Seems to be cheap cast iron from a revered brand for $45, American made with a sweet design on the back.
There's plenty of info on how to use these and it's better than teflon shit.
CamelCamelCamel.
10" is too small unless you live alone.
For a couple or family you want 12"
Have the 12" too but I reckon the 10" gets the most workout at our place (don't live alone) 12" is especially good for steaks and schnitzels etc
I've got the 12" and it's great, but I could definitely add this and get good use out of it too I think.
I eat plenty and cook for 2 in my 10.25 all the time.
I don't like the 12", which I also have anywhere near as much. It's thinner and even though only slightly larger, feels cavernous (in a bad way)
Personally I prefer the 9" over the 10.25", less weight yet can still cook most things the 10.25" can.
Most useful size in transferring design to would-be home invader face…
Looks like a “day of the dead” mask as well.
it is a day of the dead edition, victoria also have a day of the dead edition which i have, prefer victoria as the handles are longer than lodge.
If only I didn't have 20 other cast iron pans 🤦
I've seen people make pancakes on the bottom of these to create patterns too!
the erin patterson pan, day of the dead , how fitting.
That's a really creative idea
Bought this at the last deal (Though it did include the silicone grip last time which was quite handy vs using a oven mit/pot holder).
Has been absolutely worth the purchase. Takes a little getting used to but no where near as hard to cook with as some make it out to be. At this size, the weight isn't a big deal either (my wife with the upper body strength of a leaf seems to have zero issues with it as well).
It just requires a bit of patience. Let it heat up on low for 7-10 minutes whilst you prepare your food(similar to getting a bbq ready). Seasoning is easy as. Literally all I do is rub a tad of oil into the surface after washing/drying it. Stays non stick no problem. Have cooked eggs on it without issue.
7-10mins? Mine gets to temp in 60sec on induction.
Are you doing it on low temp? sounds like a higher temp for that quick. Going that fast has a risk of cracking the metal.
This CAN be true, but usually only for cheaper cast iron. Not that I am recommending it, but in the kitchens that I have worked in, where cast iron was used, we would get them roaring hot and then dump a glass of water into them. If they crack, they go in the bin, if they don't, they go into rotation.
@Frequenter: Fair enough. It's still probably not something I'm personally going to risk, and having it heat up for a few minutes whilst I prep veggies and cut the meat up is not harming me in anyway.
3 camels has this as the standard price
https://au.camelcamelcamel.com/product/B0BFBRNN91?tp=all
Pricehipster similar - this item seems to have trouble being tracked
https://pricehipster.com/product/AZkxP0EYcACuqCa3On6SNQ
3camels flat line = no data => never tracked until today
Yeah didn't think it was right, though was thrown by the "This is our record of Amazon price changes for Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Sugar Skull Skillet, Black, 10.25 Inch (B0BFBRNN91) since we began monitoring it on on May 09, 2023."
How does this compare to the Kmart $18 skillet - https://www.kmart.com.au/product/29cm-cast-iron-frypan-43037…
Same question - i was going to get the Kmart one for camping which seems very decent for $18
No skull in the back, no buy
(Is a joke, I also want to find out how it compares)
The iron on the Kmart will probably be rougher. Doesn't necessarily matter, depending on what you're cooking. Lodge is made in USA, Kmart in China. So you have a choice of which dictatorship you wish to support.
At least of the dictators doesn't pretend to be a democracy!
The Kmart one is pretty rough - great camping pan for $18 though.
The Kmart one is more likely to crack under fast temperature changes. If you're careful about heating up slowly, and don't run it under cold water when super hot, you should be okay. At the same time, the Lodge is liable to last 100+ years, so worth the investment, frankly :-)
That Kmart is a 12" pan, it's bigger/heavier and also lacks an assist handle.
Would the design on the base affect it's efficiency on an induction cooktop?
Nope. Would matter if it was a traditional electric (non-inductive) cooktop
It doesn't affect it. I use the Lodge 12" with Yellowstone design on the base on an induction cooktop and it works just as well as the non-design 10" Lodge I have
Thank you, came here to ask this!
I bought this an the food smells, it gives an odor to the food. I ended up not using it. It's a freaking 10kg pan
Cook some Mushroom in it first.
What were you attempting to cook in it? Fragrant/armomatic food is generally advised against being cooked in cast iron for this reason as the surface is porous…
You can google about a zillion results on how to neutralise the pan again.
End of the day though, user error seems to be the case here as you also appear confused as to why a cast iron pan weigh's a bit…
Just some fried eggs :S I also bought the smallest size for eggs, both pans are just collecting (catching) rust lol
dry and wipe on oil .. pretty easy to avoid rust
if you cant cook fragrant aromatic foods in it what can you cook in it? Whats its use if you cant cook flavorful foods in it?
Acidic foods ≠ flavourful foods
Don't buy this shit, my wife plainly refused to touch it due to the weight. I tried my best, it's hard to maintain. You'll have to scrape it, oil it, smoke it to store for next use. People normally leave it oily and never wash it, I am not that type of a person lol
It smells like rotten eggs.
i see a face in the middle
well done sherlock
An indestructible heirloom pan that will last forever if cared for/refurbed as necessary. My suggestion however is to take a serious look at the Victoria pans made in Colombia. They're typically about $15-20 more expensive than lodge (Amazon has a 12 inch Victoria for $64, which is the ideal starting pan size for a family IMO), but for the extra price the better handle and design more than make up for it IMO. Also the factory seasoning is flax oil FWIW, which is a strong layer as a foundation for future building upon. In my experience, the quality control on Victoria pans is excellent.
I've tried numerous pans from cast iron to carbon steel and find myself coming back to my Victoria cast irons (8 inch for eggs or a single burger patty; 12 inch for family meals) as daily drivers. They're just excellent, ergonomic workhorses that never fail. The factory seasoning slaps, they're easy to clean and maintain (I find that they don't rust/tarnish easily) and they are dependable.
My favourite thing to cook in these pans are crispy salmon fillets. I heat the pan aggresively for ~2 mins (I have a high heat outdoor burner) then squirt some oil and lay the salmon in which gives a satisfying sear - I cook on medium-high. It doesnt need much oil (salmon is fatty tho, which helps), but the fillets release very easily in this pan - same with eggs, so that makes it easy for flipping/turning. A useful tip is to always make sure the fish is patted dry before salting/searing (I use paper towel and freeze the fishy paper with the salmon packaging for throwing out on bin day). Salmon is dead easy in cast iron.
It's crazy that for ~$84, with these two pans, I can cook just about anything and they just get better over time. It is a learning curve, to use and clean them, but truly nowhere near as hard as the internet makes it seem. If you can resist dumping these into the sink full of water and walking away, or chucking them in the dishwasher, you will not have much trouble owning/loving one. I highly recommend everyone who loves cooking or a good steak/fish/egg to give one a go
100%
Victoria 12inch for $50 over lodge both design and value.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Victoria-Skillet-Frypan-Seasoned-L…
ah so not even that much more expensive!
not available for me :(
Chefs kiss
Awesome! Just ordered. Thanks!
Do you have any stainless steel frypans you'd recommend with your extensive experience?
Purpose is to expand my 26cm stainless steel to a 30cm. I mainly cook proteins like you'd cook with cast iron but I prefer SS for the dishwasher and lighter weight. Thanks!
Fully cladded SS are very exp. Upwards of $200.
If you’re cooking in induction and mostly use for browning, sautéing then sandwich bottom SS pan should do just fine.
I have a 28cm scanpan impact that gets the job done for less than $80 bucks. 30 or 32cm are of similar prices.
If you’re doing a lot of Asian stir fry’s I’d use a carbon steel wok or a carbon steel frying pan.
These are great as you can finish cooking in the oven/grill.
Yeah, I also enjoy the thermal mass, they keep food warm for a few extra minutes which is awesome for serving food to the table on a hot pan. I often do this with dumplings, I steam the top and crisp the bottom and they stay hot/crispy long enough to get them to the table and served
Also available: Victoria brand (made in Colombia), also with sweet design on the back, https://www.amazon.com.au/Victoria-Skillet-Frypan-Seasoned-L… for $46. If you wish to not buy American.
I am after a new pan again my Greenspan non stick has lasted less than 2 years.
Is this the way to go? Reading above the not cooking heavily scented food etc sounds like I'd need a other pan again. (?like a curry etc?)
What do you want to cook in it? What do you generally value in a pan? What are dealbreakers? Useful information for the OzB pan nerds to help out :)
Thanks. A non stick surface is really what we most appreciate. Am happy to have a slightly harder care routine, as long as it's not something that if we forget we totally ruin the pan (ie just need to re-season).
We have never done a cook in pan then transfer to oven, so don't particularly need that.
We cook for 4, so have always aimed for a larger pan.
We've had a few non stick that end up sticking anyway (maybe we use too high a heat?)
We also have a stainless steel Estelle pan already.
Anything else I can provide?
YMMV but IMO a cast iron isn't a complete replacement for a non-stick pan, especially one as buttery smooth as a new greenpan. in cast iron you typically need a little more oil than in a nonstick, just a fact of the material, but if you already use and are happy using a little oil when cooking, and if you lean towards higher heat cooking, then a cast iron would probably work out well.
We have both, my partner uses the non-stick greenpan for most sauce-based recipes like curries and pasta sauces, I use the cast iron outdoors for anything that likes high heat like fish, proteins etc, or that only needs a flat surface and is good for flipping like eggs, falafels, pancakes. I also use my 12" cast iron skillet for awesome crispy gyoza dumplings (steaming with a lid then crisping up the bottom with the lid off).
I use a carbon steel wok for cooking stir fries but cast iron would work well for this too (ingredients don't stew on the bottom since the pan doesnt lose much heat when the cool ingredients hit it, good for crispy vegetables etc).
I am sure you can cook things like curries or sauces in cast iron, but it generally isn't the done thing. Acidic sauces like tomato-based ones will strip your seasoning so there's a limitation there. I guess what i'm getting at here is that cast iron pans are excellent at what they are good at, and they're indestructible (you can aggresively use metal utensils without fear, for example), but there's other pans that are better for other things, like boiling, steaming, sauces, delicate work.
The reason I asked what you intend to cook with your new pan is because what pan you select is entirely dependent on that primarily, per the above :)
As above, cleaning a cast iron (especially if you are used to hand washing your non-stick - to preserve its' useable life) isn't really hard. I don't even wipe oil or post-cooking season it anymore. I did this a few times over the factory seasoning after cooking, but realised I don't really need to anymore since it doesnt rust in the few days between uses.
Hope that helps, ask any more questions, happy to help
N.B. cooking for a family, you will want a pan around this size, no smaller. Larger (like a 15"!) would likely be prohibitively heavy and I would caution against it unless you know what you're in for! Also a pain to clean since it may not fit in the sink.
@GenghisGun: Thanks for all the info.
I've been really disappointed in our Greenspan. It's our shortest lasting non stick by far. Not sure what happened but started sticking really early on. And takes forever to heat up (on induction)
And takes forever to heat up (on induction)
Because it's a cheap (but sold as expensive) aluminium pan with a small layer of steel sandwiched between.
As there is only a small amount of steel then the induction is less effective
Most people don't understand that the coating on non-stick pans don't tolerate high heat eg. cooking steaks. Use them for low-medium cooking only and don't thermally shock them by pouring cold water right after cooking (use warm water to soak). I try to avoid using non stick pans where possible as I'm of the opinion that they potentially do leach harmful chemicals.
Stainless steel is perfectly safe and the surface can be fairly non-stick by heating up to a high temperature and testing by putting a few drops of water in it. If it sizzles immediately, it isn't ready. It will be hot enough when the water dances about like mercury. You can then lower the temperature to the desired one and add oil. The benefits of stainless steel over cast iron is that you can scrub it with steel wool to remove any residue, it's lighter and doesn't require any maintenance/seasoning. But cast iron also has its own use especially with steaks. Just have to understand the way to use each type of pan correctly.
Have a look at carbon steel pan to replace your non stick.
I have a couple of lodge cast iron but have replaced them (still have them) with heavy carbon steel frying pan.
Smoother and seems to be more non-stick than cast iron for me, but still heavy enough to get a good sear on a steak.
carbon steel have replaced my cast iron, much smoother surface.
No rusty?
Rusty if you let it be rusty
So tempting but must avoid because American made
victoria has much better handles than lodge.
This is the most useful size they make