Lodge 12 Inch Cast Iron Skillet with Red Silicone Hot Handle Holder – Pre-Seasoned Frying Pan for Stove, Oven, Grill & Campfire – Made in the USA – Durable, Nonstick Cast Iron Cookware – Black

I had some misgivings when buying this skillet. I was concerned that food would stick. Fortunately, this didn't happen.The skillet is advertised as being seasoned already. This is true, more or less. They had done something, but it wasn't effective in preventing sticking. I found it necessary to season the skillet myself. Once I did that, the surface was truly non-stick. Seasoning is not difficult, but it's inconvenient. Fortunately, you don't have to season the skillet often. I only had to do it the first time; since then, it's worked nicely.This skillet is *heavy*. That's something I overlooked, though upon reflection it should be obvious that a 12-inch cast iron skillet is going to be heavy. There's an "assist" handle opposite the main handle, so you can use both hands.A cast-iron skillet has a few features or quirks you need to consider. First, its weight as I mentioned. Then there's the fact that it responds slowly to changes in heat. When you put this on a high flame, it takes a few minutes for the skillet to get hot enough to cook. And when you're getting close to the end of cooking, you need to turn off the flame a bit early, because the skillet is going to stay hot longer than most pans. You get the hang of it quickly, though.This delay may seem inconvenient, but it's the reason why this skillet heats evenly.Another consideration is that the whole thing is made of iron, so the heat is going to travel into the handles. When that happens you'll need to use oven mitts or hot pads to protect your hands. If you forget, you'll get a sharp reminder.You can wash this skillet with soap and water, despite what some people claim. Gentle cleaning won't do any harm. If the skillet was properly seasoned, there won't be much to wash away anyway. Once you've washed it, you need to put a thin coating of oil on it to prevent rust. This coating can be very thin, just barely covering the surface. It's not there to avoid sticking, but only to keep it from rusting.Overall this skillet requires a bit of effort and getting used to. It's not as convenient as a Teflon pan, and as I said, you need to adjust your cooking times a bit. But the benefits are great. You can have a non-stick surface that isn't destroyed by using metal utensils. If you do damage the surface, you can reseason the skillet. This skillet could become a family heirloom, because there's almost nothing that can destroy it. And this surface, unlike Teflon, doesn't shed plastic into your food.

Awesome skillet and will last a long time. People complain about the weight but it is a big piece of iron. It has the assist handle on the other side if weight is an issue so you can use 2 hands. The silicone hot handle is loose so if I have to pick it up I use a towel or oven mitt.

I love this Cast Iron Skillet. It is a bit heavy but, it is the best quality in a Cast Iron Skillet. The skillet is pre seasoned so it is easy to clean. It is a beauty, I have used it 5 times already and only had it a week.

Great cast iron but the silicon handle is loose fit and slides around. So when pan fying a thick steak and cooking top side with butter it’s hard to get a grip on the handle. I just took it off and used an oven mitt it was so annoying. I have another cast iron at my other house and it came with an orange silicon handle and it fit like a tight glove. Was hoping this was the same. Oh well. Pan is great

I LOVEthese they last FOR ever!!!!!! Make sure to scrub with vinegar and baking soda or something similar ⭐️

This is a nice pan and the rubber handle is good. The only complaint is I had hoped it would have been a deeper skillet. I would buy again, but I will make sure the next one I add to this is a much deeper pan.

Excellent buy. Great quality

Great product