Don't ever wash them, even with plain hot water, except once when you first get it. When they are new, cook bacon in them for awhile and meat that is cooked in lots of fat. Scrape out anything that sticks and leave some of the rendered fat in it. It will transform from a bumpy sticky pan to a smooth non stick surface. Then you'll be able to cook other things like potatoes and eggs and things with a lot less fat without it sticking. If something sticks to it that a nylon scraper won't take off, use steel wool and wipe out it out with a paper towel and a little fat.

If you can, try to get a cast iron from Argentina. It will be cheap, will last forever, and makes food taste AMAZING.

I still have the old one that belonged to my grandmother and any food that touches it turns to GOLD.

The catch is probably the increase in iron consumption due to cooking stuff in these pans.

i actually HATE HATE HATE lodge pans. they are pockmarked, rough and lumpy. i use my great grandmothers griswold cast iron and its beautiful- smooth as glass and i get an incredible sear. i highly recommend buying some up at garage sales, flea markets, antique stores, craigslist and ebay. WARNING: griswolds are expensive as hall now that people have caught on. dealers charge hundreds and even thousands of dollars for them. wagner bought griswold in the early 40s and their pans are just as good, but not as collectible so the prices are much more reasonable if youre using it for cooking. i usually score mine for pennies at garage sales when people dont realize what they have.

The Black Iron Dude blog (sadly on hiatus): http://blackirondude.blogspot.com/ has lots of great information about using and seasoning your cast iron.

For the longest time I have been using and investing in the Corningware Visions glass cookware, but recently I bought my first cast iron piece at our local grocery store. It's a bright green enamel covered dutch oven, and I love it. I often make stews or soups with this. Best part is that it only cost me $25. I saw something comparable at Walmart for $70 the other day (BHG brand). I store mine with an old dish towel wrapped around the lid to prevent chipping of the enamel when shuffling through the cupboard. I am looking forward to investing in my next cast iron piece: a skillet. Thanks for the Descoware info! Looks to be a perfect match to my pot. :)

We vote "no;" cheap department-store cast iron cookware may have some concern with leaking of chemicals, but we're talking cast iron, which lasts forever. So, you can get a quality vintage piece that's decades old (and likely already seasoned) from various places, at a cheaper price than you'd find a new piece for.

Le Creuset pieces are nice, but unless you can't live without pristine enamel, the price isn't worth it; they don't cook better than any other quality cast iron piece.

Yes, they are. 1.) Lifetime warranty. 2.) Versatility of use (oven-safe, refrigerator, freezer safe) 3.) Heat distribution 4.) No concern of leaching of chemicals 5.) Can do "low and slow" beautifully in an oven no problem 6.) retains heat for long period of time - perfect for pot luck suppers 7.) If buying enameled cast iron, the surface enables you to get a nice fond, and is awesome for things like short ribs, pot roast, etc, 8.) No seasoning required for the Le Creuset.

Keep an eye on CraigsList or Ebay for deals...

I really love the old Belgian Descoware enameled iron pots and pans. Don't have to season them, even heat transfer like cast iron, you can wash them. Plus they come in cool colors! All mine are yellow, and I got them at thrift stores for $3-$5, even the monster 12" pan! Oh and they all have removable wooden handles so you can put them in the oven.

http://descoware.com/
http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_trksid=p5197.m570.l1313&_nkw=descoware&_sacat=See-All-Categories

A good way to make a cheap pan nice. Use a random orbital sander on it to smooth it out real nice. Then season it will be just like a expensive one.

we picked up a bunch of Wagner skillets at garage sales. they hold the seasoning very well, as long as you use lots of fat while cooking, don't use soap on hem. just rinse and scrub with a soft brush, dry, and keep in a dry place (stacked in the oven works well!). I love them.

With the Lodge brand, you won't get that perfectly smooth seasoned non-stick surface. It is fine but in my opinion, the more expensive pans are worth it. I mean you're going to have them forever, and then your kids/family will have them! I agree with buying at a garage sale, just make sure it's not Lodge.

Yes.

If you want a cheaper source, look for them on Craiglist or at garage sales where you might pay $5-10 depending on the size. Even if they haven't been used for years and are covered in rust, you can clean them up, season them, and they'll work great. In fact the rusty, old ones are often better quality and most people don't know they are fixable.

I'm a dedicated Lodge guy. A 12" Lodge skillet w/lid will cost you only 40 bucks and last long enough for your offspring's offspring to fight over.

I bought a Le Creuset enameled cast iron fry pan last September, and it's been fantastic. I cook almost all of my meals in it. Clean up is no problem, and I haven't had to keep up with seasoning it. It isn't non-stick, but sticking generally isn't much of a problem if I use enough oil.