After seeing Jasdip's post, one big enough to hold a pizza comes to mind... but seriously, what do you want to do with it? Big enough to hold certain things or small enough to handle or something I'm not thinking of

Jasdip's pizza got me wanting one for sure. Don't think I want a tiny one just for an egg or two.

Made in USA should be your first priority. That will narrow your considerations.

We use Lodge products for our cast iron cooking.

Once you learn how to clean and season, you'll enjoy many years of good frying, baking, grilling, etc.

I prefer Lodge. I found my Pioneer Woman one to have a very pebbly surface which is harder to clean/season. Paper towels will shred on the surface and bits will cling to the bottom. My Lodge pans are smooth and water just sheets off leaving the pan nearly dry. Remember that these pans are heavy. If you buy a very large one it may be hard to lift.

very heavy.

Nothing much. You don't need an expensive pan, Lodge is a great brand. Just follow the instructions for seasoning and cleaning, and keep it seasoned.

Absolutely made in the USA. I have over 100 pieces of cast iron cookware. I prefer the old Wagners....Griswolds are more expensive....but any made in USA is good.

Any suggestions for a size that is practical with many uses...is an 8in versatile?

8-inch is too small. A 10" is the most versatile. I make biscuits and everything in it.

I look at thrift stores, and local online sellers, and they're asking too much money, almost what a new one sells for.

I just bought a chicken fryer/small dutch oven from Lodge, and my 12" skillet is a Lodge. My 10 and 8" ones are both made in Taiwan but perform beautifully. I'm also getting a delivery today for 2 cast iron loaf pans.

We love this recipe that's a sausage egg roll in a bowl. (I use hamburger). We like leftovers, so I make it in my big 12" skillet. I can't lift it with one hand, thank heavens it has a helper-handle.

Oh my! That looks utterly delicious.

Marilyn, I know of several people who collect ci cookware. Wow, you're one of them! I asked why people have so many, you can only use 3 or 4 at a time. Of course, they replied why people have so many pairs of shoes, clothes, etc. LOL.

Storage is an issue for me.

If you have to purchase one CI pan, I would go for the 12 inch. Many uses and you can do larger pieces of meat (ribeyes, strips, tbone etc) without crowding. They are only about $25/US at hardware stores. Great buy!

Many are "pre-seasoned" but your best bet is to season some more as the factory seasoning is not good enough. There are multiple methods for seasoning but this works and is pretty easy. Take your new pan and wash it. Dry it well. Using a paper towel, lightly coat the entire pan (except handle) with regular Crisco, Put in a cold oven with a sheet pan underneath. Fire up the oven to 400F and let it go for at least one hour. Turn the oven off and let it cool. After use, clean your pan and then put it on a burner for about 15 minutes on high to "dry" and re-engage the seasoning.

I store mine in the oven so any time the oven is turned on, the pans get heated. Helps retain the seasoning.

DH bought one years ago. He had to have it. Well, it now sits in the bottom of a drawer. Too heavy for me!

I was just re-reading up on CI pans..Lodge got good reviews. I see them all over, I should just grab one and be done with it. I'm just getting in the swing of doing a couple steaks on the stove top and transfer to oven for the last 5-10 minutes...but I don't have a heavy CI which is normally what is recommended for doing steaks like that.

You can buy a pre seasoned pot from Lodge that is what I would do if you are going to buy a new one. I had one my sister gave me that was a new pre seasoned skillet it was very nice quality. They aren't that expensive. I lost all of mine in the flood so I am always looking at flea markets and thrift sales.

https://www.farmandfleet.com/products/1068230-lodge-12-cast-iron-pan.html?feedsource=3&gclid=CjwKCAjw4sLVBRAlEiwASblR-21pqZgS_6iqloLG46oBIA1ZlmCo4aUPeHp4AajjQSaN1vitxdcLYRoCu0EQAvD_BwE

I have ordered from this website because they have some really good prices on various products. Like this cast iron.

here's a 3 piece set of pre seasoned

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B071FPMSYJ/ref=sspa_dk_detail_5?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B071FPMSYJ&pd_rd_wg=9mPNh&pd_rd_r=QM35K8QGSZHR5HFJRS6Y&pd_rd_w=ngEEb

Raven, that is an excellent price. I may order the 101/4 in one. Thank you, I hadn't seen that site.

I found it recently and it has some really great prices and is easy to work with. Plus they do have coupons and free shipping on certain amounts.

When you are using your cast iron be sure not to shock it by putting cold water into it while it is hot, or it will probably crack clear through. Also do not wash it in the dishwasher.

Don’t use metal utensils on it or they can scratch up the seasoned surface, and similarly don’t use Brillo pads or the like.

I have this Griswold #8 skillet with lid. My mother received it as a wedding gift 72 yrs ago. The bottom inside is as smooth as glass. Sadly I don't use it much, but I keep telling myself I should.

Rose, bake an omelet in it.

I love my 10" Lodge. Anything bigger and I couldn't pick it up with one hand. It's the best way to heat up a slice of pizza.

This might be helpful too- http://www.lodgemfg.com/use-and-care/cast-iron-lets-cook

The chicken fryer/small dutch oven stays on my stovetop. I use it all the time as a regular skillet, fryer, and dutch oven. I think I paid about $4, including the lid, at a yard sale. My others are mainly Lodge, as is that one. They are heavy, but I look at it as building muscle!

These were made in my 10" skillet

look for one at a garage sale, or thrift store. The older ones are already nice and smooth. The newer ones have a pebbly surface that is harder to keep clean.

I can smell those buns through the computer. I have never seen ci at a thrift store.

The rusty ones can be cleaned up and returned to great condition so if you see any at yard sales they are often very cheap. I made corned beef and cabbage for St Pats in my grandma’s Griswold Dutch oven. I regularly use both of my 10 inch skillets. I even make an apple pie in that size. I bought a 12 inch size at a yard sale. It’s great when cooking for 5 people. I also have 2 smaller size pans -one would cook one fried egg- the other 2-3. I bought them for $1 each at a flea market because they were rusty. I have another one about that size but deeper somewhere in the garage. It would be great for vegetables. I bought it for $5 at an auction. And needs to be cleaned up and reseasoned.

cast iron is great but can be very HEAVY. if you have physical limitations might wanna think twice. i would check out yard sales and thrift stores. look for the "good" stuff... Griswold, Wagner or even Lodge. almost all other CI, even stuff with some celebrity name on it, is made in China... inferior quality. if you find a "good" name, even if cruddy, buy it... i've never spent more than $5 for any piece. clean it up, reseason and USE often.

I bought a square Lodge fry pan at my local hardwear store. Seasoned it following directions on the wrapping, used it many times. I once made the mistale of putting it in the dishwasher to clean. i fugured top rack would be safe. NO!!! i had to scrub the rust off with steel wool, re-season it to bring it back to life. i am much more careful now.

We have at least 4. One is my husband’s grandmother’s that is at least 50 years old.

We have one that has a lid that can be used as a low skillet, that is my husband’s favorite.

Like this, but I don’t think ours is a Cabela.

Agree with OklaMoni, try to get one with a smooth cooking surface- they are much better if you can find them. When we first got married DH bought a 10" lodge that has the pebbly cooking surface, and his mother got us a 10" lodge with a smooth, machined cooking surface. No idea why she was able to find one versus the other, but there is no comparison between the two. The other best cast iron pan we have is a 7 inch smooth surface that we picked up at a thrift store. I was reading recently that if you get a used one, you can put it through a self clean oven to make it look new, then reseason. DH throws ours on a fire every couple of years and they look brand new when they come off.

I have several different sizes. Frying pans, a dutch oven, cornbread pan. If you have any antique shops around, that's a good place to find them. The Griswold are expensive, but usually you can find Wagner's at a good price.

They all look smooth to me. Is there a way to determine which ones will be rough?

Foundry Tour of Lodge

Heavy pans. Notice the arms on the packaging team.

This Griswold was my grandmas than my moms and now mine. I have a few Wagners and a newer Lodge but the Griswold is my fav. Has a almost mirror like shine. Eggs slide right out.

I understand we're not supposed to cook acidic foods like tomato or fruit based which I don't but my mother made the best pineapple upside down cake in this CI. I have never had to reseason this one. I do put it on the gas stove top after washing to be sur

e it s dry than I rub a few drops of oil into it. This is the CI I put on the gas grill and get it screaming hot and than cook my blackened cajon fish. Perfect.

I bought a huge Lodge a few years ago. Preseasoned but very bumpy on the inside bottom. I've used it tons of times to fry bacon and its almost smooth now. I love cast iron cookware. Makes fantastic breads, biscuits and pizzas.

Jasdip,

The dinner rolls would make a great piece of wall art for a kitchen.

Ali- the smooth bottomed ones we have look like they have been machined after casting. The smaller one has circular machine grooves on the bottom (looks a little like a very smooth record). The big one may have that too. It's hard to tell after they are seasoned and used for a while. Since it is cast in a sand mold, the bumpy surface that keeps being referred to is that sand cast texture. It is not super bumpy, just not smoothed out quite so much.

Jasdip - would you be willing to share the recipe for those rolls? If I could make anything that looks like that I'd be very impressed with myself! I have a collection of CI that I inherited and use often but have never used it in the oven.