will.use this way more than my other nonstick pans
Glad to hear it!
Great video, sir. I have a dozen cast iron pieces and recently repaired three others for a friend. Aside from some surface imperfections from the casting process, the cheap Asian pans, properly seasoned, work just as well as any Lodge, BSR, or Griswold I've used.
Good review, funny I own a stargazer 10.5 and just pre-ordered their 12 inch skillet!
Scott Roberts I’m getting the new 12 inch as a late bday present from my fiancé :) can’t wait!
I bought a 8” square cast iron grilling pan at dollar general. Nothing sticks to it and it’s my second favorite pan, made in China. I also have a Smithey Foundry and Lodge. I also have an AFC US on the way. Just treat it well and love it! That’s what makes your cookware.
Sanding that rascal smooth will go a long way to making it even more usable. The thinner material of the new cast iron skillets can heat up a lot quicker, but you have the danger of them warping or cracking if cooled too quickly.
Gotta love this guy. All the other enthusiast youtube chanels push high end products for sponsor shipps and pretending to know more. Rough cast iron has better cooking properties than smooth. Hwavy pans hold more heat. Thin pans are more portable. Theres a use for all of them.
Thank you for an honest 'non-snobbery' review. Many reviews I've seen feel to be thinly disguised bragging about their collections or affiliate commercials. I'd like to see more of this style of objective evaluation of all varieties out there for all budgets.
Thank you for the good words. All I can say is I'm trying to be honest, simply because this is a hobby and not a for-profit business.
Cannot stand a CI snob. Or any snob, for that matter. You'll never win people over to vintage w that attitude. 🙂
I found that a sanding disc attachment @ 40 grit works well for smoothing out cast iron. Theoretically, it also leaves enough of a rough surface for seasoning to stick to.
Thank you for saying all this! My family has always been the people who did not have the money for expensive cookware. Of course we'd always keep our eyes peeled for cast iron second hand but if we bought it new you better believe it'd be as cheap as possible at a store like Walmart. My go to pieces of cast iron that I bought when I moved out of the house as a young adult are a camp chef skillet I got at big 5, a large stansport deep rectangular pan and lid/griddle, and a Dutch oven I found at Walmart. All 3 of these items were cheap cheap cheap! The stansport pan set I got for $4!!! And the camp chef after the sale and my employee discount was around maybe $10 and the Dutch oven is the same story, they were cleaning out stock at Walmart and I snagged it for under $10! They may not be heirloom pieces or something that others will be jealous of but I use em all the time, I'm not afraid to take em on camping trips and I'll be darned if these pieces don't last me a lifetime. Who knows maybe when I die my children and grandchildren will keep using these pans and not care that they came from Walmart. They will be nicely seasoned by then after all.
Sounds like you got some real bargains there! The best I can say is, keep on using and enjoying them.
@@castironchaos thanks! Haha I always try to keep my eyes peeled! Someday, maybe I'll get some fancy cast iron pans but these will definitely be staying in my collection 😉
Thanks for telling the truth. I have a few pces of cast iron, nothing fancy, i am not a collector but i love cooking with cast and my pces get used all the time and they work great.
Mine, too!
these "cheap" cast iron pans are also a great starter pan to get used to how to season/maintain a pan...if you mess it up there is not tragedy of ruining an expensive or vintage one
I have skillets made by Lodge, and Stargazer and love all of their products. I also have two dutch ovens from Lodge and love them also and can cook indoors or outside with them. Since I do go camping I needed good cast iron products to cook in and for also emergency cooking outside the home if the power stays off for any long term.
Rough or smooth surface is a personal preference. Mine is a smooth surface. It doesn’t hurt the pan or take too much time to sand or grind it smooth. If all you can afford is $10 for cast iron, it’s better than aluminum or “no-stick” clad pans. Buy the $10 pan, use it while saving for an American made Lodge. You won’t regret it.
I’m going to Big Lots to try one of these $10 pans. Sometimes my large Lodge is not big enough for my family of 5, this $10 should be a good supplement and a fine cooking essential when camping as you pointed out. Thank you for an informative review.
I probably will never buy one of these Chinese cast iron pans and for good reason: I already have enough cast iron to last several lifetimes. If for some reason I would have to start over I certainly would buy whatever I can afford. Chinese or not.
Cast iron is cast iron, mostly. I have an ozark trail 12 inch skillet that I used right off the shelf for about 4 months and then the factory seasoning started to flake off. It was a rough surface also. I sanded the dickens out of the cooking surface before I reseasoned it. It's not glass smooth but it doesn't tear up a paper towel when you wipe across it anymore. I think taking a few days to sand down a pan and do a proper reseasoning is worth the time and effort before use. I did four seasonings in the oven with Crisco before I started reusing the pan. The only complaint I have about my cheap pan is thatthe bottom is a little too thin. It will bow up in the middle if it gets too hot. Other than that Asian cadt iron is perfectly fine and does the job just as good and will last a lifetime if not abused.
I use mostly modern asian cast iron, but mine seem to have a better finish then that one and don't produce that irritating scraping sound. I am glad to see you do this review though, it shows people they don't have to be rich to enjoy better cookware.
To me the eggs were a little over cooked. Keep making UA-cam Videos thank you..
VERY VERY OVERCOOKED !!
That’s the only way I can stomach a fried egg. I find runny yolks revolting.
Michael Zuniga He’s always getting grief for overcooking his eggs, but it really is just one of those personal preference things. He likes his eggs well done, and others don’t.
There’s s no right or wrong here, just differing opinions on how to cook eggs.
Thank you for this fair review and not being a cast iron snob. A lot of poor folk can get a lot of good use from these pans.
Great review! Way to shut down the snobbery. One of these would also be a great candidate for polishing.
One of my favorite pans is a cheap Chinese pan that I don't even know where it came from, thanks to the fact that every time one of my roommates destroys the seasoning, soaks it in soapy water, or otherwise abuses it I can just tell them to re-season it. This means I don't have to stress about my well seasoned vintage pan and they can learn about how to treat cast iron.
Benjamin Winnett good idea,, just had my 70 year old Wagner scrubbed out with a steel pad by the son in-law,,
You could grind or sand that pans cooking surface down and season it if you wanted it to be smooth.
I have 2 China cast iron skillets, treat them good,they perform good.
I personally only buy Lodge cast iron, but a relative bought me a commemorative 12" deep Asian made pot (just as you suggested would be how we might get Asian cast iron.) Considering who it was that was giving it and what it was commemorating, I graciously accepted it but let it sit around for a few years - always leery of Asian iron. But there came a time when I was headed to camp and needed one more pot than usual and so had to throw that one in as well. My fears were needless - it worked fine. I used it just like all the others, charcoal and right in the fire. No problems at all. I'll stick with Lodge because I know you have to think about warping and fit with Asian iron, but if I need that pot again I'll use it. BTW, my wife makes the best cornbread ever in a 12" cast iron frying pan. Love that stuff.
These pans are excellent pans to "test" various finishes on cast iron. Making cast iron totally smooth makes it rather difficult for the seasoning to stick, fortunately I figured this out on $8 walmart cast iron pan. My favorite finish that I have found is either from a light sanding of 60 grit sandpaper or from a 60 grit flap wheel on an angle grinder. Now that I have my lightly sanded Lodge, I have the ultimate daily driver pan, with the ozark trail being used as a camping pan.
Actually if you look at the new companies that were mentioned in this video, they are producing pans that are as smooth as glass. I have many vintage pans that I have restored and re-seasoned with absolutely not one pan flaking. If the seasoning is done right it will be almost as durable as the pan itself. I actually did what you did. As an experiment I sanded down a Lodge that was as rough as roads we drive on. Sanded it as smooth as glass. Seasoned it several times and man..... eggs slide around like a hockey puck on ice. :-) Good for you for experimenting. :-)
It is fun to play with these variables isn't it? Some family members have asked me in the past why I sanded my pans, that it really wasn't worth the time. My response was "I spend 1/2 an hour modifying a $15 usa made object so that it performs to my liking, that I can pass down to my kids, is a good use of my time." There really aren't to many consumer products made today, this affordably, that can truly be passed down.
@@JohnDoe-fg9rp totally agree. My son is 12 and he sort of gets it. But he always asks to use a cast iron skillet to make a grilled cheese.😁😁😁 I told him my collection will be his some day.
Once again this video proved that a cast iron skillet/pan doesn't has to be mirror smooth to be non-stick. I have 8 pieces of Lodge skillets and dutch oven and a BareBone reversible grill/griddle and they are all in their original factory "rough" finish and yet none of them stick, of course I seasoned them well.
Hats off to you Modemac, for keeping it real yet another time! My first dutch oven was a christmas present from a cousin who likes to do breakfest in d.o.'s because they don't splat as much oil. After I got into collecting, I ventured to turn it over for a look and what do ya know? Made in Taiwan! the bottom as smooth as any vintage, tite fitting lid and auto basting dimples like a bsr. pure quality! on the other hand, the worst pan I have ever seen is a bsr #8, purchased in the early 80's as part of a set of 3. The bottom is the deformed result of a very bad casting and I have never been able to straighten it out. It's like old cowboy Kent says, look before you buy. I look forward to your presentations each week and I wish Jeffery Rodgers would, again, start doing more.
I buy cast iron pans at yard sales, flea markets and thrift stores for a few dollars each. Most are no-name, but sometimes Lodge, Wagner and Birmingham Stove show up. No Griswalds, but I am fine with that. You and I season pans the same way
This is more than a hobby, it's a lifestyle. 🙂
@@castironchaos I currently have over 60 pieces... LOL!
Great review. Too many people disparage inexpensive cast iron even though it is often a better value than anything else in its price range.
It's okay if you don't have much money and try skillets like this. However, if you can afford it I would say buy a decend 40-50 dollar skillet. I'm a believer in the old term "you get what you pay for". I would rather pay the extra money for a skillet that will last for 100+ years as long as its taken care of.
Nice job. This is excellent information. I have modern and vintage cast iron. I still much prefer the surface of a modern lodge over the Asian made equivalents but they will work.
Now brother I’m pretty sure you got my cornbread there👍
$10 is a good introduction for someone who has heard of cast iron but never used it. Hopefully they get the bug as I did and start searching tag sales, goodwill,savers discount stores for old cast iron.
CR S I got that bug about three weeks ago and am slowly replacing all my non stick cookware. It’s like a virus 😂
I have two of the Great Gathering skillets. They work great.
The peep hole on your front door makes me think i have a spek of dust on my screen..Fools me everytime! lol
I have purchased some American made skillets that are as close to rough cast as can be found. Enjoyed the video very much and have no problems with purchasing a cast iron skillet like you have and using it. The more it is used the better it performs. Thanks.
That’s very interesting. I have one question...how heavy is it compared to either a vintage Griswold and a modern day Lodge in the same size?
It's smaller than a Lodge, maybe #7 sized at most. It's much lighter than a Lodge, though perhaps a little heavier than a Griswold.
Buy a cheap scale and give us some actual measurements, "much" and "little" are not very specific.
Jeff Stanley your lucky to get an answer at all.
@@jeffstanley4593 Are we a little demanding?
Some people do not require much information to stumble through life.
How long at 200°f? Also thanks for reassuring me that I made an ok choice for getting one of these
Put the pain in your cold oven, heated up to 200°, then maybe for another few minutes after that. It’s just to get the pan hot enough to melt the seasoning.
I was given a couple of cast iron dutch ovens by a customer a couple years ago that was hauling them to a resale shop, I just let them sit. Then I bought a $10 square 10 1/4", turns out to be an unmarked Wagner at a resale shop, let it sit. A couple months ago I got interested, watched some vids and restored the square unmarked Wagner. The first thing I cooked was a pound of bacon, then eggs, it was so good. Then I found out I have castironitus, an incurable disease. You can live with it, but most people don't understand it.
Now I have invested in 6 Wagner Sidney 'O' pans and have a total of $110 in all of them, found a couple at a time for Steal-of-a-deals, a #5,#6, 2-#10's and my prize for now is the #12.
I bought a new 10" Lodge before I found the Wagner 10's, its rough, but nothing has stuck yet.
Threw away all coated pans, didn't even want the chickens eating out of them!
_wow... that beast makes Lodge look as smooth as an ice rink. :)
Nice
Man I showed up for some $10 cast iron hate..am I ever disappointed! But seriously, I always laugh when people start being snobby about cheap cast iron. It works every bit as good as high end or vintage stuff. Sure I love my vintage pieces and Sure I want a stargazer because who wouldn't? Yet one of my most commonly used pieces is some random asian pan I found all rusted at a flea market for $2. It is the most used because I'm not worried about anything happening to it and it cooks every bit as good as my older pieces.
That said, my preferred seasoning oil is Avocado. It is very close to flax seed in the finish it produces, cheap like vegetable oil and also doesn't go rancid. I also (and this is the main reason) usually have it on hand as It is a great neutral high temp oil. Where crisco or something like that I rarely use and generally would have to go out of my way for. Great video!
I’d never heard that about Crisco, although did know for many years cooks swore by it. Too many flaxseed oil snobs around today.
I call them “oil sniffers”.
Collectors that maybe have too much time on their hands. Traditionally, lard, bacon fat, and a bit later, Crisco have all been used with quite excellent results.
I have used all of the above oils (and others) to great effect. Some folks say that flaxseed oil tends to flake over time. Others swear by it, but most also recommend quite a few separate coats to start with. 5-6 seasonings with any oil should make for a very well seasoned pan.
Much like with guitar gear, you have players, collectors, and a range in between. Many players just play, and don’t worry about the gear they use that much, if at all. On the other end of the spectrum you have some wealthy collectors with museum quality pieces that don’t get used, because they “only” collect, and don’t even know how to play!
Most CI fans (like guitar players) fall in the middle somewhere. We use it, and collect it, but don’t necessarily get into the more “esoteric” aspects, like “special” oils, just as most guitar players aren’t “tube sniffers” seeking some mostly imperceptible improvement from trying different “gourmet” tubes.
Much like with guitar, where the best way to improve your sound is by playing more, not by buying ever more expensive gear. The best way to improve your CI, and your ability to cook on it, is simply to use it a lot.
A good cook could use a CI manhole cover as a griddle with no problems.
I use lard on mine, vegtible oil will actually leave a bitter taste after awhile as it will spoil
Nice review, I've only been into castiron a couple years and have always heard to leave the overseas stuff on the shelf. Now ya got me thinking twice.👍👍
Mine cook as well as lodge. Old mountain, ozark trail, outdoor gourmet,lodge. No diff, and no sanding them down, they cook fine.
My secretary gave me my first cast iron, just like you said! I don’t know the brand, but it’s an old super well seasoned 10”. Started using it, and I love it. Bought some more lodge and it’s all I use now!
Great review! Sand, season, and it will be fine!
I moved out. Had to start over with kitchen stuff. Bought two cast iron skillets from Big Lots. One was just too big, did not use it. The other one, well, I did sand it some and re-seasoned it. It did a great job for several years. I do prefer vintage, and now have some, but the cheap cast iron pan worked very well for several years. I think I gave it away. Will have to look.
Fact or Fiction ? : ~Using a steel flipper with the scrape-y sound slowly levels & smooths the lumpy texture of the pan bottom~
I haven't been able to verify this myself, but it seems likely to be true. It takes a long time, probably years of use, but I'd say it can be done.
Good beater. Like you said, good for camping and not being scared something will happen to it out there. Just imagine this skillet becomes collectible in 20 years for some weird reason. 10 dollar pan worth 100. Just like the ones made in the early days sold for cents, now worth alot more.
You never know what happens in the strange world of collectors' markets. Perhaps some celebrity will be caught in a leaked video using a cast iron pan exactly like this...to...umm...okay, I don't think I'll pursue this train of thought.
I have a fair number of C.I., but this is my most used skillet. It has worked great. A season of Crisco every so often and keep on cooking.
The year 1928 = The day My Grandmother bought her Cast Iron Frying Pan. It was passed down to my Mother... Then to me! I just used it yesterday Dec, 12th 2018..... 90 years old! :)
P.S. - True cornbread is always made in a cast iron pan... Nice job, Home Skillet :)
It would be so cool to own one of those old pans!
My mother is 86 y/o and she talks about when she was young the honor of having an older lady leaving you her loved cast iron pans when she passed.
5argeTech /\ I was lucky enough to get ahold of two of my great grandmother’s cast iron skillets. I saved them from my mom’s attic where they were beginning to try and rust away.
I enjoy the feeling of family connection every time I use them.
20 min with the right sanding tools, put a couple of layers of seasoning down, I got more than 20 years ago. I told a friend that that gift was not working out, so he had me come over and he did some smoothing then told me to come back in a week. He put several layers of seasoning on it and told me what I would need to do from time to time. It's little things, like preheating the skillet, I found that I was cooking with the heat to high most of the time for the things I was cooking. They are heavy and require a little more care before and after use. but other than that, no kitchen is complete without a couple. I have an 8" one that has been my favorite now for a very long time, being single I can just about do all my meals in it. Just keep the burner on the low side of the middle!
On the other hand, I was given a Lodge chef skillet as a present by a very popular cast iron enthusiast (name withheld), who spent a long time sanding it down and seasoning it. That was a year ago. The seasoning is already coming off the cooking surface, and my attempts to re-season it also have only been partially successful.
cast iron newbies insist that they need to grind their new pans smooth... most don't know how to use their pans properly in the first place.
I occasionally do it if I plan on using it a bunch at first. It saves a lot of time building up enough layers to smooth it out. Plus it lets me have my preferred base coating which is flaxseed over soy. My favorite 12" was sanded smooth and my favorite 8" was time. One took 2 days to get completely smooth, the other took 2 years to reach the same level using it at least 4x/week. It's not needed but it speeds the aging process.
Wish that I could find a Griswold at a thrift store but to no avail. I had to settle for a Lodge, still seasoning it but not highly impressed. Glad that I bought the small one.
Depending on where you live you should be able to find some vintage Griswold eventually. I found two Griswold skillets last week at a yard sale, and only paid $10 each for them. It took some time to clean and re-season them of course, but now they are excellent, very usable pans. One is a 1950s small logo pan, and the other is actually a late 1800s “unmarked” Griswold second series ‘ERIE’ pan!
In my experience flea markets, estate sales, and garage sales are even better places to check than thrift stores, though I did find a great, very early Griswold muffin pan (in excellent condition) at a thrift shop once for $5.
I had to clean off many decades of crud before I actually knew what it was a Griswold though.
I have a couple of lodge pieces (new and vintage) and I am not a huge fan of them. The older Lodge pans were smoother and cook well, but are heavier than griswold or wagner pans of the same age.
Lodge would be what I might use when camping and cooking over an open fire, or for very high heat. It is my “easily replaceable” cast iron.
Keep looking, and the chances are good that you will find something. The really affordable Griswold pans will likely be found “in the rough” and might have some pitting if you aren’t careful.
Thank you so much for doing this review everybody tells me Asian made cast iron‘s no good I’ve got news for him I own expensive cast-iron and I went out and bought Asian cast-iron everything cooks great thank you keep up the good reviews we will keep watching
Use it as much as you want.
I actually own a cast iron just like that.I had it for 4 years it’s not rough any more and it don’t stick
The performance of this skillet would improve 100% if you used a palm sander on the cooking surface and along the crease where the side meets the bottom. When smooth to the touch apply 3 seasoning cycles. No more scraping sound and bacon and eggs will slide around as if on ice.
As the video show s, this skillet works just fine as it is. I’ve been using it for a year now and nothing has stuck.
This is something I wondered about, thank you for your video.