****** - Verified Buyer
4.5
here is what's good about this cast iron skillet:1)very sturdy, very manly, very well mounted, polish steel handle, stays very very cool to the touch even on high heat, even the closes part of the handle near the skillet is a bit warm but not very hot to burn you.2) black enamel coating in and out, unlike true cast iron pans, these resist rust and if you get them wet and forget to clean and dry them right away the enamel coating prevents rust from starting.3) cast iron is very heavy, the designer thought of reducing the weight by making the side walls of the pan thin to reduce the weight. unlike the kind from lodges the wall of those pans are thick and adds to the weight.4) the base of the pan is extra thick, thicker than ordinary cast iron pans from lodges. This pan sits flat and so thick it won't warp over constant heat and cooling every time you use it.5) this pan is not made in china. would be foolish to buy a pan for $140 and made in china. made in netherlands to somewhat justify the hefty price.6) if you take care of the enamel then this should last a very long time. nothing cheap about this pan's handle and manufacturing process and technique. However cast iron material cookware is cheaper than stainless steel.7) if you are looking at other cast iron enamel fry pan this is the best one. better than le creuset or other china made le cruset style cast iron skillets.8) the side wall are flared out at a wider angle so easier to accommodate cooking utensils such as thongs without accidentally burning your hands on the rim of the skillet.what I don'tlike about this pan1)only comes in black but that is minor and just a preference2) the inside flat part could be 1/4" smaller in diameter than a regular 10" skillet. 2 pieces of center cut pork chop would be a tight fit, can be cooked pan fryed but the 2 pieces of meat would be touching each other.3) Cast iron cookware is cheap, so why so much as $140, would be nice if it is priced below $100. This make it the most expensive cast iron fry pan I ever came across.4) very heavy and enormous long handle size. This is not a negative, this is the only way the pan's handle can stay cool to the touch from cast iron heat retention properties. I can only imagine women that are around 110 pounds would probably hurt their wrist if held the pan and lift it with one hand. I am a 200lb male and I use 2 hands to carry this thing. but can use 1 hand on the stove if needed to turn the pan so handle faces another direction. amazingly cool handle from a cast iron pan! this pan has the best heat stability, even cooking, and heat retention due to it's hefty weight. but very heavy. itsa good thing the walls are thin otherwise it be more heavy.5) sometimes if you shop around, new or vintage, for a true cast iron skillet, you can find older cast iron pans with smooth cooking surface and commonly newer ones with bumpy rough cooking surface. I prefer the smoother surface. This pan is enamel coated but it has a rough surface not the smooth kind. I wonder if it still can be just as good of nonstick of a smooth cast iron pan if properly oiled and heated.
