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"We were amazed!"

We couldn’t believe what we found when we compared these cast iron cookware brands...."
 

"It all started when over lunch a mutual friend asked us if it was actually worth paying ‘all that money’ for Le Creuset enamel cast iron cookware..."

He knew of our interest in cookware and how thoroughly we research and write about it for this website and that ultimately we would give him an unbiased view.

Now it just so happens that we both really love Le Creuset and we know it is exceptional quality so of course we said yes to his question.

When our friend left early for another appointment, we continued to discuss the subject of cast iron… yes, I know it’s sad that we discuss cookware over lunch but it’s what we do…. so, as we were discussing the good and bad of Le Creuset and cast iron cookware in general, it suddenly occurred to us that we hadn’t really sat down to thoroughly research many of the other different brands of cast iron cookware.

Is Le Creuset really all it's cracked up to be?

We really love Le Creuset cast iron cookware but is it only because it is one of the most expensive and we have been suckered in by all the hype OR does it really live up to its reputation? And are there other brands like Lodge for instance that do just as good a job for a fraction of the price?

At that point, we knew what we had to do so we rushed back to our office to get started on the research to check out what some of the other brands of cast iron cookware had to offer.

What did we find?

Well we were kind of surprised actually...but it wasn't by the fact that these brands were so different but the fact that they were so similar. In terms of features, we were expecting Le Creuset being the high end brand to really outshine the rest of them but that didn’t necessarily prove to be the case.

Having said that however...what we did find was that although cast iron cookware is very similar in features the one basic difference that sets them apart from each other is the quality in the finish. This is backed up by those who have purchased other brands.

Le Creuset’s care and attention to their products really shows through and won them the best overall brand at least for the enamel cast iron cookware category.

Lodge on the other hand, with their many years of expertise with bare cast iron definitely won in that category.

So how did we come to our conclusion?

For starters, we didn’t choose every single brand of cast iron on the market otherwise our research would have taken us forever. What we did instead was concentrate on the top bestselling brands.

Products are included on bestseller lists for good reason – usually it is because they have all the attributes of a quality product OR they are exceptionally cheap OR a combination of both. Either way, we knew that these were the ones we needed to look at.

We also broke our research up into bare cast iron and enameled cast iron cookware to ensure that we came up with a complete report.

We then compared each of the brands for individual features. This really highlighted the major differences between the brands.

However, our main determining factor in the final results came down to consumer reviews and feedback from people who actually use the products. You really can’t beat this method for giving you an accurate overall view of a product.

So here are the results…

The Best Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven

  Le Creuset - Best Overall
  Lodge - Best Value for Money
  Staub - Also recommended


The Best Enamel Cast Iron Skillet

  Le Creuset - Best Overall
  Lodge - Best Value for Money


The Best Enamel Cast Iron Cookware Set

  Le Creuset - Best Overall


The Best Bare Cast Iron Dutch Oven

  Lodge - Best Overall & Best Value for Money


The Best Bare Cast Iron Skillet

  Lodge - Best Overall & Best Value for Money

 

 

 
 

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How to Season Cast Iron Cookware

 Cast iron cookware requires seasoning before its first use and this is usually accomplished by slathering the bottom and sides of the pan with a layer of grease, heating the pan on the stovetop or in an oven, and allowing it to cool again.  Care should be taken that the cookware is evenly seasoned.

 

1. Preheat your oven to 300F and place aluminum foil or similar in the bottom of your oven to protect it from oil spills.


2. If you have purchased your cast iron cookware as new then you will need to thoroughly wash it with warm water and soap using a scourer to remove any rust proof coatings.
 

3. Dry the cookware thoroughly before proceeding to the next step. You can place it in the oven for a short period in order to do this.
 

4. Coat the pan and the lid evenly with a heavy fat like lard or bacon grease. Many use Crisco for this purpose. The pan should be coated inside and out.
 

5. Place the pan and the lid upside in your oven for about an hour. If you place them right side up then the oil will accumulate in the bottom of the pan.
 

6. For best results repeat steps 4 and 5. Repeating this process once or twice will ensure an optimal non-stick surface to cook on.
 

Once cast iron cookware has been seasoned, it acquires a natural non-stick surface making it an excellent surface for cooking scrambled eggs and other sticky meals.

 

Cast Iron Cookware Tips

Never place your cast iron cookware in the dishwasher.

Avoid cooking acidic foods such as tomatoes and wine as this could remove the seasoning.

If storing your cast iron for extended periods coat in mineral oil.

If you have purchased a new cast iron pot or pan ensure that you remove the protective layer of wax or oil before seasoning.